A Typical Tuesday

Getting on my bike at 8 am, I head to my swedish class. Tuesdays my group spends the three-hour block with our mentor teacher. We give speeches, take tests and learn about random topics…at least it seems random to me. They obviously have a curriculum they cover over the course of the semester. My group is made up of at least 8 different nationalities and they have all moved to Sweden in the last 8 months. I am enjoying learning the language but it definitely makes my mind tired!

At 11:30ish I exit the building and head over to the university to have lunch with students. There is usually about 6 to 10 students that intentionally gather on Tuesdays to build connection throughout the week. I don’t know enough swedish to eavesdrop well, but it’s great to listen and learn. Or course, they always return to english to include me. I am excited to build deeper relationships with them. My goal on Tuesday afternoons is to be present on campus and available. From lunch, I take a prayer walk. Today I was alone, but I know as schedules allow there are students who will join me. Being able to intercede and seek how God is at work on this campus is an important part of my day. From there I try to go to Unik, a local campus coffee shop that actually highs wi-fi! Today time did not permit because my prayer walk was too long! But hopefully as I become a regular at this place I will be able to meet new people and engage in more spiritual conversations. They even provide blankets! My kind of place!

Every other Tuesday I get to skype with Ray Vaughn. Ray is a point person for RiverCity, the work I was involved with in Columbia, SC. It has been great to start talking more regularly and really learn how to be peer coaches with one another as we seek to learn and be further equipped in the work of the ministry.

Today I got even a wonderful treat as I got to skype with another close friend and catch up on life! It is amazing how the six-hour time difference and full schedules can make connection with home a bit hard. Yet as we are determined to find times that work, I appreciate the moments to talk with that know me best! What a gift!

Then it is time for home group. I catch the 5:45 pm bus for 20 minutes and then a 17 minute walk to the home of the Leino’s. This home group is made up of three families with young children from the ages of 9 months to 10 years old. I love how they have learned to incorporate the children in our discussions. They add great questions and insights, and ask hard questions. It’s also a gift to hear them pray! After prayer, they play for a bit while those of us above the age of ten sit around the kitchen table with a cup of tea and get to talk a bit deeper. My refrigerator is becoming a beautiful collection of work.  One of the daughters gives me vocabulary words in swedish as she is learning them in english. She is a good teacher! The children applaud when I attempt to speak in swedish. They are great encouragers to me! Then back to the walk to the bus to catch the 8:47 pm bus so I can be home by 9:30 and getting ready for bed. Jag är trött! (I am tired)

Good Night!