Day 2--Halworth, Warwick, and Stratford

The weather had promised rain today, and it did not disappoint. But, the rain held off long enough for us to get our breathtaking hike through the moors around the Bronte parsonage. 

The guys and gals began their mornings in their respective bed and breakfast inns. We all slept relatively well for the time change and were ready for our first full day in England. After we finished our hearty traditional English breakfast, we walked up to the Bronte parsonage. Our tour guide met us and provided a detailed lecture on the life and times of the Bronte family. The graveyard that surrounds the parsonage is a grim reminder of the difficulties of life in 19th century Yorkshire, a life that provided much of the material that found its way into the books written by both Emily and Charlotte. 

The fog and clouds added to the ambiance of our walk, making it easy for us to make believe that we were Heathcliff or Catherine walking the moors in Wuthering Heights. What a thrill for the students to be able to now have a concrete picture in their mind of the setting that was such a pivotal part of that book. While a bit chilly, the rain held off long enough so that we were dry for the hike.

We finished our time at the parsonage with a tour of the parsonage itself as well as the church where Patrick Bronte was parson (and where the Bronte family is buried). The rain began during our time inside, which made the rain boots and umbrellas fully functional for us Californians. :) In a way, for many on this trip, a little rain only adds to our tour of England.

We then loaded up our bus, grabbed our sack lunches and headed out to Warwick castle. The rain does have its down side. With the rain came heavy traffic which delayed our arrival at Warwick Castle. Even so, we were able to have a little over an hour to explore the castle grounds, tour the manor house, and climb the 500+ stairs through the turret towers of the castle walls. The castle sits on the Avon river and with all the recent rain, the bright green rolling hills provided a marvelous view for those who made the climb to the top of the castle walls.  

We had just enough time to get from Warwick to Stratford (about a 20-minute drive) so that we could check in to our hotel, drop off our luggage, and make a quick walk across the street to our dinner cruise boat waiting for us on the Avon, right next to The Royal Shakespeare Company's theater house. Stepping into the wood paneled dining room on the boat provided a luxurious ambiance for our meal as we meandered down the river. The meal (as all have been) was delicious, but the conversations and interactions with each other were what made the night special. What a wonderful way to end a very busy but fulfilling first full day in England.

Continue to pray for us. Pray specifically for...

an authenticity in our fath that is obvious to all;

for repentance of those on our trip and in our SCCS family who have rejected Christ; and

for sweet and encouraging conversations between each other and those we meet today.

As Spurgeon said, "It will never do to lose the friendship of God in order to keep on good terms with men."

Day 1--Travel and our arrival in Haworth

We left sunny, warm Southern California on Easter Sunday afternoon and arrived in warm and sunny London on Easter Monday (a bank holiday in the UK). The plane ride was long, and we all admittedly were tired, but the excitement of finally being in England after all our planning and preparation helped to keep us going. We still had a long bus ride ahead of us to take us to Haworth, home of the Bronte sisters. We stopped part way though the trip to grab a quick bite to eat before heading the rest of the way. Many napped on the bus, but the scenery (beautiful yellow flowers in bloom everywhere) and excitement of all that could be seen while driving up the motorway (we even passed Sherwood Forest) kept many awake. 

The beautiful, sunny weather quickly faded as the clouds took over, and by the time we reached Haworth, it was raining. For many, that was the perfect weather for our arrival to the moors.  The guys checked into The White Lion, an old inn located in the village of Haworth and just down the hill from the Bronte parsonage. The ladies checked into the Ashford House, a beautiful inn that was once the house of the Bronte family physician. His stately Victorian manor was also the location of our first meal together. What a feast! 

We now are all eager to get some much deserved rest. Before we all went to bed, we were reminded in our devotions that we "have a great need for Christ" but that we "have a great Christ for our needs" (Spurgreon).  This was reiterated in our reading of Psalm 119 this evening (I'd encourage you to read it as well). 

Please pray with us...

that we will be gracious to each other and to those we meet today even in our weariness;

that we will be reminded often of our utter wickedness and need to respond in gratefulness to our incredible God; and

that our bus driver would see and experience who Christ is by spending time with us. 

We've Landed

After a nearly 11-hour flight (with a little bit of sleep...maybe) we have landed safely and have our luggage (praise the Lord). Now off to our coach and a 4-hour ride to Haworth for a good night's rest in our bed and breakfasts after a wonderful meal. Happy Easter Monday from London!