Friends in London!

I can smell the trees outside. I breathe in and gulp down the fresh air of Nightingale Lane outside the flat. It reminds me of my home in Chicago with a little bit of fresh cut grass and dirt stuck to the bricks outside. It is home to me, the smell and the bed I sit on now. I have open windows with no screens and no flying bugs to pester me. The sound of silence is deafening; No traffic or people, no buzzing, or loud prayers, no generators, not even crickets. It should seem a shock but it is more like heaven to me.

Our friend Julia from the U.K. invited us to meet some friends of hers from church during our long layover. They are absolutely divine! Ben and I are staying at James and Tanya’s house in which a “feast” took place earlier. We ate so much food! We met, Joseph (from Uganda), and Nicky and Andrew (from South Africa) as well as James (a good friend of Julia’s). Even Tanya is from Zimbabwe. It was a wonderfully cultural night and we were welcomed so kindly here. We took a walk to the nearest commons (park) too. It was a perfect evening for me. Friends, beautiful weather, a park, my family…. who can ask for more?

Nathan had a fever when he arrived but it seemed to disappear when two neighbor boys invited him and Mike to play cricket. And Amber and I laid in the soft green lawn while Hope watched Avatar on television. But when the food arrived, we were all stuffing our faces! We had the most delicious cheese you have ever tasted. But we also tried some new cookies called “Hob Knobs” (FANTASTIC). We ate hot dogs, salad with fresh tomatoes, corn on the cob with fresh butter and sea salt, cheese, bread and honey and even ice cream. I think I gained 5 pounds!

I want to personally say “THANK YOU” to our friends. You have made my homecoming so warm and I will never forget your hospitality! The tears I shed today were grateful tears. Thank you friends!!