Youth ministry has a slightly different tone over here in England.
I've been involved in youth work for years. So I was happy to assist at the parish here while in the neighborhood. Certainly there were similarities with back home, like the enthusiasm that accompanies getting a group of kids together.
But some things aren't replicated in States. Our gathering took place in a renovated barn . . . built in the 1600's. The stone walls and oak rafters have seen a few more generations than any youth center I've been in back in America. While the ping pong, foosball, and pool tables with the piano on the side were added by the owner a bit more recently, the green meadows surrounding the farm were still being grazed by sheep and cattle as they had been for centuries.
Also surprising was stepping into the kitchen--and having the whole group singing happy birthday around a candlelit chocolate cake: they had connections to know it had been my birthday, and I had no idea that was coming.
And it was a good cake.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Lighting Candles
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2 comments:
That's funny that English kids sing "happy birthday"! I thought their culture was different, but evidently we share more than I realized.
I think the reason you have no "commenti" is that your readership drifted away, as soon as there were no posts for a while. That happened to me with the web page about the bike ride in 2001 -- after the break in Minnesota, no one was reading my posts.
Don't worry about the lost files -- we'd love to see pictures of England.
Happy belated Day of your birth!
Better to late commenti than to never commenti at all? Sounds like you had a nice time. The old barn & surroundings were very charming it seems. Enjoy your time abroad!!
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