Scotland SMT Week 1 Reflection
The Scotland team has all had their fair share of dealings with small town living. But as the largest of all the small towns of Orkney islands, we have never experienced a welcome in a town where everyone knows AND everyone does their best to include locals, tourists, and all people they may come across.
After three plane rides and a time change, we were welcomed by the cutest and most rambunctious smile from the three-year-old. The Kirkwall corps officers and their daughter were waiting for us with a welcome sign and open arms. We rested for a while before helping set up for the first ever quiz night at the Burray outpost.
Sunday the team attended a prayer meeting, and two Sunday services. Nyakuar and Mallory gave testimonies, while Hannah and Nyakuar joined the corps brass brand, Hannah also joined the songsters on Sunday. (Later that week some team members also attended a songsters practice at the corps.) Hannah and Nyakuar were also a part of a 5 part Brass band put together for the Shetland Orkas festival, being the first Salvation Army Brass band to play in Shetland in many years.
We’ve also been helped with the toddlers and mom Group (called Kailliefliees “butterflies in America” toddler group), then attended activities like home league which is the women’s ministry and pizza and prayer.
Lastly this week we helped celebrate Burray outpost 5 year anniversary, with testimonies given by BobbiJo and Meosha. Meosha drew a postcard for each table and the girls presented a signed copy to Captains John and Rebecca.
We ended our week by traveling by ferry to Shetland for the Orkas conference which has been amazing to see many countries represented with many ways of worship and praise being shouted and sung at once. We’re excited to see what is next, and we have been very happy to be a part of what God is already doing on these small islands of Scotland.
Scotland SMT Week 2 reflection:
We started the week in the Shetland Isles. We were hosted by Majors Bev and Dave Womersly. We can see the way God is using their unique gifts to serve the people of the community and help the earth heal. We visited their polytunnels. Where they grow fresh produce, and take care of animals like chickens, goats, and lambs to give to people in need. They also help people learn about agriculture and the importance of reusing and recycling. It was beautiful to see how God called them to this place. There are six gardening beds, a cake shed open to all with free will donation (but no forced price) for those in need, as well as a second polytunnel used as a prayer space or Bible study space for anyone who may need it. Also while in Shetland we went to the Methodist church where Major Bev preached. (because there is no actual Salvation Army church building only the agricultural/prayer space ministry) at this service, Major Bev preached about how God is our refuge/fortress/ protection, and Cadet Christina and Meosha gave testimonies of how God has been that in their own lives over the years.
After the weekend in Shetland, we arrived back in Kirkwall and We spent multiple days this week in different church members’ homes to get to know them better. It has been a truly beautiful experience, and we have been so blessed by the many people who opened their homes and provided food and fellowship. We helped out with Junction café again (one of the team’s favorites), attended Bible studies, and some team members attended songsters and band. Another team favorite this week was the street ministry we did. We brought balloons, sweets, and war cries (the Salvation Army magazines) to pass out for free on the street to locals and tourists as a form of evangelism.
We ended the week helping lead the “friendship club” (elder people group). We listened to the history of the Salvation Army from London to Scotland, and we led the second part where the team made a powerpoint and talked about different ministries in the USA Central Territory. Hannah shared her testimony, and then we ended it with the SMT dance, and the hymn “Fan the Flame”. We helped serve for lunch club, prepped and planned for upcoming outreach, and ended the day and the week having a blast playing games with youth at the hall (another word for church or the corps) where Meosha prepared and gave a devotional to the teens.