Last night I really thought that I could be an actor in the movies. I was watching Jersey Girl and it's crap. My Noah from Revelatte was far from award winning, however I really think I have the chops to pull something like that. Oh well. Cheers.
Chris
Rach is part of a group that is dancing tonight at a function that I wasn't invited to. So I am at home relaxing and I found a fun website. Check it out. www.linerider.com
We received an email from a teenage girl that saw our Homecoming show in London. The show hits on the issue of pain and our reactions to the pain of life. The main character deals with her pain by cutting herself. Self injury is a growing problem where people of all age groups deal with emotional pain by some physical form (cutting, pulling out hair, scratching, biting, burning with cigarettes....). Well, this girl in London said that she has been cutting for a long time and didn't know that it was a thing that other people did. She said that the way we spoke on the issue really got her thinking and for the first time she isn't cutting and is dealing with her pain. Just wanted to pass that along. Cheers.
Chris
Today we worked with a church called The Well and they are 4 smaller groups that meet in separate places and once a month they have a large gathering for worship and teaching. C-Kruis did the worship and a dance during the gathering. We met on the top floor of a 4 story brewery/restaurant right on the Grande Place (pictured above), it was so really cool.
After the service my friend, Piet and I went out on the square and I played guitar while Piet made up songs in afrikaans and we danced and tried to earn a little extra Euros. Well, we gathered a crowd and started making jokes on people and there was a buzz growing in the crowd. Then the Brussels police showed up and informed us that we were not allowed to do that and we had to quit. So we picked up the shoe, that people threw money in, and everyone cheered, because people like seeing other people get in trouble with the police. We played for only 10 or 15 minutes and received 5 Euros. Not bad. Cheers.
Chris
Belgium is a country that speaks two languages, French and Femish, which is like Dutch, which is where Afrikaans comes from so I can read many of those signs and mildly understand when I hear it. However, Brussels is a French speaking city, so I can't speak to anyone. So here I am an American guy trying my best to speak Afrikaans in hopes that the person I am speaking to doesn't speak French, which they all do, who in turn hates me because I can't speak French like all people should be able to. I bought some waffles too. Cheers.
Chris
We left yesterday afternoon for Brussels from London. We took a bus from London and in Dover took the ferry across the English Channel to France, then we eventually made it to Brussels early this morning. It was a nice trip, 9 hours, but felt pretty quick. We worked all day and haven't seen anything yet, but I can't wait. I did see a prostitute in a window, but not the historic parts yet. We are showing at an arts festival tomorrow. Cheers.
Chris
Rachel and I are hanging out with our friends Flaps and Amanda at their friends house near London Bridge, it is a beautiful area. Rachel cooked us all supper and we are going to be just hang out tonight.
Rach and I moved host families for this week and we are staying in a home that doesn't have internet so I will not be able to blog much. I will try to get updates out when possible. Cheers.
Chris
Tonight's show went well. There were only about 25 people in the crowd, which was a little disheartening, but I think that some people were touched. I pray that they return for tomorrow night's show and bring friends with them. It was a long day and I am spent, the commute each way is about 1 1/2 and its wearing on me. Cheers.
Chris
We had a long day of rehearsals in preparation for our shows this weekend. We are showing Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the CCiL church in Hammersmith, which is in the south east part of London. Its a small venue, but I think it will work great. It's late and I am off to bed. Cheers.
Chris
It's a little cold and rainy today so I think I may do something I have not been able to do yet. I am going to starbucks and I am going to get myself a cup of coffee. I am so excited and I think it will serve it's purpose and make a cold, rainy London day a little better. I hope you all have a great day. Cheers.
Chris
We had our first 2 shows on Sunday night at the Stratford Old Town Hall theater. The crowd was small for both shows, but from what was said afterwards I think that people were touched. We are spending this week preparing for our shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in Hammersmith at the CCiL church.
Most of the people on team moved host families this week. Last week Rach and I stayed with a great young couple from South Africa named Altus and Soleen. Today we moved further out of town to stay with a Annete and Buk. They are so nice. We have been blessed to stay with great people here in London.
Please keep praying for this tour. There are a lot of people in London that are broken hearted and have a lot of pain in their life. Our shows are touching on the pain and I think that we have a great message of hope that I want others to hear. My prayer is that they come and that we can do all we can to invite many people. Cheers.
Chris
When we were on the plane coming here I got up to use the bathroom. I stood, stretched and made my way, swaying as I walked. to the middle set of bathrooms. When I got there this little Asian woman shot out of the room and suprise me. I hate that feeling, like you are both about crash into one another. Typically when this happens my eyes get large, my pupils dialate and I juke to one side to avoid the colission. However, This time there was no way of avoiding contact and after we bumped into each other I did something I have never done before. I quickly said, 'uh, sorry' and then I bowed. I really did standing in a plane on its way to Dubai, I gave this little Asian woman a quick Mr. Miagi bow. I think it was just instict from too many movies, oh well. Sianara.
Chris
It is cheaper to travel around London if you start your day after 9:30. So we have been sleeping in and having really late starts to our day because it saves money. Well, today Adriaan and I have go fetch the van/truck so its up at 6:00 and on the tube by 8:00. The sun comes up later too. So I am sitting in the small flat, having my tea at 6:30 and its still dark. It's a beautiful, dark, cold London morning and I am a little nervous about getting the van and driving around the city, but it will be fine. Hope you day is well, please pray for us here. Our first shows are Sunday night. Cheers.
Chris
Hey Guys,
We had nothing to do today so Rachel and I woke up late. I awoke sick, but after throwing up I felt much better. My luggage is still not here so we went on a mission to find me a little bit of clothing. We found a couple of shops that had great deals so I got 2 t-shirt for £1 each (less that $4 total), one that says something about Italian soccer and another classy one that says Hawaii Copacabana. The deal of the day was the pair of Levis 501's that Rach found misplaced on the sale rack that were supposed to be £56 ($106) that we got for £8 ($15.20). I also found 2 pairs of boxers briefs thrown in a bin that the guy let us buy for £.75 ($1.35), I hope they didn't belong to anyone, they looked clean and anything is an improvement from my friend Piet's silky boxers that are a size too small (silky doesn't stretch, I could barely bend over). Tomorrow is another nothing day for us so we are going to see the lighting on the Christmas lights on Regent Street. Will try to get photos up. Cheers.
Chris
We made it here yesterday morning, hung out during the day and led worship at church last night. Then we met our host family and tood the train 'home'. Slept forever and now ready to wander our nighborhood. They lost my bag on the trip. Meaning I am typing this in my buddy Piet's underpants. Will write more when I know more. Cheers.
Chris
We are leaving this afternoon for London. The band plus Piet, the sound guy, and Rachel, my wife, are leaving today. We fly our to Jo'burg at 2:15 this afternoon and arrive sometime Sunday in the UK. We then rush to a church where we are leading worship at the evening service. I think that we are going to be dead tired, but oh well. I am going to be getting a SIM card for my cell phone when I get there. I will post the number when I get it.
For the trip I wanted to get a new hiking backpack. There are some good deals here where a great pack cost about $150. It's a lot of money, but will last. However due to there being no extra money for a new backpack, I got a old South Africa army backpack from 1984. It's not that nice, but it will do the trick. The other thing that made it a great offer was that it was 20 Rand. That comes out to a little less than $3. It ain't pretty, but holds stuff and thats the point.
Please pray for our trip and that there are now problems with customs. Can't wait to get there. Cheers.
Chris
Ray and I have a chair in our bedroom. Its the chair that came in our second hand living room suite we bought last year when we moved in our house. Its a tannish color chair and isn't the most comfy thing in the world, but its mine and thats good enough for me.
Right now Ray is getting ready for the end of the year dine. Guinness is sitting on the futon mattress by our bedroom door, watching Rachel run around getting ready for the dine. And I am happily sitting in my chair in the corner of the bedroom with my feet propped up on the bed thinking, "I like my chair".
On tour I adapt very well to my surroundings. It doesn't bother me to stay at our host families homes and relax in their living room and sit in their chairs, but it's not mine. I don't even think about my chair when we are on tour, but when we get home the wonderful memories all come flooding back and its the first place my butt finds rest from the road.
So thats my chair. I'm still sitting in it now, if you were wondering, with my feet propped on the bed. Rachel is somewhere else in the house doing something else and Guinness has followed her. There is a lot I could be doing now. Getting ready for the dine tonight or packing for our trip to London tomorrow. But I think I will sit here a little longer and enjoy my home while I am still here. Cheers.
Chris
For you that don't know I grew up mostly with my aunt Pat. Growing up my mother and I had a bad relationship (which has become really good over the past few years) and when I was in jr high I moved out of my moms home and moved in with her sister Pat. For me Pat was a savior, she took me in and treated me as her own child and loved me as much a person can love another person. We were parent/child, but beyond that we were great friends.
Well, 3 years ago Pat died of cancer and I miss her so badly. I don't think there was a person who didn't like Pat or could say that she didn't make them feel special. Today will always be a sad day for me, but I know that she is much better now. I hope that I can be half the parent that she was to me. Cheers.
Chris
We are doing our last day of rehearsals today for the London/Brussels tour. Ray, the band/tech team and I are leaving Saturday and the rest of the team comes each day until Wednesday. Please pray for us for safe travel and for no problems with customs. We are still trying to raise extra money to cover the fee for the trip, if you are able to help please email me and I can get the information to you. Thanks.
Chris
