Switzerland: Day 12

Today. The last day of our trip before we travel home. We got to attend Lighthouse in Laax and our MLSSM team prophesied over the whole group.

Every single person left with a word. And I personally left feeling encouraged by giving words.

We end tonight, a bit tired and still processing our whole trip.

Tomorrow will hold a bus ride, a long train ride, another train ride, and then we make our way home on Swiss airlines.

I can't believe that for my first time off the continent I got to go I Switzerland.

I still feel so amazingly blessed, and even though I'm very homesick and excited to make my way back, I'll have memories here that I won't forget.

I won't ever forget my wonderful team: Amanda, Abi, Forrest, Patti, Jamie, Natalie & little Hudson.

Switzerland: Day 7

Our second day in Davos was pretty laid back. Abi and I woke up after breakfast because we stayed up pretty late, but we had orange juice and apples in our room and that was sufficient enough for breakfast.

Then we headed to the YWAMs class where they recapped all that happened last night. Students had stories about prophesying over strangers and getting to encourage people.

Hearing their stories was truly amazing because a lot of them lined up with the MLSSM students stories.

Abi and I had given words to this teenage boy who Amanda and a YWAM girl Felicia had gotten to encourage. Then I found out that another student Max had given the same word to one of the girls I had walked up to and given a word to.

It was all just so amazing.

After lunch the MLSSM team headed into town to one of Jamie's favorite coffee shops. Amazing. The food was great and the coffee was even better.

Following that we went to a designer store called Freitag where literally everything sold there is made out of the tarps that go on the side of the semi truck trailers. It sounded a little weird to me at first too, but it was so awesome. Though sadly too expensive.

We made our way home and arrived almost right in time for dinner and then had a night of worship.

The night of worship was the perfect end to a pretty perfect day. But now onto the next.

Switzerland: Day 6

Davos called and we went. Today we arrived in Davos after a couple hours of train rides. Tired and a little hungry we showed up to the YWAM base where we were welcomed by the wonderful students and staff.

We mentally prepared ourselves for the Wednesday night service and then went down to dinner. We had risotto and yes it was awesome.

Then I had about half a pound of chocolate.

We met downstairs for the service and they began with worship and then Natalie spoke and Reto translated.

The service consisted of Natalie speaking and the team encouraging the congregation, some of which might not have believed in God.

The whole MLSSM team went up and gave encouraging words to individuals as well as the whole group.

Finally I decided to speak up and encourage them about seeking God and finding him.

Jeremiah 29:13 has been one of my favorite life verses for years and I'm glad everytime I get to share it.

Afterwards a girl came up to me and gave me a word about myself and how God made me. Cue the emotions.

I finally convinced myself, after I got myself together, that I would try to go and pray for the girls in the back row who Forest pointed out hadn't been prayed for yet.

If you know me at all, you know that I've been basically terrified to talk to strangers and pray for them, even when I'm not by myself. And this time I was.

So I went, and it was a bit awkward, but I told them that God thought they were beautiful and amazing and that he loved them very much. They said thank you politely and I added that I wanted to see if they needed prayer for anything. They said no. So I persisted a little further and asked them to write their names in my phone and I could pray for them later. Thankfully they did and it wasn't super awkward after. I thanked them and left, which in all honesty I'm more glad that I went instead of regretting it later.

So it's almost time to go to bed and Abi and I make our way to the door. A girl who Abi had given a word to earlier stopped me and told me she (also) got a word for me when I was standing at the front.

She got the word rockstar. She told me that she didn't know if I liked music or singing or anything but that I should be on a stage. That I should be up there on a stage as much as possible. And then I started really tearing up.

I felt so blessed, which was ironic because we came here to bless them. It just proves to show that God wants to give us more and more.

Today was only the first day in Davos and I already felt truly blessed and at home again in a new place.

My prayer for tonight will be that God will make us feel completely at home with these people and that we can love on them and become family with them like the last two places we spent our time.

Amen

Switzerland: Day 3

Today was the day we all travelled to stay in Zürich. We took a bus, a train, a cable car, and walked up an extremely steep hill to the home in which we were staying on the fourth floor.

Needless to say our legs are killing us.

We arrived for brunch that consisted of potatoes, cheese, eggs, more bread, and lovely coffee.

No words can describe the feeling I get when I'm around these people.

You'd think it would be awkward being surrounded by people who are speaking Swiss-German to each other but surprisingly enough I have felt right at home.

Every single gathering has been amazing. It's felt like the longtime awaited family reunion that no one wanted to leave. And it was wonderful.

We did however have to say bye to our lovely hosts from Uster, which wasn't the best, but we know we have made good friends that we can always think about when we think of this amazing place.

We also had to say goodbye, temporarily, to our fearless leaders as they left early to make the way to Davos. This was just minutes after their son let me hold him for a large amount of time. And I am convinced that he will love me by the end of the trip.

After an afternoon jaunt around the nearby streets and a bit of time editing the many photos I took, we had dinner with the housemates. Wonderful spaghetti and salad. Not something I was expecting in Switzerland, but as an Italian I did enjoy the meal.

A session of being prayed for by the Swiss, and a coat of nail polish later and we are all in bed ready to face tomorrow, which will consist of a tour around town, hopefully some good coffee and a good time with my team.

Switzerland: Day 1

Today part of the MLSSM team landed in Zürich, Switzerland. Exhausted from our lack of sleep and turbulence tossed bodies, we made our way through customs and out into the fresh (though cigarette-smoke filled) air.

Navigating the trains and buses seemed the same as almost every other city, except for the fact that people were speaking Swiss-German everywhere we went and we passed by completely dumb-founded at the fact that people could know such a intricate language.

By the time we made it to our host home for the next two nights, we were begging for sleep, and were barely hungry at all. However, that did not stop us from walking to another amazing family's house and sitting down to a traditional Switzerland Raclette dinner.

As we talked over our cheese and potatoes and an amazing dipping sauce, that I refuse to leave the country without, I got to know a few people and learn how much alike humans really all are, even in different countries and cultures.

I sat at the end of a full table and found myself wishing that my future would be like this. Inviting amazing people into my home for amazing food and wonderful conversation.

Cute kids playing in the living room and a post dinner cup of tea truly made for a good winding down session.

Now I lay on my sleeping bag on the floor awaiting the last member of our team to join us from England.

Once we all have a good nights sleep and hopefully a full recovery from the pounds of cheese we just ate, nothing can stop us from taking on tomorrow, day two of our journey through Switzerland.