Hi all!
Things at Cairn Brae are hectic, honestly. We are in the middle of camp and things are moving very fast. It’s hard for me to sit down and write a blog post to update those back home, but it is something that I want (and need) to do. The past few days have been good. My staff in the kitchen know what they are doing and have confidence in all their tasks. James, Josh B, Josh W, Esther, Gellert, Maddie, Harry, and Ari are their names; and they rock. I’m thankful because they all have worked so hard here, while maintaining such a positive attitude. I can sense their love of Christ through their work and the way they respect each other. They make the kitchen worth it. The kitchen work itself is hard. I love making food and seeing people enjoy what I create, but I don’t like making food for 200 people. Sometimes I will make a meal for myself and it reminds me that I do still love cooking! The other day I went back to Edinburgh, where my journey in Scotland started. I got to show off my favorite city to my new friends, Jeromy and Halston. It was fun being able to hang out in an area I know well with people, since the last time I was there I was by myself. Edinburgh is such a touristy city so I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to relax- but we found a nice beer garden and talked for a few hours together. I’m super thankful for their friendships- and Jeromy is already planning visiting Eureka in late September! Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up and praying for me during this journey. My goal is to post every other day from now until August 19th. Blessings, BH
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Hi all, Today I got a day off- and it was well needed. Ever since I arrived here I've been craving a dirty chai (my absolute favorite). Today I finally got one. A few of the other interns (Halston, Philippa, and Hannah) and I went to Blend Coffee in Perth. The setting was perfect and I was able to unwind over my dirty chai. The day also gave me an opportunity to post on Laken and I's blog! Click the "Home" button to check it out! I go back to work tomorrow- but I do with a full heart. The day off refreshed me. I'll post some more in a few days but I wanted to update those who have been covering me in prayer. I feel rested, healthy, and ready for the next week ahead. Blessings,
BH Hi all!
Here at Cairn Brae there are 6 total weeks of campers. In just a few days, week 2 will be completed and another group will arrive shortly after. Time is flying here now that campers are here and I am constantly busy- which I am not sure is a good thing or not. Initially, I got sick after the first day of campers here. It was tough because it just made me feel drained, but after a day of rest I was able to regain my health and go 100% again in the kitchen. The sickness made me realize how important rest is, here and at home. Growing up people always told me to never to go half-hearted, which I thought was just a saying for “try hard”. What I am starting to realize is that you have to take care of yourself first or you may end up attempting a job or task halfway. These past few days I’ve been good about finding time to myself and recharging for my long kitchen shifts- which has been a key factor in how my day goes. The kitchen has been a marvelous place so far. I’ve met a lot of new people, both from the United States and all across Europe, and that has been the best part. The kitchen (or castle/dungeon, depending on the day) has been kicking my butt though. I’ve never worked this hard or fast in my life, and it really is challenging work cooking for 200 every meal. One of my goals before coming here was to gain knowledge on running a Young Life camp and the kitchen is the perfect place to do that. I’ve sat in on an order now and gained knowledge of how to schedule out a day for campers. I’m anticipating learning more on Young Life camping now that I know my role in the kitchen well. Travelling has been halted since I’m at camp. I get every Wednesday off which will give me the opportunity to travel. I think tomorrow might take me into the town of Perth to enjoy some scenery and coffee at a local shop- I’ll definitely be updating. I appreciate everyone who has been praying for me as I continue my adventure at Cairn Brae this summer. I definitely have been feeling a bit of homesickness recently and find myself anxious to get home. I know I don’t want to wish away this summer though, and staying present here is something I’m working heavily on. Prayers appreciated. Blessings, BH Hi all!
I just wanted to provide an update since kids have been here for 5 days now! Today, “Day 5”, is considered my day off (and it honestly couldn’t have came at a better time). 5 days ago, 135 kids rolled off of busses and invaded Cairn Brae. Once quiet and peaceful, this property became a madhouse- and we all loved it. Instead of cooking for 50 people, we had to now cook for 200! Life became hectic, but the people surrounding me provided calmness during the storm. The night of the first day I felt my throat ache and knew I was getting sick. For the past few days I’ve been battling a cold with countless cups of tea and a few NyQuil pills. Today I am feeling so much better and the day off came at a perfect time. So how has camp been going? Honestly, it has been really busy. The people are great here but making food for 200 people is not an easy thing to do. There has been stress but there’s also been a lot of growth. I have learned a lot so far and we aren’t even a week into camp. The food service manager, Grant, has talked about letting me help with orders for the kitchen (which is something I want to do!). Amidst the stressful times in the kitchen, there is also calmness. I have built great relationships with the current work staff (who leave in 2 days!) and have loved hearing their stories. Yesterday we made 40 pizzas from scratch, and it stressed me out. In the middle of it we had a couple of campers deliver notes of encouragement to the kitchen which was super uplifting. It came at such a perfect, hectic time and the mood in the kitchen seemed to rise after we all got a chance to read the notes. I’ve also been set up with a mentor here, Nathan. He is the bomb. We get to spend a few days a week together and we are working through some of my goals, which is exactly what I need. The potential for growth and learning here is huge, and I want to take advantage of it all! Today, my day off, I plan on resting a lot. A few of the other interns and I might go into town for a little bit but we are all taking this as a day of rest. I need to do better on posting on this blog, so that’s a goal of mine for the next few days!! Again, Cairn Brae loves prayers. Blessings, BH Hi all!
I am so sorry I haven’t updated in awhile. Cairn Brae has 50 more people here, called our work team, to serve kids who arrive TOMORROW! That is right. All of the interns are trained and we are putting the final touches on camp before “Day 1”! Right now, in the kitchen, there are two dishwashers and four cooks under me. I couldn’t be more blessed because our team is phenomenal and they are all ready to serve with full hearts. Our count will go up to cooking for around 200 people tomorrow. When I arrived two weeks ago (three weeks ago to Edinburgh) I anticipated this day with excitement and nerves. Now that I am trained, here are some of my thoughts on campers arrival.
I just want to ask for prayers for the assigned team, for the staff, and for the interns. We are all ready, or as one of the other interns said “we think we are ready.” Blessings, BH |
AuthorI am moving to Scotland this summer. Archives |