Hello Friends.

I am going to keep this short, I do not have much time.
I hope all of you are well, I miss see all your faces regularly. As many of you know right now I am in Kolkata. It is one of the most amazing cities I have ever seen. It's hard for me to even explain it in words. I wish I could fly you all out here and walk with you. Then I wouldn't need words. This place explains itself.
The streets are littered. With people, garbage, stray dogs and cats, Little huts where people sell things, beggars hands, children running around, the hurting, the starving. It is littered. I feel at almost anytime I could reach out and touch 10 different people without moving.
Adam and I live in a small concrete room that barely fits the two of us. We have a bathroom, it you would like to call it that. It's more a hole in the ground.
It is incredibly hot and sticky here. Though I welcome the heat. In fact I love it.
It is an incredibly hectic place, so much going on all the time, so many people trying to show you what their selling, so many people everywhere.
But I love it here.
It absolutely stunning, everything about it.
In many ways it's so beautiful. There are so many colors. Textures. Movement. Character.
The children here are so loving. They just want to play with us sometimes. Today Adam and I walked by a huge bridge that is near the middle of Kolkata, and where invited to play cricket with a bunch of kids that where playing near the underside. They taught us how to play, and it was amazingly fun. We took pictures with them all, gave them some water and left. No words could be faithful to the experience we had with them. I hope I see them again.
We worked for mother teresas house yesterday. I will write more about that another time.
I thank God for bringing us here. I knew it would be crazy. I didn't know that I would fall in Love with it as fast as I have.
Thank you for all your prayers. Keep them coming. Please.
I pray that you all are of good health and that you realize God's blessings in the good moments, the mundane, the hectic, and the sad. He is great.

Nope.

I am not dead. I have not disappeared. I have just not written to all you folks. I have been too busy on exciting and wonderful adventures to write blogs. But due to popular demand I have returned once again.
Listen to me talk like anyone really reads this thing. I think 3 people asked what was going on and one person mentioned my blog, so I have decided that I will give it another shot.
Okay so the last month has been filled with ups and downs, highlights and nothingness, I have been filled with frustration and been beautifully encouraged. So pretty much the same deal as anyone else in this world.
So as I speak I am about to leave for my second to last day of work in the city of Southampton. It is my eighth week at my crappy kitchen job where I do next to nothing all day. It's actually quite painful not having things to do at work. I feel so unsatisfied when I leave. But it is almost over. And I have some stories thanks to it (re: my first e-mail). So that has dominated my past 2 months really.
Two weeks ago, however, Adam and I went on a little adventure to a place called Ireland. We took a coach bus from Southampton at 4 am into London, and wandered around there for the day. London is incredible really. I am fairly naive to the beauty of cities outside those in Canada and the northern States, but they really pale in comparison to London. At times I couldn't believe how at what seemed every corner I turned was a place more amazing and gorgeous than the last. It was a lot of fun to just spend a quick day jaunting around the city being serious tourist. Oh, and we got to have pizza hut buffet.
So that evening we took another coach to Stansted airport (which is entirely a mission, if you can avoid it, then do). We then flew into Belfast city airport ( the only airport smaller than Stansted) where we got picked up by big Mike Currie, and Douglas Hunt. We spent most of our time in Belfast for the weekend, which was amazing due to it's history that has left it's mark all over. We also made a jaunt up to the North Coast, one of the most beautiful places imaginable. The rest of the weekend was filled with birthday celebrations, whiskey distilleries, dancing, singing, watching a burning building .... burn, eating chips, professional rugby games, non-professional rugby games and most importantly drinking plenty of Guinness. It was wonderful.
Thanks to how cool Adam and I are, Doug Hunt is now coming to Southampton next weekend. Which is awfully exciting. We are actually going to be attending a prophetic conference at our church, community hall. It should be interesting.
Oh and Doug is defiantly cooler than I am.
Moving direction now.
So far my time in Southampton would be generalized by the word "frustrating". Pretty much since the moment I arrived here I have been in a spiritual battle, mostly fighting with myself to be honest. On my arrival I began to immediately find things in people and the church that I deemed to be "not right". I very quickly became almost angry, frustrated, and introverted. Long story short, and honestly if you care to hear the long story, ask, but I really realized is that while there may be thing wrong with people and churches and everything, but what was truly not right, was me. There was things in me, that God was poking and prodding at because I had ignored them, or was not aware of them. I had a hardened heart, a blind spot, a gaping hole that if I did not see it eventually, I would fall into it. Sorry for such a arbitrary spat of thought, but like I said, it's yours to investigate.
All aside my time here has been, well, moving. I am utterly thankful for ever second. And as it comes to a close, I think back on it and laugh. Funny how thing in one moment seem utterly earth shattering, and in the next are obsolete.
Thank you for all of you who have spoken great words of wisdom, love and grace into me in the past few weeks. you know who you are, but know that I am infinitely grateful for you.
I promise I will try and write more often. I hope that some of you will update me on your lives soon as well. I miss many of you.
All of his love.

Trip Update.

I apologize that the updates on the trip have been far and few between. It hasn't been easy here in england. I don't get on a computer as much as I need to, to do such things. Also, while England has been amazing to us, the adventures haven't been exactly things that I would write home about. It's been a lot of spending time with friends, going to pubs, and playing football. The people here have welcomed us with amazing hearts and it's been a lovely time, just not easy to write about. Towards the latter half of our time here there should be more to write about. As I will have left my job, have gone to Ireland, likely have backpacked through London for a week or so, and visited family whom I have never met. Could be news worthy. Let's hope.
So a little bit of an update on the trip status itself. Most of the plans have stayed in place to this point. There is one large change however. We have decided to make a detour to Iceland. In all honesty we made this decision strictly based on what we saw in Sigur Ros new film, "Heima". Yup. Rash? Yes. Necessary. Even more so.
On my job.
I work for the Uni. of Southampton in a cafe. I am basically the chefs right hand man. I spend most of my days just doing random little tasks for him such as cutting veg, and cleaning up after him. I spend a little time doing some dishes. That about it. Not exciting, but it's paying bills quite nicely.
I can't wait to be under the hot Indian sun.
I must run to work now, I'm pretty sure I won't make it on time thanks to feeling compelled to write SOMETHING here.
Anyways I pray that you are all alive and well and that you understand the blessings that God has placed in your life. Oh, and for world peace.

Mike.

P.S. See Heima. Now.

(Rant) Pardon me

but does anyone else just not care about celebrities? I have to listen to British Radio 1 all day long at work Monday to Friday. Mixed amongst a little music all they do is talk about different celebs. The have on the hour updates, breaking news, and even a segment each evening devoted to Britney Spears. I sometimes throw up a little in my mouth. I'd rather be kicked in the throat than hear another word about Britney.

Ok, I'm done.

The scene:

Church on a Sunday evening service downtown Southampton.
Families, the young, the old. Mothers, Fathers, Brothers, Sisters.
And the homeless.
They are scattered throughout the congregation.
I spot one across from me that I had spoken to 10 minutes earlier. His breath had reeked of whiskey and cigarettes. Sat down, he is too drunk to stand. Then worship starts and he raises his hands, and his voice. Everyone around him does the same. One woman puts her hand on his shoulder, raises the other and sings. I felt church in that.

Bangers

and mash. Curry. Fish and Chips. Deep fried mars bars.
My Body hates me.

allo mates.

Sorry about the delay on my first overseas entry, its long overdue. I hope the two of you that have read my stuff before haven't already given up on me. I promise I'll try harder. Promise.
So I have lived in England for a week, and it has been quite honestly amazing. The first few days I had a mad case of jet lag, and I spent most of my time walking around in a haze, or napping randomly. I napped a lot. I arrived on the 27th of December so I had about a day and half before Adam arrived from Toronto. I spent most of my time alone either scouring through Southampton city center eating deliciously British sausage roles, or napping.
May I digress. The English Country side is beautiful. So quaint and green, and quiet. There are roaming horses and cows and boars and other animals everywhere. They seem to be completely unaware that there are cars and people and other animals. They just stand there. On the road. On lawns, In fields, Wherever.
English football is fantastic. Particularly the Pint and a Pie that you get before the game.
There is a lot of Indian food, and its delicious. I have never eaten so much Indian. No complaints.
The people here have been so hospitable and accommodating and friendly, more so than I would have ever expected. The Boni's have been ever so gracious to offer us their house, but have also completely served us both tangibly and intangibly. They are very fruitful people who love to share with others. Their servant attitude has been eye-opening.
We have been completely welcomed by seemingly everyone that me meet. No one seems bothered to stop and chat or even hand out their phone number in case of need. Needless to say these people have made our transition easy and enjoyable.
We are attending a church that lays in the center of town, it is beautiful and filled with passionate people. There is a cafe that is held once a week for homeless people that Adam and I will be serving at. I can't wait.
Really this post is ridiculous. There is no real body and no resolve. No story. Just ramblings. Me pointing out obvious character traits of English society. I'll try better next time. Sorry.