Update from Bergen 1

Hello Friends and Family!

My teammates and I have now been in Bergen, Norway for a week, and it's been wonderful! We've hiked mountains, familiarized ourselves with the town, and toured the Leprosy Museum (not to be visited less than an hour before or after eating). We've enjoyed getting to know our two Norweigian hosts/co-workers as they've shared their churches, schools, and homes with us. And God has blessed us with the chance to be in one place in a while and rest our tired bodies.

However, it's not all relaxation and tourism. The hostel we are staying at, Intermission Youth Hostel, is also the hostel that we will partner with to work at for the next two weeks. Intermission is a Christian hostel open only during the summer months that is usually run by teams from various churches, schools, and countries around the world. This past Thursday was the first day the hostel was open, so we spent our week setting up and preparing for guests. The beginning of this week was marked by mopping, scrubbing, and cleaning bathrooms and kitchens, as well as transporting and putting together 60 plywood beds. One of our hosts, Jorgen, called us "immigrant workers".

Since Thursday, however, my teammates and I have been working in shifts to run the hostel. We take turns manning the reception desk, preparing breakfast and coffee, and cleaning and washing up after guests. It's been an adjustment as our bodies are getting used to night shifts and we're learning how to use the financial spreadsheets, but in all, things have been running smoothly. The hostel won't be very full until July and August when the traveling season is in full swing, so luckily the four of us (plus our hosts) can handle the guests that we have.

Despite our new schedules and busier days, the Lord has continued to press on our hearts the importance of meeting daily for team devotions. It is absolutely astounding how He has bound our hearts together and drawn us into Him, even over the past two weeks. We so deeply appreciate your prayers for team unity, as we can already see the results in our relationships with one another. We really believe that effective ministry must be preceded by strong team relationships, and we can see how the Lord is preparing us in this way.

Without your continued prayers, my teammates and I would be nowhere near the place we are today. We can already see the effects of your prayers as we find ourselves having more patience and grace with one another and with hostel customers than we would ever expect to have on our own. The Lord continually provides us with energy and peace in Him. Thank you so, so much for your thoughts and prayers regarding our journey. God is faithfully answering your prayers and doing His work in us.

We look forward to meeting more new guests in the coming weeks as we serve those who come our way. God has already brought students and travellers to us from places as far away as Brazil and the Philippines, and we know that He will continue to bring people to us from various backgrounds and countries. We pray that He will faithfully enable us to connect with those we meet and open ourselves up to them.

Thank you for your continued support! Your prayers and thoughts are really appreciated!

In Him,

Stephanie Thomas