Beginning of Scotland Tour – Oban (and first taste of Haggis)

Leaving late morning on saturday the 7th November I was not looking forward to the 56 MPH max drive up to scotland, which would eventually take up to about 12 hours in total. Thankfully, we had arranged to break the journey at Selby in York for the night, meaning only a 6 hour drive that day (still enough to make me dread the journey…) We stopped off at Selby because this is Keel’s home town, and his parents were prepared to host us for the night. They fed us really well, and provided a massive TV to watch X Factor and Strictly, so we were all happy haha. They also put on a firework display in thier back garden for us that night! Marked probably by the first sparkler i have held in years!!! I was very excited

The second day journey was more interesting to look out the window. We left england behind and started our winding journey through the highlands, which is beautiful! The last time i was here was in 2004, when i was on holiday in Appin, a small… er… town? Village? Hamlet? something. which is very close to Oban, where we were headed! So i got to see the islands in the loch that i had canoed in 5 years ago again, and they still took my breath away. The weather actually the entire week we were in Oban was very kind! So the tour we had on the first day which took us around Oban sight seeing was really really nice (makes Oban sound like a big place… its really not – which, im gonna add, makes it all the better!), and the travelling to Oban high school everyday was just as amazing!

Sunday night we arrived at The Well, which is the town’s youth centre run by the local churches. The well is a recently converted workshop that has been decorated and furnished with bean bags and leather sofas (really great to flop on after a day in school!) The well was heated by those heater light things, which were like sunbathing to stand under. So absolutely amazing. The organisation which run the youth centre are called H2O, which stands for Hope to Oban, and these are the guys that work in the schools too. We met Ewen, the main schools worker who would be working with us all week – he was a very animated scottish bloke who was very entertaining to watch, a really funny, intelligent guy who was a brilliant ambassador for God in the school. We also met Rachel, another H2O worker who was lovely and also quite funny. (she cooked the Haggis on one of the nights) We had Tea here in the Well.

So monday morning. The first time we had to perfrom was at about 10:45, for an assembly. This was a real blessing because normally we have to be ready for a 9:00 assembly – which means set up starts at around half 6. which means pick up is around quarter past 6. which means breakfast is at about 6. which means shower is at about quarter to 6. which means getting up at half 5! … you get the idea. So we had to get up at 7, which was a lie in for set up day! We set up this time in a medium sized school hall which had a decent sized stage at one end, which was fun actually, I think i prefer it when there is a raised stage to perform on…

 

 

The week was really good, the best tour we have had in my opinion and we met some really cool kids. A couple of college metalheads made quick friends with us, we were told its not every day that a rock band makes it this far up north, especially not one that will take the time to get to know the people in a school. These guys were awesome and made us laugh loads, they came and saw us every free period they had in thier time table, even when we doing lessons aimed at the youngest guys in the school. A teacher told us that these guys didnt want anything to do with a christian group coming into thier school, especially a christian band, and they assumed the God Squad were about to wack them over the head with our bibles and hyms… but when they had seen us play, as musicians themselves, we won thier respect and when they talked to us at lunch and other times they realised that we were all down to earth and “normal” to an extent.

 

The gig was also my favourite one so far, despite being superficially not as impressive as previous ones – as we didnt have lazers or smoke machines and the wall behind us wasnt blacked out… Still, it goes to show that a good gig doesnt have to be visually stunning. Although we still had the usual bi light and projector providing lighting and visuals. The music was awesome and I loved playing guitar. An impressive 17 kids put their names down on an email listing sheet to recieve info about follow up events etc, and a whole bunch of them raised thier hands to show that they had prayed along with Andy during his quick talk telling the guys about how Jesus died for them, so they could be free runners in life (as one of our songs says) allowing God in so he could lift us.

 

Was a really fun week, miss it loads. a beautiful part of the world with some great people. I am so glad i had the opertunity to go there and meet so many of its people. even gladder that i could go there to tell them about God, so that they had more of an understanding of His love which is definately at work today.

 

Much love

 

　

 

　

 

　

 

 

 

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~ by benjaminjamesread on November 19, 2009.