The Heart of Texas

Last Friday night, after a discouraging day of not finding a place to live, Nathan and I stumbled into a little Indian restaurant called Rajpooth.  We sat down and heard some folks next to us ordering their drinks in an American accent.  Nathan made a comment like, "You're a long way from sweet tea around here."  A few shrieks of delight later, we learned that they were from Texas and they invited us to eat with them.


In short, this fabulous group of five was part of a larger fabulous group that was here for a wedding: Julia, Patsy, Joye, and Roger (Scott was taking the picture).

Their pastor's daughter, Angie, was a PhD student at Durham and she was marrying a fellow PhD student, an Englishman named Steve.  More than 20 folks from that church in Houston flew out for the wedding.  The more we talked, the more crazy connections we had.  They were believers.  The house we wanted was in the same neighborhood - Gilesgate - that the soon-to-be-married couple were to live in.  They had all taken a two-week trip to Israel two years ago and studied through Jerusalem University College, the very school where I studied for a semester.  It was an awesome, really encouraging time sharing that meal.  They even paid for our portion and sent us home with the leftovers, which we ate for the next three days.  Then, they invited us for dinner again on Sunday night, which we accepted.


On Sunday evening, Nathan and I were meandering through town working our way over to The King's Lodge, where the Texans were staying.  I was looking through a shop window when I heard a slightly Southern American accent.  When I turned around I recognized Patsy in a group of seven or so.  I kind of jumped out from behind a brick pillar with my "hook 'em horns" sign on both hands and yelled, "TEXAS!"  They all screamed!  Then we screamed!  Then I'm sure the police were called because of all the loud American screaming going on.  We went to dinner with an even bigger group to a pub and got our meals paid for again.  We told them we'd follow them anywhere.  


Through conversation, I hinted that Nathan had a great testimony, so one of the women, Marilyn, insisted that he tell his story back at the hotel.  "Okay, people, we're fixin' to have church!" she said.  When we all herded in there, we re-arranged the furniture in the reception room and Nathan told them all about his conversion and about how God was working through his redemptive story even now.  It was so awesome!  We stayed up late talking with them, and even got to meet the bride's parents when they came back to the hotel, who are just awesome.  They gave us their daughter and new son-in-law's information, so hopefully we can be friends. 


Here are some pictures of just a few of them.  I wish I had gotten one of the whole group.  Maybe next time. :)

Julia and Roger

Scott and Patsy