one week later

Well, it's been about a week since I arrived here and I still lack the words to fully describe how I feel. If I can sum it up into two words, it would be "overwhelmed" and "thankful."

Here is a brief summary of my experience here so far:

After spending Saturday settling in, we had our official welcoming ceremony for NETS 16 (there have been 15 previous NETS classes) on Sunday afternoon. We were first introduced to the staff at Pierrepont. There are over 70 staff working here from all over the world, representing over a dozen nations (from Pakistan to Malaysia to Australia). Afterwards, each student introduced him/herself and gave a brief testimony of why they are here. Many of them took huge steps of faith and sacrificed so much to be here for the next five months: some left their spouses and children in their respective home countries; others have quit their jobs without anything to go back to; some even sold their homes to come here. There are over 40 NETS students (with over two dozen more on the way to take an optional term three) taking term one with me. Like the staff, they come from all different parts of the world (UK, USA, Spain, Hong Kong) and are all different ages (20's - 60's). One of my fellow students is from Taiwan so I'll get to speak some Chinese with her (and help with her English). There are also staff from the Ukraine, so I get to practice Russian too.

I have made some good friends already. The people who I have spending the most time with are Melvin and Gabriel (Sierra Leone), Shuan (South Africa), Barry (Canada), and Glen (UK).

Melvin, Shuan, and Gabriel

Glen and Barry at breakfast

Class

We basically have classes M-F from 10am - 6pm (with worship, lunch, and three coffee break sprinkled in between). Classes are held at the "main house." Jill Southern, the director of Ellel Pierrepont, is our primary teacher, but we will be taught by many instructors over the course of the next several months. This week we covered: foundations of Christian truth, understanding the Bible, and belief systems.

Main House

Jill

my fellow classmates

I am so thankful that God has led and brought me to this place. Although it's been great so far, I'm starting to miss home.
Well, that's it for now. I'll try to update more often for those who are bored or actually want to know what I'm up to.

some of us during an after dinner walk

btw, if any of you (wink wink) want to send me any mail or packages (wink wink), my address here is:
Ellel Pierrepont
Frensham, Farnham, Surrey
GU10 3DL
UK