Okay, I realize this may not make the headlines in the United States, but it’s big news for American peanut butter fans living in the UK! For decades, American ex-pats have experienced a famine of certain “comfort foods” when living abroad; and our British friends look with horror when we talk about eating peanut butter sandwiches since childhood. And for good reason…their peanut butter tastes like coarsely-ground peanut paste: the kind you Continue Reading »
I wrote the following poem several months ago, partly inspired by my own experience with the National Health Service (NHS) and those of others with far worse conditions than my own, reported widely in television documentaries, local newspapers, and magazine articles. I recognize that the overall tone is quite dark, but I tried to write from the perspective of someone who has reached the point of despair within the NHS system.
NHS Nightmare
by William Lollar
Across Gelliwastad, I felt the pain
And my breath became shorter but then I’d regain
That feeling that God was hunting me down
With his sights set on me in the middle of town.
Have I come all this way and all these years
To die without family or friends to shed tears
Near the steeple, the shops, and yesterday’s market
Yet alone on the pavement Continue Reading »
This morning my wife and I drove into Cardiff for my doctor’s appointment at the University of Wales Hospital. After waiting an hour past my appointment time, I was a little cranky from the pain: a large cyst in my jaw was found nearly a month ago when my local dentist could not find anything wrong with my teeth. Surgery was scheduled for last Friday, but canceled at the last minute due to a lack of bed space—a common problem in the National Health Service due to extremely high occupancy in British hospitals. Not willing to simply wait passively for another surgery date to come through my letter box, I requested an appointment with my doctor to see what could be done to expedite the process.
The reason I share the above details is to show that the most mundane events of life can present opportunities for befriending those around us—even when extreme pain may be the driving force behind such encounters—and being sensitive to God’s amazing work in human hearts. Unfortunately, our lives are lived at such a pace that we seldom recognize these missional moments; or we so compartmentalize our lives into secular and sacred that we Continue Reading »
Yesterday I gave one of the shortest speeches of my life, but it seemed like the longest and it turned me inside out. My youngest daughter got married and, here in Britain, it’s customary for the father of the bride to give a speech extolling the virtues of his daughter and welcoming the groom into the family.
I did alright with the humorous parts, but I quickly lost it when I began talking about my daughter and son-in-law. Quite a few people told me afterward that they cried right along with me. Several people asked if my tears were the result of giving away my last daughter in marriage; and I replied, “No, it’s the only daughter I have ever given away in marriage!” It’s complicated (and personal) but my other two daughters chose to walk a different path than the one we taught them from childhood. While we love them unconditionally, the preciousness of yesterday’s event contributed to my sensitivity and profound thankfulness for the way my youngest daughter and son-in-law pursued their relationship over the past three years. Thankfully, I don’t have a recording—although one may surface in the future—so here’s the text of my speech. Continue Reading »
One of the highlights of this past week’s mission team was getting to meet John Waller and his band. We tossed some burgers and hot dogs on the Weber, hoping to provide a little American hospitality to these new friends who gave up their fourth of July to put on a free concert for the young people of our Welsh community.
We were really thankful to God that a contemporary Christian band would interrupt their concert tour to go on a mission trip to Wales. These guys and their tech crew traveled all over the valleys putting on mini-concerts in Welsh schools during the day and full-blown gigs every night, all for the glory of God and the extension of the Gospel message here.
Obviously I’m taking this photo, but not until I polished off a piece of strawberry gateau and half a cup of coffee! From left to right are: Jen (my youngest daughter), Sheri (my wife), Chris, John Waller, David, Jordan, and Dan (Jen’s fiancé). On a side note, Jen, and Dan are getting married this Saturday in Cardiff!
Here’s one of my favorite John Waller songs, entitled “Still Calls Me Son.”
The 4th of July, a.k.a. Independence Day, is just two days away and very difficult to celebrate in the United Kingdom. Just think about that for a second and you’ll understand why. We have missed this bit of Americana for the past four years, but we do love what God has called us to do here, so we’re not complaining.
Last night I heard “The Star-Spangled Banner” sung by an American church choir in our small town of Pontypridd, South Wales. Since I organized the event, I already knew that there would be two choirs—a Gospel choir from the Atlanta area and the Pontypridd Male Voice Choir—and that the audience would be singing the national anthems for America and Wales. It was the first time I have ever attempted to sing the Welsh Anthem, “Land of My Fathers,” in Welsh and it was also the first time I have heard my national anthem in the United Kingdom. Continue Reading »
