The First Stop!

The final week we spent on the farm was a busy one. We weren’t quite sure what the next step would be. Israel still felt like a distant possibility, but neither Pete nor I truly felt that it would come through at that point. HaYovel had sent out an email to their British contacts to see if anyone felt led to take us in. We received one very generous offer from a lady in Essex, but it didn’t feel like where we were meant to go.

Although we had enjoyed our time on the farm, we didn’t feel that we were really accomplishing much in terms of Israel. As we talked through various options, we began to feel led towards buying a caravan or camper and travelling around Britain, being led by the Holy Spirit. This idea excited the whole family, and Pete spent hours scouring eBay and Marketplace for the right one.

He found a camper about eight hours away, which was acceptable, but not ideal. There was just something about it that didn’t quite capture my attention. Most caravans tend to have a similar layout, with the “kitchen” in the middle of the living space—a sink, cooker, fridge, a bit of worktop, and never enough cupboards. It’s usually not the best place to be, as people are constantly walking past, and the limited worktop space makes cooking difficult. This one did have a nice shower room, though.

Thankfully, Father then drew Pete’s attention to another camper, this one with an L-shaped kitchen at the back, plenty of cupboards, some hanging space, and not too far away. After speaking with the owner, we both felt that this was the one.

As the lady who was taking over from us officially started, we were free to go wherever—and whenever—we felt led. And so off we went. That morning, a beautiful rainbow appeared as we drove away, and we felt the smile of God shining over us.

We arrived at Pete’s parents’ house three days later with our new caravan and immediately began unloading bags into the conservatory and the small lounge. I dived straight in and started organising, as there was a lot to be done. The bags stored in the loft needed to be brought down and sorted, while the bags in the house also had to be sorted and then stored back up in the loft.

Living in a six-berth caravan meant that, once again, we had to redefine what essential really means. When packing for Israel, we had managed to get our essentials down to about fourteen bags. Now it needed to be even less. We settled on five sets of clothes each, two pairs of shoes per person, a coat, waterproofs, a gilet—and whatever else the children could manage to sneak in.

I was also absolutely delighted to discover a full set of Pampered Chef pots tucked away in one of the caravan cupboards once I started cleaning it out. Whoop whoop—very posh!

Another issue to resolve was the sleeping arrangements. We had to fit nine people into six berths. We decided that some bunks would need to be shared. There are two very sturdy built-in bunks, and opposite them is a small seating area that converts into two additional bunks.

Initially, the girls were keen to share the top built-in bunk, with David taking the small top bunk opposite, which would need to be dismantled each morning to turn it back into seating. Faith and Havah were to have the lower built-in bunk, and Ben and Reuben the opposite bunk.

After about a week and a half of sorting and organising, we decided to move into the caravan to see how it would work in practice. It quickly became clear that Lana and Anya were now too big to share a bunk. Pete spent some time thinking it through and came up with a new, no-quibble sleeping plan: Lana on the small top bunk, as she’s the biggest; Anya and Faith sharing the top built-in bunk; David and Havah on the lower built-in bunk; and Ben and Reuben on the opposite bunk.

After a bit of initial resistance from a couple of them, everyone settled in nicely—and I can already see a friendship or two growing 🙂

After a lovely two weeks—filled with unpacking and repacking, visiting friends, a few walks, a couple of beach trips, and a birthday celebration—we headed towards Bodmin. We joined the Camping and Caravanning Club, as they have something called Certified Sites, which are smaller, quieter sites with limited facilities. The one we’re currently on has electricity, a shower, and a toilet. It’s very peaceful and close to our friends.

And speaking of friends, we’ve been busy every day since arriving—catching up with people and buying plastic boxes to organise our small living space. It’s been so lovely, and we’ve been incredibly blessed. We’ll be leaving on Friday morning, the 29th of October, to head to Launceston for a few days.

Amid all the busyness, I’ve been trying to reflect on our current situation. As a family, we’re so excited about this adventure, and we haven’t been anxious at all. Over the past year and a half, I can clearly see how Abba has been teaching us about His provision—learning not to worry. And honestly, I have no doubts in that area.

What is proving challenging right now is getting the younger children to sit properly around the table in the caravan—rather than lying down, kicking their neighbour, or ending up with half their meal on the carpet. I’m working on it, and at the moment I’m offering a piece of chocolate to anyone who eats using only a knife and fork, keeps their feet in front of them, and leaves zero crumbs on the table.

Lunch went really well!!!The power of chocolate

And it’s also important that Pete and I stay on the same page. Sometimes that can be challenging for me, as I tend to be more of the driving force behind certain things. At times that’s good—and at times it isn’t.

It’s so important to hear Father’s voice daily and to ask for His direction often. There are seasons of rest, and there are seasons of pressure, when things need to be faced and dealt with. This is one of those seasons. But it’s a good one.

A good friend of mine once said that although these times can be hard, you often know they are seasons of refining—times when God is dealing with your “stuff.” So I’m choosing to be thankful and excited.