Globe Cafe Christmas Dinner

December might be the most happening month in UK, another Christmas dinner by Globe Cafe. As usual, it's also a gathering for the members before leaving for holidays. The Jubilee campus and city center Globe Cafe members will be joining us here in Beeston Free, it's like a big family gathering of Globe Cafe.

Reception before proceeding to the our grand table:

It's a typical British style Christmas dinner (similar to Sunday roast), but probably eye-opening for those who are new in UK. My table was quite international, but that's what makes our conversations interesting. 2 of the students in my table actually celebrated Christmas for the first time. There are Christmas puddings as desserts too!

Dinner time:

After meal, we have games like pictionary, cracker jokes and table to table caroling rally. Though we have people of various age range, everyone looked like they enjoyed it a lot. I seriously loved the food nonetheless.

The last Globe Cafe of the year:

"Your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
-Matthew 5:32-

Personally, I really enjoyed going to Globe Cafe as I don't need to prepare or commit too much... and I felt useful there. More importantly, they always serve desserts! Haha, I never knew being able to speak multiple languages is actually a blessing. They do simple activities, but very effective in evangelizing, Amen.

Robin Hood Festival

Globe Cafe organized a trip to Sherwood Forest for Robin Hood Festival. It's like 45 minutes drive from uni, an annual event that last for a week. Pretty cool, it's a normal park which they setup tents and booths, the staffs wear olden Britain clothes which adds to the flavor of Robin Hood era.

All sorts of English instruments demo, looks like DOTA secret shop:

There's this Major Oak Tree that lives for 1000 years old. The games and stalls are all around this area, which make it super crowded, but it's quite a nice atmosphere. Someone did an archery show at the oak tree, but his accuracy was so so...

Major Oak Tree and game stalls:

Other than that, there is circus arts and open air theater, a very festive setting. The circus group performs dances and simple acrobatics with live English traditional music. The theater tells the story of Robin Hood with kids from the audience as the actors (children in UK are really good).

Circus art and theater performances:

The highlights of the day are falconry and jousting performance. There were so many people gathered at this big field for the events. Falconry is where this bird tamer do tricks with falcons, vulture and owl. They made a whole drama of knight fights and Robin Hood story, but jousting alone is already a good show.

Falconry and Jousting:

"And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord"
-Ezekiel 38:23-

Knowing those legends are actually quite interesting, and see how people still celebrate it nowadays. Overall, it's a fun day out with some Globe Cafe members and I'm thankful for the nice weather, Amen.

Globe Cafe BBQ

It's a really good weather today and the Globe Cafe people are having a BBQ at one of the member's house (Meadow Road). It's my first time walking so deep into Beeston, google map will take care of the direction. I'm quite surprise that it's actually a pretty big house that is hosting this. Yeah~ tonnes of nice soft drink and all kinds of meat+bread+sauce.

Time to eat!!!

The crowd wasn't very big, probably less than 20, but a pretty good mix for me. There're students from China and Hong Kong which I can converse pretty will with. The couple that host this BBQ actually is moving to Indonesia next year, so we sorta practice some Malay as well. It's actually a good idea to move a screen out for the guys to watch the Olympic events.

Good time of fellowship:

When you thought the main courses are really good, here comes the desserts. We had various types of cakes and puddings, my personal favourite is the mix fruit salad. The sky gets dark earlier now, it's just around 9pm and it's almost all black. After a short chat and some more Olympics show, we're done for the day.

I love the UK culture of having dessert after meal:

"For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near."
-Ezekiel 30:3-

I actually really like the people in Globe cafe, probably coz of the small group that everyone can relate to each other easier. The local church members here are actually friendlier as well, a great group to relax from all sorts of problems out there, Amen.