5 Jun 2013

Pete's Story

So you may or may not know me. My name’s Pete, I’m American, and I’ve just moved here to serve at the church. You’ll be seeing a lot of me as I’ll be helping out a lot with youth stuff. Rachel asked me to give you a bit of my story.

Rewind 6 years. It’s 2007, I’m 17, and I arrive in Eastbourne to do Impact at Kings for the year. God had told me to come, and I didn’t quite know why. I spend the year getting stretched, shaped, and grown and have time of my life. In August of 2008, I return to the US and go to university.

Fast forward to spring break of 2011. I’m on a ski trip to Canada, and feel God put Eastbourne back on my heart. I had always wanted to come back, but this is when God really begins to confirm it.


A year later, in April 2012, I’m about to graduate from uni and email Kings church, telling them about my desire to come back and wondering if they can help. They tell me they’d love to have me back and we embark on the visa process.

August 2012 rolls around and Kings says that the visa is taking a longer time than they anticipated, but they want me here before it’s estimated date. I buy my tickets, intending to come as a tourist for the first couple months, until my visa comes through. I make it to the border in London and they deny me entry, put me in a detention facility for the night (complete with real live terrorists—yikes!), pack me onto a plane, and send me home.

I go home and get two new jobs, and wait for the visa to come through. After 9 months of wondering if in fact this was God’s plan (God speaks to me in some amazing ways including some amazing dreams), my visa finally comes. I give my two week’s notice at work, pack my bags, and move over! Now I’m here and excited to get stuck in. I can’t wait to get to know each one of you.

Also, please bear with my accent. I know I sound weird, but I can’t help it. :)

1 comment:

  1. wooohooo! petes here! you dont even know me yet but i rachel wilsons sister (so think we will being seeing lots of each other!) and i heard so much about you and know god got great plans for you here!! welcome to True (again)!they are a great bunch.
    x cristy

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