Hello February! I don’t know if I’m excited for a new month or frantically digging in my heels to slow time down. But I submitted two larger assignments this past week and I have a clear head to sit at the computer again for an over-due update.
Another Lockdown.
Third one. And we are right in the middle of it. I never thought I’d say, “I miss the days of Tier 3 restrictions!” but that’s the state of things. You may recall how I shared last time the month of November was England’s second national lockdown. Once it was lifted, the month of December saw Lancashire county revert back to Tier 3 restrictions, so it still meant we could not leave the county, but at least stores were back open and if you had a free weekend, you could book a taxi into Lancaster to do some shopping, get a coffee to-go, you know, have some-what of a normal weekend.
If you have been following world news, then you will understand me when I say how much I miss being in Tier 3! As of January 4th, England went into their THIRD national lockdown. This time schools closed, much like the first lockdown in the spring. But I’m still here, haha, so what did this all mean for Capernwray Winter Bible School? The bad news first: any student that was not on site by the day the lockdown took effect (Boris announced it at 8:00 pm, and it went into effect at midnight) could not return. We had students that had gone home for Christmas, with six-hours till their plane departed for England, and they could not return, or were in England or Germany with family for Christmas break and could not return. No more face-to-face lectures in the conference hall. No more week-day trips into Carnforth for personal groceries and snacks. No more walks in groups with more than two people. The good news: we are still operating a Bible school, albeit through Zoom. All our lecturers, whether they live on the Capernwray grounds or not, are teaching through Zoom. I have set up a make-shift ‘office’ in the conference hall where we had been having all our lectures, just to give it a feel of school again and break up the day. I have some other ‘office mates’ and we have had some fun times.
All that being said, that first week back of Term 2 was rough for everyone. Some tears were shed knowing five students from our Red bubble weren’t able to return on site, and now we know will not until lockdown is lifted. Initially, we thought it would be until February 15th when the UK government was going to initially review the lockdown, but now we know it is looking more like March for a review. From what I have read, all students in England will return to in-person school with a target date of March 8th, and non-essential shops will be able to reopen from April on, pubs possibly by May.
Just when we started to have a new normal, last Saturday, January 30th, Canada’s government announced new quarantine regulations for all internationally arriving Canadian citizens that involved a hefty price-tag for a mandated (and minimum) 3-day hotel quarantine. Once they were to land and get tested, they’d be able to return home after their 3-day quarantine, pending a negative Covid test. However, if their test was positive, they would have to quarantine in government facilities. I believe only three airports in Canada are now accepting Canadian citizens who have traveled internationally, which meant some of our students would’ve had to start another quarantine once they got to their province, since not every province had an airport accepting international travelers. You following me?!?
In a span of a few hours last weekend, our Canadian students had to make the hard decision of leaving as soon as possible to try and avoid these new regulations. Although, no one was clear on how soon they’d actually take into effect, thus complicating everything even more! Only two students from my bubble decided to stay here and pray for different circumstances next month when term 2 ends. Flights were booked by last Sunday and this Tuesday, three students packed up and went back to Canada and three more left Friday morning because earlier flights had already booked up. We had two other students having to leave Wednesday for other reasons, and two more will leave this week, again for various reasons. Our once 30-student Red Bubble has been more or less decimated this week and we will be down to 15 come Thursday. The days have been long with early, early morning goodbye send-offs, but the week has flown by. We all thought December and Christmas/New Years was odd enough, but 2021 is showing off with so many surprises. As my Canadian friend Lois has lovingly put it, “It’s a gong show!”
This update is intentionally Covid/lockdown specific because I just want to have to write about it all once. I have greatly appreciated how the staff here decided in the fall that they would try their hardest to NOT say, “Well, we used to do… we usually did…” It is just best not knowing how every other Bible school year has gone here since 1947. After being in week one of the second national lockdown back in November, my family group leader Derek asked us all if knowing what we knew then, would we still have come to Bible school? I had been feeling quite angry that week, so I didn’t want to answer because I was afraid of what I might say! I already came to Capernwray without high expectations that I would get to do and see everything that my friend who attended did, like attend a rugby game or see a music concert in Liverpool on the weekend. I did expect to explore some local areas of England for six months, visit some bigger cities, other than Lancaster, outside Lancashire county, and go on hikes in the nearby national parks. Surely, those were reasonable?! If you know me, then you would know how much I love the history, traditions, culture and landscape of this gorgeous country! Now as we finished week five of a third national lockdown, I think the next big city I see will be the outskirts of London as I am dropped off at Heathrow airport.
Despite the disappointments the Covid lockdowns have brought, if our family group leader asked us the same question today, I know I would answer, “Yes, I still would have come.” These disappointments are just that - disappointments. They are not everything, nor will the disappointments overtake and define my Winter Bible School experience. I refuse to let that happen and am choosing to view them as “light and momentary troubles” in the scheme of things (2 Corinthians 4:17). Even having an unexpected Christmas at Capernwray (next blog), where all of the traditions I was used to were not possible and my fellow students shared, “It does not feel like Christmas without … ”, an underlying question kept pressing on me. If {insert expectation} does not happen, was this all worth it? If {insert expectation} does not happen, is God still worthy of my praise? If the worst case scenario happens, will I still ascribe praise to God? If my prayers from here on out never got answered how I intended, will I still proclaim God’s faithfulness and goodness? Is there anything that diminishes God’s worthiness of our complete devotion? Over the weeks those questions have come to mind and as I read Psalm 96 a few weeks ago, the answer was clear - yes. Yes, God is worthy of my praise, my worship, my devotion, and I probably have more examples of His faithfulness and goodness to proclaim than I can dare attempt to count. “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods… Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name” (Psalm 96:4, 7-8a).
I know tonight is the Super Bowl. I have a niece and nephew that look super adorable in KC Chiefs jerseys, so that’s who I will be cheering. It will be 11:30 pm here at kickoff, so I’ll find out tomorrow who wins.
Till next time -
Jessica
(Pictures below are of my ‘office mates’ in the conference hall. The other picture is of my ‘family group’ this week, featuring one of our Canadian students who Zoomed in with us in the wee hours of the morning. And the one in the dining hall is the night we all learned our Canadian friends were leaving and we just wanted to make one giant table for all of us.)
