British Youth in Valdres
Forty-one young people from Taunton, England spent five fun-packed days in Valdres, Norway.
This trip took place three years after the Valdres youth visited us in England. The trip was worthwhile for the Valdres and Taunton youth alike—we spent the time building on friendships that we made several years ago and making new ones. The trip was short, but nonetheless action-packed, edifying, and full of fun.
Upon our arrival in Valdres, a steaming cauldron of reindeer stew awaited our bus of hungry travelers from England. We felt we had made the perfect choice of destination for our annual youth trip. We quickly felt at home as we entered Solhaug, or “Sunnyhill,” the church property located on the sunny side of one of Norway’s finest valleys. Ole-Petter Andersen briefed us on the history of the church there, explaining how Sigurd Bratlie and Elihu Pedersen had come with the gospel of victory and transformation. The story was inspiring and strengthened our faith.
The activities planned for the week were equally thrilling: white-water rafting, quad-biking, motocross, canoeing, and Capture-the-Flag. At the end of each day, we had the pleasure of returning to a warm and friendly Valdres home, hosted by some of the best people on earth!
On the last day, our Valdres friends provided us with an interesting assortment 
of activities to cater to the different tastes. Some opted to be dragged around by a speed-boat at breath-taking speeds. Others were to be found dangling at the end of a 10-meter rope suspended over a cavernous gorge, swinging in a 180-degree arc! The sensible people went hiking up the mountain to see an old World War II battlefield. A football match was also held between England and Norway, and our hosts won a rather dramatic victory! A barbecue followed, and then a powerful youth service where we were encouraged to keep ourselves pure from sin and live wholeheartedly for God. The evening was topped off with games and a traditional dessert served in true Norwegian style.
It wasn’t easy to say good-bye, but it was a happy group of young people that headed back to Taunton, thankful for our Valdres friends who made it so good for us.
