Welcome to America - can I help you?

This is our second full day in the United States this summer and my mind is still sifting through those first impressions which make a fascinating assault upon your senses whenever we encounter somewhere new. We were here last year, further up, in Virginia just on the outskirts of Washington; yet Florida feels like an altogether different place.

We landed at Tampa airport in a thunder storm and the lightening (our taxi-driver said it was the worse he'd seen for sixteen years!) meant our bags stayed stubbornly on the plane for a further two hours and that meant our rendezvous with the taxi was considerably behind schedule . None of this seemed to trouble the driver who met us with the board saying 'Greens', instead his greeting was remarkably up-beat: 'great that you're here now – let's go!'

During the next hour and half I sat in the front seat (right hand side), and whilst those behind me fell asleep after the long flight, I was engaged in conversation! He told me that the forthcoming Presidential election in The Fall was too close to call – Obama, he said. campaigned last time on the theme of 'change' and there hadn't been any! He also told us that on the day we leave from Tampa the Republican Convention starts in the city – 'it will be packed' he said .

The next impression was arriving in the stunningly beautiful home of Dell and Diane, our exchange partners. I feel somewhat that we have swapped a cottage for a palace! My only hope is that the Shiell's will find both their accommodation and surroundings 'quaint'.

Initial impression number three: well that would be the fun of watching the Olympic Games on American telly – no Jess Ennis bias here! The other thing that's missing is the official (and in my opinion rather wacky) London logo on any of the programmes or newspapers here – instead every publication and TV station have made up their own.

I'm only too well aware that any initial impression needs constant revision as time goes by. However, I think my first one will linger a while. It occurred within seconds of us leaving the baggage pick-up area. In a flash we were through the doors and the huge, confusing concourse of the terminal building at Tampa airport was before us. We were already late for our taxi and tired from the journey. Then this little (and he looked passed retirement age) man stopped me – he had an official badge on his lapel – and said: 'Welcome to America – may I help you?' What a relief – what a joy! Hundred of signs were up – but none of them were as helpful and encouraging as this man. He knew exactly where the taxi would be waiting. Forty-five seconds after this encounter we were greeting our friendly driver.

In all walks of life, including the church, we can print as many notices as we like, pass on as many instruction leaflets or books as we have – yet nothing beats one human being speaking to another. In fact didn't someone once describe evangelism as 'one beggar telling another where to find bread'.

With best wishes from a sunny (perhaps I shouldn't have said that!) Florida.

Ian