Week number five...

Has been another busy week! The weekend was amazing, had a three day revival and God really blessed us and filled all of us with fire! I have moved to house number 3! Am living in Belhar with Sharon and Shawn and their two daughters Sharndre and Sharneese, they are a lovely family and REALLY welcoming!

On Saturday a few of us went down into one of the informal settlements called Vygieskraal. It was a real eye opener to what a lot of people have to go through and the poverty they live in. We handed out bread and soup from the boot of the car to the kids, they all rushed up to the car with their broken cups. This is something I will be getting involved with at least every other week if not every week.

Have been down to Kewtown school again this week, there is a big need there so as from next week we are starting up an aftercare programme at the centre. We will pick them up after school and they will be able to hang out at the centre doing activities and we can help them with their homework. A lot of the kids don't always eat because of problems at home so we will be giving them a nice meal as well! It will mainly be the kids that we are counselling but hopefully in time we will be able to host more kids. The centre really needs a van of some kind in order to host more people so please send a prayer up for that. And also there was a bit of trouble with gang fighting outside the centre yesterday so please pray for security too!

Also next week am hoping to go to Pik Wik which is a church that has been set up for people on the streets. They are able to shower and get cleaned up, they get some food and a place in which to have church. The weekend is always busy with social events and people are always inviting me around for lunch and taking me out in the evenings - not sure im going to want to come back, lol!

A quick update of what is going on! Oh and am missing Haribo and biscuits if anyone fancies sending me any???? Lol!

A hectic few weeks

Time is going very quickly, have almost been here a month! The last few weeks have been busy and challenging in a good way! Been staying in a place called Mitchell Plain with Craig and Allison which has been really good, but its already time to move again on Sunday! Going to a family, Sharon and Seun and their two daughters. Am getting to see all sides of Cape Town which is brilliant!

Working at the centre has been good. Started counselling a few people now which is very challenging at times but starting to build up a relationships so thats good. Also been visiting a school in Kewtown twice a week, every tues and thurs. Its a primary school in quite a deprived area, the pupils get referred to us by their teachers for many reasons, but mainly due to desruptive behaviour. The centre also has a good relationship with the school across the road in Bridgetown which is a high school. We mainly work with the young females there who again have been referred to us by the school. We took the girls out on an outing last week to a museum, which they really enjoyed, I think the girls were better behaved than us leaders, lol!

Doing some psychology training with the guys at the centre on fridays so thats good. A lot of the guys who work at the centre and help counsel come from backgrounds of drug addiction and abuse themselves so am learning a lot from them as well. God has really been challenging me on how my psychological knowledge and background can work alongside spiritual elements...still working on that at the mo!

We also celebrated mothers day here on Sunday which was amazing. The church loves to honour people and as part of the service the male leaders washed the senior ladies' feet. They take honouring very seriously and have a lot of respect for elder members of the church, to the point where the pastor commented that he would ask people to leave the church if they spoke during the feet washing - was a very powerful statement!

Im really looking forward to the weekend, lots happening! Glory revolution is starting up this friday night, which is part of the campus ministry at the uni, this has recently been started up due to a request from the students. A workshop is running on Sat for women, its based on a book called 'Woman, thou art loosed', which is around freeing women from their pasts, particulary around abuse and insecurities. This is something I may get involved in at some point. Then on Sunday we have our church service in the morning, followed by 'God encounter' in the evening which is a youth event! Should be a hectic weekend!

Weather is getting colder as winter is now setting in, so there has been lots of rain this week! Cant believe its so hot in the UK!! Am still missing the UK a lot!! Will give another update soon x

Starting at the centre

Have nearly been here for two weeks now has gone so quick! Am really beginning to miss home tho! I'll give a update...went away for two days on a Kairos course (which was like a mini DNA, which is brilliant!), there were about ten of us in total from three different areas of Cape Town. We had a talk and then the girls hung out together so got to know them quite well. As part of it we went down to the beach (cant really do that in the UK!!) to hang out with God on a personal level...God spoke to me about A LOT of stuff but mainly just to be patient and things im worried about back home he is looking after so that was what I needed to hear!!

Started properly at the centre this week which is good but proving to be very challenging already! Counselling is going to be my main role at the mo, so started counselling these two young boys, both 11. Is really challenging as they have seen a lot of harsh things, but both seem generally ok and are going to start coming to the centre everyday after school so we can help them with homework and be a support to them - hopefully this will keep them off the streets and away from the drugs and gangs as well. Next week I will be going into the schools to help the girls which have been referred by the schools. The centre has really good relationships with the surrounding area so many of the schools invite us in to help them. Also going to be doing some psychology training with some of the volunteers...not sure what on yet tho! So...is going to be a pretty hectic week so really drawing on strength from God to get me through!

Am moving this Sun to Craig and Allisons, a couple from the church, which is cool, going to be moving every two weeks which will definately be hectic! Everyone has been really nice and welcoming and a family took me out yesterday for a proper African experience which was brilliant. So...in conclusion...am doing ok and everyone is very supportive out here, but beginning to get challenged in a big way!! Oh and missing everyone in the UK loads!!!