5 weeks already!

We have hit the five week mark, and although it doesn't sound all that long, it feels like we've been here much longer, especially when we think of all that we've done already! It has also been our hardest week yet in terms of reality hitting that we aren't going to be flying home any time soon! We're getting to know our way around town now, beginning to put names to faces at church, but also really missing our amazing friends and family back in the UK. Many of our friends have shared life with us for the last eight years and that depth of community is not quickly replaced. We're also beginning to notice the things that aren't part of South African life - The Guardian and real ale being two key things! (Guess who misses those the most...)It's funny how the little things play a suprisingly big part in helping us to relax and feel at home.

We had our first youth meeting with all the members on Friday. It was great fun, and we're definately enjoying getting to dream up crazy games and then do them! We also started our teaching series called Lessons from the Garden. We'll be looking together at the three relationships which were going on in the Garden of Eden - people with each other, God, and the enemy,and encouraging the youth to see how these same three relationships play out in their own lives. It's exciting stuff and we're also getting a lot from it.

Please pray for 2 of the young lads in our group, who have dropped out of school. They both took jobs outside of town which has meant they have been seperated from their family and church, so both have taken a step of faith and said they will quit in order to work closer to home. Please pray for the courage to actually do this, for the provision of suitable work here in Worcester, and that they would have the finances to return to school in January since school isn't free here.