Blog Day 5 Friday 27^th

By Abby

Up at 7:30am after a well needed nights sleep, well rested and ready for another hectic but brilliant day here in Siyabuswa. The A team met for breakfast and readied themselves for another day of playtime with the junior school children and the third after school club meeting. The teachers went on their way for more time teaching the children at the high school. Rod and Rob met with Dr Hendrick to discuss our fun day (happening next Saturday) for the local youth. Finally Suzy, Helen, Eva and Jocey and others went out shopping for more supplies for us hungry team members before preparing for their craft session,

As yesterday, playing with the junior school children was absolutely incredible. The sheer joy seen on the children’s faces is so touching, even the simplest game of throwing and catching just makes their day. The children did not want to go back inside to their lessons as the A team, exhausted but happy, made their way back home.

After a busy but satisfying day teaching the teachers returned to support in the running of the after school club. This again was a huge success with yet more children turning up and groups averaging from 25-30, hard work for the A team leaders! A lot of fun nonetheless and another great experience. The craft session run by some of the B team ladies also went well but, as always, with different children came different challenges.

So, in conclusion it has been a tiring but very special day. I think I speak for the whole group when I say each one of us has been moved by something they’ve seen today and we all will take away so many memories that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

Blog Day 5 Friday 27^th

By Abby

Up at 7:30am after a well needed nights sleep, well rested and ready for another hectic but brilliant day here in Siyabuswa. The A team met for breakfast and readied themselves for another day of playtime with the junior school children and the third after school club meeting. The teachers went on their way for more time teaching the children at the high school. Rod and Rob met with Dr Hendrick to discuss our fun day (happening next Saturday) for the local youth. Finally Suzy, Helen, Eva and Jocey and others went out shopping for more supplies for us hungry team members before preparing for their craft session,

As yesterday, playing with the junior school children was absolutely incredible. The sheer joy seen on the children’s faces is so touching, even the simplest game of throwing and catching just makes their day. The children did not want to go back inside to their lessons as the A team, exhausted but happy, made their way back home.

After a busy but satisfying day teaching the teachers returned to support in the running of the after school club. This again was a huge success with yet more children turning up and groups averaging from 25-30, hard work for the A team leaders! A lot of fun nonetheless and another great experience. The craft session run by some of the B team ladies also went well but, as always, with different children came different challenges.

So, in conclusion it has been a tiring but very special day. I think I speak for the whole group when I say each one of us has been moved by something they’ve seen today and we all will take away so many memories that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

Blog Day 4 Thursday 26^th

By Helen

Ah, that was better this morning – not quite as early as yesterday – only our three intrepid teachers were in early today.  Everyone looked much more rested after a good night’s sleep and looking forward to a great day ahead.  Tim and Tony went into a year 12 maths class teaching geometry (‘expansion’ as Tim explained to me is the technical term) first thing, and some of the ladies went off to source some African print fabrics.  Rose, Frances and Carrie spent the day teaching, and also ran an after school training session for the teachers.  The ‘A’ team visited the 4, 5 and 6 year olds during their breaktime, playing parachute games with them. 

Rod and Rob were busy this morning, meeting with Dr Hendrick regarding a potential cut flower business and the possibility of a fun sports day on the second weekend.  We have arranged the purchase of 100 bibles for the church planting here in South Africa.

This afternoon the ‘A’ team were thrilled to have even more children turn up for the after school club – around 160 excited and noisy  7- 15 year olds! They are all so enthusiastic – just lapping up everything that goes on.  Suzy, Eva, Josey and Helen ran a craft club for the older girls and Tim and Tony spent a while telling the girls how they might be able to use their craft skills to set up small businesses.  The girls were really pleased to take away something they had made. 

Beautiful sunset this evening.  Time to chill now….  zzzzzz!

Blog Day 3 Wednesday 25^th

By Amy J

Hi! This morning we had the joys of waking up at this unearthly hour of 6.30am to be ready for a 6.45am breakfast. Although we were all very tired from 24 hours of travel, we all managed it - yes even Rob!!! At 7.15am we made our way to The Grace Christian School (grades 4+) and for assembly to introduce ourselves to the pupils. They were all lined up outside and stood up throughout the assembly (which included worship) and we all commented how the children in Reading would never stand up for 30mins for assembly!

We can’t get over the number of pupils wearing thick winter coats and bobble hats when it is as warm as July in England (but this is their winter temperature) we are so glad that we are not here in their summer as we’d all be too hot to do anything!! In the grounds of the Grace School is an red bus from London – it looks so out of place and is like a vintage museum piece. It used to be used as a school bus but stopped working in 2009.

After we had all been introduced, we (the A team) made our way back to Alathea Bible college to get ready to go to the other part of the Grace School (grades 1,2 &3 – ages 5,6,7 years old) who welcomed us very warmly with songs and recited passages from the bible. It’s amazing how children from the age of 5 can recite long passages from Psalms and 1Kings, with very little help from the teachers. J That’s all for now J Byeee

We have arrived safely...

We have arrived safely in Syabuswa - it took a while to get connected to the internet - so apologies for all who were hoping for an earlier confirmation. We had a good journey to Heathrow, a good check-in, a good flight, and were met safely at the airport by Neil and Hilary Applegate. Then it took ages to get the hire cars but they are all very comfortable and shiny and new! We were held up by a traffic jam on a road from Jo'burg which helped make the journey from airport to Syabuswa about 6 hours long!  We were warmly greeted by our hosts here and having eaten our first meal on South African soil we are all absolutely worn out and ready for a good night's sleep (the 11 hour flight was overnight but few of us slept).

Thank you all who have been holding us in prayer!

God bless,
Rob

45 hours until our plane departs...

To follow on from our previous blog update, it's incredible news to be able to share that our final team fundraising event, the Family Fun Day held last Sunday, raised a further £200 towards resources for the Church Community Project.


As I write this blog, there are about 45 hours that we as a team have left in the UK. Already we have been both humbled and encouraged by all the support and prayer which we have been blessed with, which we cannot thank you all for enough. Already there have been ups and downs; times where we have been full of excitement and eager anticipation for all this trip will be and times where we have been concerned and unsure of quite where we stood. And yet throughout there has been a constant, unwavering sense that whilst we haven't quite got all the details clear, God definitely has. A part of me would like to know exactly how things will go; to be honest, a very large part of me would like to have it all written down in a far more detailed schedule than I could possibly hope to achieve. I say a part of me would like to know how things will go, however, because I trust that in the next three weeks we will see, hear and experience far more than I could possibly imagine. The ups and downs we've already gone through preparing will be nothing more than that - preparation for the real thing. And I can't wait.


Team 'A' met for their final briefing and a last Bible study before departure on Tuesday - and looked at Isaiah 43: 1 - 7:
'But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you;     I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth - everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."' (NIV)


What greater encouragement could there be?


Andrew



PS If you did want to follow our flight's progress, it's flight no. VS 601 from London Heathrow to Johannesburg leaving at 20.30 on Monday 23rd July... 

Family Fun Day

Today is our Family Fun Day at Park United Reformed Church from 1pm until 3pm. There will be a BBQ, bouncy castle, face painting, crafts and much more. Come down and join us!