So another week in South Africa has gone.....its going so quick! I only have 1 week left and I will be sad to leave, however I am very excited to see Crocker and I am not that nervous about going to India - God is clearly making me bolder!
I did my talk at Thirsty Youth this week - which went well, I chose to talk on Self Worth and where you get your worth from. I really enjoyed it and they responded well to it which is good because I was worried that the cultral differences would cause problems but it didn't. We had 60 youth turn up which is the biggest group of people I have every done a talk to so it was slightly scary but I didn't get that nervous. I had an interpretur which I liked because it meant I could stop and think before I spoke and for those of you who know me well know that I need to do this more often anyway! ha!
I decided not to go out with People of Hope this week - I found it quite hard the week before and I felt quite useless. I was glad I went because it meant I got to see what they do and I was so inspired by those ladies.
Mapheo was great this week - on Wednesday they made there own little vegetable patches outside the church building. They had so much fun and it was so lovely to see even the really little kids get involved.
I think that is all the major news this week! sorry its quite a short one!
Salahantle!
P.s. Missing Family, friends and chocolate that melts in your mouth (it just doesn't melt here!)
Monday 26 October 2009
Monday 19 October 2009
Dumela! O Kae?
So I thought I would share with you what I can say in Sesotho.....
Dumela - Hello
O Kae - How are you?
Ketang - I'm Good
Keleboha - Thank You
Salahantle - Goodbye
Ke Kopa - Please
Ke - I
Ee - Yes
A E - No
Ko Ko - Knock Knock (Love that one!)
Are you impressed? Ha!
So I've had another lovely week here, I love this place the people are great, the church is brilliant and I still can't get over the amazing views....... and the stars!!!! man they are beautiful!
I did 'People of Hope' this week which went well however its difficult and can make you quite emotionally drained but it has been good for me to go and the ladies are so lovely - they're the ones teaching me Sesotho! Every morning before they go out into the community they have a prayer meeting for about 1 hour and one person does a small Bible study to encourage the group - just being in that meeting is a HUGE encouragement - they are such inspirational women.
I met up with a girl called Nicci this week she is married to Gareth who is one of the Elders in the church (he became an elder yesterday.....amazing service will talk about that is a sec), I meet up with her once a week just to chat and if I need prayer for anything. She is really lovely and very easy to talk to. Its nice to have that support here.
On Friday I was invited to someones leaving party - which was funny because I had only met the person a week before. However it was so nice to be invited because it meant I didn't have an evening sitting on my own and I got to hang out with everyone and get to know people better.
Yesterday was a great day - in the morning they were praying in 3 new Elders which was so great to be able to see. The service was great - the worship was so fun and really really lively! There were loads of people because Dihlabeng had invited other Elders from the NF churches in the region to come, they also had a lot of visitors. So there were people from Cape Town, Durban, Lesotho and other areas of SA, England - Buxton, Swindon and Newcastle, I think Ireland to and I am probably missing some out as well. It was sooooo multi cultral which was just amazing. Mark and Outi had come to Clarens for the weekend so I had lunch with them which was lovely - I got to try my first ever SA steak......so nice!
Then in the evening we had 'Mobilise' meeting and once again for the second week running there was no talk just worship and it was amazing!
I didn't get to do my talk at youth because youth was cancelled but I will be doing it in 2 weeks time - just before I leave SA. So I will let you know how that goes its going to be interesting because of the whole cultral differences so I hope it goes well.
I think thats it really -
Life is good and God is Great!
Dumela - Hello
O Kae - How are you?
Ketang - I'm Good
Keleboha - Thank You
Salahantle - Goodbye
Ke Kopa - Please
Ke - I
Ee - Yes
A E - No
Ko Ko - Knock Knock (Love that one!)
Are you impressed? Ha!
So I've had another lovely week here, I love this place the people are great, the church is brilliant and I still can't get over the amazing views....... and the stars!!!! man they are beautiful!
I did 'People of Hope' this week which went well however its difficult and can make you quite emotionally drained but it has been good for me to go and the ladies are so lovely - they're the ones teaching me Sesotho! Every morning before they go out into the community they have a prayer meeting for about 1 hour and one person does a small Bible study to encourage the group - just being in that meeting is a HUGE encouragement - they are such inspirational women.
I met up with a girl called Nicci this week she is married to Gareth who is one of the Elders in the church (he became an elder yesterday.....amazing service will talk about that is a sec), I meet up with her once a week just to chat and if I need prayer for anything. She is really lovely and very easy to talk to. Its nice to have that support here.
On Friday I was invited to someones leaving party - which was funny because I had only met the person a week before. However it was so nice to be invited because it meant I didn't have an evening sitting on my own and I got to hang out with everyone and get to know people better.
Yesterday was a great day - in the morning they were praying in 3 new Elders which was so great to be able to see. The service was great - the worship was so fun and really really lively! There were loads of people because Dihlabeng had invited other Elders from the NF churches in the region to come, they also had a lot of visitors. So there were people from Cape Town, Durban, Lesotho and other areas of SA, England - Buxton, Swindon and Newcastle, I think Ireland to and I am probably missing some out as well. It was sooooo multi cultral which was just amazing. Mark and Outi had come to Clarens for the weekend so I had lunch with them which was lovely - I got to try my first ever SA steak......so nice!
Then in the evening we had 'Mobilise' meeting and once again for the second week running there was no talk just worship and it was amazing!
I didn't get to do my talk at youth because youth was cancelled but I will be doing it in 2 weeks time - just before I leave SA. So I will let you know how that goes its going to be interesting because of the whole cultral differences so I hope it goes well.
I think thats it really -
Life is good and God is Great!
Monday 12 October 2009
Highlights since Wednesday......
Mapeo....is AMAZING! This is a project for vunerable children where they meet up every Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and a couple from England lead it. There are about 70 children on there books and they have about 50 children come at a time. On Wednesdays they learn about the Bible and have life skills and on Thursdays they have free play. The aim of this project is to build up they self esteem and show them love and the children are so sweet!
Becky and Gus came to Clarens for the weekend so I spent Friday afternoon and evening with them which was lovely! I will miss them both - they were such a blessing to me in Maseru.
On Saturday I got to tag along to future leaders training day which was great! Mark Thornett from the Swindon church was teaching on Leadership. Then that evening I went to Thirsty Youth which was really good to finally see after hearing so much about it from the guys who went in Feb! It lived up to all my expectations; I will be doing a talk there next week so I’m looking forward to that.
Sunday was also a lovely day had church in the morning, and then went round Rachel’s flat in the afternoon with some guys from the church. Then in we had the evening ‘Mobilise’ meeting which was brilliant!
My weeks here are going to be very full which I am liking because as many of you know I’m not great at being on my own and I get my energy from hanging out with people -which I am doing a lot of here. Everyone is really nice and I’m already making some good friends!
I think God is going to change me quite a lot whilst I’m here (for the better) and give me quite a lot of boldness (which he is already doing). I will be doing people of hope this week (detail of what it is in last post) which I’m quite nervous about because I get quite emotional in situations like that and I’m praying that I will be able to cope with it so if you’re reading this can you pray for me?
I think that’s it for now!
Wednesday 7 October 2009
Dumela Clarens
Sorry about not posting anything on Monday! Its hard to get internet here but I will try and have something on my blog Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday every week!
So I'm in Clarens, South Africa now! Its so beautiful here everywhere you go there are these AMAZING moutain views! The town is a lot more western than Maseru and its one of the safest places in South Africa - so it means I can walk around on my own in the day which is really nice because I couldn't in Maseru. It consist mainly of coffee shops and art galleries.....so I'm happy!
I had a great weekend at the Student and Twenties camp the theme was 'Passion' - Passion for Church, Passion for the Nations, Passion for Jesus and Passion for the Spirit. I was overwhelmed a bit though as I was changing place again and meeting more new people and I was extremely tired so it was a lot to take in. The bit that hit me the most was the Sunay morning when we were leaving the camp to go to Dihlabeng church and all the Maseru guys had left (which i was said to say goodbye to them) and I was left with about 25 Basotho people (who I didn't know) all talking loudly in Sesotho and me sitting there waiting for a mini bus - very overwhelming when you are tired!
However when I got to church it was great! God renewed my strength and I really enjoyed it. A young couple from the church - Gareth and Nikki invited me round for lunch with a girl called Rachel and it was lovely I felt really welcomed.
On Tuesday we had a prayer meeting and I actually brought a word - in front of about 15 people who I barely knew! God is definatly breaking fears. I then had a meeting with Gavin (the lead elder) and Gareth to discuss what I will be doing in the weeks I'm here and it looks like I will be very busy which is good.
My week plan -
Monday - Free (Coffee shops and Galleries!)
Tuesday - Prayer Meeting, People of Hope (they go into the townships and visit sick people), Small group.
Wednesday - Helping at Dihlabeng school in the morning and Mapheo (a club working with children in the community) in the afternoon.
Thursday - Same as Wednesday
Friday - People of Hope and Salt and Light (Student and Twenties) in the eve.
Saturday - Thirsty Youth
Sunday - Church meeting in the Morning and Mobilise Church meeting in the evening.
I'm living in a little flat of my own which is attached to an English couple from the church's house they have 2 flats attached to there house the other one an English girl called Rachel lives there which is nice.
I think I will leave it at that for now!
So I'm in Clarens, South Africa now! Its so beautiful here everywhere you go there are these AMAZING moutain views! The town is a lot more western than Maseru and its one of the safest places in South Africa - so it means I can walk around on my own in the day which is really nice because I couldn't in Maseru. It consist mainly of coffee shops and art galleries.....so I'm happy!
I had a great weekend at the Student and Twenties camp the theme was 'Passion' - Passion for Church, Passion for the Nations, Passion for Jesus and Passion for the Spirit. I was overwhelmed a bit though as I was changing place again and meeting more new people and I was extremely tired so it was a lot to take in. The bit that hit me the most was the Sunay morning when we were leaving the camp to go to Dihlabeng church and all the Maseru guys had left (which i was said to say goodbye to them) and I was left with about 25 Basotho people (who I didn't know) all talking loudly in Sesotho and me sitting there waiting for a mini bus - very overwhelming when you are tired!
However when I got to church it was great! God renewed my strength and I really enjoyed it. A young couple from the church - Gareth and Nikki invited me round for lunch with a girl called Rachel and it was lovely I felt really welcomed.
On Tuesday we had a prayer meeting and I actually brought a word - in front of about 15 people who I barely knew! God is definatly breaking fears. I then had a meeting with Gavin (the lead elder) and Gareth to discuss what I will be doing in the weeks I'm here and it looks like I will be very busy which is good.
My week plan -
Monday - Free (Coffee shops and Galleries!)
Tuesday - Prayer Meeting, People of Hope (they go into the townships and visit sick people), Small group.
Wednesday - Helping at Dihlabeng school in the morning and Mapheo (a club working with children in the community) in the afternoon.
Thursday - Same as Wednesday
Friday - People of Hope and Salt and Light (Student and Twenties) in the eve.
Saturday - Thirsty Youth
Sunday - Church meeting in the Morning and Mobilise Church meeting in the evening.
I'm living in a little flat of my own which is attached to an English couple from the church's house they have 2 flats attached to there house the other one an English girl called Rachel lives there which is nice.
I think I will leave it at that for now!
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