WEEKENDS
Living and working in the same place is quite interesting, it's very convienient, no traffic problems with getting to work, also it makes it much easier to organise a few things from home and for Dave and I to be flexible with our duties and time. On the whole it's a great experience, but one thing is you never really know is what's going to happen next. Weekends can be very quiet or they can be crazy. As there are many of us living here and our area is quite big, including great physical resources (e.g. park, pool, sports court, classrooms) often special things happen at the weekend. A meeting for parents, a quick game of football, visiting kids from another YWAM house to use the pool, pastors' breakfasts, parties, weddings, a church using the facilities, baptisms or even pre-funeral gatherings. This is great as we are really able to bless the community, there is no other space quite like this one here.
This weekend has been a bit crazy, on Friday night there was a football group here and another group having a campover for the weekend. Saturday there was a swimming group and the camp continued. Today, as well as the campover still happening a church of about 30 people appeared wanting to get to know the house and find out about what we do. These sort of unexpected things can happen and it's great that the community is interested in what we do as working together is definitely the best way. Thankfully, someone was willing to show them around, they brought their own picnic breakfast and had a good time. But what is strange is the way that we never know if a weekend will be quiet or noisy, if the doorbell will ring constantly or if we'll see nobody. With all of the crazy stuff happening today it made me think back to our weekend camping away 2 weeks ago. It is always very nice to get out of the city (I don't think I'll ever be a person who loves the city) and relax somewhere else. We went to one of our favourite places called Serra do Cipó (about a 2hr drive away). It has beautiful views and waterfalls.
Gideon and I appreciating the fresh air and the view (and having a bit of a rest after a steep climb)
We had a great walk, going up river, climbing over the rocks and finding a way around the waterfalls. Our goal - to reach the source...... we didn't make it, but we had an awesome time trying.
Just one of the smaller waterfalls along the way. We are very thanful that we had a brief time away, helping us to re-charge and appreciate God's creation. We also enjoy the 'unexpected' nature of the work here, knowing that God uses these things and we never want to get to the stage of blocking out what he wants to do so that our agenda remains undisturbed.
Just wanted to share one of our sessions with our girls. We have been trying to teach them about who they are and who God says they are. Eleanor (my co-leader) really wanted to do a session about how we are a success, not just the things we do but who we are! So, she actually prepared the whole of this special afternoon. She shared about what it means to be a success, how God delights in us for who we are and we presented each of the girls with a medal, which they then decorated.
Our girls love doing crafts, they might be noisy or distracted at other times, but during craft time they work almost silently.
Eleanor also made some yummy food, so that we could really celebrate with them. When they saw the table spread with party food they all asked who's birthday it was. After much guessing, we eventually told them it was because of them, that we are celebrating who they are.
The girls are all indulging - YUM, YUM
These are a few of the girls, we also asked Felipe (one of the great photographers here) to come and take some photos, so we can do a special craft with them another week
This is Eleanor and I - We are successes! We had a fun afternoon affirming these girls and sharing God's pleasure in who he made them to be.
