After a very long and full day yesterday, the team have a dayoff and have gone white water rafting for the day....
It got late, and updating the blog was scuppered.... I said i'd do it today...
Yesterday started with a trip to Home Of Hope. A home that takes care of disabled children that need 24/7 care. Hopebuilders began supporting the ministry quite some years back helping them to pay staff to be there 24/7 and help cover food expenses. The government doe snot assist families at all, and the stigma (and cost) attached to a disabled child sees families get rid of them... and there are very few places to care for them... Since our involvement with Home of Hope, the ministry has developed an 'education' outreach to help families to care (afford to care) for the children and to teach them basic therapies. A hospital has also now been built on site that families can come and get emergency care for the kids.
It remains a very confronting place to visit, YET, the children absolutely love the attention and care, and being able to share God's love practically with them... is precious. We really sensed God's presence there!
After the chapel, we went up to Abundant Life church to join their Tuesday afternoon 'Action of Love' home visits in the small villages around. We broke into 3 groups to join theirs and walked into the villages to listen, pray and share Hope with them. No pics of that as it's not something that they do...
From there we went straight to Village of Hope to enjoy a variety of experiences with them.
Before the kids got home from school, we were divided into 3 groups (each group with 2 homes), and were put to work preparing the evening supper for all the kids (and us, as we would be joining). We were well schooled in how to cut veges, with no cutting board, stir pots on a smokey wood fire, and learn the recipes. Dare to wander away from your pot tochat....(Kate), and you are reprimanded to stay with your pot!!!
While the food was now just simmering, and the kids were home.. it was netball time... It was an 'all in' take no prisoners battle for supremacy... but a ton of fun!!!
We, along with the kids, were called to the homes as dusk fell. Time for devotions with the kids, led by the kids. This is regular and the kids know the drill. They started by leading worship, very passionate, and enthusiastic praise. (we noted after that of the 6 or 7 songs - yep you read that right - not one was about them.. they were all focussed on giving God glory, thanking Him, and expressing praise for who he is!)
They went seamlessly into prayer, supplication, and praying for the needs of the world and their country. One of the girls was to lead the Word for that evening and had prepared a message on the need to be thankful, for God has promised to always be with us, and give us salvation. She shared that money might be good and can buy many things, but it cannot buy salvation.. and that's the greatest gift... The children are then all asked to share what they have learned about God, and they all share. The lead child for the evening closed in prayer
Now....... its tome for food!!! And it was so good!!! we thoroughly enjoyed it...... (and us mzungus got way too much but each found very willing kids to have more!) After food, beagan the exuberant games, challenges, laughs and noise.... We discovered that Uncle Andrew is pretty useless at keeping time and remembering whats next... so .... he was 'out' a lot!! The singing started again as the kids showed us all the Aussie songs they knew... Kookaburra sits.... and especially: 'I am, you are, we are Australian' BUT we quickly corrected them on that one.. it's 'I am, you are, we're West Australian'!! We think they got it. In fact they have been taught that next time Uncle Johann, or Uncle Glenn come, they must say: West is best. And oh boy, did that chant get loud!!!!
All in all, a fantastic evening, where fun wa shad, we were deeply moved by their faith and passion, and we love their food!!!
Andrew....
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