October already!!!!

 I had planned to write about my weekly activities this month but then last Saturday happened and it’s a good insight into life here!

 At 5pm we have the children’s meeting at church. Around 50 kids come every week. They start all sat together singing and praying before they split into age groups. For the last 2 weeks I’ve been with the 7-8 year olds. A lot of the kids spend most of their lives out on the streets playing in the dust, their t-shirts have holes in and their shoes are falling apart but they have the biggest smiles you’ve ever seen! Last week I made friends with Sebastián and Erica. They are cousins and had loads of questions about Britain and how you say different things in English. This week we started by praying and Alejandra who leads the 7-8s asked each child what they wanted prayer for. One girl asked to pray that her teenage brother would stop getting drunk, others have asked for their Dads to return home or parents to get jobs. This week Erica asked that God would provide food for her family as they hadn’t eaten anything all day and her Mum had no more money. We prayed for them and at the end of the meeting shared our usual snack of bread and juice making sure Erica got an extra big helping.

 After the kids meeting we clean up and prepare for the main church service that starts at 8pm. Just after 8pm Sebastián and Erica turned up and came and sat with me-I’m sure they were singing the loudest in the service! Half way through the service Alejandra got Sebastián and Erica out to the front. She shared that during singing worship she had felt really challenged that she had to do something for these kids so she had gone to the corner shop and bought as much as she could and presented two cardboard boxes of food for them to take home. There was not a dry eye in the church-including Erica and Sebastián! I think it’s a great example of what God has called church to do and how in the hardest of situations there’s always room for hope. 

 It reminds me of 2 things, first a missionary in Brazil who was debating the question; Should our aim be to feed the body or the spirit? Her answer; If we just feed the spirit we gain a spirit without a body and if we just feed the body we gain a body without a spirit. One is a ghost, the other is a corpse. 

Secondly James’ words; What good is it, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2.15

 I’m loving being part of a church that is doing both, feeding the body and spirit. It’s hard work sometimes on the front line but there are a lot of great co-workers and a lot of laughter too!

 Thanks again for all your support making it possible for me to be here and the brilliant, encouraging messages. I’m hoping to include some photos in the next instalment!!!

 Keep in touch! Lots of love, Jo xxx

 P.S. Pray-ers;

1. Sebastián, Erica and their families.

2. The Alpha course that started in church last week (they played the Nicky Gumbel Dvd dubbed in Spanish then said all the people look like me!)

3. My Granny who turns 90 on Saturday! Pray for a great day and good health for her and Grandad.