Still alive!

Wow, this has got to be the third or fourth time I have had to apologise for not being more in touch!! Sorry.

Anyway, as can now be verified by the parents, its has continued to be rather busy out here which is a great blessing if tiring too! Mum and Dad have been here one week and have one more left, I am working them hard but we are also enjoying some family and tourist time too!
While I remember, the official number of children for our big football, netball and craft day now stands at 675 which is fantastic. We are all so thankful to God for his provision of many volunteers and opportunities that allowed us to run the event.

Since the 9th July the normal routine of afternoon kids clubs has started again which has been great now we know the children a little better having had the world cup teaching time with them. That said, our first life skills topic to teach was sex abuse which was a minefield to navigate. Unfortunately it is a real problem in Redhill and across the peninsula but the main challenge was to consider what level we taught at. Some children don’t know what sex is, others have much more knowledge of it. Talking to a 13 year-old girl today highlighted the problem, as she didn’t seem to link periods and pregnancy so assumed that, although she had started puberty, she could have sex and not fall pregnant. Stories and conversations like this really remind us of the scale of problem we are facing but also show how valuable our lessons and teaching is.

In contrast, one girl, aptly named lisakanya (which means ‘there is light’ in the context of a dark world) signed up to the Living Hope Wait For Me pledge. Wait For Me is the main program of teaching which explains that sexual abstinence before Biblical marriage is the ONLY way to ensure that HIV and AIDS is prevented and stopped. Part of the scheme invites children and adults from across the peninsula to sign the pledge of abstinence from sexual activity before marriage. Fair to say that not too many from Redhill have historically signed up to the message so seeing Lisakanya ask for the pledge slip was a great blessing. Living Hope continues to be at the front of HIV and AIDS prevention and our prayer is that we would see the illness eradicated from South Africa by the end of this generation.

On a similar tone, a chap from a local township is proposing raising funds for Living Hope’s Prevention work by walking from Cape Town to Johannesburg, some 1860km! More to come on this soon once we sort out the details and routes/logistics/food/healthcare……….exciting times though even if it is a crazy idea.

Do look out for house photos on Picasa soon, the volunteers came together to make a new house for a lady in Redhill after her one burnt down a couple of weeks ago. It has been a great time to work together and enjoy the translation difficulties with some locals helping us too. That said, we hope to finish it all tomorrow and hand over the keys.

My time here is swiftly moving through which is sad in many ways as I have really enjoyed the activities and relationships I have built here. That said, come August 7th it will be about the right time to head back to you all and encourage YOU to go somewhere and serve God in the way I have been privileged to do here. For now, my bed calls as I was hoping to get some good rest tonight but as midnight approaches once more it seems I failed!

Love to you all

Stu.
p.s. no photos here cos the internet is as slow as a slug but there will be some on picasa soon...