Gillingham and beyond..

I am such a slack blogger..Ive been getting harassed by many people telling me to update my blog...so even though this section of the day on my timetable is reserved for 'admin' I will continue...Its quite a trial coz the keyboard im on at the Youth for Christ centre doesnt have a 'u' key so I have to frantically stab at the key to make it work..which may look a little aggressive to those watching haha and ive been sitting here trying to figure out why someone wouls take just one letter...

Our 2 weeks of Training in Nottingham officially finished last Friday...so sad coz we'd all gotten so close as we had been living in each others pockets for two weeks, sharing hilarious stories over lunch (cough* tom getting a pool ball stuck in his mouth and having to go to a&e) and having team bonding playing 4 square in the rain then proceeding to splash in the puddles....all in good fun..We had really busy days (as in we sat and ate then sat and ate then sat and ate some more..)..but the sitting was like 6 hour theology lectures..some interesting and some that i was very glad when we began to pray because i could close my eyes and have a power nap...haha nothing holier than a nap..

But in all seriousness we had celebration services every 2nd nite which were like church services and had guest speakers and stuff...God showed up in so many amazing ways..I dont think Ive ever felt his presence like in the past 2 weeks...But not before giving me a bit of a dry patch to figure things out for myself and then coming through and totally affirming it for me...

Its weird coz all the kids we are working with come from totally broken backgrounds and i think in a way we all needed to be broken so we'd really have a passion to help them out and love them like we know Jesus does and know that whatever amazing things happen we are merely the hands and feet not the power, i think humility is the word im looking for..lol

HIGHLIGHTS OF TRAINING

-Being asked a gazillion questions about New Zealand...some of these included 'do the Maoris still live in huts?'...and 'oh thats the place where Lord of the Rings was filmed?'..and 'do you have birds in New Zealand?'..I think these English people need to do some research

-Teaching 3 people the game 4 square in a moment of boredom and having it spread to be the official game of the 2 weeks of training...each day at every break a hoard of people would be out there playing..i have to admit it got competitive..a 4 square committee was even appointed to make decisions lol

-Karaoke and disco night..this speaks for itself

So Saturday was the day of leaving Nottingham Uni to go and fend for ourselves in our new centres all over the place..and also the day I lost my NZ phone..and all the photos and songs on it...I'm still hoping that it turns up and some nice student hands it into reception..All those contacts, music and photos all gone..! so if you text me and i havent replied its not coz i got too posh for you now im in england..I only have my english cellphone now..!

Saturday me and Phil's (a friend from training who I'm working with in Gillingham and who also interestingly has a large afro) brother picked us up and took us to their house in Lincoln (dont ask me where abouts in England it is coz i dont even know..) and Phil showed me round Lincoln..Palaces, cathedrals, the only 2 hills that are in lincoln, and castles..! so cool! Except people kept frowning at me coz i was taking photos in the cathedral..with my flash on..which may have been a little inappropriate..ah well..
Sunday we turned up in Gillingham where we gonna be based for the next 7 months...turned up to a 'meeting' which was just a massive 'meet everyone get together'...with a lot of food..they know how New Zealanders roll...lol
I'm staying with a family until Saturday in a room thats about the size of the average cupboard..literally room for a bed, a dresser and a suitcase and I have to squeeze myself into a space as i open or close the door..haha Then I'm moving in with my actual host family, a young couple with a 3 year old son called..wait for it..ALFIE..! only the cutest name in the entire world..haha and he came up to me and was like 'we have sweets for you'..love him already haha But theyre all lovely!!
Turned up at the office on Monday at 10am (my earliest start) and mooched around...then went to have community time..where we just go and hang with the kids in the community (which is quite rough)..we played football..me just being totally rubbish..all the kids laughing..im really going to have to learn how to play better...and also learn football (soccor?!) knowledge..everyone talks about it here..EVERYONE!
Gillingham YFC also has 2 drop in centres in 2 different parts of town that are open in the afternoons and evenings where kids can just come and hang out with us (who wouldnt want to?haha) and play xbox and wii and get a positive influence..! Its actually so amazing and i think this is where my heart is..coz we're just reaching out with no expectation but for God to come through for us and touch them..and just hangout..!
We also do detached work (which im doing tonight)which is usually walking the streets at night (yeah im tough) and seeing where the young kids are hanging out, what theyre doing and what they would want to be doing and also just chatting to them..this is so we can show the council who might support us opening up activites for them so they dont cause trouble...
Its actually just so perfect for where my heart is at the moment and I know Gods gonna do some amazing things..and totally put me here for a reason..

Funny story for this blog:
(background knowledge needed: english people call underwear 'pants' and pants 'trousers')
I went into a shop today needing to buy black trousers...unbeknown to me i was about to make a fool out of myself..me just going up to the shop assistant 'i need some black pants for work..' this is where she gets confused 'what sort of black pants?' me just being like 'oh umm more like formal ones, kinda dressy material..' her just looking a bit distraight as i dig myself a hole..then realise what im saying as she says 'OH TROUSERS!'...and that is the story how it may have sonded like i was working on a street corner haha

Also my mum might be coming to visit for my birthday (8TH OF OCTOBER lol)then staying on for my commissioning day (where we all get welcomed into YFC) ...so excited! cant wait to see her!

And i have developed a fondness for tea...milk with one sugar...which is what I have put down to being the reason i am putting on stacks of weight haha not the chocolate or the lollies at all...lol BUT one of the trustees of GYFC is the owner of the local leisure centre (pools, gym, saunas etc.) and has given us all a free years membership!!! pity it takes like 20 minutes to walk there haha so im going to look like a supermodel by the time i get back..lol watch this space...xxx