Week Two: Pumpkins. . .

 Back home in Northern Ireland, we don't tend to celebrate Halloween as much as the Americans. Boy do they celebrate it. So Wednesday eighth was a very weird experience for me. We (being the youth the interns, and some other St. Luke-rs, staff and members.) unloaded over 2600 pumpkins, and set up the St. Luke's Pumpkin Patch. If you are finding it Hard to imagine over 2600 pumpkins, try imagining a Tesco's delivery lorry (as the Americans call it; a semi) filled from front to back. It was a lot! What made it better was the fact it was around 94 degrees F, 32 degrees C. So unloading was between four and it was half eight before we had finally got every pumpkin off, and cleared the hay from the "semi". It was hard work, but honestly it was good fun, and fellowship, I got talking to a number of new people, and had a good laugh, and there was pizza at the end, so hey I was happy!

Thursday started off with me coming into St. Luke's to take the children's service, for preschoolers. typically trying to get a word in over seventy young kids is a challenge, however I was struck by how well behaved they were. They listened to my story on harvest, and they happily participated. It was a pleasure. I then had two meetings, one on a book the staff are reading (Toxic charity, by Robert Lupton), which is well worth a look for those serving in community development charities back home. Then I had my first staff meeting. I can honestly say it filled me with joy to hear so many people speak passionately about their jobs and service, and ideas in both those meetings, it made me feel that hopefully that I will one day be as passionate about my work, even if I don't have a clue what field that will be in yet.

Friday was a non-work day. So I chilled at home and that night introduced two of my room mates (Samantha and Ruth) to the hilarity of Father Ted. They were nearly peeing themselves at times. Late on, Adam Harnet, one of my supervisors, picked me up to take me to his to spend the night, so I could get to my Saturday morning project.

Bright and early Saturday morning we left for the East Winter comunity garden project I was helping at. We a lot of weeding and re-soiling, and then I let my feet and legs become a living feast for some fire ants. Those six legged demons sure can bite, the pain was like that of a wasp sting, That aside working in the calm of the morning, was somewhat relaxing and refreshing. I also met an amazing eighty something year old lady, who just knew everything about plants and gardening and was also an incredible handy women, knowing how to fix a variety of thing most wouldn't have a clue about, like a leaking tap.
That afternoon I just did some prep for Sunday, and relaxed.

Sunday was an 8-9 day. It started with early morning bible class where I, with the help of Andrew, head of youth ministries (amazing guy), took the 13 year olds. They were not anywhere nearly as well behaved as the preschoolers. they couldn't listen for more than two minutes. They were so awful I felt the need to apologise  to my old youth leader via mail, just in case I was ever as bad as they where. Man talk about a tough crowd.... Then we had worship, lead by Pastor Jen. It was nice after seeing so many on-line sermons of hers, on the St. Luke's webpage, to finally see one in person. So after the service the youth went to burgerfi for lunch, and then me and Pedro came back to the church to draw a giant heart on nine joined up canvases, for the youth to paint and join up later. We both then went  and helped cook the youths dinner, which was fun as the chef Stephen was dead-on and taught us numerous new ways to prepare food for large numbers of people. Youth group went off without any major hitches.

Monday was another day of rest, however I spent it mostly doing washing and trying to sort out my american banking. Hopefully soon I will not have to carry around cash all the time.

Tuesday my day was spent mostly fixing up a hovercraft. and building and gluing marshmallow guns. I will explain next week. But I was basically high of the plumbing glue fumes by the end, the room was spinning, to say the least.

At this point I am going to introduce a wee segment to my blog called:

Forty-Four games that I thought would end up with a child in hospital, but somehow didn’t….

I am making up for my lost week last time. so this week you get two. These are all games, we have played with the youth of a Sunday evening.

#1           Epic Death.

Basically you get two teams of children and youth. You put up a paper flag between two chairs for each team, then the teams pile boxes and try to protect their paper flag. You get a large number of dodgeballs and line them in the middle between the teams. On the start whistle, each team runs to collect as many balls as possible, and Epic Death commences. The teams now chuck balls at each other and the flags. If you are hit by a ball without catching it you’re out, if you do catch it, the thrower is out. The goal is to rip the other team’s flag completely down, by pelting it with balls. Headshots aren’t allowed.

#2           Pumpkin wars.

Two teams. Defenders and Attackers. Defenders build a giant fort out of bins, tables, chairs, and any other object in the area, to protect their pumpkin. They are armed with Nerf guns, of different shapes and sizes.

The attackers have to run and steal the pumpkin, without getting shot, if they are hit they return to their checkpoint. At the end Andrew passed off the game as not winnable, I just think the attackers weren't creative enough to find a way to succeed 

This coming week please continue to pray for the Stiles-Williams family, pray for Pedro and I, as wee have horrendously busy week. Also please continue to pray for all the YAMM team, that we all continue to serve and trust in God.

Peace,

Owain