Sitting in Cape Town International Airport, we’re finally heading home. Seems like we’ve been away for a long time. In fact, taking into account Christmas, I’ve hardly been home in Sheffield since 21st December. It’ll be nice to be back for a bit. Though it’s only for a couple of weeks before we head to Orlando for a week with the International Mentoring Network (IMN).

This last two weeks in South Africa has been great. I feel so fresh and full of life. I’m excited about what lies ahead this year. So many opportunities. So many people to serve and invest in. It’s been the longest period of time we’ve been away from our community, Mosaic, since we started it in June 2006. It’ll be great to be back and see how everyone is and really get stuck back into to what God has in store for us this year.

The combination of having a week serving with a charity followed by a week’s holiday has been perfect. I feel as good as I’ve felt for a long time.

Please pray for Rachel though as she’s had stomach problems all last night and today which isn’t great about to embark on a 12 hour flight.

One of the questions we were asked when fundraising for our trip to work with Oasis South Africa was whether we could really make that much of a difference in just one week. To be honest, I wondered about this too. Having spent the week with the young adults though confirmed just how far people can come in just a few days.

There was one young guy who began the week by coming straight up to a couple of our team and saying that he hated white people. He was a real character. The cool kid. And clearly not shy about saying what he thought. By the end of the week though he was chatting with Rachel and shared how he was now confused. He had had so much fun with us as a team. We just loved him and were ourselves with him. He saw that we weren’t operating on the basis of colour or race and that we were genuine. And it changed him. He was the guy asking for extra hugs when it came to say goodbye.

This one thing may not seem like anything HUGE. But if nothing else happened during the week (and lots did), then seeing people’s perspectives change like this is so encouraging.

Lying in bed in a luxury apartment in Cape Town, I’m filled with a mix of confusing thoughts. It’s great to be down here after spending last week in Johannesburg, but at the same time I’m finding it hard to adjust having got to the end of a week working with some of the poorest young adults in the world.Last week was simply amazing. Me, Rachel, Helen, Byrney, Chantelle, Lynda, and Jo were working with a charity called Oasis South Africa. Specifically, we were running a camp for a group of 36 school leavers from several of the townships around Johannesburg, mostly from Diepsloot.

Trying to plan the week was so hard having no idea who the young people were, what their stories were, and not knowing at what level to pitch everything. But everything went really well.

Before the camp started Arnie, who heads up Oasis South Africa, showed us round the various townships and informal settlements that the young people would be coming from. This was so hard. Seeing their living conditions, realising their lack of opportunities, and the danger they live with every day was heartbreaking

On Monday when the camp was starting, there was a real sense of both expectation and apprehension. What were the young people going to be like? Would we be able to relate? Were we going to be able to offer anything meaningful? Thankfully, everything about the week almost immediately seemed to go beyond our best hopes.

Hearing all of the different stories the young people have has been both amazing and incredibly hard. I was always aware that I had grown up in an environment of great privilege, but this brought it home on a whole new level. I know that Rachel in particular has found this really hard as her empathy means she can’t help but feel every ounce of all their stories.

As to what we did on the camp, it was a mix of everything. We had lots of fun and games, A brilliant basketball tournament which my team sadly didn’t quite win. There were art, drama, and singing workshops. And we took them through a tool called the Character Matrix and helped them start to thinking about their talents and strengths.

These young people are at a critical stage in life. They’ve just finished school and are looking to get either jobs, places at university, or apprenticeships. Typically, the jump into these new environments is too big and many end up dropping out and joining the masses of people caught up in huge unemployment. This week we ran was the first part of a six month skills for life programme designed to help bridge the gap and prepare people to make good career choices and prepare them for this next stage in life.

The way the young people responded to everything was amazing. They are such beautiful people. Their talent and potential is incredible. Spending time with them has simply been wonderful. They have easily taught us as much as we’ve taught them. I’m still working through exactly how I’ve changed, but I can definitely feel there is something inside me changing. Experiencing their world first hand is changing my priorities without doubt.

Seeing all the young people leave on Thursday was so hard. Knowing the homes they’d be going back to whilst we were heading off to beautiful accommodation in Cape Town just didn’t seem fair.

Here’s a selection of pictures from the week:

For some reason, until I am through baggage check-in and security, I can never quite relax when going away. I find myself having to check the tickets and passports silly amounts of times. I know they’re there. I know no one can have taken them. Any yet. I just have to keep making sure.

But until my ticket has been accepted, my passport checked, and I’m through those dreaded metal detectors that get me every time, I never manage to relax.

We head down to London at 10.30am tomorrow morning, get the tube from St Pancas accross to Heathrow around 1pm, and then fly out at 6pm.

Bring it on. I can’t wait.

Well tomorrow myself, Rachel, and a team of five others head to South Africa to serve with a charity called Oasis South Africa in Johannesburg. The time with the charity is for one week but me and Rachel will stay out for an extra week and head down to Cape Town for a holiday.

With the charity, we are going to be running a one week residential for a group of 16 to 20 years olds who are just embarking on a one year Skills for Life programme. It is an amazing opportunity to encourage and invest in these guys and hopefully help them move closer towards discovering who they are, how they’re uniquely wired, and making the most of their potential.

I have no idea how much internet access we’ll have whilst we’re away, but I’ll try and at least post a few times so you can follow the trip.

Wishing everyone a fantastic 2008.

May more of your dreams become a reality this year.

Don’t settle for average. Live with passion. And risk everything.

Hope you all have a great Christmas!

Here’s to a great 2008!

Check out the clip from the opening of our recent Carols @ Starbucks event:

We had our last fundraising event on Saturday evening for our trip to Diepsloot, near Johannesburg. A charity concert held in Anglo Catholic Church in the city centre provided the venue and then various concert musicians and the Sheffield University Jazz Orchestra provided the entertainment.

It was a great evening. Lots of people. More money raised. And we’ve pretty much hit our target.

The last few months have been very busy with the various events we’ve been planning and hosting, but it’s definitely been worth it.

Here’s to a great time in South Africa!

Long time no post!

Last night was a great night. We had a special event to raise money for a trip to South Africa to work with a charity called Oasis South Africa. The evening featured a charity auction and also the debut performance of all new Sheffield band The Mighty Spectacles. Check out one of their songs from last night below!