|
|
|
|
|
Katie-May's Prayer Letter!
Well I've been in Manchester for 6 weeks now doing a course called Genetik with The Message Trust. I've been having such an amazing time here and God has really been at work through us with the people we are working with.
So here's some general information: I'm staying in a house in Old Trafford about two minutes away from Moss Side. We are the only white people on the whole of our street. It's all very different to Knowle!! There are 11 of us all together in my house and another 9 people who are on the course are in a house further up the street. We all get on really well! Everyday I have teaching in the morning on a wide variety of topics, training us up to be evangelists!!! We have lots of prayer and worship sessions during the week as well. This all takes place in The Message HQ which is a really modern building and there is a great fellowship amongst everyone who works there, they don't seem to mind us running around and playing music really loud which is always a good thing!! In the afternoons and evenings I have placements. Here's a bit about what has been going on in each placement:
Kids Club: We usually have about 15 kids coming. We play lots of games involving lots of running around and getting messy (for example: Jam sandwich relay races…)!! Then we do a craft and a God slot. It has been going really well and all the kids love coming. I am in charge of a small group and game each week. I am really getting to know the kids well and it's lovely to have them running up to you when they arrive, asking you loads of questions etc.
Girls Group: We have only had 4 girls coming so far but this might increase as more get to know about it. Each session we play some games and do a craft such as candle making and painting picture frames. Then we have a God slot, during the last one I shared my testimony which they all listened to nicely!! We are given lots of opportunities to lead and often have to plan the whole session!! They are very hyper and have a low attention span so it's hard work.
Eden Bus: This is a mobile youth centre, on a double-decker bus which we drive into the rough estates. The Second week on the bus two of the gang leaders, Bombhead and Ando, both 17, became Christians. Before they had been involved in lots of crime etc. Bombhead has now gone off to the army and Ando is still coming to the bus, you can see a real difference in him and he has started to go to church, he said to me “I'm going to church I am!!” The week after we had some trouble, there was a fight outside so we had to call the police and move the bus away. Everyone on the bus was alright but one of the guys involved got slashed with a knife. Last week was back to normal and even though we didn't have many people coming on the bus as it was raining, we had some really good conversations and ended up staying for an extra 20 minutes talking about how we know God is real, why there is suffering and creation!! It was amazing and we really feel like we have moved up a stage with them.
Detached youth work: This is quite challenging as it involves going up to gangs and starting up conversations with them, it is also hard because often we walk around in the cold for a couple of hours only to see a few people. At the moment it seems as though we are only telling the youth about the clubs that are on and not having very deep conversations.
Mustard Tree: This is a soup run for the homeless. Each week we make ten loaves of sandwiches (which is always fun!!) hot drinks and soup and then set up in the city centre. We usually get about 40 people come along. I've had some pretty awesome conversations with these guys over the weeks, there is so much you can learn from them.
Church: This is different from what I'm used to and I'm finding it hard to settle in at the moment. There are about 30 people and about 20 of them are 16 and under. They don't have sermons or worship, instead they eat, pray and do drama and arty stuff!! We had baptisms on Sunday, full immersions into a paddling pool!! It was an interesting experience!!
So that's what I've been up to!! Please could you devote some time to pray for the following:
Bombhead, he's finding the army hard, pray also that he finds some Christian friends.
Ando, to keep going to church and not be affected by the way others treat him now.
For the bus, there's been a lot of trouble with the locals trying to stop the bus coming.
For Jess, Chelsea, Chantelle and Dan who've been coming to the bus for a long time now and it would be great to see them all saved. For Gary who started Alpha.
For Breathe which is a new discipleship course that started this year. It involves big worship events, mentoring for each person and social action projects. Pray in particular for Jamie, Kat, Sarah, Becky and Nicki who are on Breathe.
For the launch of Hope 2008 which is in the NEC on 21st of October. Hope 2008 is `the whole church for the whole nation for a whole year'. It is going to involve lots of missions and prayer. Pray that the tickets get sold out for the launch and that everyone who comes really gets fired up for it.
For `The Message', they need £50,000 this month to pay bills and salaries etc.
It may seem a long way away but I'd love some prayer that I would know what God wants me to do in September and where to go.
We have a residential next week; pray that we are able to refresh ourselves during this time off.
For Dan and Wendy who got baptised on Sunday. For Dan's mum Dee who has a skin disease which goes when she comes to church but her boyfriend keeps trying to stop her coming. Dee was really touched on Sunday by the baptism.
For Wayne and Si who come to church but aren't Christians and cause lots of trouble.
That I will be able to settle into my church better and I will be able to serve there more.
For protection in general.
For Lauren who goes to Girls group and is showing a real interest in Christianity.
For Nathan, Christian and Joseph to settle down more during Kids Club as they are always causing trouble.
For us to have deeper conversations when out doing detached work.
Thank-you so much for all your prayer support!!!
God Bless
Katie-may x
|
