Working in the Summer

Firstly, sorry for not keeping you up to date. But...What have I been up to!?

After coming back from holiday in Brazil (I'll post some pics soon) we were thrown straight back into work for Jesus Summer Camp 2010 - the first camp that Jesus Warriors (together with Iglesia de la Cruz and the other churches in the area) have undertaken.

On the 10th of February around 1,300 young people from all across Latin America came together for four unforgetable days. Aside from challenging preaches, and intimate worship all the participants enjoyed live bands, swimming pool, paintball, bouncy castles, sports, electronic rave night and much more! (And also! A prayer tent, headed up by myself and a friend in the Church.. whit whoo!) The whole week there was blazing sun - even though the week before and the week after there was torrential rain and even flooding in the Capital - it was, in that aspect, different from English Summer Camps! Muuuch different from Soul Survivor!

I worked in 3 areas: artistic - designing and painting signs before hand, and helping an art workshop
prayer - we set up and manned a prayer tent
worship - singing with Jesus Warriors Worship

And man...! Afterwards... I WAS SHATTERED! I'm still recovering from the cough I got on the last night.

It's so rewarding seeing all the behind scenes, (and helping out a bit), and then being able to see the results... It's incredible what God did! Quite seriously!

There are many photos on facebook... but I've collected a few for you guys here:



"Bienvenidos a Summer Camp" "Welcome to Summer Camp!"



Worship



Activities! Swimming pool and paintball



Worship again!


Urban Art Workshop

That's all for now... as it took too long uploading the photos!

But Love to you all! xxxxxx :)

Why Polly should never work in an Office

Do you want to know how many times I have got electric shocks this week?

I have a little habit of not wearing shoes much... not too sure why, but I love not wearing shoes, it makes me feel comfortable.

I didn't know / realise before this week that this is dangerous when you're working with computers. I didn't realise that if I touched the inside or back of a computer when I didn't have my shoes on, I would actually get an electric shock. As it had never happened to me before (not that I generally going round dismantelling computers in bare feet) I didn't think twice.

Really, after the first time it happens you should learn... well, that surely would make sense. But, no! I do actually genuinely forget... and forget... and forget! It doesn't help that today the shoes that I'm wearing hurt my feet.

I can still feel one of the electric shocks I got a few minutes ago... my arm hurts. Hahaha.

I shall learn!

Well, I'm going to get back to copying dvd's for the Summer Camp... we have 1000 to copy, 27 days to do it in... and I go on holiday to Brazil on Saturday... So we must get a crack on!

Amorcitooooo
haha :)

p.s. WEAR YOUR SHOES... PLEASE!!!!

Dec Newsletter!

Click on it to open it into a larger view so you can actually read it! :)

I rescue kittens

This blog is a bit late, i.e. past news.. But it's better than never!

A few weeks ago I started a 'Ministry'. We called it 'Polly's Ministry' (there are a few photos of facebook).

It all began with "Josecito" - a beaaautiful kitten outside Church.

As I saw him, his brother and mother, all skinny, scavenging for food on the street my heart was moved to compassion. I rushed into Church to beg some scrap fat off one of the boys eating asado and ran to my kittens with the desire to give them some substancial nurishment. I felt good! But then we had to go to Consti to give out food to the Street people... and the kittens were left.

The next day, after receiving persmission to keep a kitten (!!!) we tried to find a kitten that I could adopt. No luck!

Sunday came and I went shopping with the Pastor's wife... and on transit what was spotted... A KITTEN! I rushed out of the car, snatched my lil' kitten, and hopped back into the car.

Nichole Josecita was mine.

However, it was not meant to be. After 2 weeks of loving care it was plain to see this was not going to work out. Just like little kittens do it had cause a bit of a riot: peeing on matresses (!) pooing on sofas... I THOUGHT IT WAS LITTER TRAINED! It was impossible for her to stay in the home any longer. So sadly she's now gone. But here is a photo, attatched with many memories. Enjoy.

P.S. So you know taking kittens off the streets here is generally fine - animals and pets aren't treated the same as in England, and there are many on the streets. So I didn't steal it from anyone, and I do not endorse stealing kittens off people... so don't do it! it's stealing!

Amor x x x

Christmas Service... La Cruz stylé!

It's all happening today! Photos photos and blog updates!

This Sunday at Church we had the 'Christmas-y' service. It was needless to say completely different from any other Christmas service I've ever been to... very La Cruz (The Cross) stylé.

Services last from 7 - 9.30 ish ... and this day the whole format was different - when is it not different at Christmas?

There were dances done by the kids groups and the youth dance group (they like their dancing in this church, especially hip hop)... a mime, a time when all the children seemed to be on stage at once (the littlest all dressed up as presents, and the older ones dancing in I think traditional bolivian costume? (I have probably go this completely wrong... haha)

And... as you can see by the picture above and below... a choir! Compromising the normal people who sing on Sundays plus special guests. We sang... kind of gospel style, haha. Kicking of our songs with Sublime Gracia (Amazing Grace) (only 1 verse... so I now know a verse in Spanish!!!) with some of us emerging from the congregation... dooo dooo dooo doo! next O Día Feliz (Happy Day)... and I'm sure we learnt more... but I've forgotten what we sang! Hahaa!

One of the funniest things about singing with the worship team is when they're told to do a song out of the blue, or the plans change (which always happens... ), as quite frankly I am not very likely to know the words... especially not off by heart! So I can be stood either miming words, singing in English, or doing nothing... awkward! Hehehe. I'll get it though!

We'll get there one day!

Blogs are harder to do than you think. Hahaa! So I'm not even going to attempt to make any promises about updating more regularly... just incase it doesn't happen! I don't want to lie!

Yes, it is December! And it's very sunny! A looooot of things have happened this month, and I shall attempt to fill in a few gaps in the next few days.

Today is looking to be a deightful day... it's not even 7 o clock yet but the sun is up, but thankfully it's not hot yet, just fresh.

It's almost Christmas (believe it or not! Even here!) and I'm staying with Niko and Kat until slightly after Christmas. So I'm currently in 'La Quinta' (the ex-children's home in which they and the DTS students - and some staff - live). I just tried taking a photo but my battery went. However I can find one from a few months ago...

It does however look extremely different now, being summer and all. I'll get a better photo soon obviously.

Nobody else is up yet on the whole Quinta to my knowledge as it is only just past 7 o clock. I will probably end up falling asleep in a few hours as I only had 2 hours sleep. I ate too late last night (chocolate brownie), tried to get to sleep, kind of did, but now have mild indigestion, so I'm not feeling too sleepy. (Interesting news that you wanted to know!) So I thought I'd get on with my days tasks... like doing a blog!

Yesterday we celebrated Niko's birthday! It was amazing! For lunch we had a massive asado - of which there is a lot of meat left over - and then in the evening we had a different group of people round for chipa (a special type of cheesy bread, with a certain flour, that Kat's nicknamed squeaky bread. If I manage to obtain the flour in England I shall make it for you, as it is gorgeous, and very simple to make!) and cakes etc. B.E.A.uuutiful!

And a picture is... here! Mid consuming asado!

Morning ramble over! Now off to do the next thing on my amazing list! I'm excited for the day!!!!!! And yes! Especially my siesta! I love being able to have a siesta occasionally ahhhh! :)

I love you all muuuuch! And thank you to all of you who starred in the videos my brother made, I watched them last night :) And was smiling a LOOOOOOT!

x x x x x

Bleated Welcome to the City of Buenos Aires!

"So what's Argentina like?" I hear you ask. And I would love to share a little about what I've seen and how…
Truthfully however, I can only really disclose information about the great city of Buenos Aires.

The population of Buenos Aires is 18 Million People. One city, 18 million people. (Verrry big! Especially when I up until 5 seconds ago believed that the whole population on Great Britain was 6 million... I obviously don't remember numbers well! haha) Not only is the population dense, but the area is vast. It is split into 2 sections, Capital Federal and Provincia. And is made up of numerous different c… just like Manchester, London, or any other city. You can travel to the beach (about 4 hours away) and you are still in Buenos Aires.

The land is mainly extremely flat, but the cityscape is fascinating. A helter skeltering motorway system weaves it's way around the diverse collection of buildings, with various heights and various architectural styles, which are neatly placed into the grid formation. The further into Provincia that you the more spread out and similar the buildings become.

Contrary to common belief not every single Argentine knows how to dance tango or folklore. In actual fact the only people (obviously minus a few exceptions, I suppose) to take tango or folklore classes are foreigners and tourists. However, having said that, Argentines definitely dance more than the English, it's just that the don't all know the "traditional dances".

It is just like any other city! Only, unique! Yet, due to my lack of city experiences I do not feel I am qualified (nor able) to perhaps distinguish the similarities and differences in order to give a thorough analytical viewpoint.

It is a place which holds much to be discovered and uncovered... SO LET'S GO EXPLOOOREEEEE!!!!!