Day 15 - Sequin Art

This morning was again a rather early start, but for a great reason! I headed off to the community centre for church this week, where I helped set up for a rather special Sunday service.

Today marked the end of the 3 day fasting, and so the attendance was expected to be high. The congregation invite their friends and families, perhaps for their first ever taste/experience of church with the promise of free food at the end. It's just like when I was at Alive Lincoln Students and we did our Sunday Lunches! A great way to spread the word of God, save people and also create a community.

After yesterday's 3 prayer sessions I feel no longer a stranger to listening to people praying in Tamil. There's something very unique about it, but I can sense the urgency and passion in their prayers. They're not praying for the small things, but have full trust and hope in God.

On the way to church this morning I was telling Jenny about my role within Vineyard St. Albans Kids Ministry & how I serve on team. She seemed particularly interested in how we run the sessions and how everything works within our church. It was after this conversation, whilst at church I was asked if I might consider 'helping' with today's children's church. I said of course, and couldn't wait to help get involved in the session.

Worship ended and Jenny gave me my signal to leave. I followed the children to their usual meeting place and was waiting for the leader to appear. Five minutes came and went, and the children started to get slightly restless. Emin, one of the local teenagers, with very good English skills came across and told me he had joined us for "translation purposes only". It was then, when I realised my role in 'helping' with kids, meant actually RUNNING kids. I loved every second of it and read the bible story of: Mark 10:17-31. The Rich and the Kingdom of God.

We then decided to begin playing "duck, duck, goose" (Sri Lankan style), and pardon the pun, but I became a sitting target, being 'goosed' more times than I wish to remember. The sweat, tiredness and dehydration I think must have become apparent, as the kids began to withdraw from picking on me and choosing their friends.

Once church had finished, the congregation broke their 3 day fast, and came together to eat in the community centre. Every member of the church bought an item or dish of their choice, cooked and prepared at home to share with the whole place. Despite the strong numbers of over 500, their was surplus food, and even the opportunities for the 3rd or 4th plates for those who wanted it! The thing that struck me today, not only the willingness to serve and sacrifice for others but was the generosity once the food appeared. No-one wanted to have the first plate, but wanted to make sure that their neighbour got one before they did, letting others join the queue and even offering to dish up.

Post-Church and fast breaking, I headed back to my base and spent the afternoon, or what was left of it, playing with Vanuja and Sinthujan. We made models from bricks and tower blocks I bought with me, and decided after this to play "slaps". Kudos to whoever bought this hilarious and competitive game to the community, who knew slapping each others hands could bring hours of fun and joy! I of course lost, but I wouldn't let it dampen my spirits.

After dinner I got out the sequin art for the kids in this side and we began creating beautiful works of art, using nails, sequins and glitter. It was rather messy and fiddly but it was great fun to see the children using their creative talents which so often seem to be overlooked for 'intellect' and 'academia'. Kobika, one of the teachers who lives on the same site hennaed me, I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like in the morning!