The retreat was a really good experience. God has been teaching me alot recently, and I've been discovering alot about who he is and what he asks of me, and so it was really good to have some time away from Santiago and away from the ministries and other people to have some time to refect on what I've been learning and let it sink it. I was thinking alot about freedom from the past, and thinking about how far God has taken me through things, how strong yet how gentle he is at the same time. How he comforts us, and how much he adores us. There was one time when we had time specifically for being alone in prayer, we could wonder anywhere and just have some 'shh time', I ended up going back to the room because nobody else was there. I was praying and just worshipping God, and ended up dancing my heart out. I had such a good time! God is a God who ENJOYS us, which blows me away. He romances us, and sends things purely for our enjoyment.

We also had a really great time as a team, and got to spend more time together, and enjoy the swimming pool and the great weather. A weekend of relaxation and luxury, before the last push before Christmas.

Since being back, I have really had a feeling of joy. I was kind of worried before I left that my Christmas was going to be really difficult, that I wouldn't be that close with my team by now and that I would just be missing home so much. but actually I feel completly different. Our team are so close that they feel like my family, it's not going to be the same as usual, but it's going to be different, but that's not always bad. We will have a hot Christmas and have a barbeque and spend the day in the sun, then go to the beach the next day. I will miss everyone back home, but I don't feel depressed about that, I feel blessed that I have such great friends and family, and I will be praying that you will all have a merry Christmas and a happy new year! It is good to have people to miss, because it means that you have people you love alot, and people who love you.

Last night we spent some time making Christmas decorations as the girls :) we had pancakes and played some amazing cheesy christmas music. I am getting very creative whilst being here! it saves alot of money. Our house looks like a santas grotto, it's hideous, but I love it. I think that if ones house is not very nice in the first place, there is little point in spending money on making it look really pretty for Christmas. I'm sorry mum, i think you would hate it, there is tinsel and ribbon everywhere.

Anyway, before I talk too much about all the nice things I've done and you all think I'm not working! Let me tell you how the ministries are going..

The Hogar is stil going good, the garden really has helped alot. It is alot easier to connect with them, and I think I enjoy it more anyway, and so I am always more enthusiastic. I am getting to know a few of them a little more personally and that helps alot. Also with praying more for them, God has really changed my heart for them. I am alot more patient, and I love them to pieces. Last week we had a prayer time after working in the garden and one of the boys prayed. It was a very simple prayer, as he was not really sure what he could say to God, but he was praying that God would look after the garden, and look after each of us, and that he would help us look after eachother. it really touched me. I know God can change these boys.

The prostitute ministry is also going well. Although last week it was a national holiday and there was no men out at all, but the people who went just prayed for the streets and for the men. I am finding this ministry quite difficult recently, because there has been not very many men out, and so we tend to just stand in one circle and talk with them. But the Spanish is far to fast and with far too much slag for me to understand. I am left feeling quite useless, and I feel they may think we just come to watch them or something. I dunno.. I know that praying whilst we're there is really useful, and powerful, but it's difficult sometimes to remember that I am being useful.

The art ministry is alot of fun. We are making a drama at the moment involving a huge 10 foot wall made of big cardboard boxes to the mission impossible theme, you will have to wait and see it on youtube when it's ready :)

Thanks for all your prayers and support, I am praying for you also!
Loads of love, Emma xx

This past month has yet again been a crazy busy one! We have not had a saturday off in a long time! It's quite tiring, but so many good things to do.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been having more teaching by Steve, and he's been speaking about Evangelism, and about scripture memorisation and wisdom, and lots of really interesting topics, that are made alot more interesting by his amazing life stories! He has such an incredible testimony and it is inspiring to me how he's come through that.

Things have been really great recently as a group, I think that since Mendoza we have bonded alot more. The group are becoming alot closer and spending more time together, which is really great (it does mean I am a little behind on my work.. just like at home), but it's really good building up the relationships and having alot of fun together. not that we didn't before, but we seem alot more relaxed with one another now, and alot more open which is great.

The Hogar has been pretty good this month, we are slowly seeing progress. The boys know us well now, and so it's not such a battle with them. They enjoy it when we turn up and we never have to try to persuade them to join in. We went one Saturday and made these Lizards made of beads, I was a little sceptical but Santtu told me that she had done it before and boys love it. So we went for it, and she was completly right, they LOVED IT. It was not easy, but once they got the hang of it, they really enjoyed. Even the oldest ones made things (I'm talking.. 17 and 18 year tolds doing crafts with us! Miracle!). We have started a theme in the programmes now of being a soldier in God's army. We have gone to Roman soldier style, and I made a fancy dress outfit for Fito, one of the leaders who comes with us to the Hogar. Last week we did a drama about the fall of Jericho. I was Rahab (luckily they don't know the story too well so that they know what that meant..!) but I just hid in a big cardboard Jericho and then was carried off at the end once the walls fell down! It was a nice easy role. Clearly I was the star though.

The garden is going well also, we now have a patio area, I will try to get pictures up soon, or put some on my facebook. Last time we went it was a bit difficult because half way through our time with them, the boys were called in for a meeting, and they were told that a few members of staff were leaving. The boys took it really badly, some of the younger ones were crying, and the older ones were teasing the others, I feel it was also a way of dealing with it. I can imagine it is difficult for them if staff changes, it is kind of like family leaving them again. They do not deal well with any kind of change well. We just had to carry on working even though they were not behaving well.

This weekend we are going on a retreat, as the whole team with a load of the leaders too. We are going about 2 hours out of Santiago which will be really nice, we can see some countrysiiiiideeeee. They say the temperature today will be around 39 and mid 30s for the rest of the weekend. There is a pool there so we will be having a really nice relaxing time hopefully. Sounds a little different to the weather in England maybe? Just to rub it in :) The retreat is lead by Steven who is going to be doing teaching about dammaged emotions.. think it could be quite an emotional weekend!

Please pray
+For the Hogar, pray for the work we are doing, and pray for the Tia's working there all day every day. Pray for the Children who have to go through some of the leaders leaving. Pray that we can support the whole situation and bring God's love in to it.
+Pray for the weekend away, pray that we will have a really good time as a group, and that we will learn alot and that we will be open to what God wants to do.
+Pray for safety when we're travelling today and also back on Sunday.

Thanks everyone for reading :) Love to you all, xxxxx

So last weekend we went to Mendoza, Argentina! It was a great weekend just us 10, and we had alot of fun! We didn't have an agenda and were just hanging out, and it was really nice because we havn't really done much of this so far. We ate some really good food, and the weather was perfect, but my favorite part of the trip had to be the journey. Although we were so cramped up on a tiny bus for 9 hours it was amazing, the views over the andes were indescribable. I tried to take a video of it, but it doesn't capture a fraction of the beauty! I loved it. On the way back we had to stop of at the border for about an hour before we were allowed back in, but it was just stunning, Jona played Christmas music, and we made the most of watching the snow seeing as this Christmas I am pretty certain we won't be getting any snow on the beach!



On Monday we began a course about Relationship training. We were talking about how relationships in your past with your family and friends can effect how we are today, and it will lead up to a weekend away going through some dammaged emotions seminars which Steve will lead. I think that is some time in December. We never get information until about 2 weeks before they happen :) So everything is a bit of a surprise!



Whilst we were away Lise stil went to the hogar with some of the others and they continued with the garden project and prepared all the soil to be planted in this week. So on Monday we thought we would go and have a look and see how the garden looked to see if it had be ruined! But we were faced with a completly different problem! One of the boys had planted in all of the space that had been prepared to plant in this Thursday with the other boys! it is a difficult situation because he is really keen, and it is so great that he is so involved and really cares about the garden, and apparently he is the one who is watering the garden when none of the other boys wants to. So we are encouraged, but at the same time we were in a bit of a difficult situation because the others wanted to plant as well this week. But we managed to just prepare some more soil and they planted in another area. The garden is looking so good now! I am so impressed with them, the boys have worked so hard with us, and I am so happy with the way we can bond with them during this time.



On Thursday night we went to see Hillsong :) It was SO MUCH FUN! They played half in Spanish and half in English and many of the songs they played I knew better in Spanish! They played really well, and I'm pretty sure all the Christians I know here in Santiago were there! It was a late night though considering the next morning I had a Spanish class at 9 o'clock which means we had to leave at 8.15! I was very tired.



Then on Saturday we had a conference about the work that OM do in India with the Dalits. Steve did some teaching about other religions, and they did some fund raising, and it was mostly an awareness raising thing. We also performed our drama again that we had been practicing with the art ministry. We had a good day, and also made friends with a lady who is a hairdresser who says she will come to our house and cut all of our hair and pamper us a bit! We made a good friend there I think! :D Unfortunatly, not many people came, I have found this in a couple of events now, I guess it comes with the spontinaity of the people, that if things change at last minute, the won't let anyone know they can't go, and will simply not turn up. Probably less than 20 people turned up, which is a shame because I know the organisers put alot of effort into it.



Please pray

For the Relationship training were doing, and the weekend away next month, that we will all think honestly and will be open to the teaching, and that God will help us through any thing that comes up.

For the other lessons we will be having this week, the lessons about other religions, the evangelism training, Spanish classes, just pray that we will learn well and that we will be refreshed enough from the weekend to have energy throughout the week.

Pray for the people who came to the Dalits conference, pray that they will remember what they have learned and that it will be on their mind to pray for the situation, or help financially with the work.

Wow, last week just flew by! Whilst we're here we have to read 10 books and write reviews about what we have learnt from them. So last week was spent catching up with that because in true Emma form I had left reading two books till last minute! I got them done though.

It is strange without Yerko and Corrine here, Lise is currently the big boss for a couple of weeks, and she is doing a great great job, but we do miss them lots! I hear they are having a good time with the adventure team in the south though.

Last week we had a meeting as the group of people who go to Hogar Sion about what we need to be doing. The work is very difficult here and the group does seem to be getting discouraged. The boys have very little respect for us, and we have had some really difficult times here. We really spent a long time discussing about what the problems were and what we should change about the set up, or the topics, but I think the thing that hit me most was realising how little I pray for or commit time for the work here. I am planning the programmes, and pray for it when we pray as a group, but am not really praying for a change in that place day to day. I was challenged to take it alot more seriously and really believe that God wants to do more here. I have noticed a change in my attitude since I first arrived here, when I first got here I was so passionate for the work here, and would remember the people in my prayers regularly, but I guess after a while I lost enthusiasm. So I have stuck a poster up in the bathroom with a reminder to pray for the boys every time I go to the toilet!!! I am trying to drink more water at the moment anyway, so I think I will be.. praying.. alot!
We made a start to the garden project with them last thursday, we were just cleaning the area and chopping some branches down to let more light in. The boys worked so hard, and were so respectful, and wanted to help, it was really great to see them get into something so much! At the end the boys had to go to get their dinner, and Lise said to one boy as he was leaving that she was very proud of him. He looked at her almost shocked and froze in his tracks, as if he had never heard those words before, his eyes lit up and I could tell it really touched him. Ahh, I wish I could get these boys to see how much they are worth!

We have a girl staying with us who is originally from uruguay but who has been living in Canada for a couple of years, she is here with a guy called Steven who is a messianic jew who works for OM and has come to Chile with his wife to preach. She is translating for him. Jona and I have a spare bed in our room so she gets to stay with us, and it's been great :) It's a bit more crouded now, but she is so lovely, and we have had some good times already! It's a shame she's only going to be here for 6 weeks! Steven is a great guy too, he lived in England for quite alot of his life (he has lived in so many places) and he will be doing some lessons with us. Today he did some evangelism training, and spoke about why we should evangelise. It's something that seems so basic, and when he said he was going to speak about it I figured there would be nothing new, but the way he presented it was so new, I dunno.. i felt challenged. He is really living everything he preaches out in his life, which i think is the biggest challenge, because I can see how it is possible to live like that, and speak to people daily about Jesus. He is a good guy, and it is going to be a good 6 weeks.

Tomorrow we start a leadership training course, which I am really looking forward to :)
Then on Thursday we are going to ARGENTINAAA for the weekend! We have to go out of the country to come back in to get a new visa, so hey we HAVE to go hang out in Mendoza! I am so excited, it will be nice to have a holiday!

Anyway, I have to go we're about to eat and have pray for this evening when we are going to see the prostitues.

Some quick prayer points
* Pray that God will really continue to break my heart for the boys in the hogar and that I will be reminded to pray for them regulaly.
* Pray that through the garden project they will be encouraged and will see how they CAN do things successfully, and have worth.
* Pray that God will really use Steven in this time he is here and that he will challenge the Chilean church to be active, and to step out in faith.
* Pray for the leadership course
* Pray for our safety in Mendoza, and that we have a good relaxing time :)

My Cultural experience

So.. here I am at the end of my 'Cultural experience'. Well.. it definatly was an experience. At first I was not very happy because I realised just how poor my Spanish was, I found it so difficult to communicate, and understood very very little without using the dictionary. It was really frustrated because I was staying with a really lovely lady and she really enjoyed a good conversation and would ask me questions about my ideas about God etc, and I just wouldn't be able to express what I really wanted to say. It was an experience that I have been in before. I began to doubt whether I would be able to ever learn the language and began to doubt why I was here, did I even have the energy to try? However, on Monday on the bus I was looking at the mountains that we were passing, and I mananged to start a conversation about how if God can move these huge mountains, he can help me to learn. She understood me! And I understood her! Then in the evening we went out to watch the stars and pray together, and I saw the brightest shooting star I had ever seen, it was really a super cheesy moment, but it spoke to me about how God is really huge and powerful, but he does care about me, and he wants me to be content and he will look after me in this experience. This week I really saw how I cannot do this on my own, not for one minute. Every morning I had to pray that God would give me just the strength and the energy for the day, and again at about lunch time, and again all through the day! Ahh, it requires so much energy to constantly be working out what people are saying. It was a difficult week, yeah, but eventually I have come to understand more and more Spanish, and it's been really useful, but also I've made a really good friend in Alicia. She had so much patience with me and was so kind and generous.

During our time in the Chilean homes, another group of people doing the 'adventure team programme' stayed in our house. They basically do a little bit of what we do, and go to the South, but just do it for three weeks. I think they had a really good week here, and they have gone to the West coast now, and then I think they will make their way South after that. yerko and Corrine have gone with them, so they won't be with us for another 2 weeks. We will miss them very much!

It's back to work as usual for us though thsi week, it will be nice and comfortable to go back to speaking English!! Although I have seen I will need to practice more in the house..
It was Ben's birthday on Thursday so i think we're having a party with some of them from the church today which will be nice!

Prayer points
+Thank God for my Culurtal experience, pray that God will bless Alicia and will give her good rest (I think she also got quite tired with me staying with her) Pray that the lessons I learnt will not be lost now that I am back in my comfortable home!
+Pray for the Adventure team, pray that God will give them a really great two weeks and that he will mould and change them through this experience. Pray that they will be safe in their travelling, and pray for Yerko and Corrine that they won't miss us tooooooo much!! :P

Oh I havn't written in this blog for over a week! It has been a very busy couple of weeks with preparing things before we leave for our CULTURAL EXPERIENCE! Woo, which is very exciting but SCARY! Basically we are all going to live with different Chilean families for a week, it is designed to show us how a local family lives, to bless the family by helping them out around the house, and to improve our Spanish! It will be very difficult I think, the family I am going to stay with speak no words of English. So it could be quite slow to have a conversation, but I am armed with my dictionary and my Spanish excercise book.

I actually have some really bad news, last Tuesday we visited the prostitutes like normal, had a really good night. Something was slightly different in the atmosphere, but we didn't think too much of it. Then yesterday we recieved the really awful news that one of the men were actually murdered that night a couple of hours after we had left. We didn't know the man really well, but the men we speak to more are very good friends with him. It breaks my heart because we were really making progress with these people, on that night one of them actually prayed the salvation prayer, and I'm worried that after this sort of thing happens they will put up walls again and won't want to know. As far as I know he was murdered by another prostitute, something to do with territory. It really is aweful, and I am anticipating what next week will hold. Another factor that's on my mind is that I'm sure the man who did it will end up in prison, and I cannot imagine how awful prison is for a transvestite. Also, one of the men we do speak to was badly injured and stabbed numerous times, he is stil in hospital.

On a more positive note, we have been given the go ahead to start a gardening project at the hogar. We are planning on transforming a section of their yard into a garden with vegetables, herbs, flowers and strawberries. I am really excited to do this, as it will be something that we can connect more with the older boys through. The area really is a mess, there is rubble everywhere and bricks, and ivy growing everywhere and trees that are just enormous. But then in the middle of all this mess we found a really beautiful rose plant. It kind of spoke to us about how we must find goodness in situations that look so difficult. It was at a time where some of our team are getting really frustrated with workng at the hogar. Our Monday programme really did not go very well, the boys were being so cruel, and deliberatly doing everything we said not to do. It was a difficult day. But then to find this rose, it kind of showed us God's promise to change this place.

Last night I had a couple of the girls from church over, I probably say this all the time, but I really am happy here, I really feel I am making good friends with these people, they are so accepting and it's true that once you're their friend they do not forget about you. In the next week we have to chose a 'Chilean friend', it sounds really silly, but we have to chose somebody and dedicate to meet up with them atleast once every two weeks. I think it will be a really positive thing and will make sure that I am staying involved with the local community.

Prayer points
+ please pray for my cultural experience, I am worried about it, but pray that God will calm me and will use this time to teach me things, and show me more of his character. Pray that I will be able to help out with the family and bless them even if just in a small way.
+ Please pray for the situation with the prostitutes that somehow God's name will be glorified through what has happened. Please pray that we will have wisdom in how to communicate with the men after this, and pray for the person who did it. Pray that they will be changed and will see what they have done, but that they will be protected in prison.
+ Pray for the man who is stil in hospital, that he will have a fast recovery.
+ Please pray for the work that we are doing at the Hogar, pray our Garden will be a success and that the boys will learn responsibility, teamwork and will see how God can transform things in the same way he can transform their lives.
+ Pray for chosing my Chilean friend! Pray that I will make the right choice and that it will really be someone who I can have a good time with and can share and learn with.

Speak to you all after my cultural experience!
Love you lots xxx

Last Thursday we really got an experience of what it means to be flexible. We are currently running a programme in the boys Hogar about travelling and what it means to travel with God, and we had prepared a craft where we were planning on making hats to show different countries, and how each person it different. We had an idea of how the afternoon was going to run, and were excited to do the craft with the boys! Then we got there and were told that it was 5 boys birthadys, and that they had visitors coming to visit to do a birthday party for them, and that could we maybe do our programme afterwards. So we thought this would just be a short thing. So we helped them out and sat with the boys, and got to speak to a few of them quite well. The party actually lasted a long time, and they had food and pop and cake, and it was a much bigger thing that we expected. By the time 6.35 came we decided that we would just leave and do the programme another time. It really taught us how to be patient and to be prepared to change our plans at any point! We actually had a really nice afternoon and we got to relax and enjoy the party too! We also saw how other people attempted to control the boys! One of the ladies who runs the home (one of the Tias) at the end was really quite upset because she is getting frustrated with not being listened to by the boys. She spoke with Lise and was getting quite upset. It is clear that it is not just with us that the boys misbehave, I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like for them to constantly struggle with the boys day in, day out.

On Friday we had the Isreal and Silvano with us for the Art ministry, they are boys from a local church who are interested in the work that we want to do and are helping us along. After the meeting for the art ministry, they ended up staying all evening, they were giving us a lesson in Chilean slang! There is sooo much! It was very funny for them to translate some of their phrases into English because they make noooo sense!

This weekend we had a long weekend because it was a national holiday on Monday (the Chileans really seem to like having national holidays!.. suits me!) So on Monday we to a national park just outside of Santiago, it was so good to get out of the city. The boys were away on a retreat with a church, and so it was just us girls. We did a bit of climbing up a mountain (not all the way to the top this time though) and ate icecreaaammmmmm, and went on a massive 30m swing. It was amazing! I have a video of when Sheridyn and I went on it and there is lots of screaming let me tell you. We had quite a crowd gathering by the time we had finished! Then in the evening we went to Corrines house and a girls evening with a movie and pizzaaaaaa. Great memories!

Tonight we go to the prostitutes again. Time really is flying by! It does NOT feel like a week since we last went! I left home almost 8 weeks ago, it really does not feel that long! Two months next Tuesday. Madness. I mean.. alot is happening, and really great things are happening, and i guess that is why time is going so quickly.

Please pray
+ That tonight will go well, and that God will speak to the men we meet through us, and that our attitude towards them and the way we are with them, if not our language, will speak of Jesus' love for them.
+ Please pray that we can be a blessing in the Childrens home, and that we can help to relieve some of the stress that the Tias experience living with these boys. Also thank God that he gave us a really stress-free afternoon last Thursday that we could enjoy the time with the boys, and not think too much about keeping to a programme.
+ Pleeeease continue to pray for my Spanish, on Sunday I felt I understood alot more than before, I am getting there, but quite slowly. Pray I don't get disheartened when other move faster than me.

Thanks again for all your support and prayers. They really are making a difference in my life and also in our ministries and the lives around us.
Love Emma xxx

Sunday was such a great day for me :) I have now chosen my church, and it is going to be the second one I went to called 'Presencia de Dios' - the presence of God. So last Sunday we went to church, and sat through the preach and worship with our Spanish/English dictionaries searching for words! haha. We have been told that people would be happy to translate for us, but by doing it ourselves we might actually learn something! Once the service was over, we were talking with some of the girls there and they wanted to take us to an icecream cafe and show us around an area of Santiago that we hadn't been to yet. So we went, and had the greatest icecream I've had in a very long time. The area we visited was clearly more of a tourist area because when we walked along the street we saw WHITEEE PEOOOPLLEEEE!! Amazing! There were also alot of gay couples. The girls and I thought it would be nice to spend more time here seeing as we wouldn't get too much attention. After having our incredible icecream we went to explore one of the art museums. We saw some funny sculptures in the human art section, alot of hands and bums! After spending a couple of hours looking around the museum and taking pictures together the girls came back to our house. We had such a nice super girly evening, with pizza, tea and 'truth or dare'! (and you thought this year would be maturing.. pfft!) I really feel I have made the right decision with my church, and feel really accepted within the youth group. I think I will even really miss that church when I have to leave in less than 8 months!

On Monday we went to the Hogar, we had planned some games for them to play with the theme of travelling. We are doing a series of 4 programmes about travelling in which we will compare actual travel with travelling with God. For example, the equipment we need, and the equipment we need in our Christian life. The road we take, and also the destination. The games went quite well, each time we go, we are learning new things about how the boys will react to certain things. It was difficult at times, and I found it quite stressful because when things began to get out of control, I didn't know enough Spanish to calm people down again. However, they did calm down, and play the games really well at the end.

On Tuesday night it was back to the prostitue ministry. It was such a good night! I actually love Tuesday nights. Before going out, we shared with the other volunteers we work with about what is on our hearts and why we are here. We prayed together and sang some songs. I love starting the ministry in this way, and they really do soak everything in prayer! There is NO trying to do things in our own strenght, which I think is really amazing, and such an encouragement. When we did go out, we managed to get to the three different areas again, and we spoke to alot of the men that we had seen before. Their Spanish is so so sooooo FAST! They also use loads of slang and grammar that we are just not taught. I do not tend to get everything in a conversation, but I am able to have simple conversation with them, and the whole time we cannot speak, we can stil pray. It really is amazing, within 5 minutes of us being there, the atmosphere can really change. It was difficult as we drove up and one of the men didn't recognise us and tried to sell themselves to us, it felt like a really shameful and dark place when we got out. However, after speaking for a while, and sharing a bible passage with them and praying with them, it was like a light had come on in the area. Although we might not see any phisical results in the time we are here in Chile because this kind of transformation can take such a long time, we can see a result every time we go there, just from their attitudes.

Today I had another Spanish class, the Spanish teacher really is such a lovely woman. We are getting on really well! My Spanish is improving slowly. I am finding it difficult to pick up vocabulary, but hey I can conjugate verbs haha! Which is really useful in conversation.. hmm. Or maybe not! Nah, I'm sure that it will pick up soon, this really feels like a mountain infront of me, but Jesus said that faith the size of a mustard seed can move whole mountains!

*Please thank God that I have found such a great Church where I fit in, and can be encouraged and loved.
*Pray for the Hogar programme tomorrow, we are just doing a craft with them, and it would be really nice if they reacted well to it. Ask God to guide us in what we should be doing with the boys to engage with them in the most effective way.
*Praise God for the work he is doing with the prostitues. Pray that men who were touched by God on Tuesday night will continue to feel him throughout the week, and it won't just be when we are there.
*Again.. pray my Spanish will continue to improve!
*Pray for my team, because I'M COOKING TOMORROWWWW!!

This has been a pretty crazy week!

Last Saturday turned out to be a little different to how we expected it to go! We bumped into our friend that we had met at the skate park a few weeks ago (the guy who we had the massive theological discussion with, who had some.. interesting theories), we were just crossing the road and he was cycling past. He stopped to say hello, and shortly we were having another discussion about globilisation, politics, religion, marriage etc etc... at the side of the road. Saturday was a FREEZING day, so after about 45 minutes of standed on the pavement I suggested that he joined us for some lunch and we could continue the conversation as we ate something! He then came shopping with us to the market, it was great fun! We got to play some instruments and we laughed at some of the clothing. It was so cold though, so we only stayed a couple of hours. He then joined us for some coffee at a small coffee shop before he had to leave to work. It was a good day, quite tiring because it was intense conversation all day, but I think he was really glad of the company.

On Monday we went to Hogar Sion again for our second programme. It didn't go so well.. we got through the drama.. just.. then we lost them. We did one song, and they went really crazy. We couldn't calm down to get them to do the craft so we had to just leave without doing it. It was a shame. I think these boys litrally have an attention span of about 15 minutes maximum. It was an experience that I think will help us to shape how our programmes will look in the future though. The group that went to Hogar Arca had it a little worse though, the children took some of their props off them and hid them, so they couldn't even start the programme. It is frustrating at the moment having a massive language barrier because this restricts the authority we have even more so. I hope that just spending time with these children is having and effect, even if we cannot do all the things we plan to do.

On Tuesday night I went to the prostitutes ministry again. It was a really good night! We got to see a few more areas than when we first went. Although here we also can find it difficult not speaking the language so well, it is easy for us to follow the group and to talk a bit, but to pray the whole time. God is doing really massive things with these men, and it's not how much we can say, but it's all Him, so prayer really is the most important thing! Iam really enjoying this ministry, it's really such a great thing to be part of. Although it is such a slow process, we can tella different between the men who the women we work with have been visiting for the longest, and the men who they have not been visiting so long. There is such a difference, and that shows that God is working in their lives. Great stuff.

Yesterday was a bit of a stressful day. In the morning there was a car crash on Ave Matta, where we live, so the boys were really late because the busses wern't running and they had to walk. We called them to see where they were, and whilst we were on the phone one of the boys had his wallet stolen. He had most of his money for the month in there, as well as a credit card, and other things, so it was really not a nice morning for him. It also affected the whole team I think. We have begun to feel quite comfortable here, and it is becoming like second nature to get on busses and metros... and then something like that happens and it really brings everyone down. After spending some time in prayer after this happened, we actually had a really great morning playing games in the nearest park. We had 'team time' and we played some really stupid games, and got some funny photos! During the games we were not allowed to say 'no' or 'can't' or 'don't' or 'won't' or anything negative. If we said anything we were drawn on with a permanent marker on our faces! (thus the funny photos) It was good quality time together, and I feel it was just what we needed after the start we had had.

Please pray
* For our next programme on Monday, that we can plan something that will keep their attention, and teach them something. Pray that the time we share with the boys will be alot of fun, and that God will be in it and we can build up some good friendships with them.
* For the prostitute ministry, that God will continue to change lives!
* For the events of yesterday morning, that the money that was stolen will be put to good use, and that it will be blessed. Also pray for those affected by the car crash in the morning, I have no idea how serious it was, but any car crash is not a nice one, especially at the speed the people drive at along our road!
*Spanish is going really well, pray that I will continue to make fast progress in the lessons, and that also my understanding will improve, they talk SO fast! I have been told Chile is the worst place to learn Spanish!

Thinking of everyone back home, and missing you all. Emma xxx

Thank-you so much for praying last Tuesday for visiting the homeless. I didn't go last week because I was visiting the prostitues, but people said that there was a heavy feeling in the atmosphere and that it was difficult to connect with people. However, on Tuesday before we left we had some great worship and prayer, also, once we got there some of the men asked us to sing a song in English, so we chose to sing 'our God is an Awsome God'. I found it amazing, we began to sing louder and louder, and I really believe that declaring that our God is awesome and that he reigns change the atmosphere in that place. The whole night people were willing to talk to us, people who didn't speak much Spanish at all were able to understand prayers and have conversations with people. I had so much fun, everybody I spoke to was in a really good mood and would laugh and make me laugh. It really was a great night.

On Wednesday we had our first Spanish lesson, she started us off nicely! Our teacher is really really lovely, and had a b-e-a-utiful house. It takes a little while to get there, but it is in a really nice area so it's nice walking around there. We had another lesson on Friday, which was a bit more difficult, usually I am in a group with one other person, and we are the people with the least Spanish knowledge. However, this week the first two groups were merged for various reasons, so we were in a group of 5. We started on grammar, and I think I will find it difficult seeing as I have never had to learn another language ever before!

Also on Friday, Rachel and I were leading the prayer meeting. We decided to discuss Cat and Dog theology. It basically is about with Cat theology we look at ourselves and think how great god is to US and the focus is inwards. Dog theology is about praising God because he is God not because of anything he has done for us. We were trying to get people to think more like Dogs! i.e. you pet me, you feed me and you take care of me therefor you must be God, as apposed to the cat theology which is you pet me, you feed me, and you take care of me therefor I must be God!! We began by reading psalms and singing some worship songs, and we had some time of prayer and then we got a huge canvas of paper and got people to write all their names and the characters of God. We now have this hanging up in our house, it looks really good, and has so many different names on it. Great stuff.

Today we are planning on visiting one of the craft markets, which is going to be alot of fun! Maybe some lucky people will get presents from this place in the future!

Please pray
*that my Spanish will move quickly, the last Spanish class really was very difficult, I want to make fast progress and I am going to have to work very quickly.
* Thank God for Tuesday night, and pray that He will continue to move in La Vega and that His work will continue when we are not visiting because we are only there on Tuesday nights.
*Praise God for who he is and his characters!

This blog might be quite long seeing as I havnt written in almost a week! I have to use my calander to work out what I've actually been doing!

Last Thursday we had our first girls meeting, we will have these once every two weeks I think. It was really nice, us girls, Karin, Lise, Piia and Corrine were all at Corrine's house and we had chocolate and cake, and tea and Corrine shared something. We then did some creative stuff and had to design a 'pearl' which represented us. It was actually a big polystierene ball, but they all looked beautiful by the end.

Then this weekend it was the Chilean Independance day celebrations! On Friday we all went as a team as well with a few of the leaders and OM Chile team to one of the parks. We had an Anticucho which is a big stick with loads of mean on it. It was soooo delicious! It was enormous, but I probably could have eaten another. My appitite seems to be growing here! We also walked around the park and there was dancing, parades, craft shops and food. It was a beautiful day and it was nice to just wander around and see the celebrations. We also went to watch the Rodeo, which was probably the kindest Rodeo. They do not harm the bulls, but the aim is for the horses to barge the bulls on to these soft edges of the arena. It was very interesting to watch, and amazing to see the skilled horsemen.

Then on Friday evening we went to La Vega (the place where we do the homeless ministry) and we handed out empanadas. It was something they apparently did last year on Independence day and wanted to make it a tradition. It was nice to see one group of people particulaly because they had taken bottles from the rubbish, and found some string and made some decorations for their "home" and they were singing and dancing, and really having fun. From where I was standing they didn't have alot to celebrate about, yet, they were possibly the most joyful people I had seen all day!

On Saturday, one of the girls on my team (Santtu) and I went to a friends (Natty's) house to help her family make empanadas because they had make 100 for their church the next day. I had such a great fun day, it was really nice to be in a family atmosphere and in a normal home. It made me miss home quite a bit after we left, but I really enjoyed being there. We really were there all day though, we were picked up at 2 and got back at half past 11. That's the Latin way, you don't make more than one plan a day because people just spend long amounts of time together and enjoy one anothers company.

Monday we went into different groups, and I was in a group going to the Hogar Sion. We performed a programme that we had previously planned and oragnised. It was alot of fun to prepare, but was quite difficult with the boys. It was a rainy day, so had probably been inside all day and did not want to listen to us. I guess I have to start to see the small positives though. This is not like teaching sunday school, or teaching my nice cell group, these boys have been in abusive families, probably been in contact with alcoholism, drug abuse, neglect and many other things. They really have some behavioural issues. However, they heard about Jona from the bible, they heard about God's love, and they sang some songs and had fun, so even if it didn't go exactly how we were planning it, it was a success.

*Please pray for tonight, we are going to La Vega again to see the homeless, pray that we are safe and that we can connect well with the people there. Last time we went there was a bit of violence, not towards us, but it made the atmosphere a bit uneasy.

*Please pray for Spanish classes that start tomorrow! (finally!) We are all really excited, and want to learn quickly, but pray that we (especially I) don't get frustrated when we don't see results instantly, or when it's difficult.

*Please continue to pray for the children at the Hogars, in perticular at Sion, which is where I will be working for the next 9 months, please pray that God will reach them, and that through us he can show them how much he does care even though they have met people in their lives who don't.

Love you all, Emma xxxx

So last night was the prostitute ministry. Three of us girls went along, and the other three will go next week, then we will have to decide whether to work with the homeless or the prostitues. It was so so amazing. The group meet at 8 oclock and have a small meeting where we share food together, have someone preach, worship and PRAY! We spent such a long time in prayer! I was thinking at one point 'come onnnn, let's go! We've been praying all night!' but prayer is the strongest thing these people can do for the prostitues. Also, they were so incredible in prayer. I had no idea what they were saying, but they were so passionate! They couldn't stop praying for these "women". (I say "women" because the prostitues we work with are actually male transvestites). Then when we went out to the streets (at around 11.30) the atmosphere was not how I expected it at all. They were so easy to connect with. They were so so accepting, and wanted to know where we were from, how long we had been in Chile, if we liked it, if we had been any where else in Chile, if we were planning to travel, about our family, what we studied. They were just so easy to talk to. So we took them bread and coffee, and talked, and then one of the Chilean women did a short talk about God and his love for them, then we all stood in a circle and prayed together. it really was amazing. Please pray for these men, they need God so so badly, and I think they know it. They are searching.

Then this afternoon we had a "city experience", we were not told anything about what we were going to be doing but were just told a time and a meeting place! Anyway, in the end they gave each of us 200 pesos and half an hour to walk around the central area of the city and ask God who to give this money to. (It is worth about 20p, not alot.. but you could easily get about 5 rolls of bread. I found it really difficult at first because I was asking God to lead me, but everywhere I walked there was such a need for this money, and I couldnt give it to all of them. I felt God saying that as far as I could walk I would find people who needed this money, and that I just had to pick someone and let them be blessed by God through me. It reminded me of the story of the boy who arrived by the seaside to find fish lining the beach, he began throwing them in. A man walked past and asked him why he was bothering he would never save them all before they dried out. The boy replied 'maybe not' and threw a fish into the sea 'but to that one I made all the difference' and he throws another on in the sea 'and that one' etc etc. Afterwards when we were sharing our stories about what had happened, Lise actually told this story too! Funny.

We have had quite a crazy but fun weekend meeting new people! On Saturday we had most of the day off so we went to the mall to chill out and get some food. Then in the evening we went to a youth service at Yerko and Corrine´s church. It really was great worship, and a good atmosphere. The preacher spoke really really fast and I didn´t follow any of it. He was talking about how Paul had travelled to different countries and experienced language barriers, and pointed out that we were also experiencing this. At this point I had no idea what he was talking about, but people turned around to us looking pretty confused or distracted. It was quite funny. After this in traditional Latin American fashion, the youth invited us out to get some food even though we didn´t really know them! it was great fun we just went to get some "fast" food (Which actually took about an hour to prepare because there was so many of us). While we were waiting we were shown some tradional Chilean dancing in the street, and made some really good friends.

On Sunday we went to another church, it was really nice to go there. It really reminded me of my church back home because they were so so friendly and welcoming, but perhaps a little more crazy! There was lots of dancing and some of the youth TRANSLATED FOR USSSSS!!! It was so good! We could actually understand the preach! Alot of the youth spoke really good english, I think it was in a more wealthy area where the families can afford to send their children to private schools where they will actually be taught English well. One of the girls had clearly been taught by an English person because she had a really English accent! Brilliant! Then afterwards we had some food together with the youth and played some games! It was alot of fun, and we played these games for hours!!

Today we went to a different Hogar where the children are slightly younger, and it was a group of both girls and boys. Tineke, Stijn and I were in charge of singing the songs! We were amazing, and got them all doing actions! Haha. We also had a short play, a game and a puppet show! The kids were so so crazy. Just the way I like them. I am now very tired though!!

So this week we have been having more classes and seeing more ministries. On Tuesday we had our first "evangelism training" lesson, which is combined with an arts ministry. We were doing some improvisation excercises and learning how each of us views creativity. It was really encouraging to see how each person has something different to offer. It was also alot of fun making fools of ourselves! On Tuesday evening we had our first propper encounter with the homeless people of Santiago. We met Natalia and Roel who are heading up Agape Santiago - a Christian project reaching out to the homeless community. They told us that usually they take bread, tea coffee and soup out to them, and will talk and pray with them. We didn´t take any food, but they did take us to meet people and to pray with them. It was quite a shock for me. One of the first people I met was a man who was clearly quite drunk and had been lying in something on the groud which was now on his face, he kept trying to talk to me and hold my hand, and did make me feel quite uncomfortable. I couldn´t understand what he was saying, and even Natalia couldnt understand him (she is from Chile). I felt I went out in my own strength that night, and it was clear that I couldn´t look on these people with love, I need God to use me and to show me how he sees them. I did meet some really nice people later on in the evening, who were alot easier to communicate with even though they spoke no english, I was alot more comfortable with them, but as you can tell I was extremly challenged by this earlier experience.

I have also had my first meeting with my mentor - Lise. It was a really good conversation and I think it will be really great to have a friend outside of the team situation to get a different perspective on some things. We got on really well, and I think she will be a big part of my next 9 months!

We have also been having training for working in the Hogars, ways in which to entertain them - they have been teaching us songs, simple drama techniques, games and also some arty stuff. It has been alot of fun because we can just pretend to be kids for a couple of hours!!

This evening we were introduced to the Skate board ministry. We went down to the local park and met some of Yerko´s friends. I didn´t actually get on the board, some of the other girls did but I think I will try it at home (yes we have effectively a half pipe in our garden) before I show off my skills to the pros!! There was so many people there, and it really was a great atmosphere. I think that even if I don´t do the skate ministry I would love to hang out there and get to know some of the girls from the area. We also got chatting to a guy called Phillip, who was so interesting. He wasn´t a christian, but had some really big ideas about who he thought Jesus was and what he thought the bible was about, some of his ideas were just not biblically sound, but he did know his stuff! He had actually thought about it and come up with some ideas about what he believed. It was quite encouraging and at the same time quite sad actually he said that we were the first Chrisitians he had met that he actually connected with, and that he found most of them to be "Nazis" and just wanted to condem him and brain wash him.

This has been quite a long blog entry! I hope I havnt bored you all. I must remember to update this more often so it´s not such a marathon entry!

**Please pray for the hogars we are working in, some of the kids really have come from bad homes and have very little respect for themselves or anyone/anything else. Please pray that we can be role models for them and that somehow we can show Gods love for them though the programmes we will be leading.
**Please pray for Agape Santiago, that they will continue to reach out to the homeless people of Santiago. Please also pray that God will use me in this ministry and will show me how to love them and will show me how he sees them.
**Pray for the relationship between me and my mentor, that God will continue to be in the centre of that and that he will teach me things through that.
** Pray for the skateboard ministry that Yerko is heading up, pray that he will continue to form friendships with the guys at the parks and that when they come to our house with him to practice in our garden they will learn something from him and that they will ask questions about Jesus.
**Pray specifically for Phillip, that we will see him again, and that he can maybe stay in touch with Yerko and can continue to explore what Christianity really is.

So the past few days have been pretty great! On Saturday we got the chance to visit a youth service that Yerko was speak at. They were all really crazy and all wanted to talk to us which was lovely. I am beginning to get used to greeting EVERBODY in the room with a kiss on the cheek now, and actually really loving it. The English do not have alot of physical touch between people, so I am feeling very loved! The service took place at the top of a huge building, floor 36 or something like that. There was glass around the room with amazing panoramic views of the city. At one point in the service the youth were praying for the city, and it was really great to see.

Then yesterday we went to the first church we are visiting. Over the next four weeks we are going to visit four different churches and then we will decide which one we will stay at. The church seemed nice. it is frustrating not understanding any of the sermon, but people were very friendly. The church was not very busy because apparently Chileans do not go out if it rains!!

Today we had some Cultural training this morning, and then went to visit the boys Hogar (childrens home). It is independance day next weekend and so we were making decorations for the house. It was alot of fun and although my Spanish is stil non existant, we managed to make friends with the boys and they laughed at my English accent. There was one funny incident where me and Stijn thought we were talking about singing and instruments, and one of the boys was asking us a question we couldnt understand so we got one of our team leaders to translate and it turned out he was asking how much money it was for the fish...! Not quite sure what we were talking about..

Oh and the football was a draw. Which is not good because next we play Brazil, which we will not win. So we will probably not be going to the world cup.

It is stil REALLY cold! The weather is supposed to be getting warmer, we have been told that usually they are in tshirts by this time of year.

The team are getting on really well and the girls are having alot of fun in our house playing Uno! We play with so many different extra rules it is very funny. For example, if a blue card is played you must play with your face on the table. If a yellow card is played you play with your arms coming out of your chest. There are also many more.

I would love to recieve some mail, my address is

Emma House

OM Chile

PO BOX 534-3

Santiago Central

Chile

Okay so the past couple of days have been pretty chilled stil. Yesterday we had a bit of a meeting about what we are going to be doing for the next 9 months, and got our folders! (very exciting!) Then Philipp and I made dinner... FOR 14 people! It didn't go so well. People seemed to appriciate it, but it took us ages. We had fun though. Then after that we went to downtown Santiago to do all the tourist things. It was nice to see the centre. They do not have many shops in the centre like they do in cities I am used to as most of the shops are in malls. Then last night we ate out and had another traditional Chilean meal, I can't remember the name.. it was pretty much a hot dog, with chopped tomato, mashed avocado, mayonaise and ketchup. It was so good. Today we have had a chilled day. We had meetings all morning, which is great because they are at the girls house, so we dont have to move very far. We were discussing expectations, and talking through practical things and had some prayer time together. Then we turned the room in to a big cinema and watched slum dog millionnaire together, which was nice. Then this evening the girls have just been sat around the table chatting. We really are all getting on well, and have been blessed with pretty much instant friendships.

* Please pray for Sannto, she has been very sick today, she was feeling a bit better tonigt, but is very tired as she was up most of the night being sick (nothing to do with my cooking). Please also pray that the virus doesn't spread as it would not be good if we were all in bed!
* Stijn is ariving tomorrow! He got his passport sorted and it's all goooood. Praise God. Pray he makes it safely here, and can enjoy his first few days even though he might feel like he has missed so much.
* Pray Chile beat Venezuela tomorrow in the football!! ;D

First impressions of Santiago

So I arrived yesterday afternoon in the wonderful city Santiago after about 35 hours of travelling. Killer. Yerko, Mario and a couple of others picked us up from the airport, and then we drove to what was soon to become the girls house! We drove past a students strike and they were throwing fire at the police! Yerko simply said "welcome to the jungle" and turned up the music. Our house is an old house with no heating, and is falling apart, there is no gas pipes and you cant flush toilet paper down the toilet or it will block, but now we've put some pictures up, and are getting to know one another, it is becoming more and more like home. We went for lunch at Yerko and Corine's house (our team leaders) and they made empanadas (a very chilean dish kind of like a pasty) and a avacado salad (very chilean) and sweetcorn with mayonaise! (weird.. but chilean!) It was really good. We also went to the mall to buy a few bits for the house and to make our rooms more homely. It has been pretty relaxed so far, getting to know the metro system, and the buses, and getting to know each other. Tomorrow we have the team orientation and briefing. So I will have more exciting things to talk about then.
Emma xx

**please pray that we dont get bitten by a spider that lives in our house which would kill us!
**Also, please pray for our friend who has not been able to leave europe because he is having problems with his passport. He thinks he can get here on Saturday at the earliest. He has already missed so much, so just pray that he doesn't feel too stressed and that he can pick things up quickly.