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 :)