Work party and party time

Friday was our first working day.

We started off at 5.30am for half an hour of prayer meeting.  It’s not just a prayer meeting: first everyone sings a few songs together, then one of the older children stands up and names a few topics to pray for (e.g. for their families or for someone who is ill and always for the ministry) and they all pray out loud by themselves – it’s lovely to see simple child faith in action. Then a few other children take it in turns to read quite a bit in the Bible (we are in Numbers at the moment) and finally they close in prayer again.  Although you can hardly understand a word they say, it’s lovely to see the children being so active in a meeting.

After breakfast at 6.30am, there is a short meeting at 7.15am every day for the helpers, where everyone is being appointed a job and a short prayer is being said.

Bernard and I had to paint an outside wall, and Jaap joined us a bit later as well.  We managed to get it painted, and I managed to get a bit of Jaap & Bernard painted as well in the process (amazingly enough, I was asked to come back the next day)…

My knees and my neck were quite badly sunburnt from sitting on top of the jeep during our tour the day before, so I thought Bernard’s idea of putting a handkerchief under his hat to cover his neck (like the Foreign Legion soldiers) was a good idea, except that I didn’t have a handkerchief on me…  A few sheets of toilet paper did the job, but I made sure I didn’t lose sight of Bernard, in case he wanted to take a picture of me looking absolutely ridiculous!

Whilst I was scraping the wall in order to prepare it, Beno, one of our sponsor children, appeared (Beno and his brother Mondan are the ones who are picked up in their village on the DVD) and wanted to give me a hand, so I let him have a go at it and he lasted quite long before getting tired of it and disappearing again. I’ve spent quite a bit of time with him already, which is lovely.  He always comes up to me and wants me to sit next to him.

The children are very affectionate – they love taking your hand, sitting on your lap or being hugged, and they are very friendly (most of them will say “hi” when you pass them) and polite. 

At one point, we were sitting in the back of a jeep and the driver stepped out and left the car running, with two rather small children sitting in the front – they didn’t even touch the radio, let alone the car key!

Ingrid helped with some teaching and later on with some crafts work, Gisella was explaining about how to make the puppets to someone of the staff and Tom was helping Chris with the electricity, while Ruth was involved with the crafts work as well.

We were rewarded for dinner with chips (and rice, of course!).  Every evening, before the meal, one of the older children reads a few verses in the Bible and has to say what (s)he thinks they mean – lovely!

This morning there was bread for breakfast, because they have just opened their own bakery here.   

Today, I have been painting again with Jaap – he was a bit worried when he heard that we had to paint with black paint this time, but everything went well (although I may have created a new species: black ants in Borneo – I’m not sure if they existed before).

Bernard, Gisella, Ruth and Bethany were doing activities with the children this morning and they were shattered afterwards (them, not the children!).  Ingrid helped taking care of the children who need to be here a year before they can go to school and Tom seems to be doing really well with the electricity, because Chris is very pleased with him. Chris wanted to spend a few days in Kuching with Dil on their way back, since it’s the first time that she’s here, but he won’t get all the work done that needs doing – however, with Tom here now, he’s thinking of leaving Tom in charge to finish it.

When we came back from painting at 4pm, Gisella, Ingrid and Ruth were handing out coloured ropes to the children to make bracelets or necklaces from, and they all enjoyed it, boys and girls.  They are happy with the simplest toys, which they often make themselves.

Chris took the children swimming again and Bernard, Jaap, Tom and I went along. Once more, it was an unbelievable experience.  It’s hard to describe what it feels like, standing on the back of an open truck, amidst 70 (!) excited children (some of which are sitting on top of the cabin or holding on to the side of the truck), trying to hold your balance on an uneven track down to the river whilst having to hold 2 children who want to sit on top of the upright side boards of the truck with your other hand.  And then being dragged into the water by several children.  Chris said that it was safe to swim, but it was a bit on the border line, because the water was quite brown and you need to make sure you can see the snakes, if they appear. Anyway, we had a good time once more. When we came out of the water, we shook off the leeches and went back on the truck.  That was a joke – the only thing you have to shake off when you come out of the water are the children...

For dinner, we had chicken (yes, with rice) – have you ever tried to eat chicken with a spoon and knife?  No knives are being used here.

And then, at 7pm, we had the biggest children’s birthday party I’ve ever seen! They don’t do individual birthday parties, because there would be too many, so once a month there’s a birthday party for everyone who has (had) their birthday that month or, if they don’t know their date of birth, it’s the date of arrival at LWV which counts.

It was amazing, although I couldn’t understand a word: it started off with praise & worship (with lovely, happy songs), then there were some hilarious sketches during which everyone who has their birthday in March was called forward, including the staff and visitors (much to her surprise, Ruth was called as well) and then everyone prayed for them.  At the end, everyone had to sit in small groups, in a circle, and there were snacks and soft drinks.

What a lovely atmosphere!

I will miss Daan’s 21st birthday tomorrow, which is a shame, but Carol is in charge of some of the festivities and I will give Daan a big cuddle when I’m back (I’m sure he’s looking forward to that). I will be a very experienced cuddler by the time I get back, since the children here love being cuddled.  The language is a barrier, but a cuddle is universal.

Tomorrow is church and we’re all looking forward to it!

Have a lovely Sunday and say hi to everyone at Trinity Church from us!