Another start

Wow! What a great start to After School Program for the Term. Thanks to all of you who must have been praying!!

School and ASP were supposed to start last week, but the Government did something that’s becoming increasingly regular…changed the starting date at the last minute! So some schools started on Thursday last week, and some only on Monday this week. Yes, don’t worry – everyone was confused.

Monday we kicked off with 39 kids, then 45 on Tuesday, then 55 on both Wednesday and Thursday! To say that we were exhausted by the end of the week is putting it mildly, I think. Apart from the regular homework/study time, the kids played Frisbee on Monday and kickball on Thursday. On Tuesday the craft was making paper chains, to illustrate the Bible lesson on Wednesday about Paul and Silas in prison. Sutuu did a great job with the Bible lesson, emphasizing that God sets us free from the chains of sin and also protects us.

Another terrific thing is the dedicated team of volunteers we have for this term. Mercia and Hauta you already know from previous terms, and joining them are Sutuu and Lazarus. Sutuu used to help with ASP a couple of years ago before going to study in South Africa, while Lazarus is completely new. There are another couple of people from the church who also may be able to help on a less-regular basis.

LEFT: Mercia & Sutuu work with the Grade 1 - 4 kids

RIGHT: Peter & Lazarus with the Grade 5 - 10 kids

BELOW: Hauta

Peter and Caitie Gunning, two MKs (missionary kids), are still helping once a week as the community service requirement of the International Youth Award that they’re both doing through their school.

Then we also had some visitors. Daryl, Sabrina and Shelley, new AIM short-term missionaries, came to check out the Program on Wednesday; and Helen, Joseph (right, helping the Grade 1s & 2s learn their pronouns) and Zeca (left, helping the older kids with their homework), first year students at NETS (Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary) came to help out on Thursday as part of their practical ministry assignment.

So keep praying. We’re having some space issues and so will have to move the work spaces around a bit next week, but other than that we’re going full steam ahead. There’s a public holiday on Monday, so we’ll have a bit of a breather over this long weekend. Then the following week Hauta and I will start a Life Skills Program for the older kids (Grade 6 and up). Pray for us as we prepare for that – it will give the kids Biblical teaching on relationships, sexuality and HIV/AIDS issues.

Kind of crowded in the Gr 5 - 10 work room...