Hey readers

So today was our last day at LIV. We spent the morning running a holiday club for the kids which was absolutely mental! Hokey kokey, songs, dancing and all sorts, the kids really we’re going all out with their energy. Was also wonderful just to laugh and dance and play in the midday sun.

After lunch we were invited by to a farewell service which pretty much all the village turned up too. We did some awards such as the ‘Michael Shumacher’ award for the “best” driver and others like ‘Mr Biceps’ and ‘Rise and Shine’. Some of the Soul Survivor team, included myself, were invited to share our thoughts about our time here and what God has taught us, while also giving encouragement for the village people.

Gods definitely broken my heart for this village and the surrounding community. Showing me how, for some of them, they have next to nothing but their hope in Jesus is more than sufficient and God really does provide for his people. After sharing, we were invited to take part in traditional Zulu worship lead by workers from the village. Bear in mind this required singing and dancing! For many of us it was such an overwhelming experience and definitely an experience I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Titch and Joan then shared with us their prayers to encourage us to keep pressing into God and following his call. They then gave us all a unique key-ring to take away with us to remember them by.

Then came the goodbye, which all got quite emotional, especially with some of the kids who’d taken a particular shining to me. But God is good, and if it’s his will, maybe I’ll be back within the next couple of years to visit them again. We were also able to go visit the completed house in Cottonlands, that we’d been building while we were here. The mother was so grateful and yet again it was emotional to say goodbye to her and the surrounding community who had welcomed us in. Regardless God will keep providing for LIV village and those living in Cottonlands. God will keep shining through that light on a hill into the darkness and change lives. God is doing amazing things in this part of the world, definitely worth every moment.

Blessings

H T Warrell

P.S. Above is my wonderful team just after we finished the vegetable patch at the house

Hey guys

So today we started the day at the beach at around 5:30 as some of us waited to see the sunrise over the Indian Ocean. It was nothing short of spectacular and a truly wonderful showcase of the power and beauty of Gods creation.

We then got to spend the rest of the morning with the older youth at the village, just hanging out playing table football, pool, video games etc. It was great to share time with the youth doing stuff we had in common (though I must say my FIFA skills need a little tuning after today) it was also a great time to once again be shown the passion for Jesus the kids have.

In the afternoon we headed into the township of Cottonlands, which is literally at the boundary of LIV village. The township house up to an estimate of 20,000 people with many of themnbeing unemployed. We went door to door with Zulu translators to assess the medical needs of the community for a clinic as well as finding out inhabitants per house, names and D.O.B.s. The joy and pride in what hear people have is just tremendous and so so welcoming. One lady even gave me and my partner a basket she had weaved, requesting we take it back to England to use for the church offering. It was also a great opportunity to break down social barriers and also pray for community members.

This evening we debriefed and I soon found God speaking to me about his provision to his people and how he will guide us when we are obedient to his calling to day not he right things for his name. It was also special to see what other team members though of the trip and how these things had effected them.

Peace

H T Warrell

Hello readers

Today has been a long an challenging day. We spent most of it on the Cottonlands township just a stones throw away from the LIV village. We went to dig a garden path for a single mother who’s house we have payed for and built over the past week. We also put in some concrete steps and a path leading to the new house. It was a great opportunity to work alongside the community as well as over coming resource limitations.

Got too try my hand at cement mixing and laying, also got to cut some wood with a machete I was handed (photos coming soon) what was amazing was the level of joy the community have. They literally have next to nothing, living in cramped conditions with even basic necessities being hard to come by. But yet they radiate so much happiness in what they have and in what Gods blessed them with, surely we can learn from them in our western culture.

We spent the evening at a traditional Zulu restaurant which was a spectacular time together as a team. Got to eat both crocodile and warthog, while also having traditional Zulu face paint. We then walks to the end of the pier where there was a bar and did some Zulu dancing! (To shakira)

Right I need to get to bed as we’re going to see the sun rise over the ocean tomorrow.

Many blessings

H T Warrell

Evening Little Ones!

Just driving back from a team meet up to worship, pray and share what Gods put on our hearts out here in Durban. Was a great opportunity to approach the throne and replenish.

This morning, a couple of us watched the football team from LIV village play. Then we were told we would be playing a team, knowing only that they were the best team in the surrounding area. So in the midday sun we started, going 2 up in the first 10 minutes. With some amazing tactics we managed to keep it up til the second half. It was then that out British stamina, already lagging from the South African sun, caused us to eventually lose 3-2.

It was still an amazing time to share with local community members, and a great opportunity to overcome social differences and unite through sport. And also share the Easter message through chocolate giving and praying together.

Bless you guys

H T Warrell

Christ is risen, malibongwe!

Having an amazing Easter Sunday down in Durban today. We left for the village at 5am for the sunrise celebration service with the children, staff and mothers at LIV. It was just an incredible expirience to worship in English and Zulu too. It was amazing to see the kids really engaging with the word and what was being taught about Christ’s resurrection as well. Really was a wake up call to how awesome and mighty and joyous God is, which in western culture we don’t affirm as much.

We were also able to have brunch in the house with the kids and their LIV mothers which was amazing and also a way for us to help out the mums by playing with the kids.

This evening we shared in fellowship with Harvest Church in Umhlanga, which was a great opportunity to worship with and administer prayer to each other. Really felt God teach me to serve selflessly today, that it’s in the big and little things that in the power of his name bless others and lead them to him.

Also finished off the day at an incredible Argentinian steak restaurant, words cannot describe how tasty it was!

Many blessings

H T Warrell

Hi readers

Hope you’re all having a wonderful Easter Saturday, just back from sharing an evening listening to what Jesus has done throughout Titch and Joan’s life and how he is using them in heading the LIV village. If I could relay anything it would be that God calls us to unlikely places and he calls us to trust in his power, provision and faithfulness to his promise to us.

We spent the morning on the village running an Easter egg hunt for the younger kids at the village, it was such a blessed time with them laughing and playing. And once again it was amazing to share in such God given fun.

This afternoon we were blessed once again to go see the Easter weekend rugby match of the Durban Sharks vs the Canterbury Crusaders. It was such an amazing experience (even though the Sharks lost) and I even got to meet some of the players!

Well I better get to bed, as we’re having a sunrise service at the village tomorrow. Have amazing Easter Sunday’s one and all!

Peace

H T Warrell

Sawubona!

What a day we’ve had! Spent the whole day over at the LIV village moving boxes and resources between village homes and storehouses. We even had to lug two wardrobes up the hill which was no simple task.

But being on a village full of children on their first day of holidays makes work a little more challenging. Had lots of fun making games out of the simplest of things, even fitting in a quick game of curling (using an old tyre). The joy these kids have is so admirable that out here they spend all day making their own fun and playing games. Was great to see them come and sit with us as we ate, an even try to sneak in on our group meetings.

This afternoon we started getting the ball rolling by planning ahead to next week where we’ll be running a holiday club with the kids. Lots of great ideas to engage them in prayer, scripture and worship, and also play some crazy games too (dipping back into the mysterious and bountiful cove of youth work games) so please be praying we structure these days right and keep the power of Christ’s resurrection and saving power and the heart of what we do.

Signing out

H T Warrell

Well what a day we’ve had! We took the convoy half an hour outside of Durban to the LIV village. Where we joined the kids for their last assembly before the Easter break. We had an amazing rendition of Psalm 23 as well as readings, the kids are so passionate about school and church. As its great to see so quickly how God is moving in their lives.

As we talked through the verses a couple of the lads and I had to act as sheep in a dramatised version, the kids found this all rather hilarious to see a bunch of twenty something guys on all fours pretending to be sheep.

After this we toured the village, situated on a hill, the views around LIV village are stunning. The facilities are great too, and it’s great to see the village become more and more towards self sustainably financially. As well as improving the micro-economy of the nearby community of Cottonlands.

We spent the afternoon setting up a medical questionnaire to use in the Cottonlands township later in our time here. So we were mainly confined to an IT room, but we were soon attracted the attention of some of the boys living at the village. They were quite intent on showing us their favourite football players and the online maths games they play in school.

Just back from a quick trip to the beach, kind of odd being there at 6pm and still being warm enough.

It’s really amazing being out here, and it’s exciting seeing how God provides and hearing how he’s changed and led people’s paths to bring them to this village. I’m sure there’s much more to learn as this is only the first day.

Peace

H T Warrell