December 2009

Jeni

Over the past few months, we've been so busy - I can hardly remember what we've been doing!

Last month we were away a lot. We went to Ireland at the beginning of November, London and then Holy Island (which is between Newcastle and Edinburgh) on retreat. This was part of our Discerning God training. The retreat mainly involved chilling out. But we did some praying as well! Although we went as a group, I really enjoyed spending some time by myself and with God.

In Ireland, we went to see my mum and dad. It was so lovely to go to home and see them. They run a big mission church in Derry. We went to see a lot of the projects there, like the homeless hostel. We also met a street pastor and heard about what he was doing and took a couple of services at the church.

I really enjoyed seeing the work that other people do, it gave me a taster for what our placements are going to like.

I think it was a real eye opener to see how different projects work in different places and how the needs of different areas impact the work that's done there.

For example, when we spent a couple of days in London, we went to see the Church Army Marylebone project which houses homeless women. It was very different to the homeless project in Derry. As even though they are supported and funded by the same people they operate very differently. The one in Ireland was a lot smaller and felt more like a home or a family, but the one in London was a lot bigger and was more concerned with immediate needs rather than resettlement or follow up on clients.

We had two Kenyan's, Bob and Charles, join the Xplore team in early November. After a lot of hassle, trying to sort out their visas, they're settling in really well. They're so funny and we all love them to bits! As part of our trip to London, we did loads of touristy things. Bob wanted to meet the Queen so we went to Buckingham Palace and she waved out the window at him! We also saw Big Ben and went on the tube. The ultimate highlight has to be going to the Queens theatre to see Les Miserables, which was amazing.

The last few weeks have been pretty intense. There have been some hard times, but we've worked through them together. I think everyone's looking forward to going home for Christmas and having a break.

Another highlight was meeting Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He's the president of Church Army and officially launched Xplore in Sheffield on 2 November. It was great, because he really got involved and even put on one of our red hoodies - he's 71 years old! (there's a funny photo on the Xplore website)

In the New Year, we're coming back to Sheffield for a few days before we all go on placement, around the 12 January.

I'm just dying to go on placement now. I want to put everything I've learnt from my training over the last couple of months, into practise.

I found out the other day that I'll be spending five months in New Orleans, USA. I'll be working in a multi-faith community that was set up after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. There's a big homeless community there, so I'm going to be living with them. I suppose one of my fears is that it is such a big established community. I think living there will be hard work - I struggle sometimes with just four people in the house I live in at the moment!! I'm going to be working in schools, with people socially around the neighbourhood, in a small church plant and helping people with the recovery post-Katrina and hopefully doing a lot of artwork with the community.

But I hope that I'll have a great time. I also hope that it won't be easy - which I know sounds strange! I don't want to just fit into something that I can already do - I want to be stretched and challenged. I'm excited about meeting new people and everything that I'm going to encounter.

Thom

We have done so much over the last few months. We've been travelling a lot, which is great, but the last month has also been quite hard.

The first couple of months on Xplore were full of adrenaline and excitement. There was so much new stuff to learn, about myself, living with other people and God. But recently I think, people having been hitting their walls at different times. I've found it really hard being on the go constantly. A low point for me was half way through our travelling when I just crashed, I was so exhausted.

But there have also been some real high points. I've seen a huge progress, not only in myself, but also in other people, in our relationship with God and in our learning. I've done so much thinking recently and my theology about God has really been challenged. I've learnt a lot more about who I am.

Another highlight has been the relationships within the team. Everyone's grown so close because we're all on this journey together. I've also learnt to appreciate my friends and family back home more. They've been so supportive of me when I've struggled.

For my placement, I'll be going to Berkeley, which is just below Sydney on the east coast of Australia. I'll be joining a Fresh Expressions plant, a kind of 'alternative church' which is now in its third year. It is run by a guy called Wayne Pickford, a Church Army Evangelist. There are also two girls working there who are training with Church Army to become Evangelists.

The project there is called "Adopt a Block". The idea is that members of the church 'adopt' a block of flats or houses in that area, and one day every week, they go round and visit the people living in those houses. I'll be taking it to the next level though - I'm adopting a block for five days of the week!! So it's going to be pretty busy!

This is how the church started in that area. As Christian's went round, knocking on people's doors, relationships were built and people started asking questions. Then they would come and visit the church. There are around 50 - 100 people in the church now.

I think in the past, people on Xplore have found going on placement really hard, because they've felt thrown in the deep end. But because our training has been so intense this year, I don't think it will be as bad for us!

I hope that I will have a great five months. I can't wait to see how church is done in a different way. I want to learn even more about God and put everything I've learnt so far into practise.