PL796

The monsoon rains have finally hit and painted the mission with a lush green of fresh grass and new life. With the threat of rain looming overhead at all hours, every job is done with a sense of urgency, a rush to complete what is started before the inevitable downpour. Fields shine bright as our rice paddy shoots and stretches for the sky. Children race to and from school using umbrellas, plastic sheets or school bags to keep themselves dry.

The gigantic mango tree that fell in the storm a fortnight ago has been chopped up ready for the woodpile. Rick and the Senior Boys made quick work of it all and secured all the branches ready for winter. It was hot sweaty work in the humidity but somehow the boys still managed to keep a smile on their faces!

If you strolled into the mission any afternoon this week you would be forgiven for immediately turning and running out. Thirteen of our boys armed with sticks, screaming and swinging their wooden weapons would be enough to scare even the bravest of souls. The big game this week is called Gadda-choki (roughly translated to "Guard the Hole"). In the game the boys use big sticks to guard a divet in the ground as another player tried to hit them with a small ball. It's a raucous mess compounded by muddy, slippery ground but the boys have an absolute blast playing it!

On the quieter, less boisterous side of the mission, Cynthia's prayers were finally answered as she shifted from the Nursery Hostel into our Small Girls Hostel. Although Cynthia has loved her ten years in the Nursery she has desperately wanted to be under the same roof as her best friend Jyoti. With her dreams now fulfilled we hope she can go to sleep with a huge smile on her face!

We had an old friend return this week after far too long away. Jeffrey Hii first came out to the mission over 6 years ago with a team of 23 others from National University of Singapore. When he first came Jeffrey was just a student but is now a qualified Social Worker and has taken a sabbatical to spend some time with us. Morning duties in the school followed by a little play and then some tuition has kept Jeffrey quite busy, we're thankful for his help around the place.

And so with that we'll abruptly end yet another week. We thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We are especially grateful for the flood of messages supporting our Mission: University students as they prepare to leave for school. Job was the first to leave and is now settled into his hostel and will be starting classes this week.