THE BIG DAY

This was probably the most interesting part of the Xplore Global Gap year programme after coming back from our placements. The two weeks saw us having massive fun, listening to different stories from all around the world and attending the ordination of 6 new Church Army officers at the Sheffield Cathedral and then a party-like celebration at the Church Army's Wilson Carlile College of Evangelism.

After this ceremony, my mind started hitting on our big day which I thought was going to be fun and emotional. How do you handle joy and sadness at the same time? Joy had to come in and be felt as we had taken a whole 11 months away from our, families, homes and countries, stayed with total 'strangers', and became really good friends, actually, Xplore was a family. (This is my popular word for a group of people that understand and care for each other well). This is what Xplore was; Honesty, working as a team, being crazy together, crying together and laughing together. We had been a great bunch of people, with a passion for God and young people, people with big dreams ahead of us.

Sadness had his part too. We weren't going to be all that i've above anymore! Friday was going to be our last day to be happy together again. Jon was going back to the United States. Gemma was going back to Sheffield, Sam was going back to St. Al bans, Billy was going back to South Port, and of course, Betty and I was going back to Kenya after some time. Anyway.

Friday was the big day. We started the day by having a meeting and talking about our future plans. Everyone of us telling what they intend to do after Xplore. For some, the programme has messed and changed their plans, (all for a worthy cause), for example, Billy is no longer going to Uni to study software development but to study Christian Youth Work. Jon isn't just going to study Chemistry now, but is going to add Youth work and major in that. Gemma isn't going to study Psychology any more. She is going to Study Youth Work. Well for a few, they are still determined to study what they like most. Sam was planning to go to Uni to study Physics until he was offered a job with Church Army. Betty is still planning to go to Uni and study International Relations and be doing some part time Christian Youth work. Myself, my dream and call is still the same. Going into full time Christian Ministry. The only infection that I've got from Xplore is that now I know where exactly God is calling me to serve Him in, and that's youth work. So what are my plans then? Well, find a job first. Then, save for a college and then study Christian Youth or something related to that if I don't the opportunity of coming back to the UK.

Anyway, a long story. On Friday the 17th of July 2009, we had our last day together as Xplore 08/09. The occasion was marked with a lot of fun. Ladies dressed up in decent beautiful dresses, men in suits and ties, we told jokes, we listened to speeches and encouragement, we received cerificates, we had food and we took loads of photos, we shared stories and the end was the last hugging and blessings upon each other. This was where I almost cried. I wasn't going to see Jon again and have some serious talk about our future plans, if i will, it might be after ages. I wasn't going to make funny noises with Billy, no more jokes with Gemma, no more admiring Sam on the guitar. No more Monie and Phil teaching us and agreeing to disagree. And of course there was going to be no more Trinity palls to hung around with. :(.

The one thing that still remains is that we all grew in different ways. Spiritually, emotionally, physically etc. Personally, my confidence and creativity has grown massively. I have also grown physically, having come to the UK without beards and now I have. I am one year older! What a growth! And I learnt to trust in God more. Learnt to be more orderly and punctual.

I want to thank Church Army for the wonderful opportunity that I had to come over the UK and learning all these tonnes of stuff.

I want to thank Monika and Phil Clark for being like my parents, very caring and understanding in every way. I liked their honesty and dedication. Them two are Legends. And Emily and Mike, you are a great people.

I want to thank all the Xplore mates. They were a great bunch of people. Fun, honest, caring and and easy to be and work with.

I want to thank everyone from Trinity Church Page moss; PST John Crawford, Dave Collier, Adrian, Collin Prescott, Linda and Len White, Nancy and her friend, Pat, Peter Mack and Anne, Jay, Phil Owen, Andrew and Heather Heaton, Leanne, Natalie, Emma, Martin, Holly, Ste Prescott, Rob Brown, The late Ivor. Rest in peace. I cant mention you all in these piece. But God bless you.

I am honestly going to miss every minute I spent with you guys. God bless you big time in whatever you do next. May our good Lord guide you and keep you and make His light shine upon you and make your ways straight.

I believe that now the Vision has been officially launched. Am on the move, no holding back. A revolution has started. With God's strength and guidance, I am stepping out.

Amen.

Moses

FROM YORKSHIRE (BRADFORD) BACK TO THE SCOUSE LAND (LIVERPOOL)

It's been quiet a long time since I left Liverpool for Bradford to start my placement with Sorted youth group. The most memorable moments about Liverpool was the many times I had to say the words 'pardon, sorry come up again, i didn't hear that could you please repeat?' etc. I did this so many times that I became tired of those words before the people got tired of repeating themselves for me. I thought I was an African and couldn't understand 'real' English. This actually made me so frustrated that I tend to keep to keep to myself most of the time.
Well, later when I visited Swan wick, I realised that I was well good in English,and that the Liverpool accent was actually not 'proper' English. But it was called scouse, which even the other English people from places like Yorkshire or London couldn't hear properly! Okay, enough of the introduction.

Anyway, I finished my placement with Sorted on the 6th of July, in ceremony that drew about 100 people! I didn't know I was that popular :) Well, am not bragging, cos i was only in Bradford for about 6 months, and to be honest, I didn't expect such a big number of people to turn up for my farewell party! Thanks to Tracey and Andy, who fed everyone and made the day a big one.

On the 7th of July, Andy and I left 38 Wood lane 2, slightly a few minutes after 9.10 pm. With my baggage in Andy's 6 seater car, we drove down the Leeds road. Traffic moving fairly fast as we approached the Leeds train station, where I was to get my train to Liverpool Lime stret. We pulled at Leeds train station a few minutes to 10.20 am, the time my train was scheduled to depart. We tried to rush to the plat forms walking quiet first with all these baggage I had. When we finally reached the platform where we thought was where my train was packing, we realised that we were on the wrong platform and that one train that was departing on the other platform, was actually my train! Looking frustrated and tired, Andy tried to ask for assistance for me and asking me what we could do; if am willing to board a train fro Leeds and change in Manchester Piccadilly. It couldn't be possible. I had six things to carry for myself, how could I do it? Even if I had to look for a trolley, it would take long and i would probably miss the next train again, as am not even familiar with Manchester Piccadilly. So I kindly refused to take that option. The other option which would be tiresome and risky was to wait for an hour before a direct train from Leeds to Liverpool Lime street could come. the risk was that, my ticket was an advance on and I had just missed my reservation, and it would only be safe to buy another ticket which was going to cost a good fortune, how ever one lad tells us that we can still go and say that i missed the train cos I didn't know the right platform, that's if I was asked why I did have an expired ticket. so this sounded much easier, cos they wouldn't throw me out of a moving train even if they weren't satisfied with my defence. Maybe they would if it were my beloved Kenya where people don't laugh when it comes to money.
Anyway, i waited and for one hour for the next train, as i waited, I wondered how I was going to get all my six baggage into the train before it started off! Everyone had at most two bags, which they could easily carry or pull in to the train at once, mine needed at least three rounds. Well, finally the train came and this attendant who seemed not interested in helping me at first asked me if I wanted some help! It was really good and easy than i expected.

The train departed at 11.08 am, and to make things good, this lady who checked the tickets, actually, didn't even ask me anything! She just stamped my tickets and said thanks to me! The train took two hours, calling at Huddersfield, Dewberry, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford, Warrington Central Quay, and Liverpool Lime street. When I reached, Lime street, everything looked different to me. I left my baggage on the pathway, and found a trolley. Came back, loaded it, found where to buy the Roby tickets, and then went into the train, got a space for my baggage and returned the trolley with the hopes to get my quid back but I got disappointed when the train was about to live and I could get my quid back so I left it with some rail workers, whom I think got it for themselves.

The train took about 15 minutes to reach Roby. I kind of got confused through the journey as most of the things looked different and I actually got off at Robby and looked even confused cos I thought I gad alighted at the wrong station, and this lady, who works in the train tried to be friendly, asking me how I manged to move all the baggage by self, but I seemed not interested in her questions I was not sure where I was! It took me a few minutes to familiarize myself with the place, and when I was just about to call Phil Clark and tell him that I had arrived at Robby, I saw him coming and we hugged and he helped me carry my stuff to the car. He dropped me at the girls house, where I happen to live with the ladies! I realise that I was actually the first to arrive back from placement. I Feeling tired and I laid in my bed and fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was around 3 pm, that's like an hour later.

Gemma arrived later at around 5 pm and then we went to Phil Clark's for some snacks. Sam arrived later at around 6 pm, then Jon a few minutes later. Betty was the last one to be picked from the Liverpool dock,as she travelled by ship.

On the Way Moving On

Well well, good people. For the last six months I have been doing some work with Sorted, a youth group in Bradford that started a few years ago as a skating club.

Sorted

Sorted has since then grown into a youth congregation, a Christian night club and a Bible study group. The most recent achievement of Sorted is the birth of Sorted two, two months ago. Sorted now serves the young people from areas of Wrose, Swain House and the Hanson School, which is the second largest High School in population in the whole of England. Sorted two works with a total of four churches which are within that area.

This project is still just an after school club happening every Friday from 7pm to 9pm, but the vision is that it will turn into a youth congregation and a youth Bible study in a few years to come. The group currently has an average of 20 young people attending every Friday, and playing snooker, Wii games and play stations, soft balls, football, hockey and also skate boarding.

Back to the point; Anyway, as my title may suggest, and as I said earlier, I have been working in these Sorted projects, both in the groups and in the schools. And now my time has come to an end, and it's time to move on and see where God is leading me next. It's been a really fantastic time of massive growth for me and for some of the young people I have worked with. And leaving Bradford for Liverpool, feels like such a big loss to me. This is because I have seen potential in Sorted, and a people that God are using to reach out to the hurting and the desperate.I have met young people who are looking for somewhere to belong, young people who are searching for acceptance and people who can truly trust them and give them an affirmation that they can and that all is possible. Some of the young people who are yearning for God. I have seen and met young people who are from dysfunctional families like me, some of which have a little hope remaining as I once was. Some of which are in gangs as I once was. This is where my heart is. These are the kind of people I have always wanted to work with, because I understand a bit of everything they are going thru, if not all, because I have been there before, and I know what God can do.

Well, if it were my choice I would have chosen to stay, but somehow I can't help it! And probably God has somewhere else in place for me, I don't know where, but He knows, because He always knows. The best I can do now is to say, ''Goodbye guys. I love you. It's been good you having me around and making me feel like one of you. All I can tell you is that God loves you, remain in His Love, respect Him and respect each other, and you'll experience more of His goodness. I am gonna miss you big time. If God wills, I'll comeback to visit you sooner or later, or you may come to visit me home. Thank you very much. God bless.''I can't say more than these words really, can I? So, on Monday, the 6th of July, Sorted has organised for me a send off party or should I call it a farewell party? Yes, and this will be my last time or day with Sorted and in Bradford, probably. Everything is now packed, wardrobe's clear, bags are full. I am ready to set my feet on the way and make a move. First destination is Liverpool, Merseyside. After a month, I will be going back to Africa. I am not sure what I am gonna do, but as I am saying, God always knows, He definitely gonna show me another open door.

Well, guys, I'll keep you posted. God bless you all and take care. Love.

Bye Bye to Sorted