Alec's Day ...

Perhaps its a bit early to say what a typical day looks like ... but here goes anyway.

Up a 6:30 get ready/breakfast and step over from our flat ...

Our flat (here centre right)

To the main part of the house:

The main part of the house (our flat is just to the right)

Everyone else gets up a little later but a helper needs to be around from 7. It's a good time to have a quiet time and read the bible.

This used to be a house with some of the guys who've been in the program for a while. That has means the guys have a certain amount of autonomy. But since we've been here they have taken in 3 'new boys' and things are not normal (at least for the guys). We all have a lot of 'new boy duties' where someone is with each of the new guys 24 hours a day for 10 days. During this time we meet every physical need the 'new boys' may have, food - sleep - even massage, and also spiritual need by praying for them continually. There are only 12 of us in the house apart from the 'new boys' so 24 hour care means we're all a bit stretched and a bit tired. And some people get up a little later than normal.

By 8:15 though they'll have breakfast together (not so many of them perhaps because some will be sleeping in after a night dury) and I've already had some cereal (a little bit of normality! none of us get on with Chinese breakfasts).

A panorama inside the main room

8:30 till 9 they have a quiet time and then a worship meeting at 9:30. Trying very hard to learn the language so I can follow.

10:30 is usually cleaning the house or work around the compound ... so far for me that's meant anything from fixing the gate struts to clearing monsoon drains with the guys. Whatever it is, I have to change beforehand as I am drenched in sweat within a minute of doing any activity.

Lunch at 12:30 ... nothing special to report except that Samuel isn't enjoying the 'fair' as much as Reuben so we're going to start having 3 western lunches for the boys a week. The food isn't like your local Chinese take away and at the moment seems to involve the tips of chicken wings as it's cheap - Reuben seems to love this, Samuel not at all).

After lunch til about 4 is work again. After that some physical recreation. The pool is great and the boys are loving that ... but Reuben has also had great delight playing as an extra on Daddy's team at 5 aside football (he's really got some skill and is able to take the adults on ... even if they are being kind) and Samuel is really enjoying badminton with Mummy! I think we may all be getting fitter!

ALL of these activities are opportunities to relate with the guys, pray with them encourage them (if they speak good enough English), or just make friends and learn Cantonese (our top and ongoing challenge). What is amazing is how humor doesn't have so many language barriers!

The evening is then supper at 6:30 followed by a bible study/meeting.

There are variations on this theme. For example: one evening a week they get to watch a film, and one of the guys has learnt to be a rather a good cake maker and he teaches everyone else instead of work one afternoon.

Cake Making

Jo and the boys days are quite different to mine but I'll let Jo write about that next time.

If you pray then please pray for:

• Our ability to pick up Cantonese
• The general fatigue in the house.
• One of the new boys who has come in through the parole board and has no real understanding of Jesus.