Ups and Downs

The last few months have been pretty horrible in terms of ups and downs. I feel like things are starting to level out again now, which is good.

• Work has been difficult - new management etc. etc. There's a lot I could say but won't. Thankfully, due mainly to the insight of senior management at a State level, things now look like they will be settling down.

• New friends moving off - My off-sider on Kick Start, Tim, recently resigned and had his last day at work on Thursday. Tim joined us from Kununurra on October last year when our previous trainer left us. Tim has has been an asset to the program and has become a great friend. He joined us in our missional venture early on and has been a big part of what we have been doing, both through Kick Start and also in our community. He's heading back to Kununurra where his family is and a new job working in the local District High School. I am going to miss Tim and wish him all the best "up-north".
  
  
  Tim (on right) with Shane (middle) and me (left) at Tim's fairwell on Thursday
  
  
• Trainer wanted - With Tim leaving we are now chasing a new trainer. The suitable applicant will have a trade background and experience in working with "at risk" youth. Our program is a drug and alcohol diversionary and intervention program, so an understanding (i.e. non-judgemental) and empathetic attitude is essential. If you think this is you, let me know!

• Rwanda - Alyssa and I am off to Kigali in 2 weeks. I am finding that I don't have the usual pre-trip dread this year round. I think it is because I am taking Alyssa with me and not leaving her behind this year. I am going to miss the kids like crazy - I always end up leaving in tears, big sook that I am, but at least Lyss will be with me. I am really looking forward to showing her around and introducing her to my Rwandan family.

• Amahoro Gathering 08 - While we are in Rwanda we will be attending Amahoro 2008 which is (very conveniently) taking place in Kigali this year. I attended the inaugeral gathering last year in Mukono, Uganda where the focus was on the gospel of transformation (as opposed to the gospel of evacuation). I am looking forward to catching up with Claude Nikondeha - the man behind the gathering and Edward Simiyu - an amazing leader from Kenya and also Brian McLaren and the other "emerging/emergent" guys from the states who will be there.
  
  The focus of this years gathering is the gospel of reconcilliation and I don't think there is a better place in Africa than Rwanda to be holding such a conversation. Rwanda is a model of reconcilliation for the rest of the world.
  
  I want to try and blog the conference here but, it sometimes takes a while for the message to sink in and for me to more fully understand what it is I am hearing. So we'll see how that comes together!

• Guitar at Sunday gathering - for the first time ever I am on guitar duty at our Sunday morning gathering. We don't have a big band of musicians - really just one dedicated lady who plays guitar for us most Sundays. But she's away tomorrow and I was asked to fill in.
  
  I used to play guitar in a pub band - but that was when I was a drinker, and I don't think I played a single concert sober, so tomorrow should be interesting.