day 8 + 9 + 10 < el congreso

Hi all, hope you've had good weekends!

So this weekend I was in Temuco for the National Youth Congress of the Anglican Church in Chile. I was with a group of 22 kids from La Resurrección, and in total there were 320 youths from up and down the country. It was really incredible to see that many teenagers together worshiping and learning together...

Some highlights:

We all chose a class of 4 sessions, mine was 'A bird's eye view of the Bible', a sort of wide shot of the themes and the greater story of the Bible which was fantastic. Took a whole bunch of notes, and actually understood the class as well which was really encouraging.

On Saturday morning I felt really down, I had been finding it really difficult to integrate with the kids because they speak so fast and they really don't pronounce their words clearly... I felt really isolated and distant from it all, and as though I didn't want to be a burden to any of them, and so sort of cut myself off. The overwhelming sensation was that I shouldn't be there. But of course I was there, and it wasn't like in that moment I could do anything but be there! So I prayed and asked God to renew and encourage me... That afternoon I spent some more time with Vanesa, the girl who leads the exercises classes, and she has been so patient with my Spanish, so it was really lovely to feel like I was connecting with someone. And then the two of us and one of the teens prayed together for each other in the afternoon, and I told them about my difficulties, and by the evening I was in the midst of the gang, jumping about with them in worship, and joking around. It was really brilliant. From there it only got better.

On Monday we did a sort of a march through the town to the Plaza in the centre where we had an open service (it was a bank holiday here yesterday). We walked through the streets with support from the police who lead the way and followed us in cars and motorbikes, singing and chanting and generally making a racket! The service was great fun and a fantastic finale to the weekend. I got pretty sunburnt on the back of my neck; gotta start using protection here!

It really was an incredible weekend. Absolutely worth the 12 hours each way overnight on the coach!!

Thank God I don't have any plans for this week yet so I can just relax a little and then recollect myself for the next load of fun stuff to do.

Also! A mad coincidence - I met a lady at the conference who has been living in Chile for 4 years but is originally from the Isle of Wight, and went to KCL!! Was great to hear an English accent out there haha.

Lots and lots of love,
X

PS. I think I'm starting to forget what my voice sounds like in English... That must be a good thing right?!

PPS. The time here has changed so now we are 4 hours behind the UK. And then when the UK time changes in a few weeks it'll be 3 hours... Bridging the gap until March!