Week One Update

We are coming to the end of our first week away from England, and have really started to settle in nicely.  Because a lot of our work is based in the dormitories, our jobs are based around building relationships with the students.  The first week has been a lot easier for Matt in the boys' dorm, as it tends to be much easier to build a rapport with the boys than the girls.  Lou is getting on very well with the younger girls, but it takes much longer to build trust with the secondary girls in the dorm.  This weekend helped though, as we helped to organize an afternoon of games activities, including a campus-wide capture-the-flag.

One thing that has surprised us is how cold it is early in the morning here.  While temperatures do get up to the late 20s in mid-afternoon, it drops well below 10 degrees in the night - and without any form of heating other than open fires, we've been out collecting firewood already.

Please continue to pray for us throughout our trip.  Please pray especially that Lou would be able to bond well with the girls in order to be able to effectively disciple them, and that Matt would be able to have more than superficial conversations with the boys.  Also pray that we would continue to build relationships with the dorm staff - that we would be an encouragement and a help to them.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support.  Until next time,

Matt and Lou