Introducing...

Say "hi" to the guys from Cato Crest Township. I met these guys the first week I was around at Hope Church as I was drafted in to lead activities for them on the Sunday while everyone else was away. They range from about 10-14 in age, though most of them look closer to 10. Since then it's been a privilege to build some friendship with these guys.

On the top row we have (from left to right) we have Ntoko, Philani, Sthembiso, and Lindo, and below we have Xola, Nanga, Sanele, and Menzi (I think - keeping track of who's who is still tricky because you don't always see the same people every week or anything). There's a few missing from that picture above, so check this one too.

On the far left is Fana, who is by all accounts the "ring leader" of this whole group. I can't make out anyone else from this picture, but there are a few others we have contact with too. In this second picture they're "performing" as a group some song that I can't remember, but that's very Jodeci style. It was so funny to watch them copy all the motions and gestures!

These guys have often made their own way to church to be with us, which means 45 minutes walk or so. It's really good that they demonstrate that they want to be with us. They're also our way in to a whole community, which is great.

The place where they live is amazing. Sticking to the main roads you'd hardly see it, but it's huge, and full of shacks that range from very basic brick and tin constructions, to scrap wood and anything else put together to make a shelter. I read recently that Thabo Mbeki described SA as a country of two economies - one first world, and one third world, and the two rarely interact. It's actually a great way of putting it and something that's very apparent where these guys live. Many of these guys do go to school through government funding, but for reasons unknown to me Fana, I know, has been excluded from school. It's weird because he shows no signs of being particularly violent or disruptive. Their english varies with some of them being able to speak quite well, and others gently mumbling little phrases from time to time. Playing football with them is a great bridge builder though, and we're hoping that we can be a long term influence in their lives as they are largely left to their own devices for most of the day most days.

Please pray that we can bless these guys, that they develop a relationship with Jesus, that we are able to get to know the "real" them, and that we can bring the good news of the Kingdom of God in word and deed into this desperately needy area.