We are safe and well!....but not fans of the poor internet connection out here...

Well we are here, but are very sorry we haven't been able to update the blog for a while as the internet cafe is as unpredictable as the English summer - the weather here by the way is sunny and high 30s so we're doing our bit for the Kingdom ; )

Our journey out here started off well. We all managed to get all the gifts and items collected for the Albanian community packed into our bags, and with careful precision managed the required Easyjet 20kg maximum weight (thanks to Anna's packing skills). And after Bruce selflessly drove us at 3am to the airport, we found that Easyjet allowed us to take the keyboard as additional baggage for free!

We had a one day stop in Corfu before getting up to catch the ferry on to Saranda the next morning. Once at the Corfu port though we got to meet some of the locals...packed in amongst them inside a hot, sweaty room bustling towards the single door for the entrance to ferry port customs. We had no chance of getting through on the only ferry of the day and were looking at the prospect of spending yet another night in Corfu which didn't sit well with the budget, our plans or our patience. But with a quick phonecall from Ruth to our Greek guide, we were wisked out of the "queue" by one of the officials and into a side entrance (which by the way was wide, empty and air conditioned). So the British passports provailed! and we were on the boat to Saranda.

Since being here we have done so much already! On the Saturday the team attended the Baptist church's kids club where Sarah had a chance to help lead worship and Ali gave a talk(with the aid of translation). Although attendence was small, relationships with the few children and the church members were established and a real sense of fellowship between all was felt. We are very confident that like previous years, the numbers will increase rapidly over the course of our time there. Later that afternooon we journeyed off to the Chuka gypsy camp to attend their church service. Ali spoke again at this session (translated) and the community turned out to come to meet the team. Apart from some volatile confrontations between the locals, there was a clear expressin of joy at the sight of some of the familiar members of our team (from last year's trip), and at seeing new members as well. Although a short visit, it was blessed and we now have an idea of the practical aid work we can do there in support of the already established church.

Today (Sunday) we upped our Christian status by visiting 3 different church service! In the Baptisit church a joint service was held whereby we experienced their regular church service format (with some expert Alabanian singing from some of our team), but then led them in worship with the songs and structure of ministry we have at Vineyard to show them an alternate style. It was fantastic, and after Ruth led a talk, we had the opportunity to pray with the various members of the congregation. We got to share in worship our praise to the one God, transcending the different languages spoken.

But clearly you've been scanning through all this information to get to the really important stuff.....the mosquito bite count. The stakes are high and after last year's returning champions, Jackie and Ruth, we have all to play for. So most of the team are on equal pegging with the occasional bites, but Ruth is clearly leading and is even getting eaten during prayer sessions which she is gallantly enduring.

And obviously in and amongst all our work with the kids and the churches, we are finding time for beach missions such as our calling to Sunbathe for Christ (a.k.a S4C)! It is going well and is an area of ministry we are happy to expand upon....but sadly not back in the UK.

We are valuing your prayers and feel very encouraged by the support of you all back home. Pray for us tomorrow as we start the first of our kidz clubs - that the children who come meet with God and that we are able to build a relationship with both them and their families. Also prayer for our safety and wisdom is needed as we visit Chuka once more and hope to see where we can begin to provide support and aid.

More regular updates are promised especially as it is almost midnight now and the team have left me to go to bed : (

God bless you all and we'll be praying that some of our sun here makes its way over to you...