On Thursday we went to one of the Roma camps in Skyvjan. We went with the local pastor there and his team who work in the camp each week, they work with the children, singing, Bible stories, games and activities etc. As soon as the minibus starts to make its way down the track out the children come, running to join in with whatever is going on. Children and adults alike all gathered in the main man's garden. He lets the people from the church use his land every week and even a room in his house if the weather is bad. Although he is a Muslim he is very happy for them to teach the children christian songs and stories from the Bible.
It was quite interesting as Thursday was the day of the Bajrami, a Muslim feast day - the equivalent really to Christmas Day here, many were dressed up in their best clothes and we had to join in with their dancing before Belinda told the children a story from the Bible acted out by others of the team. This really amazed me - I couldn't believe that we were there on their special day, teaching about God and His love and forgiveness.
Of course, we then gave out the Christmas shoeboxes to the children and yes, they tried all the usual tricks to get more than one by sending the childen away to change their clothes and come back for a second!
The main man then invited us all in to his home to have a drink of coke, which was rather welcome as it had been so cold outside.
We spent the afternoon giving out more food parcels and aid to families that Faton visits each week. This picture is of a little chap that had been previously wearing his mother's shoes!
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