Faith

The Church of the Good Shepherd in Four Marks is celebrating its centenary by sending out 100 people to demonstrate the Christian faith in action in a variety of locations around the UK and the world.

The slums of Mumbai

Their latest trip has been to help at Indian girls home near Mumbai.  Fifteen members of the Church travelled to work with local staff at a home for vulnerable women and girls.

The team - 9 adults and 6 children - is the latest to be sent out from the local Anglican congregation travelled tog to Mukti Mission near Pune - approximately four hours drive from Mumbai, India's most populous city.

Mukti is a Christian charitable organisation, consisting of about 20 houses which accommodate hundreds of orphans, abandoned children, widows and others in need - regardless of their religion, race, caste or ethnic background.

A craft afternoon

The Four Marks team carried out practical assistance with painting and gardening.  There was also two nurses and a teacher whose vocational skills were put to use in delivering community healthcare and helping at the local school.

The mission trip coincided with the Hindu festival of Divali, so the team also plans to provide a Christian alternative to the celebrations - art and craft activities.

Renovation

Earlier this year, another Four Marks team visited a daycare centre in Fish Hoek in South Africa which supports children from the poorest and most troubled townships. The centre receives no funding, so the Four Marks team provided them with stationery, games, sports equipment and food.

They also helped by painting the walls, restoring a blackboard and renovating a toilet block.

New footballs proved popular

At a hospice in the same township, the young people witnessed first-hand the suffering and stigma associated with HIV.

Youthworker, Riaan de Villiers said: "We saw some very poorly patients and were shocked at how thin and frail some were. But we also saw hope. We were encouraged by the way the staff are helping people to die with dignity and love. It was a moving experience."

The teenagers also spent a night on the streets of Cape Town, handing out blankets and soup to homeless streetkids.

"Eye-opener"

Moving on to nearby Kayamandi, the team came face-to-face with child prostitution – learning that four out of five young girls in the township are raped while still at school.

Tasha Oakes-Monger

Seventeen-year-old student Caroline McGrath says: "It was such an eye opener. It showed how we take things for granted back home. We helped the kids in a small way by feeding them, but I certainly plan to go back to continue the work we started."

In neighbouring Namibia, the team travelled in 4x4s across rugged terrain to the remote Himba and Herero communities.

The team visited rural schools in the region, leading assemblies and distributing footballs and stationery items.

"Life-changing"

14-year-old participant, Tasha Oakes-Monger describes her time in southern Africa as "completely life-changing".

Caroline McGrath - making friends in South Africa

She explains:" It was an awesome journey – I learnt about faith and prayer, and most importantly the power of God."

The Church of the Good Shepherd is 100 years old in 2008 and is marking the centenary by sending out 100 of its congregation on short-term missions under the slogan 'Across the world, across the road and across the room'.

So far, countries visited include Colombia, Namibia, Peru, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda and Zambia, with trips to India and Nepal still to come.