I figured I hadn’t posted a ‘whats Andy doing’ kind of post for a while, because, to be honest, I do pretty much the same thing every day.

I worked out yesterday that I would have to stay in taize about a year, to have been to church in France more times then in New Zealand.  

My French is improving, by which I mean that I now recognise a few words, rather then before when I didn’t understand anything at all. I am also ‘learning’ spanish and german. Even if I could speak all three I would still know a lot less then most of the perminents and brothers here, many of whom can speak anything upwards of 4 langugaes, and understand many more. Whats slightly embarrising is that so many europeans speak much better english then I do. Ah well.

Talking of languages I met a girl from wellington here this week, so it was nice to talk to someone for a while who didn’t immediatly mock my accent.

Next week I’m spending the week in silence, so don’t expect any posts here. I both happy and sad about this, because I would like to hang out with my friends, (and I love talking). but it should be a great expereinnce and a good chance to focus on God, and whats in my heart. But for that week I will miss the commuity life.

This week I’m cooking in the kitchen again, and I’m also ‘elecricity’ or as I choose to translate ‘electric boy’. which means that in the evening I walk around taize paying attention to any lights that arn’t working (there are a lot of lights in taize) and then fix the problem. So I spend mornings changing light bulbs or up ladders looking for water thats gotten into plugs. being up a ladder on a sunny spring morning in the french country side isn’t such a bad way to spend your time.

All this business with ash from iceland stopping planes in europe, has made things difficult for a lot of people coming and going from taize. Its also ment, I think, that the postal service has got a bit delayed. So if youve sent something to me in the last 2 weeks I havn’t got it yet. I’ll try and reply when I do.

Tomorrow is ANZAC day, Brigid from aussy has decided to try and make ANZAC biscuts for us both, but I’m slightly dubious about this.. not because shes austrailian, but because the only ingredients she has is oats.

Tomorrow morning the boys are going for a walk to bray.

I love you all:

Dear God
Thankyou for the spring flowers in the grass,
and the fresh leaves on the trees.
Thankyou for the stars at night,
and the warm sun afternoon sun.
Thankyou for the sound of laughter,
and the smell of good food.
Thankyou for this beautiful life,
and that we may share it together.
Amen.

In short, the longer I stay at taize, the less travel plans I have.

One of the boys bet me a chocolate stick that I would stay at least 3 months last week. I don’t know about that, but its possible I might come home without really having seen anything else in europe. Taize is a special place.

Theres a bit of a joke amoung the permenents here, that the question ‘when are you leaving’ is never easy to answer.

I survived night welcome, mostly through the good timing of Katie’s beautiful postcard although the last night I was up until three following french kids around the tent area. But we got them in the end “ah-ha-ha-ha”.

Anyway, I woke up on Monday morning with a gruesome cold, which has taken all week to get rid of. Very frustrating, but I hope you can forgive me for not getting up early to write a blog.

This week I’ve been working ‘full time’ in Olinda, which is where the families with children from 0-16 live. In the morning I was coordinating the program for the 12-14 year olds (playing games, having discussions). In the afternoon I was acting in the theater for all the kids and their parents. (in very challenging rolls like taxi’s, slot machines, and that kind of thing). And at night I was the ‘Olinda night guard’ which means you sit on reception in the evening, and sleep in a little room where parents can find you and wake you up if they need something during the night. Happy no one needed anything all week, so I got some sleep.

Working with the kids was a lot of fun, but its exhausting when your sick. The theater was the best bit, I wish I had photos, but I don’t.

The last two weeks have been very  busy, I havn’t had too much time for reflection, so it will be good to have a quiter week. This week I’m washing up in the big kitchen, and working in the church, nice short jobs.

Spring is really happening here, the blossoms are flowering, and the little flowers in the grass everywhere. I feel a little seasonally confused, but never mind.

I love you all.

I’ll do a few posts this morning to create the illusion that I blog regular.

Thanks so much for all your comments, emails and (Katie) postcards. Its the little messages from home that keep me going on hard days. I love you all.

Incidentally I’m likely to be in taize another 5 or so weeks, so if you want to send me a postcard, send it here:
Andy Gray
La Morada
71250 Taize Communaute
France

The last one took about a week, so they’re marginally faster then email, and you cant hug an email. ;-p

This week is holy week, and its busy. I wish this was a week I could enjoy a taize Easter, but I don’t have a lot of free time. This week I work in cadolle in the afternoons, which means doing maintenance work, I’ve been spraying waterproofing product on the canvas of the taize ‘blue tents’ where people sleep where all the dormitories are full. In the evening I do ‘Night Welcome’ which really means you walk arround in the cold late at night telling stupid people to be quite and go to bed. And sending girls sleeping in boys rooms to go back to their beds, and vise-versa. And confiscating drugs, and helping in medical emergency’s and all that kind of thing. Its pretty hard work and I dont really enjoy being the baddy and ruining everyone’s fun, but its good to see the dark side of taize and develop the more forceful part of my character. Conveniently, the lack of sleep makes me less patient which means i’m less of a pushover, so it all kind of works quite well. In the morning I get up to do the breakfast dishes in Tilleul, because everyone else has work, and then to have breakfast with my night welcome team.

I haven’t any nicely completed thoughts to write here this week. This is a week of work and taize continues to challenge me deep down. This week I feel a long way from home.

Easter here is very interesting. Its a real journey into the darkness and out into light again, I’ll try and write some more about it next week.

Love to you all.