December is here!

Hello Friends,
So where did we leave off? As I’ve mentioned before, this is our very busy season! We haven’t stopped to take a breath in weeks.

We are so excited to have ASTEP with us! (See our previous blog for more info). Welcome Kathryn (who has been here for 10 weeks already), Mauricio, Will, Damien, Tia, and Slaveya! The YMS leaders have been attending training classes, arts classes, as well as teaching our own classes! Last week, each ASTEP leader and YMS leader took turns teaching something they are passionate about in order for everyone to get to know each other as well as show off our individual teaching styles. Already, we as the YMS team feel we have so much to learn from ASTEP and we are so thankful for their presence here at Refilwe.

The program One World Through Theatre has begun this week. We are discovering who we are as the Refilwe community, South Africans, Africans, and human beings. At the end of this week we will put our ideas and discoveries into a theatre piece and film it...so look out for this in coming weeks! Our piece will be sent to theatre groups around the world for them to respond to. We will in turn receive three pieces of theatre from around the world to respond to.

After this week, the following two weeks will be a holiday program for all ages; from 2 to 25. The children and youth will participate in singing, dancing, drama, and visual art. They will share their findings in a production on 24 December, here at the Refilwe Community Hall. If you are in the Johannesburg area, please make a plan to join us!

As the year comes to a close, we are still praying that companies, friends, and other donors who believe in what we are doing as YMS will partner with us in order that we will be able to financially move forward through next year. We are so thankful that at the moment Refilwe is sponsoring our office space, electricity, etc, but as an organization, we need to get on our feet and become sustainable. Please speak to us if you believe in our cause.

Thank you for your support and prayers!
God bless,
The YMS Team