Another blow to my pride and confidence came recently. Four years ago, in South Africa I met a bunch of street boys who you may have heard me talk about. My team and I became friends with them. I have seen them every six months since then whenever I have returned there.

Over the years we have spent hundreds of pounds buying them clothes, shoes, food and medical supplies. I have been raising money to build them a home. During this time two of them have been stabbed to death on the streets.

The leader of the gang, Jabulani, has had an amazing turnaround and a few months ago came to Jesus, came off the streets, and went into a drug rehabilitation centre.

A little while ago I went to visit him. He joyfully told me about how he has met Jesus and how he is determined to get his “brain fixed” and how his ambition now is to become a social worker and help other street boys.

He then told me off. “You treated us all wrong” he said. “You tried to treat us like we were children while really we were a gang who stole and burgled and fought. You shouldn’t have bought us clothes and shoes. As soon as you left we sold them to pay for drugs. You didn’t know what you were doing.” I got rebuked by a street kid that I had spent four years trying to help! And he was right!

So what is left that I can be confident about? First, Jesus loves me, this I know; for the bible tells me so. Second I love him. Third I love my church that have suffered through most of my mistakes and forgiven me again and again and miraculously are still there.

And finally, I know I am going to make loads more mistakes, mess up a fair bit before my race ends, but I really do want to keep going.

Not much to be sure of after all these years, but maybe it will do.