The weekend (and final pool matches) approach fast

I wasn't in Guildford on Thursday, but apparently it was still quite quiet.  Training had resumed in earnest, following the brief pause the day before, but apart from going to training and meals etc, people didn't venture out much as it as wet and windy again.  Apparently, one chaplain even rashly promised the Aussies better weather by the weekend, but she had read the weather forecast first!  One player did come to the morning devotional though, which was good, and those chaplains on duty still managed to 'loiter with intent' and meet and chat with people, both players/squad members but also staff and other volunteers - a reminder that chaplaincy at an event like this is for everyone, not just the elite sportspeople.
After a very early start at home on Friday, I was back in Guildford ready to open up the Oasis of Silence at 8am.  A player from one of my pool teams again came for the morning devotional time, which was good.  After that and a time of sharing with the other chaplain on duty this morning, we set about some practical tasks: One of the things that has become apparent through various conversations that the chaplaincy team have had over the last few days is that people in a number of squads have begun to suffer from something akin to 'Cabin Fever' (meaning the reactions that happen when a person or group has to live in a relatively small/enclosed space for an extended period with nothing much to do).  Whilst many of the squads are impressed with all being based together in an Olympic-style athletes village, and enjoying the plus points of that - no travel, single rooms, good sports facilities, and the ability to walk from sleeping quarters to meals and to training facilities - a number of people are finding it quite claustrophobic, especially as, apart from their dining room, there's no shared communal space where they can relax and enjoy people's company outside their own squads - apart from the Bar and a branch of Starbucks in the sports centre that is!  The seeds of the idea having been sown by various chaplains earlier in the week, 3 of us spent various bits of today checking out the practicalities: could we book/hire a room to show a DVD?  what about projection facilities? publicity? did the organisers mind the chaplaincy doing this? etc, etc.  By the end of the day, plans were almost fixed to have 2 movie nights, one games night, and a quiz night within the next week.
In between this, various visits were made and conversations had, including some time spent in the nearby hotel where the referees and other match officials are staying and based.  We had originally planned to have an Oasis of Silence there too, but in the end no rooms were available, so we try and make sure that at least one chaplain visits once per day.  So, it was good today that there were a numebr of officials around and we were able to have conversations with them.