A prayer request for a friend and her family

Last week we got a call from Summer, whom we have know for many years, to ask if she could stay with us whilst she got some medical tests done.  Summer and her husband work in a place called Kitgum in Northern Uganda.  You can read about their ministry in their own blogspot www.fromglory2glory.blogspot.com

The medical tests were to be done to make sure her liver was clear of all malaria parasites as she had been having recurring malaria.  Thankfully these tests came back clear but she explained to the tropical disease Doctor that she still wasn't feeling well.  The Doctor took some further tests and the tests revealed that she is suffering from anemia due to some internal bleeding.  The Doctor recommended that she fly to Nairobi as the correct tests were not available in Uganda.  On Friday she will have some exploratory tests done, an endoscopy, colonoscopy and laproscopic biopsy.  She flies to Kenya tomorrow and will stay with a friend there before being admitted to the hospital on Friday.

Zane, her husband remains in Kitgum looking after their 13 children.  Pray for safety for the family as they are apart and for wisdom for the Doctors to know the cause of Summer's condition.  Also that she would have support in Kenya during this difficult time.  She is hoping that a friend who returns from the States tonight to Kenya can be with her in the hospital.  Pray for God's provision for her in these days.

A trip out west

Our special wee kiddies

 Working our way through the rainforest...sometimes it was on all fours!

Zara and Ruben - best friends

Another wonderful view of God's creation

Enjoying some cool off in the pool together

Happy New Year Update

This is the first entry for 2012 and already so much has happened.  We had a great Christmas spending it with my Mum and  different friends during the time we had off.  We even escaped for 4 days to the Western part of Uganda for a holiday.  The weather was hot hot hot but we enjoyed the time away and we were able to go for walks in the rainforest which was a lot of fun.  Hopefully photos to follow.

2012 seems to be going at the same rate as 2011 finished as life is busy for us as usual.  Simon had some time off from flying over Christmas although did have to do a flight a couple of days after Christmas for a man in Sudan who had had a car accident.  He was not able to be helped in Sudan and so it was recommended that he fly to Kampala for treatment.  He had a suspected broken back.  Thankfully we heard some days letter that he was well enough to travel back to Sudan and was grateful for all that MAF did for him.

Joshua and Zara are back in school as of last week.  They were glad to see their friends again and catch up on all their news. They had a great time over the holiday being spoiled by Granny (as were Simon and I) and doing a lot of fun things with some friends.  However, all great things come to an end and so life is getting back into a normal routine again.

Bible studies started for me this week.  Today I taught two groups and tomorrow I have another two. The ladies are fun to spend time with and they definately keep me on my toes.  We will finish our study through the Book of Genesis in about a months time.  After that we will do a short study on prayer before moving into Exodus.  Pray for wisdom for me as I prepare these lessons and that God would speak to us all so clearly through His Word.

As some of you know I have been doing some courses in counselling.  I hope to develop that further in September this year when I take the second module course to complete the diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.  The courses in counselling I  have completed, along with contacts in this field have been invaluable in recent months.  There have been a few people who have been in need of a listening ear and some have needed to be put in touch with a professional for further assistance.  It has been a pleasure to be part of this process and help people as they deal with some difficult life situations.  Again, I ask that you pray for wisdom for me as I listen and guide in these situations.

Simon is back flying again but also has had time on the ground in his "office".  Office days are not his passion but still needs to be done.  Along with his medical evacuation of the man with the suspected broken back he also did another medical evacuation for a man with AIDS.  He was suffering quite badly and needed some medical treatment in Kampala.  The journey by road would have been long and arduous so a MAF flight was a welcome sight when it came.

On a different note our baby rabbits are not too wee anymore and so something had to be done about the prospect of possible more babies.  We had to have the vet out a couple of times to our dog, Chewy, who was quite sick with tick fever and an eye infection.  It was quite upsetting to see her so unwell but thankfully after a few injections and tablets she was beginning to look like herself again.  The vet came again today with the final injection and tablets.  While she was here we asked if she could check our "baby" rabbits to see what sex they were.  Joshua and Zara found this all highly exciting and wanted to be in on the action.  However, Zara was a bit distraught when she found out that it was one of her rabbits, Snowy, who would have to have the operation as that was the only baby rabbit who was a boy.  The Daddy rabbit is also hers and she couldn't bear the thought of another one of her rabbits having to be put to sleep.  Joshua did a good job of being a compassionate big brother and telling her that he would have her rabbit and she could have his (they are both pure white and apart from the colour of their eyes they look identical).  After some consoling she came round to the idea that the wee rabbit would be okay just like Daddy Rocky.  Who thought having rabbits and a dog would have such an affect on everyone :)

Well we trust that your 2012 has started well and I leave you with a verse that we looked at today in Bible study - Romans 8:28.  May you experience the truth of this verse in your life this year.

Happy Christmas and every blessing for 2012

Thank you to all our faithful family, friends and supporters who have stood behind us during this past year.  We appreciate all that you do for us and we want to wish you a blessed time over this festive season.  May you reflect on the true meaning of CHRISTmas in the days ahead.

Matthew 1:18-25

Has rainy season ended???

As I write the sun is shining outside and there is not a rain cloud in sight.  We have had a long rainy season and the temperatures have been quite cool.  However, I am sure we will be wishing for rain again in a short while when the dust increases :)

Thanks to all of you who prayed for Simon when he was in Juba last week.  He had very full days (a normal day was at least 12 hrs).  He did everything from helping one of the staff with their driving after only recently passing his test, organising ground operations and loading and unloading aircraft.  He said he found muscles he never knew he had.  It was an enjoyable experience for him and gave him a good perspective on the real needs of the team in Juba.  One thing that made the job all the more difficult was working in 40c+ degree weather.  I think I would have just melted into a puddle.

While Simon was running around in South Sudan Joshua, Zara and I held the fort at home.  The kids did really well with Simon gone although they were looking forward to him coming home at the end of the week and so there was much celebration when he walked into the house.  He definately knew he was loved :)

Joshua and Zara have their last day at school today.  By the sounds of things there won't be much work happening but end of year parties.  They are ready for a break and I hear a lot of the parents say that their children are tired.  Ours are no different.  Of course what adds to the excitement is the fact that my Mum is supposed to arrive today for  Christmas.  However, the way the weather is in Scotland at the moment we will need to see if she makes it on time.  We are praying that it all works out and she arrives he safely.

I had my last Bible studies this week.  It has been a great time of studying God's word together and wrestling with some of the passages as we worked through Genesis.  It was supposed to be an overview study but there are so many gold nuggets to be found that we ended up taking it at a slower pace.  We should be finished Genesis in January when we restart after the children have gone back to school.  It is so exciting to see so many women enjoying studying God's Word together.  I pray that that passion never goes away.  So far it is working out to split the Bible study into two groups and gives people more of a chance for discussion.  There is a possibility of another lady joining us in January so the groups seem to get bigger. :)  A good problem to have!

This week Zara has been struggling with a cough and I have been battling a cold that I pretended wasn't really coming.  However, it has let me know its here and so I pray that it won't linger.  Do pray with us for good health over the Christmas holidays and that we have a rest during this time.

Rain, Rain and more Rain

This month we have seen a lot of rain.  This morning when I took eight children to school the road in the valley was pretty much impassable.  The water was up to the windscreen of a small bus and one car was already on its side.  I was so grateful I didn't have to go that way.  As I passed that way on the way to pick up the children the field next to the road was basically a lake.  It is going to take a while before all that water recedes.  With all this rain comes bad roads or inpassable roads and collapsed houses.  As I drove today I saw people putting sandbags in front of their shops and houses so that the water wouldn't enter.  I guess too much of a good thing can also be a bad thing....in the dry season we are glad to see the rain.

We are also experiencing a lot of power outs sometimes 24hrs at a time.  This has had a detrimental affect on businesses who rely on power to get their work done.  It is getting to the point whereby when we have power it is a bonus.  The reasons for the power shortages are as long as a piece of string so I won't even try to explain.  Last week there were some demonstrations in town as people become ever more frustrated at the situation. 

On a different note...Simon is currently off to drier climbs.  He is spending a week in Juba and will return on Friday.  Due to changes in how we have to do our flights in South Sudan this has meant more work for the MAF team in Juba.  Because of this some of our MAF Uganda staff are going up there for one week at a time to do various jobs.  We will see what Simon gets up to whilst he is there.  No doubt he will get a project or two :)

Work for me has also increased this month.  I have gone from teaching two Bible studies to four.  The international ladies Bible study has grown so we decided to split it into two groups so it doesn't become impersonal.  This means that I teach two on a Wednesday morning.  On a Thursday morning I go down to the MAF Guesthouse and teach the staff there and then once that is finished I head to the MAF office to teach one there.  Thankfully I have made Friday my day off.  My brain is pretty much "mince" by then so its a good thing nothing is normally scheduled.  It has been a blessing and privilege to teach these Bible studies and to have ladies from outside of MAF come and join us.  This helps us to not become too insular :)

Along with all of that I keep my hand in member care.  Sometimes it is just connecting people so that they can talk to the right person; other times its going out for coffee and having a chat with somebody.  Just this week there was a request (outside of MAF) for somebody who needed a counsellor.  The staff member who needed some help had undergone a severe trauma.  We will see if our contacts can start the process of helping this person.

Joshua and Zara are doing well.  They keep very busy with school commitments, clubs and, of course, their social life.  This week Joshua is taking part in a play at school.  He has a dancing part in the play and also has to dress up like an old man.  Rather him than me :)

If you think of it pray for Simon in Juba and for us in Uganda.  Pray nothing breaks while he is gone :)  Our car has undergone a few replacement pieces last week.  It is showing its age (20 years) but after some work it has burst into life again.  Pray that it has no further problems this week. :)

A last minute visit

Last Thursday we had Summer and Eden come to stay.  We have known Summer and Zane for a number of years now.  Zane, in the last two years, has been Pastoring two churchs upcountry in a place called Kitgum as well as developing a farm.  They meet under a mango tree for church :).

Summer has been having some health problems and was due to fly to Kenya but because of the recent bombings there decided against it and to wait a couple more weeks.  She did, however, need to do some testings which couldn't wait so travelled, with their youngest daughter, Eden, to Kampala.  This was an 8 hour bus journey which is not pleasant at the best of times but more so when you are not feeling well.

Thankfully they arrived safely and we enjoyed catching up on their new life in Kitgum.  It is very different to what we experience in the City.  To get a glimpse of their ministry you can check out their blogspot at http://www.fromglory2glory.blogspot.com

Due to the uncomfortable bus ride and needing an additional trip to the doctor Summer was able to fly back on a MAF plane on the Monday instead of taking the grueling bus trip back on Saturday.  Due to the airstrip being in a bad way at Kitgum she had to get off at Gulu and then take a 2 hour bus journey to Kitgum.  Still it was better than sitting in the bus for 8 hours :)

Above you will see a picture of Eden with Zara.  Joshua and Zara enjoyed having a little sister for the weekend.  Thankfully she is used to brothers and sisters as she has 12!.  Summer and Zane have two biological children and 11 adopted.  They have a busy home :)