Wednesday 25 January 2012

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.

Wednesday 18 January 2012

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.