Whilst Malcolm is writing this Irene is busy packing up for us to return to Mvumi. Its been almost 6 months since we were last there and we’ve felt a bit like nomads whilst in England.
Not having a base of our own we have spent time:
- Staying with family and friends across the country
- renting holiday lets in Ely for a couple of months
- attending a Church Mission Society training course (to find out what we should have known last year!!!)
- having a large family Christmas in Ely
- Malcolm visited his younger sister in Beijing for a couple of weeks
The big events were in November; the first birthday of our first grandson and the birth of our second.
But now its time to get back to work and to lose some of the excess weight we’ve put on whilst resting in Britain!!!!!
Having been invited back to Mvumi Hospital by the Bishop we once again pack all the things we need, and put away all the things we won’t need (such as jumpers, raincoats, brollies, diet books etc). This time with a different sort of trepidation. Last year there was the excitement of a new adventure tempered by the unknown. This time we have greater confidence in what to expect, and the anticipation of meeting old friends but with an understanding of the challenges that will face us.
For Malcolm the Hospital still has a difficult financial position with further work required before it is recognised as a Council Designated Hospital. For Irene the need to settle back into the village and to identify how to help at the Hospital or in the community.
The news we have is that the rains in the last 3 months have not been good, which means many villagers will be short of food and money, with many facing severe hunger. How this will affect our work is uncertain.
We begin our journey on Saturday, with:
- Irene going to Bedford to drive a ‘Monster Truck’ (a Christmas treat from our eldest son, David
- a ‘send-off’ from our church in Chesham
- a final visit to our daughter and grandson in Ely
- flights, first to Dar Es Salaam, and onto Dodoma
This time next week we should have arrived.
See you in Tanzania!!!
Matters for prayer:
- safety (and a chance to sleep) on our journey
- for parents and family we leave behind
- that we will quickly settle back in Mvumi
- for wisdom about what work to do in Mvumi
Not having a base of our own we have spent time:
- Staying with family and friends across the country
- renting holiday lets in Ely for a couple of months
- attending a Church Mission Society training course (to find out what we should have known last year!!!)
- having a large family Christmas in Ely
- Malcolm visited his younger sister in Beijing for a couple of weeks
The big events were in November; the first birthday of our first grandson and the birth of our second.
But now its time to get back to work and to lose some of the excess weight we’ve put on whilst resting in Britain!!!!!
Having been invited back to Mvumi Hospital by the Bishop we once again pack all the things we need, and put away all the things we won’t need (such as jumpers, raincoats, brollies, diet books etc). This time with a different sort of trepidation. Last year there was the excitement of a new adventure tempered by the unknown. This time we have greater confidence in what to expect, and the anticipation of meeting old friends but with an understanding of the challenges that will face us.
For Malcolm the Hospital still has a difficult financial position with further work required before it is recognised as a Council Designated Hospital. For Irene the need to settle back into the village and to identify how to help at the Hospital or in the community.
The news we have is that the rains in the last 3 months have not been good, which means many villagers will be short of food and money, with many facing severe hunger. How this will affect our work is uncertain.
We begin our journey on Saturday, with:
- Irene going to Bedford to drive a ‘Monster Truck’ (a Christmas treat from our eldest son, David
- a ‘send-off’ from our church in Chesham
- a final visit to our daughter and grandson in Ely
- flights, first to Dar Es Salaam, and onto Dodoma
This time next week we should have arrived.
See you in Tanzania!!!
Matters for prayer:
- safety (and a chance to sleep) on our journey
- for parents and family we leave behind
- that we will quickly settle back in Mvumi
- for wisdom about what work to do in Mvumi
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