Christmas Thoughts

We wish you a merry Christmas...
We wish you a merry Christmas...
We wish you a merry Christmas...
... and a Happy New Year!

Yup, tis the season to be jolly and all that! Today is Christmas Eve and we cannot believe that tomorrow we will be opening all our presents on a lovely Christmas Day. Seems like yesterday we were arriving at Aberdeen Airport and only a few days since we were celebrating Christmas 2005 in Santiago. Must be getting extremely old extremely fast!

Must say a couple of things here:

1. I have been totally gobsmacked that the whole of UK celebrates Christmas and yet hardly give a thought to what the implications really are. Here in UK, everyone is totally against the mad PC people who want to take Christ out of Christmas. But, in my humble opinion, it wouldn't matter to the majority of people in this country if it was only a "winter holiday". Because, to most of these people, Christmas is merely a time to drink, party, listen to corny music, kiss, decorate the Christmas tree, let the kids meet Santa, overspend and overeat. There are some positives - some go to church and most spend time with family. But often the church has no reality and offers no hope. They go, sing a few carols, eat a few mince pies and go home. Tragic.

Tragic because, if people truly believe in the Christmas story (and most do), then there are MASSIVE implications and consequences.

If this baby was the Messiah, then He must be the Saviour.
A Saviour must save us from something.
He can save us ... from sin, death and hell.
He lived, died and rose again, conquering all the above.
Through Jesus, we can go to heaven forever.
But ... there is a also definitely a hell. No in between. No second way.

I fail to believe why multitudes believe very definitely the baby of Christmas. They believe the claims of the Bible about who Jesus is. Yet, they reject Him as a Saviour. They all love to talk about heaven, but cannot possibly believe in the finality of hell. They believe Jesus is the Son of God, but they declare that all roads lead to heaven. They believe that God is love, yet cannot believe that He is also a righteous judge.

What a mixed up country we live in. What must God think? How the Lord's heart must be broken. We have lost the real meaning of Christmas - Jesus arrived to save us. Simple yet life changing.

My goodness, I started writing this blog in good heart and with great joy, but now I feel a bit flat! I think we, as Christians, must really re-evaluate what Christmas really should mean and be. What about you .. what do you think? Am I a grumpy so-and-so or am I making sense? Go on, surprise yourself ... write a comment below!

2. I must say how great it is to be a dad this Christmas. Like I said in my last blog, Lydia is at a wonderful age now where she is saying some really funny (and profound!) things. She is priceless. Josiah just goes with the flow and seems to be happy wherever he is.

It is great for us to be near our families this Christmas. We will be in Aberdeen tomorrow and boxing day. Mary's brother Bruce and his lovely wife Alison live there and Mary's mum & dad are down from Wick. Should be great. After all I have said above, I love the way that we can take a break from our hectic lives and spend quality time with our friends and family.

I leave you with a few photos I have taken over the last few weeks. They are of special places and special people. Enjoy Christmas and look after yourself. Many blessings ... I will blog soon!

Sure Dad?

Well, I am back in NE Scotland and getting ready to settle down for Christmas. Had a great time in Shetland and I had to spend a couple of days in the Central Belt this week. I have a "To Do" list about as long as roll of toilet roll, but it is time to spend time with Mary & the kids. This is just a wee short blog ... with a Christmas flavour!


A few nights ago I was telling the kids the story of Jesus when he went up the mountain and met Moses & Elijah. I know it's not Christmassy (is that really a word?), but Lydia always goes to the Index page of her children's Bible and 'chooses' the page number she feels we should go to. Prophetic at 4 years old LOL! Anyway explaining the word 'transfiguration' to a 4 & 2 year old was pretty interesting. I asked wee Lydia, "Do you know who Moses is?" I expected a "Dunno dad" but to my utter astonishment she replied, "Yup, he is the wee boy who was put in a basket and put in the river."

"Obviously having a daddy who is in charge of a Bible School is rubbing of on this wee beautiful girl," thought I proudly. I gave her a great big congratulations hug. Then I added, "How about Elijah, what did he do?", expecting a story of fire from heaven etc. "He was a lovely man" she said with great conviction, "He was the very nice man who picked Moses out of the river and looked after him!" My confidence was now wobbling.

"And what about Jesus, Lydia, what does He do?" She immediately replied, "He makes people better when they are sick, he does good things and he died for us (by this point I was wonderfully amazed that her Christology was so accurate and that she was doctrinally sound) ... and sure dad, every Christmas he goes on a sledge and gives all the good kids a wee present. I'm getting a Barbie from Jesus, sure dad?"

A Peerie Blog!

I'm sitting here eating my toast, overlooking a magnificent view of Lerwick Harbour up here in the Shetland Islands in the far north of Scotland. Maybe some of you think that I should get a job with "Wish you were Here" .. and maybe some of you are right! Ghana - Amsterdam - Central Scotland - Lerwick ... all in a few weeks.

But it is great to be able to go to places and tell people about the Lord and to share the vision of Sefton Village. So many people have been touched, inspired and challenged by our presentation and we are blessed to meet people who are regularly praying for us and who support us in so many ways. I am here in Lerwick for a double purpose. I am here with Keith Pointon, our former agent who was 'ambushed' (his words!) by the Lord and called to China for 2 years! We have great news -Keith and his lovely wife Anne are coming to Sefton Village for 2 years to help us with the ministry there. They will fly out in March and they have already been to Sefton many times. They will be such a blessing and support to us. We cried out to the Lord for help ... and he answered!

But ... it does not stop there. The Lord also called a lovely couple from Lerwick to come and help us in Sefton. Matthew is a local Shetlander and Claire comes from Northern Island. They have a beautiful wee girl called Madeline and they are expecting their second child. Claire is a Teacher and Matthew is a Civil Engineer, and so there is so many things for them to do at Sefton Village. They have been interviewed by AoG World Ministries and we are hoping that they will come and join us in the middle of 2007. Exciting eh?

So we are here to speak to the Leaders of their home church - Emmanuel Lerwick. The church really wants to be a good responsible sending church and so we are able to give them some ideas of how they can get behind Matthew and Claire. Tonight, they church have invited leaders from churches from here in Lerwick to come for a meal and then afterwards there is a service for everyone where we will share the vision of Sefton Village. Praise the Lord!

Well, this is our last week of itinerary! I arrive home on Friday and on Sunday we are at 2 local NE churches ... so no driving! I am really looking forward to going to our last church on the itinerary - Braehead Church in Gardenstown. My uncles and aunties have been in this church for many years and they are so involved in the ministry of Sefton Village. They have even made the long trip to Santiago! They run 'Soup and Sweets' once a month and very often the Children's Home at Sefton Village are the benefactors of all their hard work! By the way, you have never lived until you have tasted the soup and deserts from Braehead Gamrie! They travel from all around to taste a taste of heaven!!!!

Itinerary is never easy and it has been such a busy time. It seems we have never stopped packing and unpacking and we have done over 12000 miles on the road. It has been especialy hard for Mary and I don't know many women who has done what she has had to do. But we are looking forward to having a wee break before we go back.

So, wherever you are, take time to thanks the Lord for all His blessings of 2006. I will get back to you ASAP ... but from where, who knows!!!!

H.O.L.L.A.N.D.

Hello again! This is Mark Ritchie, international traveler and jetsetter. I arrived home from Ghana on Saturday morning, was picked up at the airport by Mary et al, went to a missions banquet on Saturday night in the Central Belt, we spoke at Harvest Church in Hamilton on Sunday morning, zoomed up north to speak at new Hope Peterhead at night and collapsed into bed in Fraserburgh in the evening!!!

Great to be home though! We had an amazing time in Ghana ... fantastic. In the next couple of weeks my intention is to write blogs on:

1. Ghana
2. Philippines - Sefton Village
3. Itinerary
4. Our kids
5. Anything else that enters ma heed!

Listen to this ... I am in Amsterdam, Holland right now. I came home and realised that Mary & I needed to leave the UK for at least two days before we go back to the Philippines, and we planned to go next week. But other things came in and so it only left this week to go. Went online, realised that we could only fly from Aberdeen to Dublin or Amsterdam ... so here we are! The real reason is that we are home for 184 days on itinerary, and if we are home for more than 182 days we have to pay a whole years tax. So here we are, tax exiles! That's our excuse and we are sticking to it!

My mum & dad are looking after the kids, so it is a wonderful break for us. First time we have been away on our own since our honeymoon! Can you believe that!

Gotta go now ... clogs to try on, tulips to pick and windmills to see. Hard life!

Will blog again soon ....

Good Morning Africa!

Yes ....... we have arrived in Ghana! What a place. I have missed it so much. We had good flights and arrived safely. Had great opportunities to share Jesus in the airports and in the sky!

Walked off the plane in Accra ... and melted! But what a place! Met Wes outside along with janet Wheeler who is a missionary here. She really looked after us.

Yesterday we drove to Kumasi ... the heavenly city. We met my good friends Paul and Gladys Manso when we went to their church last night. Wow.

It is 7am and now Wes and I are going to do a devotion at the Elemtary school and George and Kenny have gone to a Secondary school. Later I will speak to the local pastors. Then we will go to the villages for a couple of days. Gotta preach 3 times on Sunday morning!

Don't worry about us, we are being well looked after. God is with us. I will update with pics soon.

Gotta go........ medasi pa!

New Friends, New Faces, New Stories, New Places

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The last few weeks have been like a daydream. They have passed so quickly, yet we have packed so much in. We left for Rotherham on Saturday 14th October and stayed with my cousin George Jack and family. What a joy to stay with them! They are such a blessing and they love the Lord an each other so much.

I was particularly inspired by their lovely daughter Emma. She is an incredible witness for the Lord at her school and she has entered herself into the "X-Factor" competition at her high school. Check this out ... every song she has sung has been a Christian song. She is now in the final next week. Watch this space for a great Scottish girl doing great things in Yorkshire!

We ministered in our friend Jim McGlade's church on Sunday morning and then went to George's church at Station Road in Rotherham in the evening. There was a great response in both services to the challenge of a surrendered life to God.

It was great to spend some time with George, his family and his young people during the week. Mum & dad came down to join us on the Wednesday and we spent a lovely few days in York & Leeds. What a beautiful wee place York is!


We went to Rotherham New Life on Sunday 22nd October. They had two services .. so it was an extremely early start to get there on time! But we had two brilliant services there. My friend John Andrews has done a magnificent job making RNL a "local church with a global vision."

We travelled down to Bristol in the afternoon and next morning we travelled down to the "Inspiration 4 Mission" Conference in Torquay. It was great to have mum & dad there with us, but there was a full kids programme at every meeting ... so in the end they really enjoyed all the ministry!

...and the ministry was amazing! Andrew & Rachel David - the Leaders of World Christian Ministries - are an amazing couple and great friends. The Conference was excellent - the food, the accommodation, the hotel, the worship ... but especially the preaching. The main speaker was Dr. John Andrews along with an amazing man of God from India called David Prakasaam. I was also one of the speakers ... although I preferred to be a listener! I recommend anyone to book up now for next years conference ... you will not be disappointed.

Lydia and Josiah loved being at the Conference as they met new friends! John's kids are lovely, and their eldest daughter Elaina took Lydia under her wing the whole week. She is Lydia's new big sister! Andrew's wee girl Hannah was also a new pal for Lydia. Little Josiah just was friends with everyone!


We drove from Torquay to Bolton on the Friday (8 and a half hours in terrible traffic!!!) and we met our lovely friends Andrew and Sue Stokes .. with their three beautiful daughters. My dad, me and Andrew even managed to get tickets for Bolton v Man Utd ... and that is a story in itself! We saw Rooney score an exquisite hatrick!

We went to the Bolton Bridge Church in Sunday and could not believe the work that has been done there. They have turned the church into an 800 seater building and it is the most amazing church building I have been in here in the UK. It was great to see Pastor Ian Watson again. He really encouraged us when we first came home in our difficult moments.

We had a bit of a technical problem which meant we could not show our Powerpoint presentation ... and that threw us a bit (especially Mary, who carried on amazingly), but it was good to see people respond top what we had to share from the Lord.

We arrived home at 1am totally exhausted. Last week, Mary's mum & dad came to stay with us. We had a great time and the kids we so happy to see them.. October was definetely a "Grandparents" month for our kids! On Thursday we had a visit from Dave & Madeline Russon. dave is the incoming Director of AoG World Ministries, so it was good to catch up with them.

Last weekend I went down South again ... but that is for another blog! On Monday I am going to Ghana for a 12 day ministry trip. Tell you about that later!

So much to share and so little time for my little fingers to type! Gotta go to bed now. More soon. Goodnight!

Still Alive...

...and kicking!

Sorry, we have been down in England over the last couple of weeks and we have had little or no internet access. We are all well, and I am sitting here in a Travel Lodge checking my 89 unread emails and writing a long lost blog!

We have had a great time in England - so much to write about. But that will wait for another night! Gotta go now and sleep. Had a tough day driving today - around 8 hrs from Torquay to Bolton. Should have taken 4 but roads chocca blocca! Aaaaggh.

I will publish a few new blogs next week - promise!

Until then ...ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz................

p.s. - this was written on Saturday but I was so tired and slow writing the blog that I did not have enough time on my Internet Card to publish it! UPDATE - we are back in Scotland now. Will do a catch-up blog tomorrow....

Welcome to the Weekend!

Hi there folks. Welcome to the weekend! Today, Mary & I are heading down south again to minister at a couple of churches - Dalkeith in the morning and Coatbridge in the evening. We are leaving the kids behind this weekend as last weekend was a quite hard for them. We got home around 3am after a four and a half hour journey through thick fog! So they are staying with my mum & dad... and we are kids-free!

We will be staying with our good friends Keith & Anne Pointon. Today, there is a big women's event in Musselburgh (always dangerous!!!!!) The AoG women's dept are having a special day with guest speakers from England. Mary is looking forward to meeting up with old friends again, but I am not looking forward to my make up session - JOKE!

The picture below is of my great friend David Thomsom from Edinburgh leading worship ... with our Godson Luke playing the bongo drums! Really blessed me to see david be a great example to his son AND trusting and training Luke to play with him. What an example!

Will blog again at beginning of week with news about the weekend. We also have exciting news to share with you. Until then ... have a great weekend.

Improving Your Serve

Hi there, Mark here! Still alive and kicking.

We are all well and have just returned from 9 days away down south. We squeezed in a lovely 5-day family holiday with the Ritchie Clan in a beautiful place called Crieff in Perthshire. Loved it.

I will write a catch up blog tomorrow with all our news and let you know what's been happening over in the Philippines. In the meantime, here are a few latest photos and a wee article I wrote for the upcoming Solid Rock Prayer Calendar here in Fraserburgh. Enjoy and be challenged ....

IMPROVING YOUR SERVE

Andy Murray – a great Scottish tennis player and future Wimbledon Champion (by faith) – was recently interviewed after the US open. He said that he was happy with his progress but that he needed to improve his serve. This little phrase got me thinking and I began to think of ways in which I could improve my serve – not on the tennis court(!) but in my life.

The Bible says in Psalm 100:2 - “Serve the Lord with gladness.” Let’s break this up …

“SERVE” – not a popular word these days. In fact, loathed. In this age of living within your rights, social inclusion, doing what I want-where I want-when I want, suing and counter suing … serve or serving is almost an alien concept. In fact, we love to be served – whether it is in airplanes, restaurants, spas or in business. Nice feeling. Great to have people running after you and your needs. But …

… this is fact the exact opposite of what God admires, His Word expects and His Son demonstrated. Jesus, The Son of God, Creator and beloved of all heaven came to this sin-stained and evil-driven world not to have people run after him and grant his every request, but to actually pour his life into serving and transforming ordinary people’s lives. Often, not the wealthy or those who could afford it, but the desperate, poor and ‘no-hope’ sorta people. Amazing. Don’t believe me? “For Jesus did not come into this world to be served but to serve …” Mk 10:45

THE LORD – we are not serving a church or a person, but when we do ANYTHING as a Christian, we do it directly to the Lord. He is the one we love, follow and serve. To be honest - when we hoover the floor in the church, or pick up someone for church or teach in Sunday School or wash dishes at the tea after church – we can do it for different motives. Very often we feel as if no-one really appreciates what we do or encourages us to keep going. The church is full of hurt and burned out people who have been disappointed by leaders who never really appreciated them. Servers who have lost the will to serve.

Hold on a minute, there is hope. Change your way of thinking. Listen, you are NOT serving a church, but a Saviour who gave absolutely everything for you. He sees; he knows; He is aware; He appreciates you; He in encouraged by you; He loves you. A man of God I know called Brian Bailey was taken into heaven by an angel in a vision. In heaven he noticed that absolutely everything that someone did on earth was rewarded by the Lord – a smile, work, a small word of encouragement, a pat on the back – everything that a Christian did was rewarded. So you see, you are not serving people, but serving a King. The Apostles, these amazing man in the NT who did incredible things, always called themselves “slaves of Christ” or “Servants of the Lord”.

WITH GLADNESS – it is not enough to be a server; we have to have the right attitude whilst serving. We can serve with great ability, but if there is not a smile on our face then we will burn out and quit. I am so fed up of lifeless, sad and miserable Christians. We have been saved from an eternity of indescribable pain and misery in a place called hell. Not only that, someone has died for us and exchanged His life and rewards so that we can live the fullest and best life that anyone can ever ask for. His mercy has saved us from what we deserve and His grace gives us what we don’t deserve. I mean, does it really get any better than that? Tell me what religion or sect or pill or philosophy can give you that kind of offer! None.

We should be glad. We should be full of joy, happiness, excitement and we should always have room for a smile. God is not only interested in our service, but the way in which we serve. Jonah was a great preacher but as miserable as a rainy Monday. God spared Nineveh but also had a hard job changing the mood of a depressed prophet!

Just after we went to the Philippines in 2000, an American missionary couple called Martin & Gracia Burnham were kidnapped by Islamic terrorists in the south. Sadly, the military could have captured them in the first week but the terrorists were allowed to walk out of a surrounded hospital and escape into the forest for a large sum of money. The Burnhams saw the terrorists behead another American in front of their eyes. They ended up running around the forests of Mindanao for a whole year, in chains. They had malaria many times and were very sick. They lost their shoes and were bare footed for months. They endured so much hardship – spiritual, physical and emotional turmoil.

In May 2001, one year after being kidnapped, Gracia told her husband that she was feeling absolutely rock bottom. She felt no-one cared and had lost confidence in the Philippines, America and even the Lord. Martin rebuked her and read Psalm 100 – “We must serve the Lord with Gladness Gracia, no matter what we feel like or what might happen.” These were his last words. A minute later the army surrounded and bullets began to fly. Martin was hit in the chest and died immediately. He died serving with joy.

How about you? Right now, take a piece of paper. Come on, really challenge yourself. Draw 2 lines to make it 3 columns. Column One – “What the Lord has done for me” Write down everything that your servant king has done for you. Column 2 – “What I have ever done for the Lord” Column 3 – What I am doing now for the Lord”

Examine your results. Are you serving the Lord with gladness? Or have you lost the lifestyle of a servant? Do you enjoy serving the Lord, or are you living in disappointment? Now is the time to challenge your life and attitude. Time to change. Time to stand up and shake yourself. Time to serve again. And when you do, do it with a smile on your face.

And just like Andy Murray - when he wins his 1st Wimbledon and receives his reward from his queen – one day we will stand before our King and receive our reward! All because … we improved our serve.

Selah.

Jumpin' around the Country!

Hi again. Well, I did not reach my goal of blogging for a few days in a row! Just don't know where time is going and every day seems to speed by. Crazy. In the last week we have been zipping up and down the motorway in Scotland meeting people and presenting the Sefton Village report and vision. I wanted to bring a constant stream of blogs about all different things, but it seems as if I am just giving a weekly report! Anyway, here's what's been going on.

* Last Friday was a busy day. Mary's mum & dad were here and we had a great time. I was invited by my brother Paul to take the chapel service at the Teen Challenge Rehab Centre in Sunnybrae. Paul works there and is doing an incredible ministry. I am so proud of him. A good friend of mine called Kenny Ross also work there and I was so blessed by what he is also doing.

I was instantly amazed at the sheer beauty of the place. They have built 3 new bungalows for the guys in rehab and the gardens are spectacular. I saw the handiwork of Paul everywhere! He is responsible for training the guys for work. I took the chapel service and shared my story with them as well as the vision of Sefton. Really felt the presence of God. One guy was really touched by the Lord and I had the honour of leading him to Christ. I ended up praying for everyone in the room. Definitely a God-moment!

In the afternoon I came home and whisked Mary and the kids to the Birthday of a lovely little girl called Shannon. She is the daughter of my best friend Mark (Ben) Ritchie and she has become very friendly with oor Lydia!

At night, we spoke and shared at the Fraserburgh AoG's kids club - GLO! What a joy to see around 200 kids enjoying a great night where Jesus is the centre. Lisa Ruth, the local Children's pastor is doing an amazing work there.

* On Saturday we drove down to the Central Belt to a tiny village called Fauldhouse, where our ex-agents and good friends Keith & Anne Pointon stay. What a journey ... fog as thick as treacle. Glad to get there.

Sunday was a busy but great day. We had arranged to meet Matthew and Claire Kerr with their beautiful daughter Madeline. The picture of them was taken by Lydia!! They are from Shetland and they came with us on our travels on the Sunday. We went to Livingston AoG, led by Pastor Peter Cochrane. Tell you what, I love the people there. They have always been behind us in so many ways. Had a great service and felt the presence of God.




Went back to Keith & Anne's for a bite to eat and drove in mid-afternoon to our friends Thomas & Grace Lewis in Paisley. Guess what, more food! They went with us to East Gate Church (AoG) in Elderslie, Glasow, led by Arthur & Linda O'Malley (above). Their building is an old church that Arthur and the team have completely renovated. It is the most beautiful church building I have ever seen. Had a great service there and people really touched by what God is doing in the Philippines. We were so blessed!

* Monday - did some practical admin stuff at Norman & Gillian's house. Spent rest of day with the Kerr family. Went to amazing soft play area in Livingston. Great place - parents sit down and eat, drink & talk ... and the kids run around silly. Met close friends Davis & Jenny Thomson at night and went to theirs for dinner.

* Tuesday - said goodbye to Kerrs and spent morning & most of afternoon with Steve and Molly Ritchie from Musselburgh. Had great time catching up. They are going to Sefton to cover for us in November and they have helped us so much. Spent rest of day with Keith & Anne.

* Wednesday - MEDICALS!!!!! Spent most of day at Care for Mission in Musselburgh. All four of us had medicals an wee Lydia & Josiah did great getting their injections for their blood tests. Mary doing well but the Doctor told me some news that I was not expecting ... I'm overweight! What a shock (not)! Seriously, I know I have to shed a stone or five! Aaagggh!

After medicals went for a lovely meal at a local Brewers Fare. Diet starts tomorrow! The last Supper was great. Drove back up to Fraserburgh, waiting an hour at Forth Road Bridge!!! Patience mark.

Tonight, went to Powerhouse Kids Club at the Elim Church. My brother David is the leader of Powerhouse and is doing an incredible ministry - not only on a Friday night, but he is pouring his life into so many young people's lives. So proud of David and I know that there are great days ahead for him.

So here we are, back in Fraserburgh. Guess what? Tomorrow morning we are driving down to the Central Belt again... feel like a long distance driver! On Sunday morning we are at All Nations in Edinburgh and in the evening we are at the Bridge Centre, Musselburgh. Never mind, we have a wee holiday next week with the Ritchie clan, so it should be great.

Will be back soon .. take care!

On the Road at Last!

What d'ya think of these cheeky faces??

So many things have been going on in the last couple of weeks that it would take a large chunk of your day to read it! So I won't ... I'll do the smart thing - Bullet Points!

* We started our itinerary on September 3rd. Meant to be a couple of weeks before that, but the printers could not get the literature on time. To be honest, we needed those extra few weeks! But feeling better, stronger and coherant now!

* Listen to this for crazy: Finished the printing of some of the leaflets at 3:30am on Saturday ... went to bed and got up at 5:30am to start our itinerary. Drove 3hrs to Whitburn, did our presentation and then had a 45 minute bite to eat before driving 2 hrs north to Aberdeen. Did our presentation, had coffee with Mary's brother and drove 1 hr home to Fraserburgh. Mad. Really mad. Don't advise it, but achieved it!

* Aberdeen AoG - what a place! Amazing! The building is an old traditional church, but Iaian and the gang have totally refurbished it. (Totally=100%!). The front of the building is truly beautiful - automatic glass doors looking out on to the main street. You can see as well as hear the people worshipping as you walk by! The service was amazing - great music and a packed church! They were so receptive and were challenged by what the Lord put on our hearts to say. Well done Aberdeen .. you guys are doing brilliant.

* Big thanks to our agents Norman & Gillian - they have been working hard behid the scenes to get everything ready for itineray.

* AoG Weekend - September 8-10 in Aviemore. Great to see 600 people get together for a God weekend. Met almost everyone I wanted to meet in one go. It took mary over one hour to reach our table for the evening dinner... she was speaking to everyone (even the Lithuanian waitress!) What a girl. Phil Baker from Oz was speaker. Very funny and witty.

Example: How many men does it take to change the toilet roll?
Answer: Dunno, it's never been done!

* Dundee - We had to get an extremely early breakfast on Sunday so we could make the long trip to Dundee AoG. Lovely drive down the A9 ... breathtaking. Blessed by what God is doing with Des & Sharon in Dundee. So many new people meeting in the big hall. Many young people and different spirit there now. Encouraging.

* Camera - at last! I now have a new Canon Ixus 800IS camera. Lovely. Look out for some noce shots. Tested it out at my favourite place - Gardenstown (Gamrie for the uncultured). Look how beautiful this place is in pictures below!

* David & Wilma Flett - yesterday Mary's mumk & dad came down for Wick. Wilma is 60 today - Happy Birthday. She is now officially an OAP, but don't tell her! Had a good day but tomorrow we will celebrate with the whole family - family portrait, special meal etc. Roll on!

* TB Clinic - if I have to see that place one more time I will scream very loudly! We went through to Aberdeen on Friday afternoon for me and Mary's check up, through again on Monday for Lydia's test and through again today for Josiah's appointment. Why can't they realise that we are actually a family who live in the same house! We can actually organise ourselves to drive through together on the same day!!! But good news - Lydia has no TB and the Specialist is very happy with Josiah. Praise the Lord.

Well, that's us about up to date. One of these weeks I am going to get my act together and do a few blogs in a row! Don't believe me???

Crikey!

Crikey, it's me again!

Yesterday, I, like most of the world was absolutely shocked at the death of the great Australian conservationist and TV star Steve Irwin - The 'Crocodile Man'. What I cannot really believe is that this amazing guy works every day, face to face with huge crocodiles, venomous snakes, deadly comodo dragons ... as well as his fare share of lions & tigers.

And yet, what gets him in the end? A stingray. Stingray. A fish. A creature that has hardly ever kills anyone and is quite insignificant compared to the ferocious animals I have mentioned.

Quite a lesson for us. We can be facing huge 'giants' in our lives and even be successful in overcoming them. We can often overcome cancer, or unemployment, or the death of someone we love ... but sometimes the little stingray are the things that bring us down.

Remember David. It wasn't a lion that finished him off. The bear was no problem.. Even the giant could not stand in the presence of little David with his huge God.

It was a woman bathing. No giants around ... but that one glimpse brought pain, heartache and disaster into David's life, as well as his kids' and grandkids'' lives.

So today, keep fighting the giants in front of you, but keep your eyes on the small stingrays around you. But most of all, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus!

G'day ....

Broadband for a Broadguy!

It's 1:30am ... but I am happy! At last, my wee hoosie has 24hr uninterrupted broadband. Yehey! Prepare to have blogs coming at you from everywhere! Well, at least a couple a week.

I am amazed that a few people have phoned me and emailed me to see if I am OK after reading my last blog. I know it was a bit heavy, but I just wanted folk to know that it takes time to adjust and sometimes that adjustment time can be tough. Just to let you know, we are feeling a lot better now. We had a great visit on Saturday from our dear friend John Wildrianne, who is Pastoral Care Director in AoG World Ministries. He flew from London, arrived in Inverness, drove to Fraserburgh just to see us and encourage us. Top man.

Good day on Sunday. Went to Fraserburgh AoG and heard my old (as in age) friend Andrew Smith preach. Good message. Can't believe he is still preaching from those old notes I gave him in 1997. I think I need to send him some more ... ha ha ha. I drew a picture of the people coming out of the church after Andrew's message (see below)

Went to Elim in evening and they had a sharing night. They are starting up a Women's Ministries (a very dangerous thing to do!!!!!) and some of the ladies were sharing and testifying. Always great to see and hear transformed lives.

I'm going to bed now. Hopefully I will get a digital camera soon so I can stick on some pics for you to see. In the meantime, here are a few cartoons to keep you going. By the way, just double click any image or cartoon on the blog to get a bigger picture.

Goodnight ...

Re-Entry (Warning - this a long BLOG! make a cuppa tea first and make yourself comfortable!)

I remember, a few years ago, watching with horror as the NASA Space Shuttle disintegrated over America leaving all the crew members dead and causing widespread grief throughout the world. Was it a bomb? Was it shot at by terrorists? What caused this terrible disaster. Well, after an intensive investigation they found that the problem was a small heat-resistant tile that had broken off during take off. These tiles were so important ... without them the shuttle would disintegrate on re-entry.

Six months after the accident, Discovery channel did a documentary on the tragedy. A simple tile. I could not believe it. Re-entering the earth's atmosphere is not by chance ... it is an exact art. The shuttle has to come into the atmosphere at exactly the right speed at exactly the right angle and exactly the right place. I was amazed to find out that the shuttle was not like an airplane upon descent ... but is a glider! Amazing. (Boy, you're learning a lot today!) The greatest risk to the astronauts' lives is not the space walks or when they are near the moon .. it is coming home.

Re-entry is also used in Missiological circles. It is when the missionary or overseas worker comes back into their own culture. Believe it or not, this is also our most difficult time. Is our most difficult moments when we are out in the Philippines planting churches, running an excellent school, giving 24/7 care to children in the Children's Home, mentoring young Bible College Students, developing the Fire Centre, crying every month for the Lord to supply all the finances for 40 staff members ..... No. Our most difficult moments are right now. On re-entry.

I remember being a young UK Pastor and thinking, "These missionaries are always saying it's tough coming home on itinerary. Who do they think they are? They are doing the same as us, except it is much harder here. Let them come back to UK to plant a church. Then they would know how hard it was here." Now I don't think like that as I have been in both pairs of shoes and I know what it is to be in hard situations here, but I know how hard it is to be in hard situations away from you family, friends, culture and comfort zones.

So right now, things are tough. I'm not complaining or even moaning. It's just the way it is. Things seem so confused right now about our future - we DESPERATELY need personnel to help us. We just cannot run all these ministries alone. For example, in the Philippines the parents of our KMGLC students are crying out for us to continue their kids' amazing educational and spiritual progress. We feel a real burden to start and have been given the go ahead from AoG World Ministries. But we have no Teacher. And we have been crying out to the Lord for 2 years saying, "Lord, have you called anyone yet? Maybe you have called and they have not answered.?" Practically, we cannot stay for more than 1.5 years if we have no school as Lydia leaves our pre-school and there are no schools is Santiago to cater for her. We want to start sharing the vision of the school, but do we wait for a teacher or start in faith? So confusing!

I am still very focused on Sefton as we have no complete cover for the 6 months, so I am still organising the finances etc. from UK. Crazy but no way round it. Life is so hard to set up in the UK (even setting up Broadband!!!) and it is a big adjustment. Believe me. We have been buzzing around Scotland over the last 4 weeks and it feels as if our feet has not touched the ground. And in between I have been struggling to get our itinerary in shape and literature done. Impossible.

So bear with us as we take time to adjust. It takes time. All the ideal things that they told us to do on our 'Care for Mission' interview 3 years ago went out the window when Abe got sick. Everything else - our plans and schedules - took second place, and now we are playing catch up. Only, we have no energy to catch anything!

If you don't believe me, believe a Doctor! There is an excellent web-site that deals with the area of missions from a UK perspective. It is called "OSCAR" and every Pastor and Church should read their stuff. They are excellent and provide excellent material for every aspect of missions. Dr. Debbie Hawker is a writer for OSCAR, and she has written this article about 'Re-entry'. Happy reading ... I pray it will challenge you.


Re-entering the ‘home culture'
60% of returned expatriates report that they had predominantly negative feelings about returning to their own country. It is common to feel confused; disoriented; ‘like a fish out of water’; exhausted; frustrated with materialism, and overwhelmed by the amount of choice in supermarkets (e.g. by six different brands of diet dog-food!). Such feelings are sometimes referred to as ‘reverse culture shock’. Some people feel disappointed that expectations they had before they went abroad have not been fulfilled. Some people have to return earlier than they expected.

Many missionaries experience signs of mild depression for a short period after returning to their own country. These may include a lack of energy; sleeping problems; irritability; difficulty making decisions; a change in appetite; tearfulness; feeling unhappy, and feeling overwhelmed by small tasks. Some people find that they cannot stop thinking about their experiences overseas, and that it is hard to concentrate on anything else. For other people there is a sense of numbness, and the time abroad seems distant or unreal. Some try to cope by not thinking about their life overseas.

It is important to realize that such symptoms are completely normal after living in a different culture, just as a grieving process is normal and expected after the death of someone you love. It is important that you do not criticize yourself for feeling this way, or get depressed about feeling depressed. People who accept their feelings as a normal part of the readjustment process tend to get over them more easily. It often takes at least 18 months before people feel ‘back to normal’ in their own culture. People who adapted most to the culture overseas and were most involved generally take longer than those who were not so involved with the local culture. Rushing back overseas again is generally not a good idea, as this causes more stress, and makes the next re-entry even more difficult. It is generally better to wait until you feel more settled before considering another move.

Whether your experiences were positive, negative, or mixed, relating them to someone who understands can help you move on to the next step in your life. As well as talking with friends and family, many people find it helpful to have a more formal debriefing session. Personal debriefing has been defined as ‘telling your story to someone who understands, until you are heard in such a way as to bring “closure” to your experience, so that you are free to move on’. Personal debriefing is recommended for all returned missionaries, as it can help you reflect on your experiences, cope with the stress of readjustment, and enhance self-understanding and personal growth.

If you experience symptoms of stress or depression, take special care of yourself. Don’t berate yourself, as such symptoms are a common part of re-entry. Moving cultures is exhausting. It is important that you take sufficient time to rest and relax on your return. You may need to sleep more than normal. Try to avoid making major decisions until you have had time to readjust. Even if people keep asking, ‘Are you going to go back?’ or ‘When are you going to get a job’, don’t feel forced into making decisions too soon. It may be helpful to turn down some invitations at first, and take things slowly for a while. On the other hand, it is important that you do not avoid all forms of activity. Prioritize the things you want (or need) to do.

Doing things which you enjoy and which give you a sense of achievement can help defeat feelings of depression. Spend time with supportive people, and look for opportunities to laugh. Moderate exercise, like walking, helps to reduce feelings of stress, and acts as a natural anti-depressant. To look after your health, try to eat a balanced diet. Avoid drinking excessive caffeine or alcohol, as these can interfere with your readjustment. Cry if you feel like crying - it is a healthy thing to do. Don’t take on too much, but set yourself small, achievable goals. Recognize when you are under stress and do things which help you to relax. Accidents are more common at times of tiredness and stress, so take extra care, especially when driving.

Try not to dwell on negative thoughts. Think about what you achieved and learned through your time overseas. This is not to deny that there may also have been negative experiences, but it can help you to see that the experience has not been meaningless.

Although this description of difficulties might sound very negative, most people readjust well given time. Most say that they would not have wanted to miss the experiences they had overseas, despite any negative feelings they may have on return. Even those who experience depression or stress symptoms completely recover when they receive help. It is important to remember:

* Having some difficulties fitting in when you first return is normal
* Adjustment takes time
* It is best if you don't bottle up your feelings or criticize yourself for having them
* Talking about your experiences can help, and debriefing is very beneficial
* If you are worried about any difficulties, or if symptoms persist, contact someone for help
* You have coped with transitions in the past, and you will get through this too


This article was written by Dr Debbie Hawker. Debbie and her husband David are Christian clinical psychologists who specialize in offering help to missionaries and their families. They are based in the Midlands (England).

Now, Where was I ....

G'day folks. A week is a long time in politics, but four weeks without internet is like a prison sentence! Yup, still waiting. I was one of those poor souls that saw SKY's offer of free broadband and thought that 'coming very soon' meant exactly what it said. After waiting three weeks, I got an email from SKY with the great news that I can get my SKY broadband in around 12 months time!! Great! I'll be thousands of miles away by that time. AAAggghhh ... back to square one. Anyway, good old BT will put in my broadband on Monday - after all my effort!!!!

What has happened in the last 12 days? Well, here's a wee update:

* Ended up staying in Fraserburgh for a week extra. Couple of reasons - we had difficulty getting Josiah's TB medicine here in UK. Turns out that there are very few kids with TB in UK, so getting syrup was almost impossible. But Garden's Pharmacy in Fraserburgh were fantastic and went the extra 100 miles to make sure wee Josiah didn't go more than 2 days without the medicine. We went down to the Central Belt a week late, but it worked out well.

The second reason that we could not go down to the Central Belt was that we were absolutely shattered. Both Mary & I felt a level of exhaustion and tiredness we have never experienced before. We just could not physically go. So we decided to stay in Fraserburgh for an extra week and let the kids have some settled time. Good choice. Kids had great quality time with my mum & dad.

* Went down to Central Belt and stayed with our agents' Norman & Gillian in Bathgate. They have done a lot of work to their house and it is beautiful. Great to catch up with their family again. Met a lot of friends over those few days - Lesley & Stuart Baillie in Edinburgh (had a great time with their kids - especially finishing a jigsaw with Joshua!), Andrew & Lois Smith (had an amazing curry at their place ... MMMMmmmmmm!!!!), went to visit Mrs Nora Graham in Larbert to show her photos from the school. Mr Graham is seriously ill in hospital so we spent a bit of time just listening and praying with her in her home.

Had a great time on Sunday morning at Whitburn Pentecostal Church. So great to see old - and new - faces, and to feel the presence of the Lord there. Loved it.

Heard the sad news that my sister-in-law Ashley had fallen and broken her leg in three places at Youth Camp. Couldn't believe it. Just a day before the family were going to go on holiday. Please pray for Ashley, Paul and their lovely boys Nathan & Aaron.

Came home and spent a few days in Fraserburgh. Our friends David & Jenny Thomson from Edinburgh were up to stay with Kenny & Suzanne, so we had a great night with them. Have to admit that us boys stayed up until 4am playing tiger Woods golf!!!!! But just ask Kenny & David who won!! These are the times I REALLY MISS.

Had a great time with my Uncle Billy and Aunty Betty in Gamrie. If you have never been to Gamrie, you should go. Breathtakingly beautiful ... but not so satisfying as the scrumptious meal that they cooked us! My cousin Elizabeth was there with her two beautiful girls - Libby & Milly. They have become Lydia's 'kinda cousins' and new friends!

Last Saturday we came up to Wick. Met the Thomsons and the Ross' families at Elgin on way. What a laugh. Six adults, ten kids all packed into Burger King. Imagine. Arrived at Wick late at night but happy to see Mary's mum & dad again. But not half as happy as they were to see us!!

So we've been here for a few days and went to the Salvation Army on Sunday. Good to see everyone again. Major Norman told everyone about my Blog from the front - thanks Norman!!!! Again, Mary played her coronet in the band - so proud of her. Lydia was amazed that mummy could play the metal thing!

Will go down to Fraserburgh again on Thursday and hopefully John Wildrianne from AoG World Ministries is coming to visit us on Friday. Next week is kinda hectic - Lydia starts school on Tuesday, Thursday I meet the new World Ministries Director Dave Russon along with our action Asia Director Mike Dixon in Whitburn and on Saturday I am going to a AoG Regional Ministers meeting in Perth.

To be honest, we have been really finding it hard in these last few weeks. I cannot switch off from Sefton Village, as we have no consistent cover for the 6 months we are here. I am still contacting the Philippines regularly. We are also really struggling to get out itinerary organised, prepare powerpoints/prayer cards/pens/bookmarks/DVD's etc. It is hard to do between all the travel and appointments we are doing.

Please pray for us at this time. We are going through what they call in Missiology "Reverse Culture Shock" or "Re-Entry". We are coming back into what was our own culture, but now that culture has moved on. People have moved on. Trends have moved on. Fashion has moved on. Churches have moved on (well, some!) There are things that we have had to re-learn and things that are brand new. It just take time to adjust. It is late, so I will write a bit more about it tomorrow. Until then, just keep us in your prayers.

BLESSINGS ....

The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

Hi there ... yup, I'm still alive and well up here in the Beautiful town of Fraserburgh. We arrive down from Wick last week and have been here trying to get lots of things sorted out ... especially BROADBAND! My goodness. It is twice as easy to get DSL in the Philippines than here in the good old UK. My dad gave me a Tesco Dial-Up CD to keep me going but 95.8% of the time I cannot connect. AAAAAaaaggh. Get me back to the hi-tech world of the Philippines (joke!)

Anyway, can't complain. I am more than blessed! We have settled into our wee house in Shore Street and have seen many old friends in the last week. So good to catch up. Spent a morning with my buddy Ben - actually he has the same name as me but obviously he comes a long way short in the looks department! He's the kinda friend that I have absolutely no contact with for 3 years, but when we meet up it's as if we had never been apart. Special friends who will be forever friends. And tommorrow is my wee boy's 2nd birthday! Wehey!

Met Mary's brother Bruce and his wife Alison again. Salt of the earth folk who you can depend upon and who care so much. Uncle Bruce came all the way to the Broch to give Josiah a wee prezzy for his birthday. That's what you call the extra 42 miles! Spent good time with Michael and Alison Tait last Friday night. They treated us to one of the best meals I have ever tasted - Prawn Cocktail (massive ... but I did tell the guy that I hadn't tasted one for 3 years 'coz I've been in the Philippines etc. etc.) followed by a steak with creamy Haggis sauce (Yup) and ending with sicky toffee pudding. All with my favourite drink - Blackcurrant lemonade with a dash of lime. Good that my diet started on Monday eh?

On Saturday we were meant to go down to the Edinburgh area for the weekend. But, to be honest, we really struggled last week. It's as if we completely ran out of steam. We were mentally, spiritually and physically exhausted. It just hot us like a tidal wave. We were meant to go down south on Friday, but we have been having trouble with our car so we got it serviced and new brakes etc. On Friday night, for the 1st time ever we locked ourselves out of our house! We all had to stay in grannies house. Lydia thought that this was the coolest thing ... ever ... and she kept thanking her mummy & daddy for the great idea. If only she knew!

It was if the Lord was saying, "Wait, slow down, Stop. Take time for yourselves. Take time to settle. Let your children rest and adjust. Don't run around meeting lots of people and tell them "We're fine" when you are not. Relax. Enjoy family. Wait. Strengthen."

We had some engagements and things set up down south, but people understood and graciously released us. Over the weekend and over the last few days it has just felt 'right' to be here. The kids have adjusted again to their house, they have spent the whole weekend with their grandparents - with some extra special visits from Uncle Bruce - and we feel stronger. Norman, our agent really encouraged us and so did Keith and Anne Pointon. They are all a blessing to us.

I must admit, I was beginning to get a bit anxious about things - very unlike me. I was anxious because of the fact that I had to organise all the literature for the itinerary - brochures, pens, DVD, CD's, Prayer cards etc. - and I haven't even started. Oh for a graphic designer to help me! I was anxious about what has been happening at Sefton. I am still upset about what happened to Abe. A little bit anxious about my overheating car! Also, I was really longing for my family to be settled in one place for a wee while. These are all pressures that add up to worry.

But Keith prayed something over me in one of his calls. He said, "Lord, let Mark live in the UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE." Beautiful. God has a place where we can allow His grace to strengthen us and give us peace. of a place of strife, but a place of rest. It really blessed me.

So whoever you are and whatever you are doing - allow yourself to dwell in this place. A place where you can meet with God and He can meet with you. A place where you can be real and honest. A place where you can lift your hands and say, " It's tough ... but I can make it." A place where we can exchange our weakness for his strength. God hasn't designed you to fight 24 hrs without rest. Every soldier needs to rest, strengthen and wait for new commands. This is not wasted time, but essential for victory.

Don't strive ... live in the "Unforced Rhythms of Grace."

Thanks Keith.

Wick in Week

Good morning! We have been here in Wick, Caithness since last Tuesday and we have enjoyed it so much. This is a place where we can really relax and spend time with Mary's mum & dad. The weather has been truly Filipino and the kids have enjoyed their excursions to the lovely swing parks here with their granny!

It was so good to see David & Wilma again. They had not seen their grandkids for one and a half years and we were so looking forward to catching up with them. The most touching thing happened; as we were just drawing up to the house, they were waiting for us. As David opened the door, wee Josiah shouted, "Hello Granda!" We were amazed. Later we realised that he recognised his granda because he saw him every week on daddy's computer! The power of skype! If you have relatives that live more than an hour away, you need to install "SKYPE" ...it really works and is absolutely free!

Mary's mum is working full time, so we have been making the best of the lovely evenings. Saturday was the Gala day and they really make an effort for the parade at night. Pity my camera has not arrived yet! On Sunday we went to the Salvation Army and it was great to see old friends again. The people here in Wick are so encouraging and have supported us in so many ways. They were so excited about seeing Lydia and Josiah (and us!) and they were amazed at how Josiah had grown.

Little Josiah was in good form during the service. The beautiful thing here is that when Mary comes to Wick, they just include her as if she had never left! She plays in the band and sings with the songsters! Anyway, as the singing group prepared to sing they motioned for Mary to join them. Little Joe wouldn't give up his mummy without a fight. So she ended up singing with him in her arms. During the chorus he jumped out of her arms and was making for the drums! I almost died! He almost knocked over his Granda's coronet and had his foot on the base drum before I grabbed him! What a guy!

We have been keeping in constant contact with Sefton Village. In 2003, Steve & Molly Ritchie covered Sefton for us, so when we came home we could concentrate in our itinerary. But this time it's gonna be more difficult. The two Singapore ladies are doing a great ministry there. I am so proud of them and know that this will be a time where they learn and experience so much. The rest of the staff are doing great and Gemma is coping very well, according to many people.

I have some sad news to bring you I'm afraid. Last Thursday something terrible happened to one of our beautiful aunties who works in the children's home. She was travelling back to Sefton after her 2 days off at 9:30 in the morning. The taxi van dropped everyone else off along the way and she was the last to get off. When she asked the driver to stop he refused and grabbed her arm. He locked all the doors and drove to a secluded spot. He then raped her and drove away. She made it back to Sefton but was severely traumatised and in shock. So tragic - she is only 19 and was really going on for the Lord,

During the night she had suicidal thoughts so we had Uncle Jonathan sleep outside her room. On Friday she felt strong enough to go to the police and press charges. Good thing is that they caught the driver of the van and he is now in jail. But he told our aunty who he raped that if she went to the police, he would kill her. But she reported the crime and he is in jail.

Please pray for this lovely girl. Pray for our Social Worker Marilyn, who is handling the whole problem and ministering to the aunty. Pray against all suicidal thoughts and pray that the Lord would erase this terrible ordeal from her memory. Pray she will feel a sense of cleansing and wholeness. Pray that this will strengthen her love for the Lord. Pray that her lovely smile will come back again.

Of course, Mary was is really upset over what has happened. these staff are like our family. The devil is having a real go and is trying to shake our faith. Nothing like this has happened in 6 years, and we know this is the plan of the enemy. Please keep Mary in prayer also - that she can be a support to the team over there.

Yesterday, at the Salvation Army, we sang a number of old hymns. At Cornerstone in Santiago we don't sing many of the hymns because they don't know any of them! But when I come home it is sometimes good to sing these hymns that I haven't sang for a few years! In the service we sang 4 hymns. Two I knew, two I'd never heard of. But here are some of the verses from those hymns, and I hope they encourage you today:

O TO BE LIKE THEE! BLESSED REDEEMER
THIS IS MY CONSTANT LONGING AND PRAYER
GLADLY I'LL FORFIET ALL OF EARTH'S TREASURES
JESUS, THY PERFECT LIKENESS TO WEAR

O TO BE LIKE THEE, WHILE I AM PLEADING
POUR OUT THY SPIRIT, FILL WITH THY LOVE;
MAKE ME A TEMPLE, MEET FOR THY DWELLING
FIT ME FOR LIFE AND HEAVEN ABOVE


GIVE ME A TRUSTFUL MIND
WHEN DOUBTS AND FEARS ASSAIL;
HELP ME CONFIDE IN THEE, ASSURED
THY GRACE CAN NEVER FAIL

GIVE ME A STEADFAST MIND
FIRM AS A ROCK, AND SURE;
UNSWERVING, LOYAL I WOULD STAND
AND TO THE END ENDURE


DEAR LORD, I LIFT MY HEART TO THEE
MY HELPLESSNESS I OWN,
THE WAY BEFORE I CANNOT SEE,
I DARE NOT WALK ALONE

SO OFTEN IN THE PLEASANT PLACE
OUR FAITH DEPENDS ON SIGHT;
THE TEMPER OF MY TRUST MUST FACE
ITS TRIAL IN THE NIGHT

THEN QUIETNESS AND CONFIDENCE
AND WAITING ON THE LORD,
SHALL BE MY STRENGTH, MY SURE DEFENCE,
AND PEACE BE MY REWARD

selah ....

A Week is a Long Time ...

It is one week since I last wrote in my blog! So sorry. So much has happened in these last 7 days. I will give you a brief update, and hopefully I can try and be more regular in my writing. The pictures in this blog were taken in the last few days in the Philippines, so we are a little behind. We left our digital camera at Sefton for the team to use, so we need to buy a new one for up to date pics!

Last Monday we were in Manila and Vivien left in the morning flight back home. We bought a few last minute gifts and made our way to the airport in the afternoon. Got all our luggage through no problem - although why is it that you always feel like a guilty convict when you go through some of these airports? The three flights went well and we arrived in Aberdeen on Tuesday morning.

First thing to notice: the weather! Incredible. Thought the pilot had taken a wrong turn! My mum and dad were there waiting for us as well as Mary's brother Bruce. It was so great to see them. We drove home to Fraserburgh tired but happy. We saw our new car for the first time - a green Renault Laguna Estate. Very nice - thanks Bruce for all your hard work getting it for us! The only problem was that out main case never made it to Aberdeen - last seen in Manila! Got it now.

We came home to our 'wee hoose' in Shore Street. We were so delighted when we walked in the door. It is perfect. Living room & kitchen on ground floor, bedroom & bathroom on 1st floor and bigger bedroom on 2nd floor. It was beautiful inside and fully furnished. We would like to really thank my mum, dad, David, Elizabeth, Paul, Ashley, Aunty Helen, Gavin, Louise ... and everyone who worked or gave in any way ... for all your hard work in getting this house ready for us. Words cannot truly express our heartfelt gratitude for what you have done.

On Tueday and Wednesday we spent most of the time meeting up with my family again. Our kids were so delighted to meet and play with all their cousins. It was so brilliant to see my brothers and their families again. It felt great to be home.

On Thurday we spent time unpacking and getting things organised - TV fixed up, try to get broadband, Internet access, gas & electric cards etc. Things needed to be done and it is great to have a granny & granda around to help with the kids!!! Ha a lovely BBQ at night ... everyone was in shorts & T-Shirts but we were still in our fleeces!

Friday was a special day. We dropped off the kids with my dad and headed for Aberdeen. We met up with our close friends Keith & Anne Pointon. They have been in China for the last few years and it was good to catch up with them and talk freely! We went to Jimmy Chungs - Keith could not believe we brought them to a chinese resturaunt! In the evening, we went to visit Mary's brother Bruce and his lovely wife Alison. They have helped us so much in so many ways. The kids loved seeing their uncle & aunty again.

The weekend was also eventful. On Saturday me and Josiah went to the local football gala that was hosted by Solid Rock ministries here in Fraserburgh. Saw my best friend Ben there as well as many other folk. There were over 40 teams and hundreds of people were there. Me and Josiah were treated to Ice Cream & strawberries as well as hamburgers and coke. Nice to be home!!!

On Satuday afternoon we had a special surprise Birthday BBQ for Lydia at my brother David's lovely garden. He had 3 paddling pools out as well - felt like Waterworld! Little Josiah loved it. He was still jumping in the water even after he was dressed to go home. Boys will be boys! It was a lovely family time and an opportunity for all the cousins to get to know each other better. On Saturday night we went to our good friends Kenny & Suzanne Ross. So great to see them and the kids again. And so good to see Jackie Neil, who was down in the NE for a wee holiday. We miss Jackie so much in the Philippines and she knows everyone over there so well. She was so shocked with the death of Pastor Abe , so it was good to share with someone who really knew him. Mary had a great time catching up with her friends. I had a great time with Kenny - eating fish & chips and playing Ludo! Some things are still special.

On Sunday we went to the Elim church in the morning and the AoG church in the evening. Great to see so many old and new faces, although I think that many people were on holiday or enjoying the nice weather! In between we went to mum & dad's for lunch. MMMmmmm. Mum's beef'n'tatties. No words can describe how delocious that meal was.

Yesterday we did a few practical things in the house and prepared to go to Wick to be with Mary's mum & dad. We are really looking forward to going north. They have not seen the kids for one and a half years. It will be great to see them again later today. I am looking forward to driving on good quality roads with no tricycles, jeepnies, rice-laden trucks, crazy buses, ducks, chickens, pigs, horses or carabaou on the roads!

To be honest, the last 7 days have been good but at the same time they have been so hard for me. I have been trying process and work through the death of Abe, and it has been difficult. There have been so many times when tears have fallen as I think of what has happened. I will write more about this when I have had time to work things through in my mind and spirit. Keep praying for Gemma and the kids today. All the crowds have gone and they are left alone with their thoughts and memories .. and no husband and daddy. The picture below was taken on the day Abe died - Lydia and her 'future husband' Renz Abe!


Thanks for taking time to read the blog today. I will be more consisitent in the coming weeks. We will be one week in Wick, come back here for a few days and then go the central belt next Friday for a week. Hopefully we will see many friends again and catch up.

Wil be back soon with some news from the Philippines, Wick, Fraserburgh and wherever wlse we end up! Take care - and enjoy the weather ....