Season Greetings

If you are a regular reader of our blog then you deserve an apology from us for our lack of entries over these last number of weeks. Can I assure you that the reason for this is not because we have been idle or have not wanted to add any entries, in fact it is very much to the contrary!

Since our last entry we have been very busy, Dave has preached on two separate Tuesday evenings in Ite at the Prayer Meeting and Bible Study, we have been planning camps for January with the Morrows and we have been helping to plan and organise a Christmas outreach program for the community in Ite and a program for the La Pampa church in Ilo.

As well as all the busyness which we experienced we also have been blessed to have Alicia’s parents with us from the start of December right through to the end of January. Their presence here with us has been wonderful and they have been great at helping out with various practical things so that we can get on with the planning of programs and so on.

On the 8th December we were able to take just over a weeks break with Alicia’s parents, firstly in Mejia and then in Arequipa. This time out was certainly a welcome break and it was only afterwards that we realised that it was our first real holiday break away somewhere in almost a year and a half. The time spent on the beach digging sandcastles for Sarah and looking for crabs as well as all the books read and miles walked certainly helped us to chill out!

Since arriving back to Ilo on Tuesday we have been busy working alongside Mision Rescate (The Gap Year Team) in order to put together a Christmas program for the La Pampa Church (Friday night) and the community of Ite (Sunday afternoon). We are hoping that through song, the reading of God’s Word, narration and a short message people will hear the true message of Christmas and appreciate that it is much more than just giving and receiving presents but it is about the Incarnation of the greatest gift ever.

After Sunday’s Christmas program we should have a few days to unwind and enjoy some time together as a family. Alicia’s parents plan to travel for about a week in Peru from Boxing Day and the following day some good friends whom we met while at language school in Arequipa are coming to stay with us as they were planning to be passing through Ilo on that date and wanted to take the opportunity to spend some time with us.

Other significant news is that we are expecting our second child at the beginning of June. Alicia has a check up this week (16 weeks) and everything appears well so we really have much to give thanks to God for. We would appreciate your prayers for Alicia and the unborn child over the coming months.

Finally, we want to wish you a wonderful Christmas. We thank you again for you interest you have taken in us and the work here, thanks to you for the prayers that have been prayed over this past year and for the encouraging comments that so many of you have posted over this last year; always at the right time.