Today is my Aunt Jean's birthday. Happy Birthday Jean! This photo of the two of us was taken last August.
We are currently training for an Alpha Course at our church. It will start in three weeks time. I'm looking forward to it! I helped out with one at the Vineyard Church last year. This Alpha Course will be meeting at a pub called, "The Mission." A bar is an ideal place for church outreach, don't you think? It will make people feel comfortable. Here, as well, most pubs have the feeling of american coffee houses. I'm not sure what they're like in the States these days.
Tonight we're having some of our friends over to discuss our life predicament, brainstorm with us, and pray for us! Please pray that this time would be fruitful. We have 8 friends coming over at the moment. We can praise the Lord that Mark has done well financially this week. At this point, we just have to take it a week at a time. We're saving pences every way we can, preparing for the time when he might have few patients = very little income. Our greatest sacrifice has been vegetables. We still eat them... just less of them because we now have to eat starchy foods as well because they are cheaper. Beans are also cheap, so I've been cooking a lots of those up which has been good.
Otherwise, things are fine. I've been selling my books on amazon.co.uk (for extra income) which has been fun... I like it when they sell! And I'm not too heartbroken when they go because I know they are going to people that want them. My job is going better than I expected it to this year. I am so thankful for this, because I sort of thought I would be coming back to the chaotic environment I left. I have good co-workers, and we've been able to get things more and more organized every day, even if we have to do it the long way around. Our Malawian friend Henderson (living in Leeds) is visiting us this weekend which will be nice. I love being able to stay connected with my African roots! Maybe I'll have him cook us some ugali and sukumawiki for lunch tomorrow...Mmmm
Again, thanks for your prayers.
Love,
Rachel
