Whilst The Cat's Away!

I thank God for our boys... it is as if they fully understand that mummy can't do everything!! They are both being absolutely fantastic whilst Dean is away. Joel in particular, is being a little angel - thanks for your prayers. He does, of course, miss Dean and asks for him everyday, but he is being very good for me. Tonight was a classic as I stood on a chair in his room to put up his black out material and I heard a little voice behind me - don't fall off mummy! OK I will remember that advice, thank you!

Please keep praying. After a long journey and a tyre blow out whilst Dean was driving, the team arrived in Lesotho safe and well. There are about 100 people from 11 churches in South Africa helping out. Dean says it is very exciting and that no one in Maseru can fail to know about the new church starting on Sunday. The evening meetings start on Thursday, so do pray.

CNP Update

This last week has been very emotional and stressful in CNP, not least because we've been working hard to try and resolve Michael & Joyce's housing situation. Well, Praise God! we've managed to get a wendy house for them. We can take no credit for this as Michael actually rang a local Christian radio station to tell them of his plight and an elderly couple called in to say they had a wendy house and they were willing to halve their asking price which amounted to the sum we had raised! So Thank You to those of you who helped!

Family Weekend

We had a really good long Easter weekend which started with spending the morning at Spier vineyard, they have an excellent play garden for children and do lovely picnics, they also have a small Cheetah reserve which was a treat. 

Evelyn

Dean & Joel popped into CNP briefly this afternoon, mainly to catch up with Michael but also to see Dina. Remarkably as we discussed this at lunchtime, Paula suggested I take Joel to see M.i.c.h.a.e.l to which Joel immediately said: "I see Michael", how did he know that was the name we were spelling out? Never mind!

Easter & Other Bits

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

Easter is such an amazing time in the Christian calendar as it marks the time in which Christ was murdered but then triumphantly rose from the dead (after giving the devil a good kicking for 3 days in Hades!). Wow what an awesome God we serve!

Gospel Of Judas

There is much debate, speculation and misinformation circulating about the so called "Gospel of Judas", so rather than try to set out our stall in terms of how it does or does not impact on our faith and the Bible as we know it, We'll direct you to the Blog of Ben Witherington who has written some excellent and eminently readable stuff on this whole controversy. In fact, read his whole Blog, it's all really good stuff!

Suffice to say that we agree with Ben's view.

Michael's House

As promised yesterday we're posting photos of the shack that Michael & Joyce are forced to live in (hopefully) temporarily. The first thing to say is that if we had a dog, we wouldn't let it live in these conditions! No-one should have to tolerate this and yet for many in Chris Nissen this is sadly the norm.

The shack seen from the front

Chris Nissen Park Update

Dean visited Michael & Joyce this afternoon in their 'shack' and was appalled by the conditions they've been reduced to living in. When it rains their bed gets soaked, and they have to pay for the privilege!! Tomorrow Dean will take some photos of the shack so you can see just how awful their living conditions are! Michael is trying to remain faithful and believe that God is going to provide his family with some permanent accommodation but he's really struggling and cries himself to sleep at night.

Bloemfontein Zoo

We spent the day after the conference in Bloem and took Eli to meet the social workers who had facilitated his adoption at that end. They were delighted to meet Eli and will pass on some photos we left to the birth mother. This also closes that stage of the adoption and will be the last time we meet with the organisation in Bloem.

We then spent the afternoon in the zoo before flying back to Cape Town in the evening. Joel really enjoyed himself in the zoo, especially chasing the Cape Ground Squirrel which was incredibly tame.

Adoption

Eli is legally our son!!!!!

We met with our social worker this afternoon who handed us the final adoption court order. The accompanying letter states quite clearly that: "According to the provisions of the Child Care Act 1983 (Act No. 74 of 1984), your adopted child is now regarded as if born to you."

WOW! PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!!!

Michael's House - Update

For the last few days Dean has been trying to help Michael sort out some alternative accommodation given that he and Joyce have been evicted from his father’s house and must leave there by midday on the 31st of March. The last two days have been particularly frustrating as we simply don’t have enough money between us to buy a ‘wendy house’ (we underestimated the full cost by half) despite some very generous gifts from some of you.