Well, this didn’t fall hot on the heels of the last blog as promised. Apologies.
As we write, our drive way has been described as a scene of carnage! You may agree when you see the photos, though these do not convey the depth of the mud. This is all due to the installation of a new septic tanks and drainage system. Hopefully this will be the last of the really messy jobs.
We are moving forward slowly and we have so much to thank and praise God for. Some of you will know the wonderful answers to pray we have been blessed by, we’ll tell you all now, that you may join with us in giving praise and thanks to God who alone is capable of completing this project.
You may remember us saying in our last blog that we needed about £25,000. The builders completed a very good phase of work and needed paying. The Lord impressed upon us a wonderful verse in Ezra 8 v ….Clive did indeed approach the bank – read this in the context of the last blog. While sitting in front of the banker he had a change of heart and told her that as God had always been so faithful in the past, we would trust Him for the future and terminated the interview. In the space of a few days we received gifts of about £20k, a day before the builders gave us their bill of £19k which we were able to pay them on the spot. God’s timing is indeed perfect and it has given us many opportunities to tell of the Lord’s goodness.
Then in the last few weeks we had a quote of £7K for the drying room etc and we saw £8 arrive just when we needed it. How can we adequately thank Him for His kindness to us?
The last joiner who was to have made the windows and doors let us down quite badly so we have placed the order with a local man and they should be ready in about six weeks. In the meantime the builders will be back in to insulate and line the downstairs walls and ceiling. With all the building regulations we are insulated to the nth degree and although the building should be lovely and warm, it does mean we lose lovely stone walls but hopefully we’ll keep the beams as we have done upstairs.
We have been blessed by seeing many friends visit us and we have both had opportunities to visit Tunbridge Wells, though not seeing as many folk as we would have wished due to other commitments there.
We are both keeping well. Clive had an MRI quite recently to keep an eye on what’s happening to the small tumour as he’s experienced a few more blackouts of late. He’s seen the neurologists and all is well.
Luke is still settled and happy in Stockholm. He and Emelie are pleased to have got a new flat in the centre of the city which will be more convenient for them. We look forward to seeing him at Christmas.
Menna is now in her second year of her course in Outdoor Education. She is in the process of working towards her rock climbing award, mountain leadership and kayaking qualifications. She has now moved into a house with a girl from college but we still look after Ffion a few days a week. Ffion is a beautiful, chatty, curly haired little girl with a mind of her own! She loves splashing in puddles and with the rain we’ve had lately there’s been plenty to keep her amused.
Lloyd has commenced his three years at WEST (Wales Evangelical School of Theology) He has settled in well and seems to be enjoying his lectures. It’s good for us too as we see him more often.
Gay’s Mum and Dad are reasonably well, now in their 71st year of married life! Dad’s Alzheimer’s makes its own steady cruel progress. We see them at least once a week and it will be so wonderful for us to be together at Christmas, all four generations. Hopefully this year, with a new water system in place, we won’t be breaking ice on the river or hauling water from kind friends in the village again!
Please keep in touch with us, the best email address is gayp@hotmail.co.uk we would love to get your news. We would really appreciate your on-going prayers for the project, particularly:
*Safety for the workmen and more conversations about the Lord.
*Further funding to complete the project, there is now light at the end of the tunnel.
*Godly decision making for the remaining work.
*Early prayers that God will be glorified in all that takes place in and through Hiraeth Bunkhouse
Thank you for your time, your prayers and your friendship,
God bless you and all those you love,
Clive, Gay and Family
AUTUMN PHOTOS HERE:
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| Autumn 2011 |
