May we wish you a very, very happy and blessed Christmas time! We are sending out a techie greeting to save on the pennies.
As Christmas approaches - rather more quickly than we are ready to cope with, this is just a short update as we continue to make progress on the bunkhouse.
All the work on the septic tanks, drainage and the driveway is now all but complete, just a few tidying up issues. It looks very different to the time of writing the last blog.
In our last blog we spoke of the down stairs walls being ready to insulate and line, however due to the delay in having the windows, there has been a knock on effect and the downstairs is as it was. But thankfully there has been progress.
The drying room has been completed and we are ready to paint.
The water pressure tank and filtration system is connected and up and running.
The upstairs and downstairs have now seen the first fix of electricity for lighting, plug sockets and fire alarms plus all the outside lighting. The whole of the heating system is now complete and was passed as ready to use just a few days ago.
The newly commissioned windows have just been installed and they look beautiful. The upstairs has been plastered which is very exciting and it all has a more finished feel about it. Just the skirting boards and the fire doors to go.
This is as far as we can think of progressing at the moment, even though there won’t be much more to do. We’ll be completely out of funds once we’ve paid a few bills and although we know we can trust God to complete the project, it’s another period of waiting on Him to supply our needs and learning more lessons in trust and patience. Feeling a little weary now and not a little frustrated!
Our hens have been very generous in their egg laying and at present, we have a rather magnificent looking Jacob ram with us for a couple of months, known affectionately as Shadrach! We are hoping that by early May there will be a few lambs on site. We’ll all enjoy seeing them but Ffion should be over the moon.
Luke still enjoys life in Stockholm; it’s the longest he’s been in one place for quite a while. Lloyd, Menna and Ffion have visited him for a few days before Christmas and they’ve all travelled back to the UK for us to have Christmas together along with my parents. Emelie, Luke’s girlfriend is in her first year of a nursing course under the eye of the Red Cross which means she’ll be qualified to nurse in areas of conflict or natural disasters.
Menna is thoroughly enjoying her course in Outdoor Education at Trinity St. David’s in Carmarthen. She is in her second year and the time seems to be whizzing by. Just last week she was canoeing on the River Wye and sleeping in a hammock slung up in an open barn, how we would have loved this a few years ago. Not now I’m loathed to say! Plans for next year hopefully include sea-kayaking around the Scilly Isles, rock climbing in Greece and France and climbing in Snowdonia in the clothes women would have worn a hundred years ago. She and another two girls from the course are applying to Landrover to re-enact a journey made by some army wives in the 1950’s to the Himalayas. There’s a lot of work to be completed before the application can be submitted but it sounds very exciting.
Ffion is a pretty, chatty little girl. She spends quite a lot of time with us, as Menna studies or is away on expedition. She’s happy with us but is always glad to see Mama return.
Lloyd has now completed his first term at WEST (Wales Evangelical School of Theology) He has settled in very well and is enjoying the course. It’s good to have him closer and we see him regularly. He misses his Tunbridge Wells friends but he’s making new friends and is helping out in a small local church.
Clive and Gay are happy and both involved in our not so local church, being 25 miles away! Clive has become an elder – in more ways than one – and Gay as usual, is helping out with the kid’s work. The church is growing and we are enjoying the ministry of our pastor.
Well that’s about it and once again, our love to you and heartfelt thanks for friendship and support.
God bless you all,
Clive Gay Luke Menna Lloyd and Ffion x x x x x
Photos here as always:
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| Winter 2011 |
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