Helen and Alastair - some background

Helen and Alastair - some background : We have always hoped to return to Africa once more before we're too old (perhaps we already are!). Alastair first went to Africa in 1974 as a junior doctor, working for the Church of Scotland in a small hospital in Transkei, South Africa. I met Alastair there in 1982, were married in 1984 and continued in Transkei until 1988. From there we went to Kenya, as employees of the Church of Scotland, where Alastair ran Chogoria Hospital. We left in 1995, with Alec, Peter and Becky to establish the children's schooling and our work in Britain. Here Alastair found himself as consultant in Breast cancer surgery, and Helen initially trained and worked as a GP before "evolving" to full time ordained ministry. Alec is now married to Ruth, and they have baby Zach; Pete is in his final year of medicine in Edinburgh, and Becky half way through nurse training in Oxford.

The Diocese of Western Tanganyika is a partner of Gloucester diocese. The plan is for Helen to join the teaching staff of the Bible College, teaching those preparing for ministry. Alastair will teach English to the students at the college, as well as doing some surgery at the church-run hospitals, and helping with project management in the Diocese.
We will keep you updated on our plans over the next few months and will greatly value your prayer support. Our current prayer requests - and thanks to God of course - will be posted on the side bar.

Friday 15 June 2012

Chicken for dinner

In so many ways I love everything about daily life here : its something to do with the vibrancy of it all and the closeness of creation. I love the sun coming up so quickly every morning, the vegetables in the garden, the hustle, bustle, colour and noise of the local market and the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables. But just sometimes - like today - I really miss Sainsburies!
The Bishop and his wife are coming for supper and chicken it must be.
So here's a photo of the chicken (and Dianes - who works for us). Well that's how it was when I left home for college a few hours ago. If all has gone to plan Dianes will have "done the business" with the chicken, and it will now be in the slow cooker. Here the challnege really begins - will 8 hours in the slow cooker render it to an edible state or will it need another hour in the pressure cooker?
I'll update the blog tomorrow to let you know.

Alastair is spending another day at Shunga hospital - his 3rd this week though that's unusual. Thanks for all of you who have asked about the little girl with the bomb injury - she's doing fine, as are the 3 mothers and babies of emergency sections this week and various other operations.

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