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.

Monday 24 December 2012

Heri ya Krismas

It's Christmas Eve and we want to say A Very Happy Christmas to all our blog readers! The sun is shining, the flowers are in full bloom, the rice and chicken have been bought for the Christmas day meal, my sermon is written, and our stockings are hanging up in the sitting room. Now we're just waiting to find out if Father Christmas can locate Kasulu on a map!
Today there were baptism services in all the local churches  - I was in Muhunga village up in the hills where 21 infants and 18 adults were baptised, and 9 adults were received back into the church family through forgiveness. Alastair was operating at the local hospital and is covering for emergencies at Shunga hospital all week. We have had the chance to skype all our family who met together for their Christmas weekend in Edinburgh. Skype is a strange medium - one feels very close, yet also very far away.


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