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.

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Christmas Caption Competition

Please add your caption below by "adding a  comment" - your email address will not be added so there is no security risk. (enlarge the image by clicking on it)
Prize for the funniest caption : Alastair and Helen will treat  you to dinner at the finest restaurant in Kasulu.

Fishing boats on Lake Tanganyika

Walking in the Gombe Forest
The photo above was taken at Gombe Stream National Park - this is the chimpanzee area made famous by Jane Goodall who first founded  in the 1960's. We were treated to a trip there last week by our friends Ian and Frankie.  The park is only accessible by boat, a 2 hour trip along Lake Tanganyika from Kigoma. We then walked with a guide about an hour along steep forest tracks to find the community of chimps - they were easy to locate as they had just killed a baby baboon and were making a great noise as they shared the meat. We stayed watching them for an hour - about 25 chimps of all ages, playing in and around the trees. Alastair was charged by the "alpha male" of the community but jumped out of the way in time. We perhaps shouldn't have found it as funny as we did! Alastair and I continued for a longer walk through the forest to "Jane's peak" and the waterfalls - we were caught in a torrential rain storm but carried on as you see in the picture above.
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6 comments:

  1. Alastair and Helen Sammon18 December 2012 at 07:47

    add your caption by clicking here

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sarah S18 December 2012 at 22:35

    Alastair, why are you up that tree?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous23 December 2012 at 14:14

    "... wot, you haven't even bought me a Christmas present?"

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alastair and Helen Sammon24 December 2012 at 08:18

    Now how many bananas did she say?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Steph27 December 2012 at 13:48

    What?? It wasn't me!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Steph28 December 2012 at 05:59

    what do you mean that is the last sheet of toilet roll !!!
    (freya)

    ReplyDelete

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