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, 25 February 2014

Becky's stay

Dress fitting at the local tailor
The finished kitenge
 We are delighted to have Becky to stay with us for a fortnight. As it is her second time here she knows lots of people and instantly fitted back into the culture and life.  She has been with Alastair to the various hospitals, who finds it special to have his daughter as his scrub nurse. She has helped me with some English classes in college, and we have had fun teaching adjectives (happy, sad, surprised, afraid....etc) through silly dramas together.
Becky loves the local fabrics as I do, and we have been busy making bags, scrunchies, and even bunting out of my huge baskets of fabric scraps.
She chose some material for a traditional African outfit  - here she is being measured for it by the local tailor on Saturday, and in the beautiful finished dress just 2 days later. 
Becky finished her nursing degree in Oxford last year, and is now a staff nurse in A and E. As a fully trained volunteer with the Oxford Emergency Rescue service she was recently called out in the flood emergencies in Surrey. She is enjoying a restful couple of weeks with Mum and Dad!

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