WITH CHRIST....WHICH IS FAR BETTER

Today our hearts our heavy for our dear friend and co-worker, Joyce, who serves with FML in Uganda.

In 2011, Joyce's sister, Dorine, gave birth to twins.  Following this she became very ill and spent many months in hospital.  William and I visited in hospital in Nairobi in December 2011, just a few months after she was admitted.  For the past year or so, Dorine has been at home with her family but still in need of constant care.  Hearing, seeing and eating have continued to be a problem for her and she hasn't been mobile.  Dorine's husband is a Pastor and he very kindly allowed us the use of his Church for our 5th anniversary service in Nairobi in 2011.  They have older children as well as the twins.

Since our last blog, we received the sad news from Joyce that Dorine has passed away.  We were so saddened by this, though rejoice that Dorine is now free from pain and suffering.  We were very determined to see Dorine next time we return to Kenya, but that is not to be.  We rejoice that we will meet her again one day.  Dad never met her in the hospital but we know that today they are together.

On Saturday, William spoke to Joyce as she was travelling from her home in Uganda to her collect her mother close to Kisumu and travel on to Nairobi to Dorine's house.  They will as a family, then accompany Dorine on her final journey back to their home place near Kisumu.  We were there at the time of Joyce's wedding and can picture the scene well.

The journey home is planned for 13th and burial is planned for 15th February.  A huge hospital bill of Ksh 1.4 million (over £10000) needs to be cleared.  Please pray for this massive need.  I can only imagine the pressure this puts on a family.

We pray for God's peace and comfort to be with Dorine's husband and children, her mother, Joyce and her other siblings.  We pray that the Lord will be their comforter and provider in these days.  Pray for safety as they make the long journey back to Western province on Thursday and pray especially for them as they have the burial on Saturday.

In 2006, dad and I were in Kenya for our first FML trip.  We were holding our first ever teacher training seminar in Nairobi.  In 2006, Joyce was a very shy and not very confident young lady who desperately wanted to work with children but was always discouraged and told by others that she wasn't capable.  But Joyce had a sister, Dorine, who had faith and confidence in her.  It was Dorine who convinced Joyce to come to our teacher training seminar.  It was Dorine who encouraged Joyce and told her she could work with children while others said that she couldn't.  It was because of Dorine that Joyce and I met.  Now, nearly 8 years later, Joyce is a very confident and capable FML worker, Pastor's wife, mother, co-worker and dear friend......and much of it is down to Dorine.  Today, she has her reward.

Pray for the family in the coming days.

Before the news came through of Dorine.  Joyce had travelled to Busia to visit centres there who recently enrolled children on our lessons.  She had a great time meeting with them on Tuesday.  She had planned to travel to Kampala with Pastor Samuel on Saturday to introduce the work there, but unfortunately found herself travelling to her mothers' and on to Nairobi.

Pray on for the work in Uganda in these days.

Thank you for praying for the meeting which William and I shared at on Friday evening.  We really enjoyed our time with the folk in Belfast and were so encouraged once more with the interest they showed and the many questions which they asked.

This week I will speak at another Church in Belfast.  This is a new opening for us and so I am looking forward to meeting new people and introducing the work to them.

We would like to ask you to pray again about the need for Bibles.  The financial need, but also availability.  I spent a long time one day last week emailing and contacting various suppliers and distributors in UK, Kenya and Uganda.  I have been so disappointed and frustrated that so many; including those in the UK; have not replied.  I was reminded of the verse in Lamentations which speaks of young children hungry for bread, but no man breaketh it for them.  We have so many children who are keen to have a copy of the Word of God but Bible suppliers do not have them in stock or don't answer.

Our normal supplier in Kenya thankfully have a lady work for them who is very good at responding.  They can supply us with some but they are low in stock at the minute, hence the reason I made enquiries with others also.  Please pray that we will know the best way to deal with this situation of Bibles as it is now quite urgent, yet not straightforward and we need much wisdom and guidance.

Please pray on.