Cairns June 2010 As a family we have seen quite a few changes over the last year, as well as facing several challenges.
Our belongings arriving at the beginning of December.
Moving half way around the world to Australia probably rates fairly highly after marriage, as one of the most significant and life changing decisions we have ever made. But hearing and then answering the call we felt to be part of the work of MAF in Arnhem Land we have been really rewarded so far. We really feel blessed to have so many individuals and couples supporting us and have already experienced answers to prayer. Especially when Charley became very ill and with regard to the children settling in here.
After spending six months support raising, we finally arrived in Australia in June and begun six weeks of orientation training. Then in August we arrived in Nhulunbuy and saw for the first time our new home.
Our kitchen
The sitting room
Our bedroom
The boys room
The girls room
We have now been in our house for nearly six months and it is slowly beginning to feel like home. William and Freddie have managed to make their room into a typical boys room. It seems to be becoming a fisherman's haven. William has managed to pick up a couple of fishing lines from garage sales for him and Freddie as well as some sinkers.The two of them are starting to really enjoy fishing. William put up a sign on the main town notice board for a glass fish tank, which someone answered and gave him one for free!. It is now full of guppies.
The girls room looks very "girly". They were given a lovely duvet each for Christmas and a supporter gave us some pretty flower lights which they have used to brighten up an old mirror.
We have also gained another family member. Some of you may already have met her.
Milo is our cat. We rescued her when her previous owners left town. She has helped to make our house feel more like home. In England we have a Border collie called Molly, and three cats, all now in good homes, so we love having Milo around.
This past year has been great. Charley has now settled into his role as ,"property maintenance manager" and is never short of work. I have lost count of the number of windows he has replaced in various MAF houses. He has built a security wall in a terminal building out on one of the homelands, even managing a bit of piloting on his way out. He has replaced a whole kitchen in one house and has completed a number of other jobs in and around Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala. We look forward to showing you and telling you more about his work though out this year.
In November Charley suffered septicemia. He was bitten or knelt on something and then bumped his knee. This caused a chain reaction and an infection to occur. It was a frightening time for us all as he was airlifted to Darwin for treatment. He is now fully recovered and praise God for this and all of you who prayed for us as a family during this period.
We are reminded daily about Gods goodness to us while we are here. My contract as a teacher aid has been renewed for a further six months which is a real answer to prayer. I was reading about ,"all consuming desire" in my bible note the other day and was really challenged.
The Psalmist cried :"The zeal for (my father;s) house has consumed me..." (Psalm 69:9 NAS)
What's your all-consuming desire/ What are you passionate about? What has God called and gifted you to do? Paul's burning desire was to reach the world for Christ. and he succeeded. When his enemies imprisoned him, instead of giving in to defeat he turned his cell into a writer's retreat and penned the epistles that would change more lives after he had left the world than he could ever hope to touch while he was in it. what are you willing to give your life to, and for?
From Word for the day.(UCB)
If your vision is truly of God, you will feel it.
I just pray that during the coming year we never loose sight of our calling and that God will continue to open doors and reveal the vision that he has for us individually as we share Christ to those around us.
All our Love and Prayers
Charley, Rachel,
William, Alexandra, Georgie & Freddie. Oh! & Milo.
