Happy New Year

Happy New Year! We landed on a cold winter's day back in England from our amazing round the world trip. We met so many friends and relatives, and made many new friends too! It was a wonderful experience to visit so many places and see what God is doing in various parts of the world. We are so thankful for the great time we so enjoyed and all the memories recaptured in our photos.

A few days after returning home Avril went into hospital for surgery for breast cancer. She is making a good recovery and we were all able to enjoy Christmas with some of our family. Next week we go to the hospital for the results of the tests that they have done. So in a way we are facing an uncertain future because we don't know exactly what treatment may be recommended. But we hold on tightly to the One who holds the future and us in His big hands.... Our loving Heavenly Father. So we have peace and know that God is with us. We wish you peace and joy in this coming year too!

Swinging Sydney

Here we are on the beach in Sydney. You will notice that we have published a picture of the famous Opera House which was taken from a ferry to Manly Beach. We also went up to Sydney tower to enjoy the fantastic views and have enjoyed a bit of sight seeing with our good friends here.

Tomorrow (Monday)we leave for San Francisco to catch up with christmas and do some shopping before arriving home on Thursday morning. This has been an amazing trip with so many wonderful memories to take home with us. God has blessed us abundantly. We can't thank and praise Him enough.

However, we appreciate your prayers for our travel as Avril has been suffering from toothache since Friday and is now on strong anti-biotics and painkillers. We trust it will settle down before we travel and are believing God for this.

Sunny Sydney

Over the last week we have met many old friends and relatives and this time we stood in Sydney airport wondering where our friend was. Well actually he was standing nearby but we didn't recognise each other!! Both he and Phil had beards/moustaches years ago and we figured that was the reason. However, we only had to be with him for a matter of minutes before it felt like old times. Isn't it marvellous how you can go years without seeing someone and meet them again and catch up as if it was yesterday - and that's how it has been all through our trip.

Today started with a thunderstorm but soon cleared up with wonderful sunshine, so we headed off for the sights of Sydney. We got a day pass which meant we could ride bus, train or ferry and really enjoyed ourselves. As the ferry was included we took one over to Manly beach and so had teriffic views of the opera house and Sydney harbour bridge. Also we went up the Sky Tower and looked all over Sydney which was quite spectacular. So we have had a fun day and we hope you have too!

Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie

Well here we are in Melbourne, having arrived today to be with our very good friends from Bangladesh days and it's wonderful to see them again and their lovely family.

We had no idea what a sleepy hollow Canberra, the capital of Australia is and when we went to get a bus to church on Sunday morning discovered that buses don't run on Sundays! The taxi rank did not have a cab in sight so we went back to the motel and rang for one which would have been a very good idea in the first place!!

But Canberra might be sleepy but God's people in Canberra certainly are not. The Conference got thicker and stronger with the presence of God as the week went on! We have been so blessed, refreshed and feel cleaner and closer to God which has to be very good indeed. God is so amazing and we are in awe of such a Loving Father God who paid such a price for our salvation.
One lady came with a zimmer which was very difficult to get up the steps and then she got healed and came in without it to the rapturous applause of us all. God is on the move and revealing Himself in so many ways.

It is very hot here in Melbourne and the birds are singing as we enjoy this beautiful long summer evening. What surprised us was when we saw a young girl on the roof putting up her Christmas lights. It doesn't feel like Christmas and we are enjoying this bonus of another summer, especially when we see the temperatures at home. But we wouldn't want to make you feel envious, would we?

Off To Oz

We are about to leave New Zealand - tomorrow morning (Sat) but the glorious weather will go with us. But we will be taking many precious and happy memories with us too. With the extra blessing of summer though, the Christmas preparations here seem a bit out of place alongside the sunshine.
This past week we have caught up with many of Avril's cousins and learnt more about her family history on her father's side. It gives much food for thought!
Tomorrow we arrive in Canberra for a week's Leaders' School of Ministry and are really looking forward to it. Also the opportunity to go to meetings on Saturday and Sunday before the start of the school on Monday. We are expectant that God will meet with us and go with open hearts to receive all He has for us. Watch this space.....

Now enjoying NZ Summer

We have had a fantastic week visiting friends and relatives and various places in the North Island covering hundreds of miles. Our visit to Lake Taupo was a real blessing and Avril received prayer for healing from a lady who had an identical problem two years ago. What an encouragement to talk with her and receive prayer.

Also we found one of Avril's cousins in hospital and discovered that he has done an Alpha course with a catholic church. He was delighted that we offered to pray with him. Another cousin arrived home as we were on their doorstep - what timing! And yet another cousin took the morning off work to see us and picked lots of grapefruit, oranges and lemons from their tree in the garden which are so sweet, juicy and delicious.

Tomorrow we are going to stay with another cousin for a couple of nights who lives in Auckland before returning to Mary's for our last few days here. On Saturday we head for Canberra to go to the Leaders' Conference with the Arnotts and are so looking forward to this and all God has for us there.

The weather has been glorious, the scenery quite stunning and it has made us more aware of our wonderful creator God. It has been so good to catch up with friends and relatives this week and enjoy some great fellowship.

I have been trying to put pictures on this blog but meanwhile it will have to be just news. But watch this space because sooner or later we will meet someone who can help, hopefully before we get home! You are welcome to try emailing instructions but we make no promises!