The Four Seasons

I am going to be very british and talk about the weather.

 Traveling from the Southern to the Northern hemisphere this week has been quite an adventure ,we feel like we have experienced all 4 seasons in a few days!

When we left Cusco last week the weather was similar to a British day in spring, mild and raining.

We then arrived in Lima 1 hour later and immediately felt the heat of the Lima summer , we even complained about the heat, asking for the air conditioning to be put on in the taxi that collected us. Scott got a bit sun burnt as we went out for a walk in the sun!

Posing with a fake snowman on a summers day!

We had a lovely surprise as we arrived in Dallas and saw the beautiful autumn colours. The weather was glorious and when we arrived my cousin was wearing shorts in December!
We made the most of the wonderful weather and took Jess and Sam horse riding on a fabulous warm day

Horse riding in the sunshine

Enjoying the autumn leaves!

and then 2 days later  the artic blast arrived.

Playing in the snow and ice with Jazzy the dog!

And so you see how we have experienced 4 seasons in less than a week .

We are now back in the UK and we have clothes prepared  for every type of weather possible!

The first storey is completed

Every church building project needs an architect on the church leadership

Standing on the first floor

Putting down the floor

Preparing the roof

On the first floor

Su Pueblo dice gracias ( the people say thankyou!)

We are very excited that the first storey has been finished. This weekend the church family went and walked on the 1st storey and celebrated together. It has been amazing to see the building taking shape so quickly . God is good !

UK Home assignment schedule

We are currently getting ready to head back to the UK for a few months . We have a busy speaking schedule and thought we would let you know where you can find us in case you would like to come and hear us speaking. Unfortunately we are unable to accept any more invitations to speak this time. Please pray for us as we prepare to return to the UK and for safe travels and a good restful time with family and friends when we are there. Thank you, we  look forward to seeing many of you very soon.

Sun 15 Dec        New Malden Baptist Church  am and pm

Sat 4 Jan             Bristol, Southmead (Bethany) 4-7pm

Sun 5 Jan             Bournemouth, Westcliff (am)

Fri 10 Jan             Hinckley (eve)

Sat 11 Jan            Earl Shilton BC (10am church lunch)

Sun 12 Jan           Horsham (all day)

Wed 15 Jan          Newport (Shropshire) 10:30 -12

Sun 19 Jan           Cupar, Scotland 10:30

Sat 25 Jan            Leicester Central 1-3 pm

Sun 26 Jan           Carshalton Beeches (am), Bedford, Bunyan (eve)

Sat 1 Feb              Northampton, Mount Pleasant (eve)

Sun 2 Feb            Marston Moretaine, Vale Community (am),
                             High Wycombe, Union (eve)

Sat 8 Feb             Rayleigh Baptist Church
Sun 9 Feb            Rayleigh Baptist Church

Mon 10 Feb        Southampton Medical School Christian Fellowship (eve)

Wed 12 Feb        Bristol Baptist College (day)

Thurs 13 Feb      Leominster 7:30-9 pm

Sat 15 Feb          Queens Street Godalming (pm + eve)
Sun 16 Feb         Queens Street  Godalming (am)

Feeding body and soul

Once again the Medical Missions International medical campaign is here in Cusco and this year El Puente is more involved than ever before. We have lent our church furniture to the campaign, Scott and some ladies from church are cooking for all 75 of the volunteers, Some of our young people have been helping to lead worship for morning devotions and as well as cooking Pastor Scott has been preaching and sharing with the participants. Anjanette has been kept busy seeing lots of patients. We have dentists, eye doctors, general doctors, a gynecologist and a physiotherapist and we have been seeing about 400 patients a day. It has been great to be part of this team bringing medical care and spiritual care to some patients who rarely seek medical help.

Church ladies cooking, our house looks like a restaurant this week!

Serving up food for 75 in a tiny kitchen at the campaign

Quechua pastor chatting with a patient

Dental work

Nurses enjoying their lunch!

Anjanette with one of the hundreds of patients she has seen this week.

El Puente Youth weekend away

In Peru November 1st is a national holiday so Scott and the Young People from El Puente took the opportunity to have a few days away. They decided to hold it at the clinic in Huambutio in an attempt to save time and money and they all had a fabulous time . Walking, playing, eating, singing, praying and studying together. They have returned exhausted and sleep deprived but happy. We are delighted that the Youth work at El Puente is going from strength to strength , it now looks very different from when we started the church 4 years ago. Scott challenged them to find their role and to serve within the wider body of the church, we look forward to seeing how God will continue to work in their lives.

Some photos from the first 2 weeks of the El Puente church building project.

Digging the foundation for a 5 storey building(initially we will only build 2 storeys)

Pastor down the hole! Some church members suggested we remove the ladder and leave him down there!

Church members cheering on the process, health and safety in Peru is a bit different!

Pumping in the cement since the site is not accessible by road.     

Hooray ! here comes the cement ....

The construction begins

This week Scott arranged international money transfers,  signed the contract with the building company and moved into the new church office in preparation for the construction to begin next week. (Monday Oct 7th 2013!)

Iglesia El Puente is renting the house next to the contruction site which we are using as the church office and also to store building materials and equipment. Carla, the church secretary and Scott will be at the office in the week which will help to build relationships in the new community and being on site means that they will also be available to consult about the building.

Scott and Ruben sign the contract

El Puente church members dedicate the site

With some of the workmen doing some preparatory work. 

We are very excited and thankful to God for this land and new building project. We hope to avoid the worst of the rainy season and it is amazing to think that we will have the shell of a  2 storey building finished in the next few months.

Thankyou for your prayers and support. It is a terrific team effort; family, friends and churches have sent in donations from various different parts of the world and we are so very grateful. 

So watch this space we will post updates and photos of how the building is progressing and also important news of our wonderful  El Puente church family.


Please join us in Thanking God for the provision of El Puente's own church building, in praying for the safety of all those on site and for good relationships and understanding from the neighbours.