The weeks ahead

Our schedule
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28 Apr - 10 May Mike in Afghanistan for SERVE Board meetings
04 - 24 May Elsie in Ismir Turkey for LMC course
14 - 15 May Mike in Birmingham for IT Committee
17 - 18 May Mike in Carlisle for Communications Committee
05 - 08 Jun West Sussex - International Executive Committee

Grasshopper at rest

If you know how small the flower of a bouganvileashe is then you will understand the size of this grasshopper. Isn't it amazingsee God's creation?

Richard learning to skipper a dive boat

We would be failing in our duty if we did not bring Richard up in the manner in which he should go. Here he is is lying in the Captain's cabin on a dive boat.We will not have him skippering the boat yet, but he has to get the sea in his blood as a first step.

Esther with Richard

Thai style comfort. Wouldn't you feel pretty cosy that close to Esther Momma?

Granny Elsie and Richard

Of course Granny has got to do her bit to keep the old flag flying and the next generation on course.

Cool Richard

With cool Richard Lyth around we won't lack leadership for the next generation. He already leads the pack with his headgear and shades.

Long Tail Outboard

Half a lifetime ago, in Bangladesh, I pinched the idea of the Long Tail Outbard from Thailand and built our local equivalent. For 10 years we had teams of young Bangladeshi men travelling the rivers of Bangladesh and visiting thousands of village markets with literature proclaiming the amazing good news about Jesus and his death to put us right with God. Now in Thailand I see the original boats.

Kite over Railay

We flew the kite at sunset as we ate our meals. How do you measure the magic of these times? Elsie and I feel immensely privileged that we can sneak these times in in the midst of a busy travel schedule.

Hurrah for Railay

Railay Beach, near Krabi, was a place worth shouting about and Zara did. I suppose for Elsie and me it was just a wonderful privilege to be able to get together with our little 2 year old grandaughter and to spend endless hours with her on the beach, in the pool and on long eploratory walks together down by the sea. Many grandparents can get together with their grandchildren by walking or driving down the road. We have to do it by Skype or in some far flung field. Afghanistan, we can sometimes visit but we often have to pick a mutual place to meet.

Bang Bang Chop Chop

Elsie and Esther and Liz and Ali did a Thai cooking course under the able tutelage of Mrs An. The main instructions seem to have been 'Bang Bang Chop Chop ... no Bang Bang Chili ... Chili in eye'. Anyhow the resultant Thai dishes were mouthwatering and thoroughly enjoyed by all the males.

Bodyguard to the sheikh

Ali considered the offer of a place in the sheikhs bodyguard but turned it down with the thought of the imminent visit to Thailand with her niece and nephew.

Osama's country

It would not have seemed appropriate for Elsie to have visited Osama's birth place without experiencing the heady power of firing a kalashnikov. A local sheikh offered them both the privilege also of throwing grenades but Elsie drew the line at that.

When is it due?

Even in Yemen babies come in the same way into the world. I think it is 6 months gone. Elsie and Ali had an entrance into folks lives in a way no man could have done.

Behind the veil

The women are shy and don't like having their picture taken. The men vie for front place in the photo. Elsie and Ali found so many women excited to talk about life outside of their world. Many were remarkably knowledgeable and all were fascinated at the thought of a mother and daughter travelling together.

Jewiish Quarter

Fascinating Jewish quarter - abandoned when all the goldsmiths of Sana left for the new state.

All the men wear a dagger

Sana Yemen - February 2007

Elsie and Ali had a couple of weeks to kill before going to Thailand so what would you do when faced with that sort of gap. They accepted the invitation of friends made in the LMC and headed over to Yemen. They found it an absolutely fascinating mixture of Africa, the Arabian Gulf and yet tribal in some areas. The prevailing vice or pleasure is the chewing of a narcotic called Khat. It seems to be a national habit which costs a great deal and seems to deaden the senses. Even the poor seem to indulge, spending hard earned money on that almost in preference to food.

Ilse and the Omani desert in bloom

Elsie and Ali stayed on in the gulf area and met so many good new friends. Many of them, like Ilse, in this photo, had been on the LMC course and gave a warm welcome to stay with them. Ilse took them out into the desert where one of those supremely rare rainstorms had brought out the whole desert in bloom. Usually it is all brown sand without a ghost of an indication that under that apparent dessicated landscape a million seeds are ready at the first rain to spring out into brilliant flower.

Abu Dhabi LMC January

When I was a young leader I often felt out of my depth and longed for training in how to lead. Now Elsie and I have the privilege two or three times a year to get together with 8 or 9 trainers to work with 36 young leaders in different parts of the world. In an intensive and interactive style of learning together we find wonderful fellowship and spiritual growth. LMC style of learning allows no one to sit still and take in. Everyone gets involved and is on their feet even within the first 5 minutes of the course.

In Abu Dhabi in January Elsie and I met so many wonderful people and had the privilege of helping them to grow in their skills in leadership and communication.

Dad and Donna

Elsie's Dad Eli and Donna are doing so well together. He still cross country skis and swims every week that he can. Just got a new job delivering flowers.

Kidney Stone Angel

Maryann Sarkar is an old friend from Bangladesh days. She is a doctor, outspoken and yet caring, who has ended up in the Mennonite area where Elsie grew up. I remember so well the night that Elsie went down with the agonising pain of a kidney stone. There was not a lot that we could but pray and make her drink a huge amount of water in the hope that it would pass. Maryann spen the whole night with Elsie praying with her and encouraging her through the pain.

In the small hours of the morning the stone passed. It was so good to meet up with Maryann and her husband Richard again.

Uncle LeRoy

Elsie has always been very close to her uncles. Here is LeRoy who was so very good to us during our visit to Pennsylvania. He spent quite a number of years in Africa as a missionary and we have always been close. This visit allowed many hours of talk and reminiscencies. There are so many stories of the old days and the farm where Elsie's Mum grew up.

We even visited graves where many of the Petersheims and other Mennonites live. It is a rich heritage of people who followed their consciences to serve God, and who were full of good works to one another.

Weather Prophet Rock

Elsie's family comes from a tradition with its feet firmly on the ground. She is spawned from Mennonite stocks where a spade is called a spade and the people are 'Plain People'. Here is the weather prophet rock and you can tell exactly where you are.