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• THE JOURNEY IS OVER (JOURNAL 90)

  3 June, 2016

  If you were to read our journal entry for this day last year, you would read the following Today's instalment… [more]

• JOURNAL 89

  22 May, 2016

  Hi sweetheart, Sometimes I experience periods of “What if…?”. These are times when my mind seems… [more]

• JOURNAL 88

  17 May, 2016

  Hi Darling, Coming home from the hospital with a mechanical device fitted to my chest – a P.E.G. I think it… [more]

• JOURNAL 87

  13 May, 2016

  JOURNAL 87 The doctor said I can go home this morning. The surgery has had the desired effect and this new means of… [more]

• JOURNAL 86

  10 May, 2016

  JOURNAL 86 MOTHER’S DAY Hello sweetheart, I haven’t spoken to our children as to… [more]

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• Our Journey Through The Valley (86)

  11 May, 2014

  Our "Journey Through The Valley" experienced another reality check yesterday morning when Bev had a coughing episode and struggled to catch her breath. This was followed by another episode in the afternoon. Obviously this kind of experience is very stressful for her. It is also stressful for those who are there to help but who feel so helpless.

  Bev has a chest infection which, in itself, can be treated with antibiotics. But the disease has weakened her upper body muscles and arms so that the capacity to cough and get rid of the congestion is severely compromised. What for the rest of us would be a normal and natural ability - albeit not very enjoyable (!) - is, for Bev, a stressful and potentially life-threatening experience.

  I've prayed for the healing and freeing of Bev's lungs. I suppose my prayer is  energized largely by the stress and sense of helplessness I feel as I watch these coughing episodes. I don't see anything wrong with that. I suppose there would be something wrong with me if I didn't respond like that.

  We have been reading together the book "Fear No Evil" by Rev. David Watson, an Anglican clergyman who died at age 50 as a result of liver cancer. His honest reflections about the questions he asked of God, his focus on worship etc. is proving helpful for us.

  In the midst of all that is happening, we have not lost sight of the many, many expressions of God's love through the activity and care of His people. The provision of a bed here at Aminya, the timing of that provision right down to the timing of greeting cards, visits and phone calls....I guess it's the maintaining of balance that is the tricky part - the balance between what God is not doing and what He is doing.