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June 2008
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The Space to Carry On
We've returned from our annual tour of England to begin our fourth year in Mozambique.
We're back in our house at Zimpeto, which is 50% bigger than it was before we left.
Two new rooms were added on while we were away. Our new "master bedroom" is twice the size of our old one and could fit a kingsize waterbed if we so desired…
And we've returned with Jonny's sister Fiona, who's spending a year out here with us. It is fantastic to have Fi in our daily lives - Gracie loves her aunty and we get the occasional breathing space from 24hr parenting. We also love to see Fi working with the kids and being a part of this ministry.
Both of these things - the house extension and Fi with us - are great encouragements to carry on with what we're doing and know that God is blessing us.
And in a way it feels like the start of a new season in our lives.
When God calls us to carry out his plans, he also makes the room for us to fulfil those plans.
It feels like He is establishing our hearts more firmly and confirming what he started in us - we are not just going through a phase in life of "doing something charitable" and then "going home to settle down". We want to be here for the long-haul.
Whilst back in England, we shared with friends about desires we have to work more closely with the "problem kids" - the misfits with severe behaviour challenges…
Well, we're stepping out with this plan by investing more of our time with one boy in particular - Betinho. He is a wonderfully natured boy when he's on his own, but in the context of the dormitory and 39 other boys his age, he is continually getting into trouble.
Through times we've spent alone with Betinho, we've seen the gentle, kind, honest side of him, which so different from the defiant, hard, angry boy he often is around his peers. He desperately needs a boost of self esteem and to break free from the negative reputation he has gained.
As things improve with Betinho, we hope to be able to invest in other boys too who have similar struggles.
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