Happy 2011!

We hope you had an enjoyable Christmas. Katy and I have spent the last month travelling around the country and spending good times with family and friends for our last Christmas before heading out to Tanzania (God willing).

Katy Cold Christmas Market Stall

Katy was back at her market stall in Greenwich in the run-up to Christmas and stood for many hours in the freezing cold enduring repetitive Christmas muzak. The snow disrupted what should have been the busiest shopping weekend of the year, but fortunately she didn’t make quite the losses of her competitors John Lewis and Selfridges.  If you are looking to decorate soon, we can give you a good deal on the website price list! Email: Katy@kjray.co.uk

Katy was un-able to join me on our visit to St James Hill, Sutton Coldfield as she had the coughing cold that seems to be going around. Nevertheless, I was given a warm welcome by folk at the church and was encouraged by the friendly conversations over our Neema Crafts stall.

Off sledging in Bradgate Park

This was the first year Katy and I have attempted to cook a family Christmas lunch. After 30+ years of  spending Christmas day in the kitchen we offered my Mum a well earned break. I couldn’t believe quite how much preparation and planning was involved. Fortunately, Katy took care of most of this. I was just careful to obey orders and offer a hand when the enormous turkey needed hoisting out of the oven – it had one of those pop-up timer things embedded in it which helped to ensure no one was poisoned. On reflection, Christmas day isn’t much of a holiday when you’re cooking and I think I’ll give it another 30 years before attempting it again.

Having celebrated Christmas Eve with my family, we headed up the motorway to Katy’s parents in Leicestershire. We were just in time to join John Woolmer (Katy’s Dad) give the midnight communion at the local parish church. I rubbed my inward hands with glee as I saw a few visitors wander in from the pub, quite unaware of the mind-blowing testimonies of angelic visitation and Christian conversion that would be shared later. John referred to his book ‘Encounters’ during a gospel-loaded sermon and we were pleased to see that all of the free copies of this book were taken at the end of the service.

It was so special for us to have a white Chistmas before we head out to Africa. We were able to go tobogganing twice on Christmas day in Bradgate Park. We were all shocked when my Mother-in-law Jane consistently overtook us on every hill….see video for evidence… she’s cutting the straight path down the middle! 

We spent New Year’s Eve with our close friends Pete and Amy who run Pulse Ministries – an organisation that runs childrens’ holiday clubs and events for training and youth and children’s leaders. See http://www.pulseministries.org.uk if your church might be interested,

Since then we have continued to travel across the country visiting friends and family. I have picked up two large boxes of tools in recent weeks that will be greatly appreciated at the Neema Crafts workshop. If you happen to know anyone else who is clearing their workshop we are looking for woodworking tools, specifically: chisels, hand-planes, marking gauges, tenon or dovetail saws and metal rulers. It would also be great to find a wood lathe!

We are now back at All Nations and I have already been persuaded to start training for a half-marathon... I don't know if Katy's committing yet, but watch this space to see which we do!