Lorraine writes- Today saw our church family and friends get together after the service for a bring and share lunch. It was great to spend time with friends who are dear to us; to chat and laugh together. The final sorting and packing for our big off is underway and we have been so blessed by many words of encouragements.

Chris writes: the day went really well and it was good to see so many of our friends and family there to support us. During the service we shared a little - i spoke about the three things which had encouraged me 1) all the many people who had supported and encouraged us and it felt like they were going with us in a sense 2) was the ripple effect what we are doing seems to be having on other people and the many people Christian and non who have been inspired and motivated by what we are doing - it is quite humbling and something we would never have imagined 3) I don't know much about timescales when you are starting off in missionary work but three months from the date we got accepted to the date we actually fly seems pretty good - doing things like renting the flat which happened almost straight away (with a gulp at the time!) plus packing all our stuff into boxes and suitcases and storing some in the loft; moving in with families around Bournemouth; setting up new accounts; starting a new old job for me; besides getting the newsletters out and raising the money - we had to have at least three months in the back with the rest pledged (this seemed a mountain in itself!) - when we go next week we should have virtually all the money we need until July 2009!! Now i don't want to get super spiritual here or anything but to me, with or without the theology degree(!) that all kind of implies that God is firmly in what we are doing and He has not only opened a door for us but OPENED THE FLOODGATES!!!