Three Weeks in Africa Already - WOW
Whoever said time flies, was NOT kidding. Having the internet down for the last FIVE DAYS did NOT help!
We are settling into our house, and Ann is busy putting her mark on the place. She turned into Martha Stewart overnight! We are about half way through the painting, and we made kitchen and dining room curtains, and have started improving the small things. We cannot wait until they get to painting the bedroom, it is a mid-green and it has to go.
Ann has been attending a Small group bible study and is enjoying it a lot. Every day she passes on some small fact or piece of information about the country or habits or laws. We feel like we are settling in. I only look at the map a few times per journey. This place does not have one straight road! it was complex to get a sense of direction but that is coming along well.
Chris Brooks is going to Canada for a fund raising trip in a few weeks so preparations are well under way. He will be in Toronto for a full week and will be available at least one Sunday. Look forward to that and bring your friends!!
I have been up north to the new clinic site, and we have our work cut out for us in this project, that is for sure! Originally it was supposed to be budgeted so we would get a contractor to build it and we just get progress updates. Yea, right! We are now our own contractors and it is a very complex job, the finished building will measure 25 meters by 40 meters (about 80 feet by 130 feet for you old folks)it will be great when it will be finished, and I hope it will be complete in December. We are not waiting for it to start work. We have already hired most of the staff, so training has begun, we are searching for houses for them to live in and we plan to have our first outreach clinic on Oct.17, 2006. Real soon.
We just got our visas extended by 90 days while we wait for my work visa. our container, originally scheduled for Sept. 29, will now be in mid-Oct or Christmas, we are not quite sure over here.
We witnessed a miracle this Sunday in the villages. One of the PAOC churches was doing a crusade to plant a church in a village and we went for the Sunday wrap up. Ann gave the message in the Sunday service, and did a great job, I might add. One of the recent converts had a testimony that was amazing. He was a village headman, which means he has some stature in the leadership ranks, he was registered as a Muslim, but was secretly a senior guy in the Gullie Wamkulu sect which is based on witchcraft and many evil things. He not only gave his life to Christ, but has been making very powerful public testimonies to that fact which is causing quite a stir.
God does work in mysterious ways. Sorry it was so long between posts, we will get more regular with a little All-Bran!!
Love to all
Pat and Ann Laforet
We are settling into our house, and Ann is busy putting her mark on the place. She turned into Martha Stewart overnight! We are about half way through the painting, and we made kitchen and dining room curtains, and have started improving the small things. We cannot wait until they get to painting the bedroom, it is a mid-green and it has to go.
Ann has been attending a Small group bible study and is enjoying it a lot. Every day she passes on some small fact or piece of information about the country or habits or laws. We feel like we are settling in. I only look at the map a few times per journey. This place does not have one straight road! it was complex to get a sense of direction but that is coming along well.
Chris Brooks is going to Canada for a fund raising trip in a few weeks so preparations are well under way. He will be in Toronto for a full week and will be available at least one Sunday. Look forward to that and bring your friends!!
I have been up north to the new clinic site, and we have our work cut out for us in this project, that is for sure! Originally it was supposed to be budgeted so we would get a contractor to build it and we just get progress updates. Yea, right! We are now our own contractors and it is a very complex job, the finished building will measure 25 meters by 40 meters (about 80 feet by 130 feet for you old folks)it will be great when it will be finished, and I hope it will be complete in December. We are not waiting for it to start work. We have already hired most of the staff, so training has begun, we are searching for houses for them to live in and we plan to have our first outreach clinic on Oct.17, 2006. Real soon.
We just got our visas extended by 90 days while we wait for my work visa. our container, originally scheduled for Sept. 29, will now be in mid-Oct or Christmas, we are not quite sure over here.
We witnessed a miracle this Sunday in the villages. One of the PAOC churches was doing a crusade to plant a church in a village and we went for the Sunday wrap up. Ann gave the message in the Sunday service, and did a great job, I might add. One of the recent converts had a testimony that was amazing. He was a village headman, which means he has some stature in the leadership ranks, he was registered as a Muslim, but was secretly a senior guy in the Gullie Wamkulu sect which is based on witchcraft and many evil things. He not only gave his life to Christ, but has been making very powerful public testimonies to that fact which is causing quite a stir.
God does work in mysterious ways. Sorry it was so long between posts, we will get more regular with a little All-Bran!!
Love to all
Pat and Ann Laforet
posted by Pat Laforet | 4:34 PM
8 Comments:
Hey guys, just remember regarding your shipment that "this is Africa". If you get it by Xmas it will be like a Christmas gift to be opened. Ask Ann if she will make curtains for my place too..maybe set up a sewing shop, make some money (haha). Glad to hear you are both doing well and hearing some amazing "Godly" work. It's good to know Ann has kept up with bible study, Andrea misses her Monday's with her. For needing a contractor perhaps "bob the builder" of the outreach centre came in handy. Your a good person Pat to be a contractor. I can't believe it will be completed by December but how fantastic that is. How far from that one will you be living? We hope to get to see Chris when he is hear and bring some "newbies" to hear him speak. Keep safe. God Bless, A & D
Mom and Pat;
Well I am so happy to here more of your story. Life has been busy here. We have been contacting different people for when Chris comes.
Well, I know Ryan and I think about you everyday. You are sharing your story though us over here.
I can't believe that you have been gone for about a month now! WOW!!! Me miss you so much. Pat keep us the wonderful work and it will pay off and one day soon maybe Dec. it will be done.
Love
Tova
Hi Mom & Pat,
Small world - Andrea & Dale e-mailed me last night to say there was a new blog message from you. This is the 1st chance I've gotten to log on.
There has been so much going on - MOPS, arranging for Chris' visit, Ethan's wrist & surgey
I'll have to get back on - kids are a-calling.
Naiomi
Hey Mom & Pat,
Nothing like a little Christmas present to uplift the spirit.
Its nice to see you guys back on. I was wondering whether your service had gone down.
Well it is crazy that it has almost been a month. We miss you guys a lot. We are setting everything up for Thanksgiving now. Should be a good one. We'll miss you guys though.
Keep on trucking. We ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE AND WILL DO. Love you,
SDM & Char
Hi Ann & Pat,
I'm glad to hear you are feeling a bit more settled.
It must be hard to feel settled when you are living without so much of your things that are in that crate.
I have a friend who went into general contracting and he had to fake it till he could make it on some stuff. It sounds like you will be doing a lot of that too.
It's exciting to hear that you are going to launch your first clinic on Oct 17th.
anyways, I just wanted to say hello, and let you know that I'm thinking of you both.
Hugs,
Cassie
Michele says hello and will figure out how to do this in due course. Until then, Hi from everyone in Mississauaga.
Ethan says don't go fishing in the big lake beacuse they are perona's or the little lake, yeah but if you see no perona's its safe to go fishing. And it's really crazy that if you go fishing with the peronas, they might do something to you. And watch out for crocodiles!! and don't go in the little lake.
I love you Annie & Patty, Love ethan
PS. REALLY watch out for peronas!!!!!!!!!
Lots of controversy over Madonna's adoption of a little Malawian boy happening so quickly. It's all over the news. Do you hear anything about it? It made us think of the little one that one of the missionaries was trying to adopt and still hasnt been able to even though they are living in Malawi. Any updates on their adoption? Sorry I can't remember which family it was.
Hope you are doing well and settling in is getting easier.
Andrea
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