Farewell to Regan

Regan Backhouse left on the RMS this morning, bound for Ascension Island.  She will spend a few weeks there with family and friends before going to the UK to start life in a boarding school.  She will be missed - especially by Pat and Prudie (her grandparents) with whom she has lived for the past 6 or so years.

                                                         Regan and Prudie at the wharf

Regan and her school firends

Williamsons and Breeds

The Williamsons are due to return to the USA on the 6th of next month.  How time flies.  We wanted to spend a bit more time with them, so had them over for lunch and an afternoon visit.
The Breeds (the Afrikaans friends that attend our Jamestown Bible studies)

 asked us to join them in the evening for a take away at one of the Saturday night outlets.  Graeme then introduced them to the only place that makes proper milk shakes (by SA standards) much to Dawid and Ira's delight. We were impressed at how many people stopped to greet "Oom Dawid" and "Tannie".  They are well loved in the community.

Cake sale

The ladies held a cake sale at the market this morning.  We are raising money to install a water borne toilet at Sandy Bay chapel.  The original toilet was a double seater long drop. (work that out for yourself).  At the moment they have a wood and iron little shed with a chemical toilet - not ideal.  We raised 240 pounds to add to our kitty.
In the evening we had the Drabbles over for supper, and to watch a sermon by Mark Driscol that Gareth had downloaded.  Edyta brought the dessert, which she had bought at the cake sale - one of the milk tarts that I had made!
An evening of good fellowship, and a good sermon.

Early morning visit to the yacht

Graeme and I caught the ferry to the Shining Star at 7 am this morning.

Graeme at the landing where we get on to the ferry.  The ropes give you something to hold on to while jumping aboard.

Jamestown as seen from the ferry.

The clouds still had a pink hue from the sun rise.

   We wanted to see the yacht and spend an hour or 2 on it before returning to land to start our day.

The boys are obviously very comfortable on the yacht, and although it is small inside (by my living standards) it looked well organised.

 Unfortunately there was a good swell, and I started feeling squeamish and had to go on deck.  We had breakfast of coffee and freshly made scones.  Suddenly, while chatting on deck, Graeme decided to feed the fish.  Dale radioed the ferry, and they very kindly came and fetched us ahead of the scheduled time.
The Smyths sailed away the following day, heading for Ascension Island.

Grief

If I feel such terrible grief, how are my brother and sister-in-law coping?  Graeme skyped my brother, George, while I was with the Sandy Bay ladies this morning.  They spoke for about an hour.  I took over when I arrived home, and was able to chat for another 20 mins or so.  The awfulness of it all threatens to overwhelm. Only God can bring them any comfort.

My nephew Mark

Today Graeme phoned me at work to tell me the terrible news that my brother's youngest son, Mark, (early 30 yrs) had just committed suicide.  20 years ago their oldest son (22 yrs old) committed suicide, and now they have to go through the agony AGAIN!!  The only comfort we have is that we know that he loved God and belonged to Him.

Smyths for the day

The Smyths spent the day with us.  First they went to the 2 morning services with Graeme.

The congregation with the Smyths outside Sandy Bay chapel

The Williamsons, and the Smyths with the congregation outside Head O'Wain chapel

The Williamsons together with Charles Thomas and Enid Bowers

 Then we had lunch (I was so excited to have fresh spinach on the menu for lunch, but dear little Jack was not) and chatted until it was time for them to leave for the ferry to take them back to the Shining Star.