Dean and Paula in Blighty, autumn 2025
Dean and Paula pastor The Gathering
Our beloved Palace - FA Cup winners 2025
The Gathering
Baptising in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Leaders preparing to serve at The Gathering's Soup Kitchen
Soup Kitchen Xmas lunch
Serving hands - the heart of The Gatheirng
Thankful Thursdays.JPG)
HOPE Home Based Care Team
Gathering Ground
The Helderberg - The prettiest of the mountains we face
Since his leg amputation he's highly immobile, and Joyce (his wife) has been really struggling to meet his care needs. Unfortunately the local home based care team (not our HOPE ladies!) has let the family down quite badly, and now Joyce must make some difficult decisions.
Rosie lived a good long life, but at sweet 16 she was struggling with the most basic of activities such as grooming, and walking was painful for her. So after consulting some dear friends with more experience of dog ownership than us, and a chat with the vet, we agreed it was time to do the right thing and let Rosie go.
Despite Paula's best attempt to scupper our UK trip by throwing herself down a hill, I did at least manage to keep one engagement.
On Sunday I had the joy & privilege of preaching at St Andrew's in Oxshott, one of our partner churches.
Of the thirty four wedding anniversaries we've celebrated, this is probably the most unusual.
We're still trying to process all that has happened in the last 24 hours and what it all means for our plans. Sadly we've had to cancel most of what we had planned, and our longed for family getaway has been canned for now. This is truly heartbreaking.
On Wednesday a few of the local SAFReC Chaplains visited Heartlands Baby Sanctuary in Somerset West to drop off a donation of nappies and to pray with any staff members who wanted prayer.
Entering into a life of full-time overseas mission has to be the toughest challenge in life. One can do all the training at specialised colleges, read all the books and listen to those who have served in overseas mission, but until you've done it, you simply cannot understand just how tough the life is! That's not to say normal life isn't tough, we know it can be.
