- The Finnie family in Blighty, December 2021
- Dean and Paula pastor The Gathering together
- The Gathering
- Baptisms at The Gathering
- Preparing to serve at The Gathering's Soup Kitchen
- Soup Kitchen Welcome To 2022 lunch
- Serving hands - the heart of The Gatheirng
- Thankful Thursdays
- HOPE Home Based Care Team
- Gathering Ground
- Staying fit as a family
- The Helderberg - The prettiest of the mountains we face
Ahmadinejad vs Borat
"In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country"
Would the real Borat please stand-up?
Karoo To Coast MTB Challenge
The race itself was tough and at the 50K point I wanted to puke, but held on. I caught Pete at that point which helped motivate me through a rough patch before hitting the 65K mark at which point I got my second wind and really stepped it up.
Together We Can Do More
Jose Mourinho To Manage Palace
Jose told the sun earlier in the year, 'London is perfect. My family is happy living here.
'So although you can never predict what will happen in football, I would like to be in London by 2012.
'If it is not working at Chelsea, then Crystal Palace or somebody else.
'London is a special city because it has won the right and the privilege to host the Olympic Games.
Spring Appears To Have Sprung - At Last!
Celebration Of School Work
Wedding Anniversary
Wow!
We've had a lot of fun, been to some great places, met some incredible people and been blessed with two amazing sons!
We'll let you decide how we've fared the passage of time.
Aunty Henna' s 60th Birthday
Britain's Favourite View
A five-part television series Britain's Favourite View on ITV, spearheaded by Sir Trevor McDonald, included 16 celebrities who advocated scenic vistas from around Britain, trumpeting their beauty and explaining their geological significance and historical resonance"
The winner of the public vote was Wast Water and it's very easy to see why. If you've ever been there you'll know just how stunning the place is.
So here we go with a couple of photos from our trip to the UK last year when we took Joel & Eli to Wast Water
Health Blues
Citizenship
Being The Hands And Feet Of Jesus
After a few false starts and teething problems, Paula today officially launched her faithful home based care team in Chris Nissen. It was a special morning. Thanks to a financial commitment from our church she had been busily buying basic items for each carer and putting them in special bags for them to take around with them to house visits and was able to officially hand them over today to her 4 delighted carers.
Place Of Safety
It warms my heart to think of Michael & Joyce as a 'place of safety'. As a couple they have grown and matured so much in the 3 years we've known them and Michael has become a trusted friend whom we love dearly.
What Are You Drinking Tonight?
What will I be writing to you next that has run out, will it be no food in the house from tomorrow, who knows , someone please nuke this place and put us out of our misery, I am tired..............."
That was a quote form an email we received recently from our best friends in Zimbabwe. Somehow it conveys the truth in a very simple way that is so often missed by the mainstream media. Life in Zim is desperate and there are no immediate solutions waiting just around the corner.
Please pray for Zim and her people. Pray for the church, that she would be "..the light of the world" in a very dark place. Pray too for a Godly solution to the crisis in the nation. Man has no answers to this mess!
Stellenbosch Wes MTB Race - Official Times
My official time was: 4:04:13, with an average speed of 13.51kph which was due to the numerous portage sections.
Stellenbosch Wes MTB Race
This was a tough race as the mud was far worse than at the last Stellenbosch race. Despite the race being 5km's shorter and with only 1200M of climbing as opposed to 1400M in the previous race this one felt tougher, probably because of the mud. Also, my maximum heart rate was 1bpm less on this race and my average heart rate was 2bpm less. I also burnt 4435Kcal on this ride! Think I've earnt a beer or two tonight.
Settling The Bill - Zim Style
Our friends in Zim really need your prayers, life is really tough with even the most basic of food items being scarce and very expensive.
How we long for change in that amazing nation!
They Make Me Proud!
Paula's Ladies
Family Time
In the midst of busy lives and endless running around it's really important to take time out as a family, to pull up the draw bridge and exclude the outside world. We spent quite a bit of time doing just that over the weekend and we've had some really great moments. Joel & Eli have thoroughly enjoyed so much attention and have provided some wonderfully entertaining moments for Mummy & Daddy.
Whale Watching & Chillin' Out
Gravity Adventure Festival
Off To The Principal's Office..
Positives & Negatives (that title will annoy John Humphrys)
For fear of being overly negative, we'll not bore you with the details of our frustrations, but if you've been reading this Blog for any length of time you can probably figure it out.
Stellenbosch MTB Challenge
Harry Potter - Mania Madness
The problem here is that South Africa generally doesn't have a book culture in the way the UK does and so books are very expensive. Harry Potter was going on sale at launch for the usual R240ish (£17). However, Paula happened to see a small notice at our local supermarket saying they would be selling the book for R149 (£10). We knew Paula would be at the supermarket around lunchtime but certainly didn't expect to find any copies left, but lo and behold, there were loads!
10 Years In Mission
Weekend In Montagu
We were very blessed on our last night when Mike the farm mechanic baby-sat for us so we could enjoy the highlights of Montagu's nightlife. Sadly Montagu has no nightlife! Despite that we really did have a lot of fun together.
Roofing Sheets
An Update Of Sorts
We'll post more in the next day or so.
Signs Of The Times?
I have no explanation for this other than to say the goats must be very smart to read the sign
Project Fix It - Part 2
The feed back from the two days has been very positive so hopefully we'll be able to follow it up later in the year.
Busy Times Ahead..
Having had a hectic weekend of birthday parties and 'Project Fix It' this week is about to get a lot busier and more hectic. Dean has a ton of stuff to do in preparation for part 2 of Project Fix It such as collating the outstanding jobs, sorting teams for Saturday and buying the outstanding resources needed all of which needs to be squeezed in between his language studies.
Project Fix It - Part 1
Project Fix It
Shortest Day
Care Packages
"What do you most miss from home?" & "What can we send you?"
These are two common questions which are actually quite hard to answer. When we were in Tanzania we welcomed just about anything, especially Pepperami sticks and Onion Bhaji Mix. However, here in South Africa we can get pretty much anything. Our local fish & chip shop is far superior to anything in the UK, as is most local produce and marmite is on the supermarket shelves. Our local pub (we don't frequent it too often) even serves Kilkenny on draught and Boddingtons is available in the local bottle store!
Mums Come Out In Force
Time Capsule
Not long ago I stumbled upon a Blog entitled Telstar Logistics where they were following the story of a time capsule which had been buried in Tulsa in 1957 to be dug up 50 years later in 2007. The time capsule consisted of a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere and a few other items. Unfortunately at the time of burying the Plymouth it's proneness to rust was still unknown.
Love Hate Relationship
A Proper Curry At Last
Bible Study
Big Joel, Little Joel
The boys were really chuffed to see Joel again and Eli took a real shine to him. I know Joel's parents will read this, so just to let you know that it was a real pleasure to have Joel stay, he's a real credit to you!
Update (Of Sorts)
How to update without getting into trouble with someone? Probably not possible so here goes..
Chris Nissen is a real challenge at present. Mainly because some of our church members are behaving appallingly and preventing other non members in the community from either coming to church or trying out one of our groups.
Should He Stay Or Should He Go?
Ahoy There Me Hearties!
Friends To Play
Health & Fitness
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