Greetings from Lancaster!
In my new role I (Ali) am frequently meeting with American colleagues for the first time on Zoom and having to introduce myself. They often ask where I am based and I have found myself unable to resist referring to our new home as "Lancaster, the original and best". I do this to clarify that we don't live in any of the 26 places in the US also called Lancaster!
A couple weeks ago we had the privilege of ministering at the Gatehouse church in Blackpool. It was great to see people there again and share a bit more about our part in God's mission through Bible Translation related ministries.
Tim went on to preach about the role the Bible plays in our discipleship journey. Last Sunday Tim preached at Father's House (Our Church) around the topic of Forgiveness.
I (Ali) am starting to get more stuck into my work with the Ethnologue Team. In fact, on Monday 1st May I travel to Thailand for a conference with Language Assessment leaders. I will be presenting about the work I am doing and hoping to connect with leaders from all over the world to see how we can work together to improve the information about the languages in their areas. Accurate data is really important to help the strategic decision makers know what communities still need scripture.
Tim is off to a slightly less exotic, but important location. He will be attending the Elim missionaries conference in Malvern, UK. It will be a good time of connecting with other missionaries, the ELIM leaders and also being encouraged and refreshed. After being how a few days, checking Dan is surviving okay, hosting a small Coronation party, Tim will be heading to Harrogate for the Elim leaders conference. At the end of May, Tim has been asked by a colleague if he might be available to help support a conference for first term missionaries in need of a worship leader. Given that Tim loves leading worship and that the retreat is being held in Malaga in Spain, it was not too hard to say yes! Another key factor was that one of the participants at the retreat will be an SIL counsellor who has worked with Tim for many years, it will be a huge pleasure to be able to help him and his team out. All of this travel does mean that Dan will get to test the waters of surviving in the absence of either parent. He has been working hard on developing his culinary talents by helping Tim cook a few of our evening meals. No one has died yet. All joking aside, we are sure he will be just fine! Dan has recently applied for and been assigned his accommodation for his first year at Uni. We are delighted that he will be in reasonably priced student accommodation very close to where his lectures and labs will be. He has also worked out that it will take him an hour to walk to either his grandparents' or his Uncle and Aunt's house from there. Always good to have an escape plan for bonus support if needed. Or an excuse to play board games! We value and need your prayers! Praise Getting into good rhythms of work and rest Great opportunities coming up to connect with others Dan's accomodation for Uni Prayer Safe travels That we will make the most of the opportunities that we have That Dan will enjoy his time home alone and thrive through it
