Address: St Mary's Church, Chart Lane, Reigate, RH2 7RN.
It would be great to see you here.
Thanks again for your support.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Feedback Service This Evening
If you followed our trip to Burundi on the blog, you may be interested to know that this evening, the 6.30pm service at St Mary's will be dedicated to looking at our time in Burundi.
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
Giving Street Kids a Chance: Support Fran
If you've followed the blog at all, you'll know what a difference the work of EPF with partner organisations (like Africa Revival Ministries) can make to the lives of street children. This is an epic ride for a fantastic charity. If you can donate anything at all, however little, then please do. Your contribution will make a difference to the lives of children in extreme poverty. Thank you.
Please follow this link to find out more and donate: https://believe.in/fundraising/FrancescaPurcell/266#/266
Inspiring Plane Ride
I was a bit disgruntled not to be getting a seat next to any of our happy crew on any of the flights home. This may have been due to my coming out a couple of days later than the others. In any case I kind of half heartedly prayed that God would use the situation for His glory and that I wouldn't be quite such a whooossss and just wo- 'man up!'
After our 'bump' to Rwanda the lovely Lorna had a spare seat next to her so I joined our happy throng and thought nothing more of the oncoming journey.
Little did I know how much more God wanted to bless me on this homeward journey...
On the Nairobi - Amsterdam leg I was seated next to a Ugandan lady, Olivia, and within minutes started up a conversation. She wanted to know what we had been doing in Burundi so I was able to share some of our stories with her and then she told me that she was a 'Compassion' child. She had been sponsored by Compassion from early childhood. Her father had been killed when she was just 5 and her mother had died the following year. She and her siblings were taken in by her aunt and uncle. I didn't ask the details of how Compassion then became involved but she said that her two Compassion sponsors, one in Kent, UK and the other in America had funded her education all the way through school and now university (in America). She has met with both her sponsors and talked about the importance of having this direct contact and of building integral relationships with them.
Olivia is a strong woman of faith, she is another servant who puts Christ at the centre and listens to His call. She has been helping set up similar projects to the ones we have seen in Burundi, with her church back in Uganda (on a purely voluntary basis) and I am confident God will use her mightily wherever and whatever He leads her to in the future.
It was amazing for me to meet a 'child' of Compassion. I had only a couple of days earlier been talking with Helen about Compassion and whether it might be something I might be led to do....... I think I might have gotten some answers of affirmation through meeting Olivia!!!!
Fee x
After our 'bump' to Rwanda the lovely Lorna had a spare seat next to her so I joined our happy throng and thought nothing more of the oncoming journey.
Little did I know how much more God wanted to bless me on this homeward journey...
On the Nairobi - Amsterdam leg I was seated next to a Ugandan lady, Olivia, and within minutes started up a conversation. She wanted to know what we had been doing in Burundi so I was able to share some of our stories with her and then she told me that she was a 'Compassion' child. She had been sponsored by Compassion from early childhood. Her father had been killed when she was just 5 and her mother had died the following year. She and her siblings were taken in by her aunt and uncle. I didn't ask the details of how Compassion then became involved but she said that her two Compassion sponsors, one in Kent, UK and the other in America had funded her education all the way through school and now university (in America). She has met with both her sponsors and talked about the importance of having this direct contact and of building integral relationships with them.
Olivia is a strong woman of faith, she is another servant who puts Christ at the centre and listens to His call. She has been helping set up similar projects to the ones we have seen in Burundi, with her church back in Uganda (on a purely voluntary basis) and I am confident God will use her mightily wherever and whatever He leads her to in the future.
It was amazing for me to meet a 'child' of Compassion. I had only a couple of days earlier been talking with Helen about Compassion and whether it might be something I might be led to do....... I think I might have gotten some answers of affirmation through meeting Olivia!!!!
Fee x
http://www.compassionuk.org/
Monday, 22 July 2013
Fancy going to Burundi yourself?
I'm back in the office today after our trip to Burundi. It's been a bit odd and I'm already wondering if we actually went! (We did)
Anyway, on my return to the office, I noticed a copy of Youthwork Magazine nestled among the piles of mail I had received (2 other letters). I did the obligatory 'flick through' and one advert caught my attention. It was for the King's School in Bujumbura! So, if you have been touched by what you have read in this blog, you might want to ponder whether you too could go to this amazing country.
There are many opportunities at the King's School, including Teaching and Gap Year posts. It is an amazing place and to be part of the story of recovery that includes The King's School and Africa Revival Ministries would be such an enriching and rewarding thing to do.
Have a look at the advert. Here is the link to the Jobsearch Site too. http://www.premierjobsearch.co.uk/jobs/job/secondary-teacher-primary-teacher-nursery-gap-year-opportunities-0
Go on, this could be for you.
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Bosco's Amazing Story Part 100
After a very quiet night in the Jambo Hotel without the rest of my fantastic
team I met Bosco and after running a few errands, as is his way, we ended up at
Lake Tanginiyka looking for a spot for me to hang out for the weekend. Bosco
and I chatted and he asked me about what it would be like going home. I said I
hoped to go back with a different outlook but I was also anxious about changing
jobs coming up from working with cancer to working with mental health. Bosco
then said "I had cancer 10 years ago". I remember Dr Aline saying
that if you got cancer in Burundi the treatment available were basically
surgery and/or painkillers. Regarding chemotherapy/radiotherapy etc you had to
be able to afford to fly to India to pay for treatment there. For the average Burundian
this is about as likely as flying to the moon.
I asked more and Bosco went on to say he had been vomitting for a couple of weeks and had seen a Doctor who diagnosed stomach cancer. He needed 100,000 Burundi Francs to pay the deposit for treatment and it should start within 30 days to stop further growth. At the time Bosco was receiving 3000 BFs a month student grant and topping this up through work. He said he simply couldn't afford it. He then said he prayed for 3 days. Bosco said he advised God that he was His and ready to accept His will. On the third day in mid prayer he fell to the floor and said he heard Gods voice saying "Bosco you are healed".
He went to church the next day still weak from not eating properly for sometime and again collapsed. This time he said he 'vomited' but nothing physical come out just he could see something that resembled a black cloud of flies. Bosco then heard God speaking again "Bosco you are healed". He went home and then ate solid food for the first time in 3 weeks. Bosco then returned to the hospital and saw the Doctor - he said that after running tests he was flabbergasted as there was no signs of cancer.
After telling this story Bosco smiled at me and said 'God gave me life'.
I was stunned... Bosco then gave me an impromptu service in the car park of a hotel about faith and how it works in his life and it can in anyone's Not for the first time on this trip I was left in tears as we said goodbye. Dr Aline and her family and Bosco and his have really shown me how faith can work. Now I need to try it for myself.
I asked more and Bosco went on to say he had been vomitting for a couple of weeks and had seen a Doctor who diagnosed stomach cancer. He needed 100,000 Burundi Francs to pay the deposit for treatment and it should start within 30 days to stop further growth. At the time Bosco was receiving 3000 BFs a month student grant and topping this up through work. He said he simply couldn't afford it. He then said he prayed for 3 days. Bosco said he advised God that he was His and ready to accept His will. On the third day in mid prayer he fell to the floor and said he heard Gods voice saying "Bosco you are healed".
He went to church the next day still weak from not eating properly for sometime and again collapsed. This time he said he 'vomited' but nothing physical come out just he could see something that resembled a black cloud of flies. Bosco then heard God speaking again "Bosco you are healed". He went home and then ate solid food for the first time in 3 weeks. Bosco then returned to the hospital and saw the Doctor - he said that after running tests he was flabbergasted as there was no signs of cancer.
After telling this story Bosco smiled at me and said 'God gave me life'.
I was stunned... Bosco then gave me an impromptu service in the car park of a hotel about faith and how it works in his life and it can in anyone's Not for the first time on this trip I was left in tears as we said goodbye. Dr Aline and her family and Bosco and his have really shown me how faith can work. Now I need to try it for myself.
Jon Ruchpaul
Friday, 19 July 2013
We're back in the country
We have just landed after what feels like an age of flying. Team are in good spirits and looking forward to seeing friends and family.
On our way home
Next stop Amsterdam. After a few hours in Nairobi airport. *yawns*
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