A YEAR IN: Part One

WELCOME TO THE first prayer letter of this, my ‘gap’ year. If you are holding this piece of paper in your hand, viewing it on your computer screen or sidling up to a notice board displaying it, thank you. Your interest, concern and most of all prayers are all hugely appreciated.

Even at the time of writing, the details of how the next 12 months in my life are to pan out are somewhat hazy. However, it seems more than sensible to give you an idea of roughly what you can be expecting to hear about over the next few epistles as I progress on the Serving In Mission (SIM) Global Awareness Programme…

SEPTEMBER At home in Reading, preparing practically, financially and spiritually. OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 8 weeks’ training at SIM HQ in Suffolk. DECEMBER Another opportunity to be waged, celebrate Christmas and make the final preparations.

JANUARY Departure to wherever I will by then have been sent! expect plenty of updates JULY Return to the UK, including de-brief at SIM HQ, approx. 2 weeks after arrival. BEYOND Only God knows…

SIM works in over 25 different countries...

...and I could be in any of them!

... pleads and praises...

SIM’s motto is “by prayer”, and it is right that nothing will be accomplished any other way this year (or any other year)…

• please pray for family and friends left behind, who will, apparently, miss me – may they know God’s presence and love
• give thanks for the financial needs that have already been fulfilled, and pray that remaining monies will be forthcoming
• please pray for the team of fourteen young people that I will be joining on the gap programme; for good friendships to be forged
• please pray for good spiritual health for all those involved in the mission, including myself

Thank you. Be assured that you are all in my prayers too.

Money Matters
Until I know where I will be going, I will not know how much money I need to raise in total. The £1000 needed for the training period I have almost managed to collect through my own efforts, and there is a fundraising event in the pipeline for late 2005 to make inroads towards the next thousand. Watch this space!

Welcome to the "blog"

For those of you who are new to blogs (short for "web-log"), welcome. Rather than clog up your inboxes with large attachments, I thought it better to post my meanderings on a web page for you to peruse at will.

In addition to the officially published prayer letters, I also intend to reward faithful readers of this website with occasional news flashes and prayer requests in between. Please keep your eyes well and truly peeled.

If all of this high-tech gadgetry is a bit much for you, do ask to be added to the 'snail mail' distribution list. Just email Sheila, my amazingly efficient prayer co-ordinator/administrator (you should receive an email from me soon with her address enclosed, if you haven't already) with your details.

May I take this opportunity to thank you for reading and praying, as well as Anna and Sheila for the work they are doing behind the scenes.