In August we joined the MAF Team in the annual Corporate Challenge here in Maseru. It involved lots of mud and team work!
Emily delivered hundreds of hand-knitted baby clothes to the local maternity ward, as we were unable to use them at Pulane Children’s Centre.
We had some beautiful snow in the highlands a few times over the last months.
Sello, my running buddy, joined me for a weekend 10km race, and won. Beating 2nd place by 11 mins.
Jane started preschool. She is thriving and loves to share with us the things she learns.
Pulane Children's Centre News Sept 2018
Pulane Children's Centre News
July 2018 Update
As many of you know, our family started 2018 by spending a few months in the USA, doing training with Mission Aviation Fellowship and raising support for our ministry here in Lesotho.
One of Jane's friends at Pulane Children's Centre
We would like to take a few minutes to update you all on what we are up to.
In April we returned to Lesotho, and spent some time at Pulane Children’s Centre. Our role at the Centre these days is to provide oversight, help with solving some larger problems, and providing direction for the future of the Centre. It was great to have some time seeing the kids and staff who we have been showing off in presentations over the last few months. Since we left, 5 new children have come into the Centre. Three of them are in our preschool group and two are primary school-age. They are all doing well, whether it is as part of the soccer team, collecting firewood, or posing for pictures, each of them is now at home in our PCC family.
Emily and Jane in the yard of our Maseru house
From there, we made to move from the quiet mountains, to the bustling city of Maseru and into the house that we will call home as we settle in with MAF. The change of pace from rural to city life is something to get used to, but we are very excited about the house we have, and the new opportunities ahead.
Thanks to the very kind contributions from many of you, we were able to reach our 80% of our target and started with MAF Lesotho on June 1st! Our support process is ongoing, and we will continue our support-raising efforts here ‘in the field’.
Getting some right hand seat observation flights in
Over the next few months we will be focusing on language classes, spending time learning Sesotho more formally. Although we have lived in Lesotho, we have never studied the language in-depth. In our role with MAF we will need a good foundation and understanding of the local language. The role that Grant plays, transporting critical patients and spending one-on-one time with people in the mountains, means that language skills are a necessity. Emily will be learning the ins and outs of what it means to be the primary director of the Children’s Centre, and looks forward to being able to communicate more with the kids and staff.
The path to get to MAF has been a long one, and we sometimes still can’t believe we are here and Grant’s job title says ‘MAF Pilot.’ We are so excited, and can’t wait to update you in the months ahead.
Update: April 2018
Flight 1 of many, leaving JHB in January
We left our hut in the mountains of Lesotho on the 26 December 2017. We have been traveling since then.
As many of you know, the main reason for our travels has been to undergo training with Mission Aviation Fellowship, as well as raise support for our ministry with MAF in Lesotho. All of our travels over the last 3 months have been towards the goal of getting to Lesotho to start flying.
Speaking at our home church in Bray, Dublin
This is where we have been: We started off visiting our Pastor and friends in Ireland, where our home church is based (Liberty Church just outside Dublin). No, we are not Irish, but when you feel at home in a church, it doesn’t matter where in the world they are.
From there we visited Dallas for a few days to see Emily’s mom and stepdad, then on to Idaho, where we did our Candidacy (see more info on that here).
Montana
From Idaho we travelled to Montana, and then on to Amarillo, Texas, where we worked on raising support for the next 4 weeks.
I (Grant) then went back to Idaho for Standardization (see more on that here). While Emily and Jane went up to Minnesota, to visit the other side of her family.
In April, I was reunited with my two wonderful girls, and on April 9th we travelled back to South Africa, and then on to Lesotho.
Here’s where our plans get fuzzy:
With Grampy in Texas
We are currently at about 47% of our monthly support goals, and in order to start flying in Lesotho, we need to be at 100%. So, over the next months, we will be going back to Lesotho, to continue work at the Children’s Centre, and to continue seeking support from friends and churches. We hope and pray to reach 100% soon, which will allow us to focus fully on my role at MAF, and Emily’s at Pulane Children’s Centre.
As we continue these next few months, we are not sure how the timing works out. We hope to be in our roles as soon as possible, but in order to be secure and able to live and work here long term, we need to ensure we are 100% funded. We would love your prayers and support to reach that target as soon as possible. We really believe in the work MAF is doing in Lesotho and can’t wait to be a part of it.
Jane celebrated her B day in Minnesota on the 30 March
Back in Africa, April