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| A neighbour's flowers in his front yard. |
Sheila is in her second week back in Chatta. helping out with the grandchildren. Her brother and sister-in-law visited them this past weekend. She's been able to visit with the ladies from Redeemer Church, as well as attend a couple of times. She also was able to visit with our old "RP" friends up on the mountain after church on Sunday. This week she plans to go by the law office for the monthly birthday party and see the folks there. Otherwise, she's just hunkering down over at the house, trying to do creative things with the kids indoors, since the weather outdoors has not been favourable.
Back at the ranch, or on the front, or whatever it is over here, I have a tour of 50 American college kids coming over this morning and a tour of almost 40 coming over this afternoon! Thankfully I have some help.
My connection with Wycliffe Hall is starting to bear some fruit. I have been able to recruit 4 new tour guides there, which is really terrific because we've gotten down to only about 2 and they are not always available.
And speaking more of tours, I have been able to obtain a 1936 Ordinance Survey of the Kilns property. The Lewises bought the house in 1930, so the survey has all the structures drawn on it. I'm getting together with Walter Hooper so he can identify the structures for me and then I'll make a map of the place. People should really like that.
Not having much opportunity to use my teaching and preaching gifts has been downright painful. Our home office has given me some liberty to be creative with the Kilns so I have just had the idea of hosting a retreat here, the weekend before the Trinity term (24-25 April). We will read and study Lewis' book Letter's to Malcolm. Everybody seems to like the idea. I had a local pastor say that he has been hoping I would do something like this. It's been announced at church and at Wycliffe Hall. I should be at the Oxford C. S. Lewis Society meeting tonight to announce it as well. I'll let you know how that goes.
Meanwhile, Maria, our Italian researcher, is working very hard at the lab - I've hardly seen her the last day or so. She has been missing her Italian cafe and cake, so I spent a few pounds and bought an Italian coffee pot and she has also made her first cake in the Aga, so that's been a morale boost for her. We also have a young college student here for a few days, scoping out colleges at Oxford for when she graduates. She's another one of these homeschooling gems; brilliant young lady. And - good news - our Norwegian friend who was here a few weeks ago is coming back for Holy Week.
And, of course, you live in an old house, there's always the maintenance. We keep having plumbing problems. I'm getting to be pretty good friends with the plumbers! For one thing, there's been a regular problem with a drain outside the kitchen for years. I'm trying to get that fixed.
Sheila and I are earnestly praying and talking about what the Lord may have us do next year. The Foundation wants us to do another year at the Kilns. We're not so sure. We're going to be seeking advice, but the main thing we need is your prayers for us to keep up the cheer of faith and the confidence that what we do not now see, we will see in God's good time. We want to be sure we are honouring the Lord with our confidence in Him.
P.S.: When the 2nd tour came through today, they were from Conway, SC. I told them I was a Gamecock, class of '85, and got a good round of applause. That was fun.
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