For your diaryFor your diaryFellowship groups meet fortnightly, on a Tuesday at 8pm. Obviously we cannot list them all here, but here are some autumn dates. You are most welcome, and transport is available.
28th September Jim & Jayne's
12 October Brian & Vicky's
26 October Mel & Carolyn's
9th November Peter & Chris's
Coffee time every Tuesday morning - 10 till noon
Tots@hbc 1st 3rd and 5th Thursday afternoons (see article from Liz)
New **23rd September 'At home' (see article from Chris)**
In addition the youth groups have started again after the summer break.
7+ Thursdays 6:30 - 7:45pm
10+ Tuesdays 6:30 - 8:00pm
Youth cafe will now take place on a Friday evening 8 - 10.30ish
Deacons meet on the first Monday of the month at 7:30pm. Please feed back to them any items you wish to raise.
We've now been 'tottering' for two years and its great fun! The number of families represented has varied considerably but we've made lots of new contacts and friends. The Barbecue at the end of August was an excellent opportunity to meet some of the Dad's too! There were about 16 adults and 11 children.
Karen and Sarah are the leaders with Liz aiding and abetting. We've been asked to run the group on a weekly basis but feel that's a bit too much to take on at the moment so have compromised and will meet on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursdays (when there is a 5th one). Please tell anyone with 0 - 3s they'd be most welcome. The group runs from 1:30 to 3:00pm.
moves on seamlessly through the year. We have a strong core of regulars to whom are added irregular exotics e.g. the retired cyclists group from Worcester who call in a couple of times a year during their 100 plus mile day trip – exhausting just to think of it. Eric and Una, their leaders, usually come a couple of weeks beforehand when they're planning the route and always 'phone so that we're prepared for the invasion. Coffee Time acts as a useful meeting point for the Senior Residents Club committee members, too. Then there are Mums who want to escape the house.
We have really missed Vicky and Brian during Brian's illness but look forward to normal service being resumed when they can make it!
The problem of the tables has been on our minds for months on end. The existing ones have been wonderful but are now inclined to lose a leg at inappropriate and more importantly, less than safe moments. However, a solution has just been located and we will hopefully have some super new Gopak circular tables with integral legs in the next few weeks. Do spread the word about Coffee Time, everyone is most welcome!
Autumn is here and winter approaches with the long, dark evenings. Are you fed up with the idea of long dark evenings and think that a bit of company would make them seem shorter?
Then please join Jean and myself at Jean's home on Thursday 23rd September, 8:0 to 9:0pm for a cup of tea and a chat. (I'm taking my knitting along).
Worried about walking there and back in the dark? I am willing and able to act as a chauffeur. Just ring me or speak to me at Church and I will come and collect you.
We have not settled on a name for this event yet. Suggestions welcome. Nothing too formal.
Chris
Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy, you have to divide it
Mark Twain 1835 - 1910
Oh the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts or measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are chaff and grain together; knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.
Dinah M Murlock Craite (1826- 87)
Flying through thick low cloud on our approach to Kathmandu reminded me that my visit would again coincide with the monsoon. The heat builds up and then all of a sudden there is a tremendous downpour which can last for hours. The advantages are that everywhere is beautifully green and lush and a good harvest is expected, the dust settles and the air is freshened. These far outweigh the inconvenience of muddy puddles everywhere. Water is such an important resource and one of the girls was telling me that in her home village they have to walk two hours to collect water every day – and then another two hours to carry it home. Their area has been forgotten by the government and this is just one reason why the Maoist movement has become so powerful, particularly in the rural areas. I have always bought drinking water in litre plastic bottles and it was always a problem to know what to do with the bottles. One year I filled them with sand to make a set of skittles but this year it was great to hear that the rubbish is now being collected from the village, is separated and sold for recycling, a very new venture in Nepal. With the advent of 'development', consumer goods are on the increase, together with all the plastic packaging.
The welcome at AmaGhar was as wonderful as ever and I did manage to remember everyone's name – thanks to my crib sheet of named photos that I studied on the way over. Actually remembering names isn't really a problem as these children are all becoming real personalities with their own interests and talents. They were all proud to tell me of their new class roll numbers which indicate their position in class. Most of them were in single digits which is brilliant considering some classes have over 80 on roll. But I wasn't surprised as I have experienced their eagerness to learn over the years. The three new girls had also caught the bug and were amongst the morning deputation at 7.00am who came to remind me that it was time for morning class! Akriti the youngest of the new girls is 4 years old. Her mother died whilst out collecting water and her father wasn't able to cope with his young family. Rupa, a very cute little five year old is more settled and already writing English letters as well as Nepali letters. Something else that struck me this time is that even at kindergarten age they are doing maths using both English and Nepali numbers. The third new girl, Sangita has shown a musical talent already. Following a musical evening they put on as a fund-raiser last year in Kathmandu, two of the children were spotted dancing and have been invited to join a dancing group going to Japan next month to perform there.
Another globe-trotter is Sushila, the little girl who was badly burnt. An American visitor to the house persuaded a plastic surgeon in Seattle to operate on her and this is being done completely free including the hospital stay. One side of her was growing but the burnt side was not so she was becoming bent. The first of three operations has been a success and she is happily settled with a family there.
Just before I left we heard that Bindu, our 18 year old who had just finished her 'A' level equivalents had gained a place in a private Nursing College. She had tried at the government hospitals several times without success – we learnt that there were 1600 girls trying for 40 places so a lot of intensive coaching went on in the run up to the exam. It will be great to have a nurse 'in the family' and although she is sad at having to leave AmaGhar she knows that it will always be her home and she can go back for holidays and festivals.
As ever AmaGhar was most thankful for the donations from the chapel. The next project is to try to find land to build their own home – it is now almost impossible to buy land but a long lease of a piece of land adjacent to the school seems possible. Hopefully that will become a reality in the near future as the landlord keeps increasing the rent and reducing the garden area with new buildings! As the children and the home grow they are needing more space not less but I feel sure the dedication of all involved with AmaGhar will make this a reality.
Margaret
| Atheist In The Woods Author Unknown |
| <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> <>< <>< <>< <>< ><> ><> ><> An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the accident of evolution had created. "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself As he walked alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look, just in time to see a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & saw the bear closing in on him. He tried to run even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically as he tried to run even faster, but he tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up and saw the bear right on top of him raising his paw to kill him. At that instant, he cried out, "Oh my God!" Just then, time stopped... The bear froze; the forest was silent; even the river stopped moving. A bright light shone upon the man, and a voice came out of the sky, saying, "You deny My existence all of these years; teach others I don't exist; even credit My creation to a cosmic accident, and now do you expect Me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?" The atheist, ever so proud, looked into the light and said, "It would be rather hypocritical to ask to be a Christian after all these years. But could you make the bear a Christian?" "Very well," said the voice. As the light went out, the river ran, the sounds of the forest continued, and the bear put his paw down. The man breathed a sigh of relief. Then the bear brought both paws together, bowed his head and said: "Lord, I thank you for this food, which I am about to receive."
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Is the building we attend a church or a chapel? This was the subject of some discussion on a car journey one Sunday morning. The notice board reads Harvington Baptist Church; but the notices are from the chapel! A church is a building in which the services are held. A chapel is a sanctuary, and is mentioned in Amos 7.13 as "The Kings chapel and the Kings court." Royal chapels are in palaces and castles. Whether it is a church or chapel it should be where the gospel of our Lord and Saviour is faithfully preached. Fred
A really big thank you to June, Vicky, Carolyn, Ruth, Chris Liz and anyone else inadvertently missed out! For decorating the chapel so beautifully for harvest.
Thank you so much to all those who have contributed in any way to this newsletter. Next one will be published in December. Anything you would like included to Lynn please by 21st November.
September 2004