Be thankful

We are getting used to be in another house ( the 5th house we have lived in the past 4 years) but not really getting used to the cold weather!  It's a hard time, not just for us, but for everyone.  Instead of complaining or losing perspective I've been trying to focus my mind on the many things I have to be thankful for.

I am thankful for being back in NI where if any of us needed medical care we would have it.
I am thankful for safe travels and for kids who travelled for 48 hours without one single meltdown.
I am thankful for a place to stay, a whole house with a garden for the boys to run about.

I am thankful for whatsapp which allowed us to stay in touch while travelling and for now which allows us to talk to our friends in Haiti and America and Canada.

I am thankful that we have done a lot of staying home over the last 18 months which means this is not a big adjustment for the boys.  Due to many periods of political instability school was cancelled and we didn’t leave the Emmaus campus for weeks at a time. So we are used to staying home and have already figured out what works (and what doesn’t) for our family.

I am thankful for the family of Christ.  We still cannot believe how many people were praying for us over this past week. How great it is to be united in Christ.  On the plane from Paris to Dublin we met an Irish guy (he was one of the 6 other people on the flight), of course he asked where we were travelling from and right away we told him we were missionaries in Haiti.  Turns out he was working in Paris but his reason for going was to be a missionary and share the gospel.  We chatted the whole way back to Dublin and it was just great to be able to talk to and share with something who has some of the same experiences as you.

I am thankful Carol was able to bring me in a new phone (my phone had broke a couple of weeks before that) just two weeks before we left Haiti.  Little did we know at that time how much we would need a good phone, with data and a good battery!  Otherwise I would not have been able to be in touch with the British embassy or stay in touch with my family the whole way home.

Don't be deceived by the sun...its freezing!

I am thankful to be able to make sandwiches with bread that I didn’t have to make myself, and buy ham and not have to ration cheese!

I am thankful for all those who left toys, clothes, colouring stuff and food for us.

I am thankful for my family who organised everything in the house for us and keep bringing us food as we are in quarantine.

I am thankful to be able to make dinner in 30 minutes and put the laundry away at the same time...who knew that was possible.

I am thankful that our boys are coping incredibly well considering we just dragged them half way across the world and can't tell them when they can see their family or friends or when we will be going back to our Haiti home.

I am thankful for running water, soap, electricity, the internet, central heating and the privilege to be able to stay home....almost all of our friends in Haiti cannot do this.

Our handwashing station at the entrance to Bethesda. 

I am thankful for Altidor and Echebert still working in the physiotherapy department and sending me photos and information I need to keep the facebook page up to date.

I am thankful for Yverose who will be checking our house a couple of times a week and feeding Bello, Bello (our cat!).

With so many unknowns about the future and no way to plan anything I am thankful that God is in control and all we need to do is trust and obey him and take it one day at a time.

Do not be anxious about anything, 

but in every situation,

 by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, 

present your requests to God. 

Phillippians 4 v 6 

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, 

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

 Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

Matthew 6 v 34 

Rejoice always,
pray continually,
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5 v 16-18