Welcome to our latest news update! This year has had its share of ‘ups & downs’ already. For the March trip to India we were faced with uncertainties due to the British Airways cabin crew strikes and during the trip to USA last month it was volcanic ash clouds that provided the ‘excitement’! However, unlike many travellers, we made it there and back in one piece and more or less on time. Thank you, Lord.

In the area of finance there is a little uncertainty also. As I worked on the budget for India for the year June 2010 to May 2011 I was rather taken aback to discover that I need just over £32,000 to cover the running costs of the two MTCs and the Children’s Home. This also covers some Pastor and indigenous Missionary support and care for ten orphan children in Visakhapatnam. I found myself a little over £10,000 short of budget - something that is a bit of a first for me. And so I have decided that I need to try to raise some extra funding. If you look on the Support pages of this web site you will see the pictures and names of the children who can be sponsored. Please pray that this will produce the desired results.

The recent trip to USA was definitely a blessing. It was great to re-visit the International Community Church in Frankfort, Illinois on the way out to California. The Sunday morning service went very well and I was able to pray for a number of people at the end of the service. I then travelled to Tollhouse in California for the rest of the trip. I know that I was staying in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains (elevation approx. 4,000 ft.), but it was a shock to wake up on the first morning to an inch of snow!!! However, things soon warmed up and my time there was a great blessing to me personally. The folks there are really responsive and exceptionally generous. I enjoyed all of the ministry I did there (Elders’ Dinner, visiting with individuals, working with the worship group, a leadership seminar, a men’s breakfast, Sunday morning worship service and a concert on Sunday evening). By the end of the week I was pretty tired, but I was told that full monthly support had come in for 13 out of the 22 boys and girls at the children’s home and a one-off gift of $5,000 had been pledged. Praise God for His faithfulness! Obviously there is still a lot support still to be raised, but it is a great encouragement to see such a great start. Please continue to pray for the rest of the money to come in.

June is an extremely busy month, as you will no doubt see from the Diary page, but Jean & I will be on holiday for the last two weeks of July in Bavaria. We have never been there before and we are looking forward to a nice break. I will be ministering around and about in the UK throughout August and September and I am planning trips to the Northeast USA from 24 September to 4th October and to India during the first two weeks of November with Bruce Millar and my middle daughter, Hayley.

Thanks to everyone for your intercessions and your love and support. More news in a couple of months...

Grace & peace, 

Viv & Jean.