We are very
touched by the imaginative ways that people are finding to encourage and
support Phoebe and all of us. A friend of our friends (ie someone we
don’t know at all) has sent some books for Phoebe to enjoy; local friends have
invited Reuben to come round to play; someone in our Life Group worked in our
garden yesterday and replaced some of our many weeds with beetroot plants!
Matt’s brother-in-law’s parents drove to Sheffield from Cardiff bringing
delicious cakes and cooked and shared a meal with us. A dear friend from
Guildford who was in Sheffield with her student daughter popped in for a cuppa on
Sunday. A supporter of the Good News Project in Mandritsara has sent a
book he hopes will encourage Rachel and Matt. These expressions of love
and concern really do hearten us and give us the courage we need to live
through these difficult days.
On Monday when Rachel got home from the
hospital, Reuben greeted her with behaviour that appeared designed to “punish”
her, the first time he’s shown any outward sign of feeling troubled by his
unusual new life. He is only 3 so doesn’t have the words to articulate
his fears or confusion. Please do pray for him, and for wisdom for me and
his parents as we try to explain to him why things have to be as they are even
though it’s not what we would choose.
