Almost there... Dear Supporters,   Our plans have, amazingly, NOT changed since our previous update and we are extremely thankful that things have worked out very well. Apart from a pre-booked airport to hotel transfer that cancelled last minute (a taxi off the curb worked out a quarter of the price in the end), our travel to Dublin went without a hiccup. We arrived with all our luggage and the hotel near the airport was a perfect first stop. We could walk across the road to buy carseats and whatever we would need for the journey in to our cottage. The car we bought from Northern Ireland arrived as described and promised After a good night's sleep and a great breakfast, it was time to put my Tetris skills to the test and get all 15 pieces of luggage and the 4 of us into our new car. At some point, I thought I would need to go across the road to get a roof box fitted, but the S-Max kept on taking more and more. With everything loaded, we set off to 'Scattery View' Cottage near the west coast of Ireland. Getting out of Dublin meant we could save a lot on accommodation and get into the beautiful Irish countryside.  It has been a wonderful time exploring (lots of playgrounds) and spending time as a family together after some busy months leading up to this. The boys showed great patience with us when mommy and daddy was often busy packing, planning and arranging things. So, thanks to Covid, we had this buffer-time as a family before getting into the new business of starting life in England. After seven nights in the west, we traveled south (through Tipperary as it wasn't such a long way to go) and have spent the last couple of nights on the south coast. Tomorrow (Monday) morning at 5am we leave for the ferry port at Rosslare (2 hours away) from where we will cross over to Wales (4+ hour crossing) and then drive on to Kimbolton (5 hours). So, it will be a long day with many 'are we there yet's... We really appreciate each and every prayer for us of the past weeks, months and years. Please continue to do so as the journey is not over yet and then we will be on a new journey as God calls us to live and serve in England. Thanksgiving for: - hassle free travel to Ireland  - the car we bought online, arrived as arranged and we are very happy with it - wonderful 10 days in Ireland as a family together - good health, not one of us have had as much as a runny nose. - we have been able to get affordable rent for 5 months near Oxford through Shunem trust, which is set up to assist missionaries on furlough or relocating! Please Pray for: - a safe trip from Ireland to Cambridge  - everything to work out getting into the UK. - the process of settling into new life in England.

Copyright © 2015 Wings4Christ, All rights reserved. To keep our supporters updated on news and prayer points for our ministry with MAF Tanzania Our mailing address is: MAF Tanzania PO Box 13048 Arusha Tanzania

August 2021, the month of lasts

 

Dear Supporters,   I know everyone says time flies, but this past month has really flown by fast. Perhaps also because it was the month in which I did all my last operational flights for MAF Tanzania. After Eivind's visit (former MAF Tz, South Sudan, Uganda pilot), who came to renew his Tanzanian license and help with some relief flying, I had one final rotation to each of our monthly outreach locations. Despite the many challenges over the years, each of these villages, the airstrips, the people and the teams I've flown, holds a unique place in my heart. Even though I wouldn't recognize them, many of the babies that were brought to the clinics when I just started, are now 9+ years old and are now sitting under the wing for Sunday school. Before I went on my last Haydom outreach, I did a quick count through my logbook and found that I have landed roughly 800 times at the Haydom Hospital airstrip alone! During a normal Haydom outreach we do up to 27 landings over the 4 days! I have known many of the nurses since I started flying there in 2012 and they've known me from when I was single, when I got married and when I became a father. We've shopped together for sweet bananas in Buger, for them to take back to Haydom and me for the family back in Arusha (because the boys WILL ask for their little bananas from Haydom). We've been stuck in villages together due to punctures or technical problems (we actually had 2 punctures on this last trip!). Which meant we had to wait for hours for a car from the hospital and then hours shaken around in the Land Cruiser to get to the hospital by midnight if we're lucky. These nurses have been great friends and colleagues, they don't always enjoy the flights, it could be turbulent or rainy, but they want to go out and serve those in remote communities. It has been an honor to work with them over these years. Now we are in the final weeks of our time here in Tanzania, many things have been sold, some things have been packed, some things have even been taken to the UK already. Our big 5-Phase Re-certification of our Air Operators Certificate, started today after being postponed for nearly 4 years, we are thankful that it is happening before I leave and pray that it will be completed during the next 2 weeks. Once that is finished, we will have a week to gather our thoughts and possessions before we head to Kenya around 10 September. We would also like to give thanks for answered prayers for:  - UK Spouse visa for Kirstein - Quick sale of most big household items and car - Good last operational flights for Kirstein. - Amazing last (first for Louis) visit to Tarangire National Park The Combrinks

My last Haydom Hospital outreach

Prayer points: - Finalizing everything and saying goodbye to people and places in Tanzania. Especially for the boys who may not be grasping what it means that we are moving permanently. - Travel plans (via Kenya or Ukraine), that Kenya would go onto the UK amber list. - 5-Phase re-certification of the MAF Tz Operators Certificate - Good transition into the UK - Good remote working setup between Kirstein and MAF Tz operations. - Permanent staff solutions for MAF Tz

Please continue to pray for us as we seek God's will for the MAF Tanzania programme, and our next steps this year as a family.