First of all let us say thank-you for all your prayers and notes for us as a family, we value your prayers and love so much. It is a real blessing to be part of the body of Christ. As many of you know our little girl has a heart condition. She is due to be born on the 11th Aug, but Annika will most likely be induced a week early.
We recently had a really helpful visit with the pediatric cardiologist; this is the official title of the heart defect: Double outlet right ventricle of transposition type + VSD (Ventricular septal defect). He went over in a lot of detail what surgeries the baby would need straight after birth; it was really good to get a clearer picture of everything involved.
We wanted to write a short update to make you aware of what the immediate future looks like for us. As you know with the news about the baby our world has been turned around.
This next week we have three appointments with different Doctors in Belfast and Londonderry. We are hoping to simply have some more clear scans done and rule out other anomalies.
Faroe Islands:
As you may remember we have had a month of meetings scheduled in the Faroe Islands for some time now. We discussed this with our consultant and he is happy for us to go. The baby is safe in the womb getting all it needs from Annika, growth is on track and there is no reason that it should come early. We have also arranged to have a scan done whilst we are in the Faroes by a pediatric Dr. to ensure all is well; Annika has a Danish passport which comes in handy in this case.
Simon will have on average 3-4 meetings per week, we will attend and speak at a family camp and have several large youth meetings during out time. Please pray that God would use us to make people aware of the needs of the unreached world and Gods purposes for the church. Pray also that God would speak through us to challenge and encourage our brothers and sisters in the race of faith.
Edinburgh
After our time in the Faroes we will be moving to Edinburgh. This is also something that we planned to do, to speak at churches over there and spend some concerted time at Carrubbers. We are looking forward to seeing our brother and sisters there and renewing some old friendship’s.
Since making our plans to visit Edinburgh we have found out that the operation for the baby can only be done in Birmingham, Glasgow or Dublin. So it seems God is continuing to lead us to move over to Edinburgh as it is close to Glasgow where the op will be done and then all of the babies rehab can be done in Edinburgh. The Lord has graciously opened the door for us to go to Edinburgh by providing us with a very reasonably priced flat, that is close to the city center and hospital. So from June on we will settle in Edinburgh and the babies treatment will be transferred to the “Royal hospital for sick children” there. This seems to be the best medical option for the baby and our family and we are thankful for Gods leading and provision.
Prayer and praise:
- 1) Pray for a good time in the Faroes with family and churches. Pray the Lord would use Simon as he encourages them with the needs of the unreached.
- 2) Pray the Lord would provide a car to fit all 5 of us in once the baby arrives.
- 3) Pray for all the traveling for our family in the next couple months (ferry, trains, flights, road trips) and that we would get settled in to our flat, in June, in Edinburgh.
- 4) Pray for our upcoming appointments this week in Belfast, that aside from the TGA, the baby would be healthy and nothing else would be found.
- 5) Pray that our healing God would work in our little girl and that she would be well.
- 6) Pray that rehab would go quickly and we would be able to return to work with the Mengen people as they have great needs of teaching, translation, discipleship etc.
Praise:
- 1) Praise God for some good times of fellowship this past weekend as we took meetings in Dromore Baptist church on Sunday morning and then spent Sunday evening with our friends in Portstewart Baptist sharing about the work of the Lord amongst the Mengen people.
- 2) Praise the Lord we have found a flat to rent near the hospital in Edinburgh. The Lord is good!
- 3) Praise the Lord for providing for us to have this time in the Faroes. We are excited about the opportunity to encourage folks about getting involved in the needs of the unreached. Also, we look forward to spending time with family, some of whom we haven’t seen in many years.
- 4) Praise God that we are finding peace in these unsettling days; He always keeps His promises.
- 5) Pray we would believe God that great things are possible for us as God leads us through this trial. We know that life is a daily battle; we all are in the midst of a struggle, some days though the fighting is just a little more fierce. Our God is with us.
Much love to you all, as always please let us know how we can pray for you,
Simon, Annika, Nya and Noah.