Week 4: In which we learn about grace.

Hello all.

This week has been relatively unspectacular, especially in light of last week's whale-spotting antics, but we've been learning some really good stuff and that's sort of what we came here to do. A success, by all accounts.

We've been having teaching on grace by a lovely chap called Chris Lautsbaugh, who, using Romans 3 as a starting point, has taken us through God's grace from top to bottom, looking at redemption, justification, propitiation and sanctification. All the big words. It's been amazing to look again at the fundamentals of what we believe, and to see more clearly how the Old and New Testaments both point to salvation through faith in Jesus.

Work duties took on a new, slightly treacherous element this week (for me at least) when it was announced that I was to de-mould a bathroom using a broom and a bucket of ammonia. To make things slightly easier I procured a ladder that I suspect is made out of parts of several other ladders nailed together, so at least I could reach the ceiling without having to balance on the toilet seat with bleach dripping onto my face. Don't get me wrong, I had a hilarious time and am learning to enjoy serving in that sort of a practical way, but I did have to stop a bit early on Tuesday when I accidentally put a wet finger into a live light fitting.

Anyway, all is well and me and Frankenladder have had many great adventures all around the base, having a thoroughly wobbly and unreliable time. Please pray.

This is the beast.

Our wedding anniversary has stretched, rather pleasingly, through the whole week. Apparently we were too discreet about it on Monday, so on Tuesday (once everybody found out) we got a lovely big clap and then today we were presented with a card signed by everyone and some lovely chocolate and biscuits. It's really special to be in a place that so enthusiastically values and supports marriage - I think it would be easy to feel out of place as a married couple in this sort of environment, but we feel completely accepted by everybody.

We've taken to going to a vintage crafts and world foods market on a Friday evening (this is Heather speaking now); it has several stalls with different types of food including Mexican, Indian, Greek and just plain Delicious. There are also stalls with pretty jewelry, interesting old books and quirky notebooks, exotic-looking African flowers and fresh fruit and just anything good that you can think of (ENORMOUS slices of chocolate cake!). I'll stop now before I get carried away. But here is a photo so you can get sort of an idea of what it looks like:

                      

 

MJ news: He happily informed us yesterday morning that he has watched Pride and Prejudice six times! And read the book (in Korean) three times. And he has his own one man cafetiere, as pictured. He's brilliant.