16th Feb 2017

We are both well and really enjoying ourselves. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Neil, Jeanine, Jenna & Thomas from USA. There was a mix up with their plane tickets so they are only arriving on Saturday. We will see them briefly on Sunday & then they will join us at a resort close to Bela-Bela (Warmbaths) for a few days. We have hired a 6 sleeper self-catering Chalet.

We had the joy of having Peter, Elaine, Christy, Joshua & Rebekha spend last weekend with us. They brought their tent & camped right next to us. It really was a joyous time.

We needed to find and visit the UIF office in Brits so that Lynette could claim her penultimate UIF payment. It is hard to believe but most government offices have no names on them and are almost impossible to find.

While at a car wash the other day, we asked a local (who was also having his car washed) if he could direct us to the UIF offices. He said he could not describe the route, but he would take us there. When the cars were clean, we followed him to a little back-street & he pointed out an unnamed building. When we visited it on the appointed day we found that it was quite clean & reasonably organised. Praise the Lord!!

Being in a caravan park with not many other people around during the week, has given us a better understanding of how much effort goes into making it work so well. The irrigation, mowing, cleaning and maintenance of a place like this is a big job. I have noticed that even the shower mats are removed, disinfected and replaced every day.

A few days ago, Lynette and I sat outside under the veranda of our tent during a real Highveld thunderstorm. To be right in the action and see a tiny bit of the power of God at work was AWESOME. Lightening, thunder, wind and rain!! It was truly invigorating.

We are placing a few more photos so you can see some more of our surroundings.

We pray God’s blessing on you all,

Lots of love,

Tom & Lynette.

We are at “Drie Berge” Caravan Park just outside of Brits. Our first taste of life – long term – at a caravan park since we left Hazyview at the end of November last year. We researched this park well, read reviews and made our booking. We arrived here on Wednesday 1^st Feb to find the park virtually empty. We were received very well & were assisted to get the basic structure of our tent up.

Having packed everything up the previous day (it is a big and very taxing job) I was stiff and sore. In the heat of the day, carelessly dehydrated and soon suffering from a sugar-low, we had to put it all up again. I was in really bad shape. Many lessons were learned that will make all future moving much, much easier.

In time, everything was ship-shape and very comfortable.

Since Wednesday, we have relaxed and taken everything very slowly, taking in the beauty of the surroundings. This is a beautiful, well run & very quiet caravan park. 

We wondered how it would be over this weekend when we knew it would be full, almost to capacity. Well now we know.

It has remained quiet and peaceful with the ablutions well able to cope with all the people.

When we made our reservations, we were able to negotiate a very good rate because we are pensioners and are here for a relatively long stay.

Tomorrow, God willing, we will spend the day in Pretoria with Peter, Elaine & family as we celebrate Christy’s 14^th birthday. 

They plan to come and camp on the stand next to ours next weekend. That will be really super.

We also look forward to seeing Neil, Jeanine & family when they arrive from America in less than two weeks.

We are so aware of the goodness of God, who goes ahead of us, is with us and who blesses us all the time. May He bless you and those whom you love also.