FAMILY, PADDLING, ITALY, AUSTRIA & BIBLE SCHOOL

Dear Friends

If I did not believe in Divine intervention, I would simply be speechless at the way in which my recently spent time in Europe played out. The fact that the dates all coincided with one another, the fact that I was able to participate in so many different events, paddle the Vogalonga in Venice, paddle with the Vienna Pink Dragons on the Danube, my time with family, childhood friends and seeing two of our children graduate from Spring School at the Tauernhof all made for a most blessed three weeks.

Only God could have put together this itinerary and make it possible for me to be a part of this sequence of events. My sister and brother-in-law, Debbie and Hans, were my hosts for the bulk of my time. They made the journey to Italy a reality and helped me to find my way around Venice. It was quite a task to find the correct Boat Club and meet the Team I was to paddle the Vogalonga with. We paddled 18 km’s and were a part of over 7,000 people in 1,600 vessels. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience!

Next stop was Vienna, where I met up with the Viennese Breast Cancer Team. We were a part of an annual Regatta on the Danube, but the difference was that this time there were six pink Breast Cancer Teams as a part of it all. The Team leader, Svenja, is trying to introduce BC paddling to Austrians as a way to aid in the recovery from Breast Cancer and its related complications. It was truly a great day and I am thrilled to have been a part of it all.

It had been nine years since I had visited the country I grew up in and it was wonderful to see my childhood friends again. We had several ‘trips down memory lane’ as we spent time catching up with one another.

Daniela and Christopher graduated from their ‘Spring School’ Bible Course at the Tauernhof in Schladming. I had the privilege of being there for the last two days of school. This afforded me the opportunity to renew friendships with some of the leadership I knew, meet new ones, hike the spectacular mountains around Schladming and watch our two children receive their certificates. I was on staff at the Tauernhof at the same age Daniela is now. It was a moving experience for me to see the next generation spending time in God’s Word there.

​Spending time in Europe reminded me of how ‘tense’ our life in South Africa actually is. We take it for granted, but here at home we are constantly alert, treble-locking doors, using security gates, security cameras, safety glass on our vehicles and we generally live a life in preparation for danger, or crime. The contrast in Austria, where I was able to ride a bike with abandon, walk around the city, or hike the Mountains without fear of attack, was palpable. It was a treat indeed to be able to relax and enjoy the fellowship of family and friends without worry. God is good and I am so blessed.

Peter held the fort here at home, along with Calvin. This too was a first. Previously, either Andrea, or Daniela, or my parents, were on hand to fill the gap. Both of them coped well and managed to take care of the domestic challenges that arose, including with the severe storm which hit Cape Town uprooting trees, blowing off rooves and causing damage to our part of the world. This dramatically ended the drought that has made austere water restrictions part of our daily lives for months.

On the ministry front, Peter and his team hosted a Biblical Preaching Workshop at the Mission with 30 pastors, chaplains and evangelists and a series of Providential History Tours of the Castle of Good Hope for Home-educators. The Castle is the oldest building still in use in the Southern Hemisphere. Peter has a series of Homeschooling workshops coming up including on The Ark of Noah and The Flood and Exploring the Creation Museum. Last month Peter was a guest of Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis at the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum. We will host the Home-educators at our Mission for presentations, educational activities and crafts to inspire and empower parents and their children with a Biblical Worldview.

God willing, Peter will soon be flying up to the Transvaal to conduct a Reaching Muslims for Christ Seminar and to Nigeria for a Biblical Worldview Conference.

We continue to be grateful and humbled by the many provisions God bestows upon us.

Thank you for your part in our ministry, for your support, prayers, and the encouragement this provides to keep on keeping on.

May God bless each of you and yours

 
Gratefully,

Lenora Hammond