Checking in

Hello, my friends,

It is nice to have a little bit of time to be able to check in with you all. So much as happened since I last wrote, and yet I struggle now to know what to say. I do know though that I want to thank each and every one of you for your caring words and prayers through the past week. I so appreciate your friendship.

Things are really hard here. I know that there are some Christians who display incredible strength by their up-beat and positive witness during times of calamity. I'm afraid I am not among their number. Don't get me wrong - my faith, and that of my husband - is strong and secure, but we are really hurting, and I am sure that that shows. It is hard for us to comprehend the utter decimation of our home and business, and one of the great calamities of this natural disaster is the lack of flood insurance that affects many of its victims - us amongst their number.

More than 400 homes - 80% of our Peaceful Town - were inundated by the flood waters that broke the banks of the Avoca River last Friday night. The destruction has to be experienced to be believed. We have all seen the television images of flood affected streets, but the smell and the feel of the river mud cannot really be appreciated until you have actually been through it yourself.

The massive clean-up began when the river waters receeded last Tuesday. We have been overwhelmed by the help we have received from members of our RPCA Church family. More than 35 people have made the 3 1/2 hour journey from Geelong, Frankston and McKinnon to help, and many, many, more have helped with meals, and with washing and ironing mountains of clothing and household linens. Together they have helped us remove carpets and floor boards, wash mud from walls and furniture and unpack miles of books from shelves. They've gurneyed paths, set up computers, replaced electrical sockets, washed out cupboards, pulled out dead plants and more. They've been incredible.

My husband and I have, as yet, no idea what the future holds for our family. In the short term we are working towards having Jemimah return to be with us next weekend. As for other plans, you, like us, will need to wait and see. We would appreciate your prayers.

Thanks for caring.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Psalm 18: 16-19 NIV