I recently gave the tree in our front garden a No. 1 haircut guided by our experienced and grateful tree-fella neighbour, Phil. That tree has given me much food for thought over the years. And it did so again recently because we are, in another way also branching out.
Our neighbour, "T'reesa" (honest - but not "T'reesa Green", she insisted) opposite volunteered her son to collect fallen branches and within 10 minutes there were 10 kids enthusiastically echoing my shouts of "timber" from up the tree and filling empty green waste wheelie bins that our other neighbour, Mick, had requisitioned! The amount of insect life astounded me, and itched me, - for days after!
Many passers-by watched and commented at me perched at the top of the tree, offering either encouragement, concern for my safety, shock at my apparent cruelty and thanks for reminding them to do theirs too! Best of all was an offer of paid work of a similar nature nearby.. Most crucial of all was remembering I can no longer rely on its foliage to give me privacy when I change in our bedroom... The kids criterion was checking they could still clamber up into it!
To me that tree has seemed to symbolise my life quite closely in that me, like the tree, needs more maintenance than I first realised and that I have to keep this up, for mine and everyone else's sake. Pruning my own life has not always been my top proirity, nor easy for others who have tried to help. I am grateful for their persistence..
We are also having to heavily prune our involvement in our neighbourhood, and thats not been easy to let go of.
Blessings Adam & helen
I am the Real vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing He prunes back so that it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.
John 15 v.1
Good News -We want to say "thankyou" for:
· The loan of a motorbike (125cc), from now till September. - thanks to Dave& Joyce(R.I.P.) featured in our June newsletter ·
· Financial provision for:
-flights; a voice-recorder;
-sports equipment for use at Arua deaf School
·
· Several new deaf connections partners offering prayer support or financial support, or both;
two further invitations to make deafconnections presentations;
·
· Gaining the commitment of a very experienced and wise accountant to support our financial accountability and tax affairs.
THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT ..
We have just sent the voice-recorder to Arua Association for the Deaf to help them record the lyrics of the traditional stories and songs of a remote village with numerous isolated deaf people.
Thanks too, to one of our partners for delivering this on his travels and helping progress our accomodation needs.
More thanks to Peggy, my deafblind friend, who has taught me more about hands-on signing.
