TrewsNews

I'm in Buenos Aires and Eileen is with the kids in Scotland. The trip is going really well so far. Here are some photos. Check out lacaldera2008.blogspot.com for updates.

Tomorrow I leave for Argentina. I'm leading a SAMS Ireland trip to the diocese of Northern Argentina that has a link with the Diocese of Down and Dromore. There are 10 young people and another leader, Katy. The team are really talented and I'm looking forward to see how they all get stuck in. We leave by bus from Belfast for Dublin airport, then fly via Madrid to Buenos Aires. We have two days there sightseeing and then go to Salta in the North West in the foothills of the Andes. We're staying in La Caldera helping develop a retreat centre. We return on the 25th of July. It's a long time to be away from Eileen and the kids, I'll really miss them. We'll be apart for our anniversary on the 7th. Hopefully modern technology will allow us to talk pretty often. I'll be updating via text message, you can see the results on the right side of the blog. The team also has a blog at lacaldera2008.blogspot.com .

The last couple of months have been quite a ride. We have been trying to figure out exactly where we are going to live, work, and send our kids to school. But trying to buy a house here at the minute is like trying to walk through a mortgage lender's minefield. The lenders want you to bear all - your bank account, spending habits, ever to prove how you acquired you savings. They pick through it all looking for holes and excuses not to lend you money. Mines have exploded twice already. Eileen has had a few teaching interviews, but no success as yet. She is applying for jobs from one end of the country to the other, and if she gets one that may affect where we can live - it's a bit of a chicken and egg thing. Teaching jobs in Northern Ireland are really hard to get. There are up to 100 application for each post and the criteria are very specific. We are just praying the right job for her will there soon. I did get my security clearance through for the Department of Agricul...

This weekend I'm in Navan, Ireland for the beginning of a new era in the Church of Ireland theological training. I'm at a Foundation Course weekend to explore a calling to ordained ministry. It's a chance to ask God what the future holds. In Paraguay it looked like I was heading towards ordination, but returning last year meant that was not meant to be. After coming back Eileen and I have been asking God what's next. We thought it was going to be with St. Jude's and SAMS, part-time with both, but then the Advisor in Countryside Management job came along. The Church of Ireland is changing however, now there are options for distance learning - the Foundation Years allows you to explore possibilities. Tonight we had a get to know you session, sharing in a small group how we come to be here. The rest of the weekend is exploring what Vocation is all about. We're staying in the Irish Mission Union building, which looks at bit like Shawshank Prison. The food is...

I just love this photo. I was taken in January and captures the moment the children saw the sea at Crawfordsburn Country Park.

It has been an eventful month - interviews, job offer, home offer, new pet - lots of emotional ups and downs. I had a job interview in February for a job with the Department of Agriculture in Loughry. It was for an Advisor in Countryside Management, something I was interested in way back during university days. Before the interview I discovered there were 37 candidates, so I thought my chances were next to nill. I was trying a door, if I was meant to take this job it would be a miracle if I was offered it. A week later I received a rejection letter. A couple of weeks later I was in Cork visiting some churches. Eileen phoned to say I'd a job offer from the same people who rejected me a couple of weeks earlier. I'd come second and another post had come up straightaway. I knew straightaway I was meant to take it. Now I'm waiting for security clearance, which is taking months. I still don't know when my starting date is. Meanwhile we'd also put an offer in on ...

It's been a while since our last update – we're now heading into Spring. Today is the 8 th Feb and it's a beautiful early Spring day. The crocuses are flowering and it's lovely weather for the kids to ride their bikes in the park. Christmas was good. It helped the Elijah and Han settle back, especially school with the nativity, and special Christmas events. We had a big fall of snow the kids made snowmen in the garden and snowball fights in the street. They are making friends and beginning to seem at home here. Our fear is that a possible change in jobs means changing house and school. But we'll have to deal with that if it happens. Eileen and I are still waiting for permanent jobs. I had an interview last week for a Countryside manager, but there were 37 people interviewed, my chances are slim at best. I have offers of 2 part time posts – with SAMS and a church. This week will clearly show direction for me – I think it's becoming clear God wants m...

We have been back for almost five months now - that is so hard to believe. It really seems like a moment ago we stepped off the plane. Last Sunday we were doing a church visit and showing our presentation, it's beginning to feel strange seeing the photos from your previous life on the screen. We put the Christmas tree up on the 1st December, last Saturday. The children are getting excited. It's the first time for them that we have the gentle change of seasons from summer, though autumn and into winter. Before it was baking hot summer, onto a plane and arrive freezing. We're also house hunting and Eileen has an interview for a teaching job. Teaching posts are very rare in the current climate in Northern Ireland, so it is very encouraging she is called for interview to the first one she applied for. If anything the interview experience will be worth it.

Our shipping arrived today, after a very lengthy wait. So far nothing is damaged and everything has made it. The children are very excited at seeing their favourite toys and books. We found it all a bit emotional, realising I think that this chapter has finally closed. Unpacking all our bits and pieces and remembering where they were in our home in Paraguay made for a tearful afternoon. Tomorrow is tidying it all away day, changing plugs on Paraguayan light fittings and hammering nails for our pictures. On a different note Stephen will be staying on with SAMS until June so that is a real blessing for us all.

The shipping company rang last week to say our stuff has arrived in Belfast and is now awaiting customs clearance. It should arrive this week. This was after it had been lost at sea for about a month. We were told it was stuck in a backwater port in Argentina, but it seems this was misinformation. So we're looking forward to some unpacking this week!!

We have settled into the new routine of life here in Northern Ireland. Our kids have one of those under 10 year old busy schedules now. Swimming, children's clubs, after school clubs and the like. They are enjoying it all, especially the £10 bike we picked up from a charity shop for Elijah and bike a friend gave us for Hannah. Elijah's was a girl's bike, which he was not keen on, but his uncle sprayed it black so now he really likes it. Our schedules are filling up too. Eileen is taking an after school club and teaching a Spanish lesson in the school our children are going to. I'm working for SAMS, improving their website and preparing for our tour of link churches. We're also working with St. Judes, whose house we are living in. Tonight an Alpha course started and it was really excellent. About a dozen people came along simply beacuse a leaflet was put through their door. The rest had been invited through members of the church. We're also going to do...

Yesterday we finally received the new computer- our old one arrived with us in July in our suitcase slightly damaged, and has been a bit of a dying battle since then. We had ordered a dell but it was going to take 6 weeks after them guaranteeing delivery within 10 days so eventually steve got a refund and bought an apple which arrived yesterday. So literally after over 8 weeks here we are only now getting it sorted out. Next thing is the shipping. Should have arrived 6 weeks ago, but for a while was lost and untraceable. Last Thursay they found it.....in Argentina!!! We will be lucky if we see it before Christmas. Not a thing we can do. We went and got a bike for Elijah for 10 pounds from the local charity shop and my sister has got a handmedown from a friend of hers for Hannah so at least they will have bikes now. Mind you the one we got for E is purple with flowers on it so Eileen's brother has taken it to do a quick paint job to make it less girlie looking! There is a...

The last couple of weeks we have continued to settle into normal life here. Enjoyed the remainder of the holiday and the short spells of sunshine between the rain. It has been the wettest summer on record here, very nice to return to! Hannah and Elijah started school last week, and it was not easy for us parents, particularly Elieen. It is the first time they have been away from us for the whole day. In Paraguay we went to school together, lunched together, and walked home as a family. Here we see them off at 9am and return to collect them at 2pm and 3pm. When you ask Elijah what he did the answer is "nothing...", typical boy's response. Hannah is a little more forthcoming at least. It is a small friendly school, just what we were looking for. They seem to be settling in quickly and making a few friends. Keep praying for them as they adjust, Stephen as he begins job hunting, and both of us as we continue working with SAMS and our link churches. Here is a photo ...

On Friday afternoon we were very badly hit by another car on an extremely busy junction in Belfast. The other driver didn't see us and ploughed into the drivers side. All four of us were in the car but thankfully are all unhurt. Definitely angels protecting. The car is a write off, so Monday will hopefully see us with a temporary car while we await the insurance money to buy another one. This little one we hadn't even had for 3 weeks! It is good to know God is so much bigger than all these things. All well apart from that although definitely experiencing reverse culture shock. Our house is starting to feel like home and hopefully shipping will arrive soon. However, we are all very much missing our church, our friends and our school in Paraguay.

Had a lovely holiday organised by SAMS Ireland in Bryansford, Newcastle. The weather was great, did some gentle mountain climbing (really hills I should say!), beach walking, ice-cream eating, getting lost in mazes, visited the first church planted by St Patrick in Ireland. All really excellent. Also spent a lovely afternoon seeing Eileen and Molly in Rostrevor. ( Fellow missionaries from Paraguay who retired to Rostrevor last year.) More photos are in the little album below.

This evening we went to St. Jude's evening service. St. Jude's are giving us the house rent free for a year and we are helping out with their services. On Sunday evenings they have a cafe service, a relaxed worship service sitting at tables with tea, coffee and sticky buns. We helped lead the worship tonight and spent time chatting which was lovely. There was a Youth for Christ Summer Serve team in the church this week who did a 'Landlubbers' holiday Bible club which our kids attended. They absolutely loved it. The team were there tonight too and Elijah and Hannah were delighted. We're having a wee break for a week, so no blog entries until next weekend! We'll update the mini blog on the right of this window from the mobile phone. If you just see a white box click on it for the updates page.

Yesterday we went to the seaside near to Carrickfergus Castle where Eileen's parents live. Not in the castle exactly, but in Carrickfergus ! The temperature was 15C and there was a cool wind blowing. Note the gray skies, sunshine and showers are the extent of the summer weather this year.

Well, we spent two weeks moving in to the new house - crawling into attics to find boxes stored eight years ago. We are starting to feel at home again after a relaxing week living in the house. We've been to St. Judes's church, who are giving us the house for a year, and are starting to get involved in the services. We are leading worship tonight at their cafe service, and taking two services on the 12 th of August. We went to our home church in Monkstown today and it was really nice to start to feel integrated again. This afternoon we're going to Carrickfergus castle for a medieval festival! Today there is actually a bit of sunshine, but we are still feeling the cold and wonder if we will ever wear our shorts and T-shirts again!

After we arrived on Sunday we hoped we'd have a few days to get over the jet lag and relax. Not a chance. Monday morning we met with Denis Johnston for a debrief, then we met with Elaine Hutchinson who is going out to teach in St. Andrew's on the 13th July. Then around lunchtime we were told we had to move furniture into our new house. So all afternoon, in the rain, we started moving house. Every day since we have been over cleaning, getting boxes from attics, sorting and using an industrial carpet cleaner we hired. Tonight we are exhausted. We experienced a few little reverse culture shock items. First it's strange getting used to daylight at 10pm, we haven't seen long summer nights in eight years. Secondly, we cannot get use to all the modern menu filled mobile phones people use here. It took us three days to finally get one working properly. Here are some little photos of our new house.

We arrived back in George Best Airport, Belfast about 24 hours after we'd left Paraguay. It was very easy travelling this time - short waiting times, the kids slept well, and all the luggage arrived safe and well. I took some photos and video and will put them up over the next couple of days. The goodbyes at the airport were pretty tearful, but we felt we closed well with our friends and did not feel we had left any emotional loose ends. It was even more emotional reading peoples' letters on the plane. Eileen and I though that it was a very special time of our lives that had drawn to a close. We intend to go back for a holiday in a few years, but that mix of people will not all be together again, people will have moved on. They are all very special people in Asuncion and St. Andrew's School. We will miss them.