Hi Folks, welcome to our first prayer letter. (And about time too!). We’ve been living in Laleston, Bridgend for just over a month now and feel like locals already.

Ben’s News

Ben’s news will subdivide into two sections; study at the Evangelical Theological College of Wales (from here on in to be known as ETCW), and everything else.

College work is proving challenging. The course consists of 5 modules, Textual Tools (Inglish Gramer. Aarrghh!!!), The Gospels, Early Church History, Preaching and Pastoral Theology, and Principles and Practise of Mission. Of these I would appreciate prayer for Textual Tools. I have realised my natural ability for languages is negligible and thus have decided to delay Greek until the 2nd year. This decision was made 3 weeks into the course. The rules for the course stipulate that I have to do Greek, Hebrew, or Textual Tools. Having dropped Greek I have to do Textual Tools, and am thus three weeks behind and struggling to catch up. Three Weeks is a long time in ETCW! However the rest of the course is excellent, and I am enjoying the lectures, essays and seminars.

A day at ETCW typically begins with half an hour worship and devotional time; on Thursdays this is extended to about an hour for prayer. Mondays are spent outside of college for project work, seminar preparation or sleep. The rest of the week of filled with lectures and library work.

The first year intake consists of 17 students of which a half are Korean, a quarter are British, and a quarter are dotted all around the globe.

The rest of my time consists mainly of eating, sleeping and playing football. Yes there is football in South Wales! I play each Friday with a group of Korean students. Apart from this and the occasional visit from family and friends, my evenings are taken up with study.

Liz’s News

Most of my time during the day is spent looking after Josh although I have managed to sit in on some of the Principles and Practise of Mission lectures at ETCW unfortunately the Access course which I had applied to do has been cancelled this year, although it would have been very difficult to study with Josh. Even so I have met a lot of the students and go down to the college quite a lot.

I have joined a Mum’s and Babies Group at one of the churches in Bridgend and hope to go to a new group starting in Bryntirion next month. I would appreciate your prayers as I get to know more people in the area.

Josh’s News

I now weigh 14lbs 7oz and am 9 weeks old. I had my first injections last week and I didn’t like them. I eat, sleep and play during the day but I’m still sleeping through the night. I enjoy going to the college with my mum and got thrown out of a lecture for disruptive behaviour.

Praise

· That we have already settled in a small Baptist Church, 5 minutes from home.

· Provision of a lovely house in Laleston

· Tenants for our house in Sandbach

Prayer

· Ben’s studies at ETCW. Particularly Textual Tools

· Liz as she gets to know mums in the area

· That we will find time to spend as a family

· For other students at ETCW, especially foreign students away from their families.

Thank you for your prayers

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