Hi Claire, Have visited your dad in hospital a couple of times. Saw him on Wednesday evening with Rich. Once he found his hearing batteries and put them in, he was quite cheerful and chatty! Hope you are doing ok. With love from us all, David
Concerned Flora Parent ( Aka Julie
I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this Mrs Jones but a certain Mrs Constance from a certain Wick Junior School is telling Fibs! The table sale was horrible! Thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of children pushed shoved and poked me, trod on my toes, poked my ribs and tried to trip me up! But But But I survived! And let Ella buy a load of rubbish as it was all in a good cause!!!!!!!!!!!
Virtual Hugs to you both xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dawn Baskerville
Thinking of you often, God Bless. Dawnx
Sue Constance
Hi Claire - Friday evening and recovering from 'Flora's' Table Top Sale in aid of the primary school in Phuket. The children were soooooo enthusiastic and parents and friends packed the hall at 3.00pm buying toys, games, books, videos and very scrummy cakes! Dave did a brilliant job of selling raffle tickets and auctioning items despite being under the weather with 'flu. Can't wait to see how much we raised - it's so good to have a definite focus and people are being so very generous - He sure does move in mysterious ways!! Love to you an Emma - God bless you both. Love Sue
Laurie, Juliet Emmanuelle & Samson
Hi Lovely Claire
I guess you guys are getting really excited (and a bit sad as well?) about going on the move again. No doubt you will leave something of yourselves there in Phuket...no one could go through what you have and not! Today is Samson's birthday and the little man is 1! Where has the last year gone!? He took his first steps yesterday and tonight we went to Pizza Hut and Emmanuelle initiated him into the delights of the 'Ice Cream factory!' Sure that it is something you know!!!? Just wanted to let you know B4 you leave Phuket that we did a big beauty and pamper evening for the Tsunami last Friday (my friend is beauty writer for the Telegraph and has lots of amazing contacts!) Anyway we raised over £5000 and although most of that was credit card and cheques payable directly to the DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee), we are going to make sure that Phuket CC get every last penny of the cash which we hope will be about £500. Sorry that it is not more but hopefully it will help?! Beauty companies are still sending lovely stuff to us which we are selling so maybe there will be some more soon. Should have it into their account in the next 10 days so pass on the goosd news B4 you leave if you can?!
Masses of love and a big hug and our prayers go with you as you start the next stage of your adventure with God...that verse from Exodus still ringing true for you both. L,J,E & birthday boy!! XXXX
Allie Drew
Hey Girls, Glad your dad's OK Claire got the call for prayer on Monday!. Just to update you on local events, Ange Woodcock got engaged last week, Yippee! "I know fast mover, but hey when a single man walks into our church theres not much hope for him really, we can smell fresh meat a mile off!. anyway..... thats all very cool. I am indeed going to Julies on friday, but frankly I'm still in detox from sunday night at her house. Her wine glasses are the size of vases (in fact they may well be old ones!) anyway I will try my hardest to raise a few glasses to you and wobble home. God Bless you both keep you safe, love you and miss you heaps. Allie -x-
Julie And Ella
Hey Claire ( and Emma )!
Just saying hi, and updating you on our ( very boring ) lives! Ella is now very settled at Flora , can't beleive it but MY child is not that well behaved! Academically, she is is quite bright which I think might be the problem. She thinks she can afford to mess around!!! She absolutely loves Art Attack and we have turned the downstairs loo into Ella's Gallery! She is also going to Dance Nation and Brownies and wants to start trampoline club at LCS but I have told her something else will have to go!
I am still at the WIRE,still doing the cook and eat clubs (which I love), still doing Jabez. Allie Drew and Angie Woodcock are coming round friday for wine and curry and we shall raise our glasses to you both ( any excuse)!
Miss you lots, I hope you have nothing but peace and happy times on the rest of your travels. Virtual hugs to you both. Julie and Ella xxxxxxxxxxxx
Chris & Pat Evans
Hi Claire, I've just got back from the Hospital after visiting your Dad, he was on very good form for someone who'd just broken his back on Monday! Just as cheeky as ever. It was a good job Pat wasn't there as he would have been trying to give her a hug as he normally does. We were so relieved to hear he should be o.k after a couple of months in a cast.
If any one can cope with all the stress and hassle it's your mum. Be assured our cell group will help them as much as we can.
You and your family have been an inspiration to many of us and have given so much to other over the years we just hope we can repay some of that whilst your dad is recovering.
I hope and pray that you can really relax and recover from you hard work when you get to Australia next week, you never know you might see Kate and Jamie in Sidney (They are there 10-15th February) God Bless. Chris and Pat
Sally K
Hi there Claire and Emma. Good news that you are moving on and we hope that you can cope with being a tourist again. I think all of us say you deserve a bit of respite after all you have done. We did say that we thought this year abroad was significant - but can't imagine any of us could have thought how! God bless you both and keep you safe on the next stage of your journey. Lots of love Sally and Mike xx
Hezza
Claire + Emma, hope you've managed to get back on track after the mugging - nasty stuff! May have missed something, but are you planning on staying in Phuket for longer? Abundant blessings whatever you're up to now - I reckon a book should be written about you gals - you're legends out there! Like the idea of a 'virtual hug' mentioned by other friends of yours - here's one from me! Love you loads Hez xxx
Sarah B.
Dear Claire,
thinking of you today as it's the memorial service. No doubt it will stir up all kinds of emotions again - just as well you're a well-grounded woman who's cemented into God !!! We miss you, but are sure that there are so many good things around the corner for you !! Tonight we're off to a big party at Amanda Lord's - she's absolutely bursting with the sheer joy of finding her dad after 32 years - and the best thing of all is that he became a Christian about 4 years ago after a car accident ! WOW - you'll have to read the book - it can be finished now !! Tomorrow's a busy day - Delirious? doing the Worship Explosion in the evening - I'll mosh for you ! Praying that the Lord continues to hide you both under the shadow of His wing.
All Love
Sarah B.
Stuart L
Hi Emma! (and Claire too!)
I thought I'd just add my tupennyworth and say - you guys are fantastic. We've been following everything that's been happening to you avidly; glad to hear that you've still got your peckers up!
Talking to a couple of people at St. B's who know about these things, they wondered whether when you leave Phuket you might find yourselves in a bit of a state of delayed shock; sometimes the enormity of the sort of situation you've been through only hits you once you've come out of it. I reckon that the fact that you've been able to be involved so constructively in the follow-up will be a big help with that, but you still may find it a bit strange going back to being tourists! So, if you think it would be helpful, why not visit our friends Malcolm and Kirsten before you leave, just to talk through and help process stuff? As you may be aware, they've been down in Bangkok helping at the Swedish embassy, although now things have quietened down they've returned home. It's up to you whether you want to - it sounds like PCC have done a great job of looking after you, not to mention your army of wellwishers back here! But if you want to, drop us a line and we'll put you in touch with them.
In the meantime, God bless you and well done once again - you're a credit to yourselves and to us all! Hope the visas & passports come in on time!