Operation

Alison went through a long operation yesterday 5hours in operating theatre and 5h hours in recovery room. All seemed to have gone really well until I received a call from the hospital at 4 this morining saying Alison had to go for another op as she had a haemorage. Infact it was Alison who was on the phone and she seemed really well !! They were able to stop the bleeding as a small blood vessel had burst. The surgeon rang me straight after at 6 and gave me the news which was great. Off to see her in later this morning. As the hospital is in Rennes it takes about 1.30 to get there.
Please continue to pray

1 week to go

In a week Alison will be taken into the Rennes hospital for the operation to remove the tumour. It will be a major operation and we look to the Lord to keep us at peace in His love

You are holy

great concert

clipped from www.youtube.com

Operation

Alison saw the surgeon on Tuesday and the date for the operation in Rennes will be the 14th November. She will probably be in hospital for 8-12 days. The results of tests on the tumour should be through within two weeks after the operation. The Lord is good and gives us a real peace to trust him completely for all that will occur.

Health

Unfortunately the results of alison's tests were not very good. A tumour that has ulcerated. She will see a surgeon in Rennes on Tuesday to here when she will be operated on. 1-2 weeks in hospital and then two months doing nothing and obviously results to see if the tumour is malignant or not.

It's cold !!!

At last I've got aound to writing something !!! Suddenly seems very cold in the morning, the car windscreen is regularly iced over and takiing the dog out at 6.30 certainly wakes you up!
After A few days in hospital last week Alison goes back t the specialist today to go over the results of all the tests.
My nephew is home for the moment the operation went well but unfortunately they couldn't remove all the tumour and he will have to continue radium treatment between now and Christmas.
In church we are going through the navigators book "etre un disciple" which is very challenging and has also seem more people coming along to the bible study :)
Chris and I are doing a concert for the Alencon church tomorrow evening we pray that the hall will be full.

B4N

Family news

Alison went back to the specialist as she has been having a lot of stomach problems and difficulty eating. It seems that after 6 weeks of treatment the ulcer has not healed and she will have to go into hospital on Sunday for 3 days of more extensive tests to see what is happening !
Latest news on my nephew is he has had the results of the MRI and they havent been able to remove all the tumor. We will now wait and see what the next step is.

Denison Mike's nephew

Last Sunday my nephew went back into a London hospital for his second operation to have the rest of his brain tumour removed. The latest news is that the operation went well, he is still in the HDU but is sitting in a chair and talking with no pain or discomfort. Praise God !
He will have an MRI today to see if they have been able to completely remove all the tumour.

great weekend

The church weekend was a great success.




All the people at the Parole de Vie centre were so welcoming and helpful.


Saturday after lunch we all went for a walk round the medieval city of Dinan.

Early evening bible study with Rob (from parole de vie) leading the study.


After the evening meal a fun evening and some board games.











Sunday worship service at Dinan. Afternoon we did the assault course !! still got one huge bruise to prouve it. Hope you like the photos !!

Indian summer

We're having great weather this week. Looks like it will be nice for our church weekend. The church is going to Parole de Vie in Dinan(Britany). Not everyone from the church is able to go but we praythat those going will have a really good time.
Loic has his first big match in national division off to Orleans this morning at 9.00 and probably back at 9 tonite. Ben has settled back into lycee and is finding the work abit easier than last year. Seb has now done one month on the production line and is looking forward to getting his first pay cheque !!!

Sunny Mayenne

A glorious week with sunshine and blueskies! Alison is getting her English lessons sorted out for this academic year, I'll be doing a few hours a week as well by public demand !!!!
Good to be back and into weekly programme. At the Bible study last nite on the Veracity of Scripture I was struck again by the privilage we have of having the Bible in our own language and with no ristrictions on its use. For Sunday I am chairing the worshio service and want to home in again on the importance of the Bible and its authority in our lives.
The association Maison de la Bible ( House of the Bible) ( I am on the French national committee) has just brought out the Bible for 1€50, the price of a coffee ! The aim is to have a mass distribution of Bibles with a new and faithful translation of the text.

There will also be a new young people's bible with inserts to help understand and ask question and linked to a web site
http://www.mabible.net

Away for few days

I won't be around for a while . Alison saw the specialist yesterday who found she has an enormous stomach ulcer which could very easily have perforated. Must have been there for a while and accounts for the severe pains she has been experiencing for some months now. She has a course of treatment and hopefully all will be resolved over next 6 weeks

News and more news

Not been to faithful to my blog these last few days. Latest news on Denison is that after scan of the heart and his consultants visit there was no trace of a heart attack and the infection seems now to be able under control. He has pneumonia, pleurasy and has lost quite a bit of wait. Good news is that yesterday he was transferred back to a hospital nearer to his home in Ramsgate. He will have another week of treatment before the doctors decide what will be the next stage.
Life in our house is still busy. Seb, Ben & Loic have all restarted football training. Loic has been recruted by the Mayenne team to play in the national league ! Matthias enjoys making his presence felt and enjoys going swimming and pretending he is a monkey!
Alison has had a few health problems( and pain) and is off to the specialist tomorrow to see if she has an ulcer . I am just trying to loose weight!

Update

Just heard the hospital are doing more scans today, they hope they have prevented the infection reaching the heart. denison is in a lot of pain and is being treated with morphine.

Thursday

Very concerned about my nephew Denison who is still very ill. Latest news is that he now has a chest infection and has been transferred to Paediatric Intensive care unit at another London hospital . He had already started the chemotherapy sessions but that has had to be stopped as he is so weak. We pray for him and his family

The boys outside the Louvre

Matthias enjoying z ride on the Big Wheel next to the Louvre

At the top of the Tour Montparnasse with Mike's mum in Paris.

The North Mayenne Bible study group with a few extra guests.

Weekend

Settled back into the routine after the Music 4 The Soul team. Alison's parents leave today after 12 days with us, Matthias will miss them a lot.
We had a great time in Paris, a bit tiring but great to have been able to spend a few days with my Mum who bravely dealt with all the stairs on the underground. If ever you go to Paris go to the Tour Montparnasse superb views and much cheaper than the Tour Eiffel !!!
Tomorrow we have the regular worship service with a presentation of Tahaddi a christian medical_social work in a shanty town outside Beirut. The Laval church has supported the work of Tahaddi for many years and it is always good to get an update on what is going on.

Concert in Mortagne au Perche

A well deserved day off for the GLO team at St Malo

OFF FOR A LITTLE BREAK

Great weekend, yesterday worhsip service followed by a meal for the North Mayenne Bible study group. Annie welcomed us all to her lovely home and with temperatures iin the 30s it was a lovely afternoon.
We are off to Paris for three days and are meeting up with my Mum. Will post again when we get back
B4N
Mike

New day

Matthias came back with his grandparents on Tuesday. He had a great time with them and his aunt, uncle & cousin. Only problem was the flooding. Alison's sister had to knock their garden wall down to stop the house flooding. Alisons parents have no water in the house!
Benjamin is also back from his week away with his friends. Sebastien goes off on holiday this weekend and hopes to have a job from September.
Catching up on all our paperwork, church web site, cleaning church after the team... We are also looking at changing the way we receive gifts in france. The french assemblies have a legal structure that channels gifts through and looks after all the social security payments. Watch this space !!
Alison's Mum & Dad are with us for two weeks.Next week we have a few days away with my Mum so we are looking forward to a little break.

Early start

The music 4 the Soul team has is now over. We were sad to see the team leave. We had all become very good friends. On Sunday the team took part in the Laval worship service and Regin gave a very challenging sermon. Lunch at the church and then 2 hour drive to Mortagne au Perche. It was a real privilege to participate in this pionneer work in the small town of Mortagne. A German missionary family serve the Lord in the town and meet with five other believers. They had hired a hall in the town and about 65 people turned up over half not connected with churches in the county. There was even a Danish lutheran pastor and his wife who were able to talk to Regin ( from Feroe Islands). The testimonies and music all brought across the message of our need of the Lord Jesus and faith in him.

Yesterday was the day off and we took the team to St Malo, the sun shone so we had a great relaxing day and rounded the day off with a meal together in a pizzeria.

The team has put on 4 official concerts, done two informal music evenings, travelled 1500 km, practiced for hours, late nites, been fed spiritually and physically, prayed, served all because they know the value of one soul who comes to Christ.

THANKS TO

Dave & Carol, Gordon & June, Sam, Sara, Iain, Clare, Ruth & Regin for making the last ten days such a memorable time. As a very wise man said " My dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is in vain"

Saturday

Great day in Avrillé yesterday. The church organised a quick tour of Angers for the team and then we enjoyed a bbq with about 40 people. Concert afterwards which went well
. We are off to nantes today.

Laval concert

Great evening last nite. We had to put out extra chairs ! Lots of people who had never come before. Two of the team gave their testimonies.
We are off to Angers this afternoon to work with the Avrillé church. 6.30pm BBQ then at 8.30 pm concert for the church and the friends they have invited.

B4N

New Day

Great evening last nite at Garry & Val's home in the North of the county. Several non christians present. The team was able to do a shortened unplugged programme with two of the team giving very challenging testimonies.
Today we are in Laval. Concert with the full blown sound system this evening.
B4N

evening in Chateau Gontier

Great evening in Chateau Gontier last night. A lot of people who had never attended anything connected with a church. A good atmosphere and a lot some want to come along to the concert in Laval on Thursday evening.
This evening an informal evening in the home of a couple from the church. Singing and testimonies.

B4N
Mike

Late nite in Argentré

Long day, the team spent the morning getting to know the weeks programme, prayer and Bible study led by Regin. Afternoon was spent practising from 1.30pm - 7pm , great progress on the songs, we have very talented group.

Everyone is quite tired this evening.

Mike

M4TS

Team has arrived safely after a few hiccups ! Today we start the official programme. INtro, worship, prayer & bible study this morning. This pm long pratice so we will see who can do what and how!
For info it is tipping down with rain!!!
B4N
Mike

Saturday 21st July

Perhaps you are reading this posting after the email I sent you this morning !
Sébastien is off to the beach with his friends. Benjamin sets off for a weeks holiday this evening. Loic is going off tomorrow on a christian camp for to weeks at Dinan.
Trying to get the powerpoint presentations ready for the GLO Music 4 the Soul Team. We wanted to giving some sort of visual presentation so half of the songs will have a powerpoint presentation being shown while they are sung.
Weather looks like being awful !

B4N
Mike

20

First posting here. Preparing for the Music 4 The Soul Team (M4TS) which starts on Sunday. The team will have their work cut out as we have three days to put together a 90 min concert. The M4ST team will be performing in Chateau Gontier, St Julien du Terroux, Laval, Angers, Nantes and Mortagne.
Regin will be the Bible teacher for the team and will be travelling up from Italy where he and his family are working with GLO.
Pray for the team and the impact in the lives of people we will meet