31st March 2008
Still had no news on that final signature. I'm not sure how long this situation could go on before the flight on the 9th would have to be altered. During the entire waiting period we've had, we have occasionally felt frustrated but, on the whole, Rachel and I are actually really glad for the extra time of preparation we've had and are trusting that God's timing for our departure will be perfect. However, after having packed away all the things we'd be leaving in the UK and now living out of suitcase, it is one of those brief periods of frustration at the moment, though one I am confident will soon come to an end one way or another!

18th March 2008
We received an update from Peru today saying that our forms need just one more signature, so they should be completed by the end of next week, meaning that we can then go and visit the consulate in London again to run through the paperwork at this end and pick up our visas. BMS have, in the light of this, now provisionally booked flights for Lima on 9th April. It is exciting to have something in the diary, and I'm definitely looking forward to going, albeit with a little apprehension about what lies ahead. It's also, in some ways, sad to know that we'll be leaving the training centre half-way through some courses and, of course, saying goodbye to our friends there and elsewhere in the UK.

2nd March 2008
Still no firm dates, but we have at least been told that our documents are being processed and we just have to wait for notification that our visas are ready to collect in London and there is a suggestion that this might happen in the next couple of weeks. Regardless of that news, I feel nonetheless that we've left the departure lounge and we're making some progress towards getting onto that plane.

25th February 2008
We've had news of financial support from people who are already living and working in South America and could, I'm sure, find use for the money themselves in what they're doing - we feel especially humbled that people are showing such faith in us and are so committed to supporting the work that we'll be doing in Peru.

12th February 2008
We had a really good evening speaking at a Peace and Justice group at a Catholic church in Petts Wood, including some really constructive discussion and a promise that the parish will adopted us as their overseas missionaries. It's great to have support coming in from every quarter and the fact that we have UK Catholics behind what we'll be doing in Peru may well be significant when we're there and working in an environment where, sadly, different denominations do not talk or work together. We have also been commissioned to find a suitable candidate for a 'sponsor a teacher' scheme that mums at a nearby primary school have expressed a desire to launch. Exciting stuff!

8th February 2008
Having waved off Rachel the night before to go and have a few days with her family, I had another early start to visit the consulate and make sure I was first in the queue because I had to be back at my brother's house by 11am so the courier could collect the stamped documents and get them on their way to Peru as soon as possible. They hadn't prepared them, but mercifully agreed to do them there and then. Whilst waiting, I discovered that Rachel and I only need to visit the consulate in person once (when we pick up the visas), so both of us needn't have come down either time. Not very useful information for us, but it might help the family we've been training with who are following in our footsteps in six months' time. I left with just enough time to make it to the other side of London and hand the precious documents over to the courier. Hopefully, they will get to Peru in time for them to be processed before one of the critical figures in our application procedure leaves for his holiday! Discovered later that we have another donor, which gets us close to having half the money we've been told we'll need. Again, we're very thankful.

7th February 2008
The queue at the consulate was merciful short and they were happy to take a copy of our passports and our money, but were unable to stamp them there and then (despite it being a five minute procedure). Have to come back tomorrow.

6th February 2008
A busy morning! Checking e-mail, we found a note to say that the consulate should be able to legalise our passports after all (which they couldn't do a couple of weeks before). We set out to visit the notary public to start the legalisation process armed with the consulate's number so we could call and ascertain if the e-mail was correct. Two minutes before arriving at the solicitors' office, it turns out it was - the consulate can, of course, stamp our passports. Ho hum... all part of the acculturalising process I suppose.

5th February 2008
Woke up this morning to find an e-mail from Peru saying that we needed to have certified copies of our passports sent out too. After discussion with folk at head office, it looks like we'll be doing another emergency run to London tomorrow to visit first the foreign office and then the Peruvian consulate. We did have some good news though - we also had an e-mail from a couple who are prepared to give us some financial support. It is really encouraging to see how God is using people to help provide for our needs as we step out in faith.

3rd February 2008
We gave our talk to our old church in Cambridge this morning - it was great to see so many familiar faces again and also exciting to see what God was doing with the church after all the transition it's been through. We were invited to speak for 15 minutes and after the service we were prayed for by a couple. The idea of being hand-picked for the job in Peru again came to the fore (see Jan 27th), which was encouraging. After the service, two of our friends had prepared a church lunch in honour of our visit with Peruvian food - it was fantastic to hang out with folk over great food and we're really grateful for all the hard work that went into making this happen. Thank you guys! We were also told of a third promise of some financial support and are, of course, very grateful again for this.

1st February 2008
We had a lovely dinner with a friend in Cambridge and he shared with us things he though God had given him for us. He reminded us that visas are in God's timing and we need to be patient. We'll also need to be patient in Peru, because God has given us wings (skills and opportunities), but we won't know how to use them without being patient and not forcing the issue. There needs to be a time of waiting and letting the dust settle before setting off and, even then, not running before we can walk (SNAP! - See 27th Jan). Through this, far more will be achieved and far less time spent on undoing things created in haste. This is not the first time that the idea of going slowly and watchfully when we arrive in Peru has come up and I know for myself it will be hard to do, since I will be so keen to hit the ground running and try and help as much and as quickly as I can.

28th January 2008
We had some post today and it contained two promises of some financial support for our time in Peru. It's great and exciting (and relieving!!) to see this coming in and humbling to think of the faith others have in God, His plans and how we fit into them.

27th January 2008
The day of our commissioning (being sent out from our home church). We got 5 minutes in the service and opportunity over lunch afterwards to speak about what we were going off to do in Peru and how we saw support happening (mutually) between us and the church. Quite a few of our friends from Norwich were able to make it and we had a good time explaining (as best we could) what lies ahead. We were prayed for during the service and there were a number of words for us and for me in particular. The words wisdom and compassion came up, coupled to the notion that God would show me His ways and His heart (perhaps confirming 22nd Dec) and that this may not necessarily be what I first see. I should wait for God to lead me and show me and develop key relationships before I rush into anything. There was also a word for me which emphasised that I am the right man for the job in Peru - not second or third choice, but the right man - and I would do well to remember that God has chosen me for this purpose when things are difficult in Peru (as they will be - see also 17th Jan). There was also a word for us that God has been training and equipping us and that even the wait we have had to endure to get overseas has been part of this, because it has been a prolonged time of uncertainty and loss as we have said goodbye to opportunities, dreams, things and people, and that this will help us identify with the people of Chincha and draw alongside them (SNAP! - See 17th Jan). There was also a word which compared us to the weather beaten 'Angel of the North' and one of those push-button string puppet toys which both spoke of the difficult times we have been through and how we were still standing but more equipped to empathise. We were in a position to be able to reach these people and bring with us a river-full of life-giving water, because we were going in the name of Christ.

22nd January 2008
An altogther baffling day at the Peruvian consulate in London. We arrived early and were told to take a seat and wait. We waited until everyone else who came after us was dealt with (though fortunately had an entertaining promotional DVD on Peru to watch) and then had to ask again to be seen. It turns out that we needn't have waited at all. It also turns out (perhaps) that we needn't have dash across the country yesterday to find Rachel's certificates, since we didn't use them. No-one, not least us, is sure exactly what it is we are aiming for and the documents we did manage to get stamped should be enough to start the visa process rolling. We think the certificates and other documents will only be needed if we are also applying for residency but, to be honest, we don't know what process we're going through. All we can do now is sit back and wait and hope we've done all we need to do. We certainly hope that there will be no need to have certificates stamped, because we'd have to visit a notary, the foreign office and the consulate in turn to have them legalised at a cost of over £32 per certificate - ouch!

21st January 2008
A six hour round trip and it took about 5 minutes to find the certificates in a wardrobe beneath a pile of toys (where else would they be!) Good to know that we have everything we need for tomorrow though....

20th January 2008
We were given Isaiah 54:10 this morning at church - while all else shakes, God's love for us will not be shaken. Speaking of shakes, we've come across a technical hitch - whilst photocopying all our important documents in preparation for our visit to the consulate we've discovered that Rachel doesn't have her 'A'-Level certificates and they couldn't be located at the parental home. We need to take advice (from Peru) on just how necessary it will be to have these, but in the meantime we'll be making an unplanned trip to Somerset to turn Rachel's parents' place upside down and see if we can find them - it's either that or pay over £100 and have to wait 30 days for replacements (which would delay the visa process somewhat).

18th January 2008
We had an e-mail from Peru today contradicting the advice we've been given by the consulate. According to the officials in Lima, we need to stick with the original complicated procedure. We need to get the ball rolling at this end now, so we'll be catching a train for London to present ourselves and our documents at the consulate as soon as we can.

17th January 2008
We went to what may be our last Birmingham homegroup tonight and presented to them what we'd be doing in Peru. They prayed for us at the end and had a number of pictures and words for us. One was an encouragement that, despite being a sailboat on a rough sea, God was blowing our sails in the right direction. Another was that we had made a sacrifice in choosing this life (saying goodbye and giving things up) and that will help us empathise with those who've experienced loss in Peru. We were also given the phrase "as the walls surround Jerusalem, so I surround my people" which is a variation on Psalm 125:2 and gives assurances that those who trust in God will not be shaken now or in the future (which is a comfort seeing as we're going to an earthquake region!) and the time of prayer was closed with the Anglican Blessing. We were also warned to prepare for spiritual attack and difficult times when in Peru. We really appreciate the support and friendship of these guys, even though we've not been able to spend that much time with them.

8th January 2008
We contacted the Peruvian Consulate in London today and found out that the visa procedure is actually much simpler than we first thought (which is good), but we still need to wait for things to happen at the Peruvian end first. Nonetheless, it looks as if we might be leaving sooner rather than later (which is also good), but does mean that we've suddenly got lots to do!

6th January 2008
We have now arranged our commissioning service. For all those who'd like to say hello and goodbye and are interested in hearing more about what we're going to Peru to do, we'll be doing a presentation after the main part of the service at our church in Norwich, Gateway Vineyard (service details available on their website)

4th January 2008
We've had a really relaxing time with family over Christmas and New Year and have been surprised by how tired we've both been now that we've had the opportunity to stop for a while. It's odd to think that, had we still been going to Nepal, we'd be standing at the airport now and wouldn't have had anything like a relaxing time over the last two weeks. It's scary to think how tired we would have been without the break and the added strain of packing and travelling!