In our last newsletter we asked you to pray with us as we were about to interview for a new maintenance manager. We’re glad to let you know that Andrew Howlett will be joining us in that role in the New Year. He will be moving here from Bristol shortly before Christmas, with his wife Jackie and their family, Sam, Josh and Kezia. Please pray for them as they prepare for this move; it’s a major decision they have taken, but we’re excited that they’ll be joining us and know they will all contribute richly to life here at Capernwray.

Andrew has worked as a Building Services Consultant for 30 years, designing heating and airconditioning. Jackie is a nursery nurse and has worked in hospitals, schools and playgroups. They have lived in Bristol for 15 years, the last 3 years as leaders of a family style community house, living with single people in their twenties. The house used to be an orphanage and is still owned by the George Muller Foundation. They travel to Romania twice a year to visit two orphanages and raise money for a family sponsorship scheme. Andrew and Jackie both enjoy walking and mountain climbing. Andrew also rock climbs and is looking forward to practising on the indoor wall at Capernwray. Sam is 14. He is keen on all outdoor activities and wants to be an oudoor activities instructor when he leaves school. He is very keen on canoeing and plays canoe water polo for Bristol canoe club. He also enjoys rock climbing and mountain climbing in Snowdonia with his Dad. Josh is 13. He is very keen on rugby and has been the captain of the year 7 and 8 team. He is also a skateboarder. In keeping with the international community of Capernwray, he is Romanian, adopted when he was two months old. Kezia is 9 and likes to keep the family organised. She plays the violin and her biggest achievement this year is that she has learnt to swim. She will be moving to Capernwray with her four-metre trampoline! She is also a big Harry Potter fan.

Dearest Torchbearer family: Shalom. A very warm greeting to you all. With great joy I would like to share a part of my past summer with you. I spent most of my time in Israel because during the war with Iraq many Israelis came to the south of Israel. It was a bad time for tourism but a great time for the evangelists! We had many opportunities to give out literature and had many meaningful conversations. Also during the autumn feasts many people spent their holidays in the Sinai and on the border. Many books were accepted and I believe that for those who read them God will do a work in their hearts. [Galatians 6:9] My tent-pegs are spreading more and more and this year I taught God’s precious Word for the fi rst time in South India. Ten years ago I had received an invitation from Murli Mennon our beloved brother who has a Bible school there in the South. This autumn that door opened up. It was such a blessed time and the students of the Bible School were so eager to learn God’s word and principles. The students came from all over India and even Tibet. In the evening I taught the evening class for local believers. It was so special because most of them had a Hindu background and as I taught the life of Abraham it was wonderful to see that he, too, started off in a false religion of worshipping idols. [Joshua 24:2] This ministry will grow, and God willing I will return to India next autumn. The second day I was there they asked me to dedicate 2 of 9 baby girls. All nine girls had been rescued by a believing midwife from Hindu parents that had rejected them because of poverty and also because these families already had girls and would not be able to afford another wedding gift. Now they receive wonderful care and above all they hear about the caring Good Shepherd. I wish you all a blessed Christmas. Johan