Buckler News

C'est le moment où on se prépare pour le week-end régional des jeunes (qui a lieu à Pierrefonds au nord de Paris) et cette année c'est Andy qui l'organise. 150+ jeunes pendant 24 heures du 25 au 26 octobre, sur le thème 'Parce que je le vaux bien ?! Toi, moi... et Dieu'. La préparation se fait par une équipe motivée d'une dizaine de personnes de différentes Eglises en région parisienne. Merci de visiter le site : www.royaume2dieu.com et de prier...

A few months ago, I (Andy) found myself in charge of running this years youth weekend for the Paris region of the reformed church. It's quite a highlight for the 150 or so young people who come... This year has given the opportunity to renew the organising team and bring in some motivated younger guys. Preparation is going well, but please do pray that God's love will touch many young people... and that incidentally it will give a boost to the youth group here at Mantes (hopefully we will have about 15 young people there).

Info : http://www.royaume2dieu.com/

Well, we mustn't forget that it is at the moment 'la rentrée' in France - the great moment when everything gets going again after the (long) summer break. 3 weeks ago, we had a great church council (conseil presbytéral) retreat which set the tone for what we are praying will be a rich and full autumn.

Since then, we have had a few great Sunday services, the children's programme has started up, and we have (re)launched the youth group after a pause of a year. Despite my fears (lack of publicity due to the family events), there were about 15 people there, with a real desire to get things moving.

Ben and Rachel, a young couple with us this year on a Crosslinks programme, have been a real gift from the Lord. Not only have they been happy to get stuck in with helping with our children, but they will be heading up the youth work in the church which is really promising. Do pray for them as they settle in.

This week we also launched a fresh Alpha course (18 people - again really encouraging for us). It coincides with a nationwide publicity drive for Alpha which has seen surprising media interest (perhaps on the back of the Pope's visit to France last week). For a feel for Alpha in France, see : http://www.coursalpha.fr/

So despite ups and downs healthwise, we feel the Lord has good things in store for the church this year. Do pray for new home groups we aim to set up, and for the building up of ministry teams. By the way I almost forgot - we commissioned different teams in the service a couple of weeks ago - a prayer ministry team (10 people), those involved in children's work (30 people in all), Alpha team (4 people), those leading and preaching in services (10 people) and the church council (PCC) of course (12 people). Yes, things are moving forward.

Well, Uta has now been home a couple of weeks and we are beginning to get into a rhythm which (hopefully) takes into account her need to rest. She had an appointment with the doctor this morning - in fact there were 3 doctors there, and a host of nurses all looking a the xray of her mouth... Lots of ummming and aahing - it's now clear that it was a double fracture in the middle, a double fracture on one side and a further fracture on the other side of her jaw. Apparently they all thought it was spectacular. They seemed happy with progress though which is good. Next rendez-vous next week.

In the meantime, Uta is totally sick of having soup. She'd give almost anything for some bread and cheese, or better still some good solid chocolate. As it is, it falls to me (Andy) to eat it for her. She doesn't seem to appreciate this heroic act on my part. Strange.

Otherwise, morale is good, even if she is tired, and the children are very demanding. It is their way of reacting I think, but it is tiring. Still, we are blessed to have people here who are helping with the children - and for other practical help, members of the church have been (and still are) amazing.

By the way, the doctors did say to her that it hadn't perhaps been the wisest thing to ride a bike while 6 months pregnant... It's a good thing she didn't tell them she was still riding a bike the day before giving birth to Thomas... and also to Samuel !

Dear all - I just want to express my thanks to you all, all of you who have supported us over this last week. I am back home at last, and I feel that life can finally start up again. I'm still a bit shaken, a bit slow and everything is more tiring than usual, but that' ok. We are really well supported. Friends from church and school have been amazing. I can even make jokes about being 'Iron woman' and show my monster-teeth...

Mind you, eating everything liquidised is a bit less funny. I guess I'll just have to get on with it and spice up my life in other ways.... Anywyay, thank you again for your support. It's been a long and painful week.

Uta came home yesterday morning. The doctors had reajusted things so that her jaw is more comfortable. And the neck and head pains are less. So that is really good news. She was so relieved to be back - and it was great to be able to pick the children up together from school. I am off work this week in order to help at home, since Uta is under strict orders to rest... apart from going to the pharmacie to get all her medicines and nutritional stuff, and to the opticians to get new glasses, and to the doctors for blood tests, and to the police to file a formal declaration of accident, and to the insurance to do the same... She is having problems sleeping at night. She will be having regular sessions with the physio and weekly checkups with the doctor.

The boys have been great, and have coped OK with being shunted from one person to another, but  Loïs has found it more difficult and is quite unsettled, crying a lot when she goes to school and during the day. The good thing is that they have all taken to Ben and Rachel, who have been great and will be a real help over the next few weeks.

Thank you once again for all your messages of support and your prayers.

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Uta est rentrée enfin hier matin. Le medecin avait réajusté les fixations pour que sa mâchoire se tienne mieux en place et les douleurs du cou et de la tête se sont appaisées. Bonne nouvelle. Elle était soulagée de pouvoir quitter l'hôpital enfin et de retrouver les enfants à la sortie de l'école. Cette semaine, je suis en congé pour être plus présent à la maison. Je vois bien qu'il faut faire attention pour ne pas tomber dans les mêmes rythmes qu'auparavant. Donc, elle doit se reposer, mais je ne suis pas sûr que ce soit si facile étant donné toutes les ordonnances médicales, la pharmacie, le kiné, les prises de sang, les démarches administratives (on va devoir porter plainte contre la DDE qui est responsable pour l'entretien des chaussées). Enfin, voilà. Elle aura des séances régulières de kiné, un rendez-vous hébdo à l'hôpital, etc etc.

Les garçons ont plutôt bien vécu cette semaine - pour eux c'est la grande aventure, même si derrière la façade, ce n'était pas le top... Mais c'est surtout Loïs qui a du mal - elle est très fragile, surtout à l'école où elle a pris l'habitude de pleurer comme si c'était son premier jour. Heureusement, elle (comme les garçons) a tissé une bonne relation déjà avec Rachel et Ben - un vrai soulagement.

Voilà - merci pour votre aide, vos prières, votre amour ! Nous avons vraiment été touché par les marques d'affection des uns et des autres.