Tim, our son who prompted us to start this Blog before we went to the DR Congo in March 2010, suggested that I should reactivate it in the light of health problems which I have experienced over the last 8 months and the easiest way to do this initially is to publish a copy of our Christmas News Letter which appears below. I will follow up this posting with details later.
For those of you with an eye on the international news I would like to let you know that in Bunia DRC, where we worked all has been calm (by African standards!!) during the Presidential Elections. By that I mean that there has been excitement and disappointment but none of the violence seen in other places. For that we praise God!!
The work of development at the church, school for the deaf, nursing college and hospital moves on well and we are looking forward to our next visit as soon as that can be arranged.
Franklin Family News December 2011
This has been a year of surprises!
John has been waiting to be called into Harefield Hospital for a heart operation. He has now been given a date which is admission on Monday 19th December with surgery on the 21st. A leaky, poorly functioning left mitral valve was detected in April, followed by numerous X-rays, scans, angiograms, blood tests etc. spread over a number of weeks, which proved that he needs a valve replacement. The symptoms have been some breathlessness when walking uphill or upstairs too quickly, particularly if carrying heavyish things....nothing very dramatic, or needing to stop any of his usual activities [like mowing the lawn!!] if it doesn't overtire him; and thankfully his arteries are fine, and he is in good health in other respects, so life has been carrying on as normal!
He was advised, by the consultant, to cancel our next mission visit to Bunia in DR Congo which was booked for mid October to mid November. We, and our Congolese friends, were disappointed...but the invitation is still open for us to return as soon as possible next spring! They are keen!
Doctors Nancy and Philip Wood were able to stay with us for a few days at the end of their annual UK leave earlier in October, and this helped to come to terms with the cancelled visit. Many folk in Bunia are praying for us and for John's operation and good recovery, and we receive texts and Emails to see how things are progressing [often from Congolese folk with amusing variations of English wording!!].
The donated gifts of money for the Missionary work, which we had planned to take with us, have now been taken by the Doctors, and earmarked for the purchase of a Solar Module and other necessities for the much needed new Nurses Training College building, which is being built on the remains of an old abandoned building project; and the College is purchasing the land which is situated nearer to the Mission Hospital than the old rented building in Bunia.
Family Milestones in 2011:- Tim's eldest daughter, Amy, was 21; Mark and Jo's daughter Holly was 18, and passed her A levels; and great grandson, Reece [3yrs] started Nursery School!
Julia and Chris sold their pub/restaurant in Winkleigh, Devon, which they owned for over 8 years, and are now getting new, less time-consuming jobs, and living full time in their Chagford house.
Robert and Kim sold their house, down-sized and 'exchanged' houses with a family in the same Close in Chipping Sodbury!
Peter has now worked at Heathrow Airport for 12 years......and we celebrated our 55th Wedding Anniversary in September!! It only seems a short while ago when some of you were helping us to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary in our new house! Where do the years go?! The families of all 5 children and the grandchildren were well at the last count!
Christmas and our annual family get-together are 'on hold' at the moment as everything is uncertain waiting for John's operation date.
John's involvement in the Uxbridge Gospel Male Voice Choir, and Janice's solos with them, continue to flourish; and we are now both taking part in our Christmas engagements. Amazingly, all our engagements finish on the 18th so we are pleased that John is able to complete these. The choir celebrated its 60th Anniversary this year with a wonderful Festival held in our own Church, which is where the choir was started in 1951.
Our special thoughts and prayers are with those of you who have been bereaved this year, or suffered health, work or family problems.
God Bless you all,
With our love and Best Wishes for 2012,
Monday 12 December 2011
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