Every Day A Miracle

Dear friends,

I am now back in the UK, back in Reading, after somewhat of a busy end to the academic year at KISC. The sky here is very blue and the grass and the trees are very green, I am always surprised by the vibrancy of the colours.

As many of you are aware, life has not been straightforward for my family since my dad’s unexpected stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis last summer. A lot of hospital visits, a lot of coming and going for me between Nepal and the UK, a lot of isolation and praying for me to stay well enough to be able to spend time with him whilst also protecting him. Mum and Rachel have significantly changed their lifestyles in order to isolate and be at home as the smallest infection could be life-threatening for him.  It’s crazy how, in just a moment, your whole world and whole perspective can suddenly change. The “normality” of life is stripped away and you’re thrust into this new rhythm, new uncertainty, new clinging onto Jesus and new realisation that every day is a miracle. The cancer is medically terminal, and dad has already lived significantly longer than expected. He is doing surprisingly well given the circumstances, which makes me wonder how many miracles have already taken place and makes me extra grateful for every day. We have been blown away by the amount of support and encouragement that we continue to receive as a family as so many people from around the world stand with us and uphold us in prayer.

On Sunday it was dad's birthday AND Father's Day, so a double celebration. I am very pleased that I made it home in time for that. On Monday, we went out for an outdoor pub meal, the first time in almost a year that dad has been out for a meal!

I also feel so blessed to live in Kathmandu and be part of a community as intentional and servant-hearted as the one I am part of. I got to finish the academic year with a beautiful class of Grade 4 (Year 5) students and I am moving across the hall to a new classroom and new grade next year (Grade 2/Year 3) which I am looking forward to. That is the grade level that I taught when I first became a teacher and also just before I moved to Nepal so I am very at home there! There are so many things I love about KISC: the authenticity, the genuine friendships that go far beyond colleague work relationships, the "doing life together", worshipping God with people of different generations and from so many different nations, the freedom to be creative and try fun and new things as a teacher, the incredible support from parents, the partnership between Primary and Secondary and also with EQUIP, the teacher trainers who work to support Nepali schools all across the country.

Sharing a devotional on unity at the staff social

We won "The Bunsen Burner Award" at the staff social for the hottest ideas!

The last time all 4 Hannahs are together! (2 of them have now left)

Primary staff team looking fancy!

Primary staff team ready for Splash Day!

Our biggest need as a school right now is within recruitment. God always does provide but the people that He is prompting need to be listening to Him and saying yes! So please pray with us for leaders and for teachers so that we can continue to serve, love and teach the amazing children from the missional community and the Nepali community that God sends our way.

Thank you, as always, for continuing to support and continuing to remember me. I am sorry that I cannot see many of you, as I normally would travel around the UK during the summer and reconnect but that is not possible for me right now with my current family situation.

Please pray for the following:

• My dad - healing, strength, joy, peace, remission, wisdom, however you see fit!

• My mum and my sister as they spend time taking care of him.

• All of us as a family over the summer break together.

• The new staff that God has for KISC to say yes and come!

• Teachers for every class and the leaders that we need so that the school can thrive.

• My new Grade 2 class

• Strength for every "today" and hope for every "tomorrow".

• Complete dependency on Jesus, I want to stay as close as I possibly can

Thank you so much.

With love

Hannah x