Sponsored Hike in the Drakensberg

This has been a very odd couple of weeks as we have been working on several different fronts.

1) Natasha has been preparing for a 5-6 week (God willing no longer than that!) to Kenya. This all began in response to an email request that was received at the beginning of the year. Living by the "Yes Man" principle (have you seen the movie and /or read the book?......basically try to say yes to every opportunity!) we didn't want to say we couldn't answer this invitation, so we wrote and said that we would try! Many months passed; we bought our camper, converted it with the help of a fantastic carpenter..and met a couple who also felt the need the answer this call. Now Natasha is 2/3 days away from this trip of a lifetime as she takes thousands of Bibles, books and tracts up through Africa to Eldoret in Western Kenya, stopping off at various places on the way.

2) With the Pakistan flood situation we have been doing everything we can to help our coworker and friend Yaqoob Ilyas as he makes trips into the interior with food and Christian literature. Quite miraculously he had just finalised the printing of an inspirational book, How To Overcome Your Problems, and a series of gospel tracts as the floods struck. God willing I hope to make a trip there at the beginning of November. However for right now we are desperate to raise funds for him and the work he is already doing among the refugees (more pictures following.)

3) We have also been working on a long planned sponsored hike in the Drakensberg Mountains. This was to follow last years successful three peaks climb in the UK that raised money for the printing of Bible study books in Urdu for our work in Lahore, Pakistan. This event was to raise money for a church building in Malawi. In the end our family with Oli and Marie's family combined together for three days of completely arduous and exhausting hiking!!

The combined team! Altogether 5 adults and 11 kids

Day 1 This was our longest hike and I did it alone with the three oldest boys. 17Km of hard climbing. ( our previous plan to do a 21 km hike was scuttled when we learnt it was 1o hours ONE WAY!!, meaning a 18-19hour round trip)

We hiked past Mahai Falls up to Basutho gate , back down via The Crack!

The boys at the Mahai falls

Shawn at Basutho gate with the Amphitheatre in the background.

Shawn prepares to go down The Crack!


The view from the top of The Crack! Scary!!!

Going down a chain ladder on the way down !

Shawn bathing ...mad dogs and Englishmen!

Second day team on the way up a 14 km hike to Devils Hoek......

On our way to the Devils Hoek !

The aptly named "Policemans Helmet".

OK I will post this now but more coming soon..it was stunnng and lots of fun as all the kids had friends along!!!