September 2024
We have good news and sad news this quarter.
First of all the good news.
Amin has been with us now for some time, and was baptised a year last March. But he has not been able to see his family back in Iran for five years. When he received Leave to Remain last September, he was able to start the rather lengthy negotiations to bring them to Scotland. His son, Salar, was almost 18 years old, and if he passed that birthday he would not be eligible to come. The good news is that persistence paid off, and in August of this year the family were reunited. Many challenges lie ahead for them, but with God’s help and assistance from us, we hope the difficulties will be overcome. Amin has certainly had plenty of them since he left Iran, but so far he has done very well, not least in learning English. And he always has a big smile!
Pete Lawton was very impressed a while ago with some challenging words he saw by Lee Strobel, an American Christian; so he contacted him to ask his permission to make business cards using the quote and his name. This was readily granted, and Pete now has a supply for leaving in appropriate places, as well as offering some for anyone who would like to do likewise. Here’s a sample of what they look like:
In August, as mentioned in the May edition, Al-Anon held an international conference and workshop over two days in our hall. As the group is designed especially for Polish speakers, all the proceedings were in Polish. The organisers reported that it had gone well.
The first day of September marks the beginning of meteorological Autumn, or as the Americans call it Fall. The American influence on this side of the pond is quite strong, but some of our members have taken it a bit too far, by having falls themselves. This has caused some degree of physical pain, not to mention the effect on one’s dignity; but only one person required a stay in hospital, and all those affected are making good progress. Be warned!
Hezha recently had his Home Office interview. It’s too early to know the outcome, but we are pleased that he thinks it went well.
Naghmeh’s Mum has had a heart attack, but has received good treatment in Iran, and is making a steady recovery.
Naghmeh’s Mum has had a heart attack, but has received good treatment in Iran, and is making a steady recovery.
We have been enjoying the company of Cecelia Muir, who has come from Australia for one year. She paid a flying visit to Edinburgh a while ago, and was so impressed that she thought it would be a good idea to get to know it better. She came at just the right time, with the Festival in full swing.
And now for the sad news. We mentioned last time that it had been agreed that John Dodgson could stay in Ellen Glen's Home, a relatively new NHS Complex Clinical Care facility. He was far from well, but Kate was very surprised to receive a phone call in the middle of the afternoon of 4 July to say that he had suddenly and unexpectedly died. She was all the more surprised, because as was her custom she had been with him at lunchtime, helping him with his meal.
John came to Edinburgh from Blackburn about 10 years ago, when he married Kate, who hails from Rosyth. They met in Cyprus, where John was visiting one of his sons from his first marriage to Janice, who had died of cancer. For some years they were able to enjoy life together, with many adventurous holidays, and we got to know Kate. But then John started to have accidents, and ultimately he was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurological condition that can cause problems with balance, movement, vision, speech and swallowing. It progressed alarmingly quickly, but Kate against all the odds did all she could to keep him at home. When this was no longer possible, John went first of all to the Western General Hospital, then to Ellen Glen’s Home.
While he was able to do so, John played an active part in the ecclesia, even insisting that he could preside on Sunday mornings when he had to stay seated. He will be missed by us all. We look forward to the time of resurrection, when by God’s grace John will receive the gift of immortality. Our sympathy and love are offered to all those who mourn his passing, and especially to Kate. And thanks to Neil Sutcliffe from Blackburn, who knew John far longer than any of us in Edinburgh, who took his funeral service.
John came to Edinburgh from Blackburn about 10 years ago, when he married Kate, who hails from Rosyth. They met in Cyprus, where John was visiting one of his sons from his first marriage to Janice, who had died of cancer. For some years they were able to enjoy life together, with many adventurous holidays, and we got to know Kate. But then John started to have accidents, and ultimately he was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurological condition that can cause problems with balance, movement, vision, speech and swallowing. It progressed alarmingly quickly, but Kate against all the odds did all she could to keep him at home. When this was no longer possible, John went first of all to the Western General Hospital, then to Ellen Glen’s Home.
While he was able to do so, John played an active part in the ecclesia, even insisting that he could preside on Sunday mornings when he had to stay seated. He will be missed by us all. We look forward to the time of resurrection, when by God’s grace John will receive the gift of immortality. Our sympathy and love are offered to all those who mourn his passing, and especially to Kate. And thanks to Neil Sutcliffe from Blackburn, who knew John far longer than any of us in Edinburgh, who took his funeral service.
With all the dreadful things happening in so many places, we thought we would end on a lighter moment. A recent exhortation mentioned scarecrows. This prompted Jan Harris to post on the ecclesial WhatsApp group a picture of the scarecrow which she and Ralph made as part of Wigtown Week’s Scarecrow Competition. And yes, it really is a scarecrow, not Ralph!
