Promises

The rains are here.  Finally.

After a few muggy overcast days - with the occassional misting of drops, we had our first deluge yesterday morning.  And have had bits and squiggles of rain throughout today.

Our umbrellas are still under something... maybe we will have to buy a new set.

But this evening the sun shone as it set on the rain.  A beautiful sun shower which had us looking around for a rainbow.  And there she was!

Yohan was thrilled.  He says he has never seen one before.   Asha says this is the second time she has seen one.  We are reminded of God's great promise to us - a covenant of love.

We continue to experience grace and challenge in equal measure.

Dad has not been very well this week.  His chemo on Thursday was ok, but he has had dizzyness before and after.  Yesterday he vomitted for the first time.  It's good to have a doctor in the home - Sheba got some stemitil for him and Dad has been a lot better today.  We wish he would eat more, but we are not the ones who have blessed poison in our bodies.

Mum continues to be a source of strength - and blessed us with lasagne last night.  Tonight we had Sheba's chicken fried rice.  The good food continues in the Thane Eicher household.  With all that is going on - its a blessing to be blessed at the dinner table.

Asha and Enoch have one week of their new school year under their belts.  Asha has jumped head-first into her studies.  Apparently the school aims to finish her 9th standard studies... by the end of this semester.  So that they can do the 10th standard work in the second half of 9th standard.  And then spend more time on preparing for the dreaded 10th standard exams... in 10th standard.   Enoch has started 7th standard - and reminds me very much of how I used to be in 7th standard (hint - those were not the most studious years of my life).  

We are also looking for options for Yohan as our home-schooling does not seem to working with us.  We heard that there was a special school at Holy Cross - but when we got there we were told it was for children whose IQ was less than 70.  Yohan has not had much schooling and so is still functionally illiterate - but we don't think he has a learning impairment as far as we know.  What he needs is patient structured learning - something that we are trying to give (Sheba is taking the brunt on this).  One option is to find a tutor so that Yohan can be 'out of the house' for at least some part of the day.  We will probably link him into the NIOS programme, as it is a govt. recognised open school - and is designed for children (and adults) who have had to drop out of school - or who never had a chance to go...

So our lives continue to be full. 

It is such a privilege and honour to have Mum and Dad living with us these days.

Dad's cancer treatment has given us the opportunity to live together as a 3 generational family.  We are living together far longer than I ever got to live with my grandparents.  Our kids are very blessed.

And so we move into the new week.  We are 8 minutes into it as I type on a silent night - every one else deeply sleeping (though Dad's sleep has been pretty light for the last week).  Our 'small family' of 5 will be going to Bhandup for a special worship time when all our house-fellowships meet together - with Mum and Dad having 'church at home' given that Dad has not been feeling perky this past week.

We live in the beauty of promises fulfilled.  The rainbow this evening reminded us of them.