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Wendy at Durham Cathederal
The Patristics conference at Oxford is the single most important international conference for those who are specialized in the study of early Christianity, and Wendy values the opportunity to attend. This year there were close to 800 registered. It is a wonderful occasion to hear good lectures, meet colleagues in one’s area of specialization, find out about new publications, and particularly to have one’s ideas challenged by others who have similar interests.
Celebration couple
It was a special time of gathering, celebration, walks, playground activities, swimming, fishing, and canoeing. Oma and Opa were happy for extra time with the grandchildren, while Pauline appreciated a chance to catch up on all the reading she never gets around to except on vacation.
Pauline
The first few days were a little cold, and we took some drives and long walks.
At the Fenelon Falls playground, Chris loved that turtle; and Gracie the slide
Sharon, who found this cottage for us, also did the lion’s share of preparation for this week. it really did take some effort!
We also took time for games inside the cottage.
We are truly thankful to God for this opportunity to be together and celebrate His goodness to us in these past years.
The Helleman family
In just a few short weeks we hope to be back on our way to Nigeria. We know that the strike at Unijos is over, but it appears that the process of students returning to the classroom is somewhat delayed. Over the summer we are grateful to have maintained email contact with a number of students who continued to work hard at their projects and dissertations, in spite of the strike and our absence. Please pray that there will be no further obstacles in starting the new academic year at the university.
We have heard of some heavy storms in the Jos area. Although such storms are not unusual for the end of the rainy season, we know of friends of ours at the college in Gindiri (just outside Jos) who suffered significant damage to property and destruction of the bore hole, which means there is no safe drinking water for the students. Please pray for our colleagues as they deal with these emergencies, and particularly for health concerns raised by these storms.
As we look back over the summer, we are thankful to God for His protection through the many stints of travel. We do not take this for granted. But we are not finished yet, and ask your prayers for upcoming travel to Calgary and Edmonton, where we hope to visit friends, a number of churches and participate in an all-college interdisciplinary studies conference at the the King's College (September 19 and 20). We will present aspects of our work in Nigeria in the workshop, "Heartbreak and Hope in Interfaith Relations in Nigeria.” We certainly would appreciate your prayers for effective communication as we share the joys and challenges of our ministry at Unijos.
I returned to Toronto by way of Boston, where our youngest daughter, Pauline, lives, together with her husband, Greg, and two young children, Grace and Christopher. It was great to be with them for six days, especially since Pauline has not been well for a while. She is slowly recovering from a major gastro-intestinal infection. Early this week she learned from a specialist in Boston that she will get over this infection eventually, although the symptoms may last another year or so. In spite of this, she is encouraged by the news. The week I was at her place she had a minor recurrence and thus she was happy that I was there to help her take care of the children.
On August 6, David, our son, who works as a journalist and newspaper editor in Istanbul, will arrive in Toronto. He has not been home for several years, although we did visit him last year. At the end of the same week, Wendy will return and the four of us will be reunited again.
In the third week of August, the whole family will be together at a cottage north of Toronto. We are looking forward to that occasion. It will be the first time in many years that all of us will be in the same place. Since a number of birthdays already have occurred or will occur about that time, we hope to celebrate all everyone's birthday at the same time. More on that event later.
1. Please continue to pray that the Nigeria-wide university strike may be settled amicably. Pray that the important meeting with government officials scheduled for next week, June 26, may lead to reconciliation. At the University of Jos the vice chancellor of the university has called students back to register for the new academic year, but the situation is rather confused, since the faculty are not yet ready to back down from their positions. Please pray with us for an atmosphere of dialogue to replace growing confrontation.
2. Although U. Yar'Adua, the new president of Nigeria, has promised to make stable provision of power a priority, his intentions are being tested. Our supply of electricity has been low the last weeks, and we experienced problems with our backup systems at the same time. As a result we faced some real challenges in doing our work. Please pray with us for a resolution of related problems of infrastructure.
3. We thank you for your prayers for our daughter Pauline who suffered from a nasty bacterial infection in May. The symptoms have not totally disappeared, but she has recovered her energy significantly. Please pray that tests to be administered when she comes off the remaining medication in a few weeks may show that the bacteria have really gone.
4. We ask your prayers for safety in traveling as we will soon be on our way to Canada. Pray for the Lord's protection. At the moment a nationwide strike has been called, largely a protest over increase in fuel prices, which was a parting 'gift' from former President Obasanjo. We pray it will not cause too much upheaval. The Abuja airport is still open, but we do not know how air traffic will be affected by the time we leave on Monday.
5. Please pray also for constructive participation in a number of conferences. Wendy hopes to join a conference in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and another in Oxford, the United Kingdom, before returning to Canada. Adrian plans to join the annual IICS Vision conference in Kansas City early in July.
We thank you for praying with us! We know that your prayers make a big difference!
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." Romans 8.26
1. We are grateful for Pentecost, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Christian church. During this season of Pentecost, please pray with us for Christian churches with which we are acquainted throughout the world. Pray that they may remain as living witnesses of the ascended Lord who calls us now to bring salvation to the ends of the earth in His name. Pray especially for missionaries who continue that work, often in difficult circumstances.
2. Please continue to pray for peace at the beginning of a new political term in
3. The strike at the university continues. Pray with us that it may end soon so that we may finish our post-graduate courses, and that the new academic year may begin for undergraduates.
4. Please pray with us for our youngest daughter Pauline. For some weeks already she has been battling very serious intestinal bacteria, which did not respond to numerous attempts to get rid of them. Last week she ended up in hospital; there are now signs of improvement in her condition, and she has been discharged. Please pray with us that the type of bacteria has been identified correctly, and that she can begin the road of recovery from this debilitating attack. Pray also for Greg and the children, Gracie and Chris who have experienced the stress of these weeks. We are grateful that
5. We are grateful for your prayers for us as we traveled to