The bouncy road!

The journey to Ethembeni is proving interesting, folks! We continue to much appreciate your prayers and the Lord's grace. Have you ever been walking along one of life's roads when you have come across a road sign with the label, 'Beware! God at Work?' Our team members seem to be passing through a lot of divine roadworks! We are also clearly in  territory claimed by the 'principalities and powers'.
We were certainly feeling challenged around the middle of last week. The first bit of roadworks was a literal one, when poor Karen, already in South Africa, sprained her ankle in a very nasty pothole. Prayer for rapid healing would be greatly valued. Our team full of nurses had more than enough advice to offer! - even Liz, who we are praying for ourselves as she heard she faces 3 months chemotherapy as well as missing the trip. Brian and Jackie had undertaken Tearfund's "mean bean" challenge, spending a week eating only beans, rice, oats and water, and were feeling rather empty, although it led to great conversations about poverty and justice, and lots of donations. Jane's uncle's funeral was organised OK - but the fire alarm went off, and they had to evacuate, half way through the eulogy! Christine had a nasty reaction from her last injection, which is only now subsiding steadily. It also turned out I had hurt my back on our youth weekend (probably dodging a snowball) but that seems almost OK now. Chris and I also found we only just had time to deal with an overlooked MOT for the car our younger daughter will need while we're away,  and some important lost medication. The MOT is being done during my 100-year old auntie's funeral, just two hours before we leave!
So Christine and I were much heartened when she read her Tearfund prayer diary for the day, and learnt that everyone who uses it was praying for us!! (For Tearfund's 600 volunteers annually). The next day, the prayers were for Ethembeni! We also had a great commissioning service at our church, who are praying hard as I'm sure the team's other churches are. They dressed Christine up in armour!
Also thank you all for your great donations!! All of our team have been blown away with peoples' generosity!
So we all travel soon - it will be interesting. I've just checked the predicted temperatures at nearby Howick for the first four days we are there... in Centigrade they are 14, 20, 25, 30! We daren't think what comes after that!
So it may not surprise you that the Bible passage on my heart for this update is the first few verses of Isaiah chapter 43. We pray that these words might also speak to each of you lovely people, as you travel along roads less public but quite possibly as rough as ours:
'But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.'  [Isaiah 43 verses 1-3a (NIV)]. 
George