Grandmas and Muggings.

This has not been the best week. Last week my grandmother was admitted to hospital with a suspected infection, but which actually turned out to be a brain tumour. She was given days to live. My mum had already book a flight to England from Australia as soon as she was in hospital and was glad to be already going when it became more serious.

This is a photo of Grandma with my mum (the baby) my Auntie Ruth and Uncle Peter.

By last weekend Grandma had fallen asleep and they didn’t expect her to wake up again. Through this whole time I have been marvelling at the way that God has been present. My Mum was able to get there in time. Grandma was never in any pain because of the position to the tumour, I was able to spend a lot more time with them this last year than I have previously by being in Niger. I had Christmas with them for the first time in 13 years. We are also thankful that this didn’t become a long and painful illness. It has been a shock at how sudden it was but at least it was peaceful as she went ‘home’ on Tuesday morning. 

This photo is me and my cousin Emily with Grandma at Ruth's wedding in 2007.

Mum is staying on in England for a while to be around for Grandpa and her sister. The funeral is on Wednesday and it is going to take a while for everyone to get used to the idea of having lost such an amazing lady.

Psalm 139:5 “You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.”

The 2nd part of my week didn’t get any better. I thought that dinner out with friends might be a nice idea after a sad day, which it was, but the getting home wasn’t so nice. We were walking back towards where the taxis all sit at the Petit Marche, after looking in some shacks at wooden masks and silver jewellery, when a man stepped out of the darkness and grabbed my bag that I had hanging around my neck. Of course I held on for while until realising that I was not going to win this fight and gave up feeling it snap behind my neck as he pulled it off. None of us were hurt and I think the guys I was with were more shook up than I was at not being able to do anything to stop it from happening. Thankfully he didn’t get much from me, couple 1000 cfa (about $10) a pen and lip balm and my sunglasses which are going to the most inconvenient to be without but I'll survive, and it was a nice locally made bag too!! The principal at school has grounded me from leaving the school compound for a week and if I have to, I go with someone and am home before dark!! It’s nice to have so many people looking out for me. So now I am signing off after one of the worst weeks in my memory and hoping that the next one is going to be a lot better. Thankyou to everyone who has been praying for me this week and for all the great hugs!

Psalm 121: 1-3 “I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip,he who watches over you will not slumber: