October 10, 2004

Dear Friends,

It has been too long since you last heard from us, and so much has happened. Frank started the year off with a trip to Madagascar. He was part of a PC(USA) delegation that met with Madagascar’s president and helped to connect the church to national funds available for AIDS programs.

Isaac Moses Dimmock was officially adopted in February, completing our family with the perfect number (7) of children. After the adoption, Frank was off again, this time to Ethiopia for the annual meeting of the Commission on Mutual Christian Responsibility, in which Ethiopian Christians meet with their partners from around the world to discuss the year’s plans and budgets.

Kenya was next. In March he participated in a round table consultation examining the situations of the three hospitals operated by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa and looking at strategies for sustaining them.

In April all of the children were home from school and we enjoyed a family holiday at the lake. Nathan and Jessie got their scuba diving licenses.

May was all about politics here in Malawi. After 10 years (two terms), the first elected president, Bakili Muluzi, was not allowed to run again, although he had tried to change the constitution to allow for a third term. His handpicked successor was Bingu wa Mutharika. The opposition had splintered into five parties. Election day was quiet. Then there was silence for four days. The tension mounted and the rumors flew. Finally, the results came out: Mutharika had won, though the combined count of the opposition would have been enough to defeat him. It was a lesson in “what ifs.” Mutharika has turned out to be surprisingly good, tightening the national “belt,” calling people back to a work ethic, and separating the government from the party. We pray for his protection and continued wisdom and courage against great odds.

The Crisis Nursery continued to grow and fill up our family room. In June, the new house was complete and we moved nine babies and all of their paraphernalia into their beautiful, spacious, new location.

And now it’s October. Isaac started going to play school in the mornings and loves it. Mom loves it, too! It gives me time to work at the nursery, or do correspondence, or reclaim our house from baby habitation (!). A new piece of carpet and new cushion covers have already transformed the living room back into a place for family living.

Frank leaves for Lesotho on the October 19, where he will be involved in an exciting computer mapping exercise looking at faith-based health assets. This is a pilot project aimed at learning which African faith communities are involved in promoting health to their people.

October 26 marks Isaac’s second birthday and the completion of two years of baby care at the Crisis Nursery. Fifty-eight babies have come through our doors during that time. Eighteen have been placed in foster/adoptive homes, 15 have returned to their original homes, five were placed at SOS Children’s Village (a local orphanage) and five have gone to their heavenly home. We have 15 babies in care right now. Most of these are abandoned and need homes, and we covet your prayers for them.

The Lord seems to be calling us deeper into ministry to the children of this continent. The estimate in Malawi alone is over 970,000 orphans. “Plead the cause of the fatherless.” “Care for orphans in their distress.” We are trying to do that to the best of our ability, and we appreciate your joining with us in this ministry. He has multiplied your “loaves and fishes” and ours, as we have offered them to Him, just as He did on the shores of Galilee so long ago. Praise His Name!

With love,

Frank and Nancy Dimmock and family

The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 58