Christmas 2004

Dear Friends,
I do hope that you are able to access this as I think that I may have give some wrong information on my Christmas Cards and other communications. But you who know me well enough will know that you cannot expect accurate information or instructions from me when it comes to things technical - especially the web!
Nonetheless, I do hope that this reaches you and you are able to know that we are thinking of you all this Christmas - as ever.
This has been another busy year in the Tyrrell household.
Early in the year Helen was concerned with the health of her mum who had been admitted to a very nice Care Home following months of hospitalisation. After only two days she fell and broke her hip and so commenced a long journey of recurring medical and surgical procedures which gave her only limited recovery. In spite of it all, she remained strong in her spirit, but eventually her age and weakened condition overcame her and she died peacefully in the nursing home. It was a blessing that we were living in Blackpool at that time as it gave reasonably easy access to journey so frequently to Glasgow. Mum was laid to rest on 21st May, just as Derek and Helen were preparing to 'farewell' from Blackpool on 23rd. It was an emotionally-weighted time, but somehow we found peace in knowing that we had been as close as we could be in the last days of her life.
Our farewell from Blackpool - which in itself was charged with emotions - led to our new appointment as Regional Leaders in Estonia, which is part of the Finland Territory. Our arrival in our new country was early punctuated after only three weeks by our return to the UK for the marraige of our son Alan to his lovely wife - Pamela Ineson - whom he met at Blackpool. Their wedding was just such a happy happy day and full of pageantry as Alan had the support of a full fanfare team from the Guards Band where he serves as a musician in the military. Unfortunately I am not clever enough to be able to put a picture on this message or I would do so, as it was such a special time. They married at Blackpool Citadel (conducted by Derek) and the reception was in Lytham St. Annes - and the sun shone all day! After their wedding, the happy couple honeymooned in Thailand before coming home to move house and a new job for Pamela. It seems that from the beginning they have inherited the stressful lifestyle of both their parents!
One week before we left the UK for Estonia, our daughter Lorna and her boyfriend came to visit us to ask permission to get married! How about that for timing - not unexpected in the Tyrrell household! Now Lorna and Gareth are busy preparing for their big day next year. They plan to be married in Norwich Citadel on Friday 27th May 2005.
The latest development from Alan and Pamela is that they are planning to move to live in Perth, Australia where Pamela's family willing be living from next January. If Alan and Pam's plans proceed, they plan to move to Australia in 2006.
Now for ourselves. We have settled very quickly into our new country and feel very much at home. There are so many similarities with life in the North of Scotland that it is very de ja vu in lots of ways. Although I have to say that the language takes a bit of getting used to. We are trying our best to come to terms with what is a totally new sound to our ears - but it is fun! The weather is very much like home - perhaps just a few degrees colder in the winter, but I think that global warming is even effecting the climate here. The folk here are predicting a 'black Christmas' - as opposed to our fairytale 'white Christmas' which we anticipated.
Our work here is diverse as it involves primarily administration for us but with a large input of practical support to our officers on the field. All our officers come from America - except the one of our wives who is a lovely Russian officer who is stationed with her husband in a majority Russian city in Estonia. As you can appreciate, it will take many generations to return the country to its Estonian roots following its Soviet occupation. Already it has made great progress in this way as politically and commercially it reaches towards the west. Its absorption into the European Union has been a big move in this direction.
The social implications of the post-Soviet times is extreme poverty in some areas and a very big problem of HIV+ which the country has just not recognised at all. I am pleased to say that the Army is right at the spearhead of this work and is leading the government as well as engaging the support of many of the influential businesses in the country. We have wonderful support from the American Ambassador and the Embassy in general. In February 2005 we will host the first event of its kind here with the visit of Dr. Ian Campbell the Salvation Army's International Medical Advisor and a delegation of experts. They will address key members of government and the health services.
In the meantime, the Corps in Narva has commenced the first Support Programme for HIV+ sufferers. The officers there have already been involved with some of the families supporting them practically - which includes burying their dead and offering counselling. It is a very sad and hard situation but somehow it is good to see the ray of hope that comes with the love and care that they provide.
One of our main difficulties is having suitable workers. We desparately need a manager to run our men's hostel. We also have a great opportunity to open the work in another town called Voru, but we have no officers/leaders. We also have a children's programme running in a mainly Russian area that was oversighted by married Lieutenants who have now just returned to Australia where the husband will enter the Training College. So whilst our problems are of a positive nature, they can still be somewhat frustrating.
Well we do what we can and then wait and watch the Lord at work - and as has always been our experience - the results are astounding.
Please excuse us if we have not managed to get the usual Christmas card to you this year. We have done our best, depending on our daughter in Norwich as you can only buy individual cards here and not 'bulk buy' as we always need. But we do send our warmest greetings and thank you all sincerely for your love, support and prayers. We know that these are the source of our joy and peace as we do our best to serve so far away from all our friends.

We trust that even in your busyness you too will know a deep sense of joy and peace - which is sourced in the Christmas truth of 'Immanuel - God with us'

Our love and best wishes to you all for Christmas and the New Year.
Every blessing
Derek and Helen