With Christmas just a few sleeps away, we want to wish you a very happy Christmas and God’s richest blessings for the new year!

Hopefully, you’ve been getting Novō news via the newsletters and Facebook or Instagram. If not, you can read the latest update (and find a ‘subscribe’ link) here: Novo News – Dec 2021. Lots of good things have been happening in and through the work at Quinta Totaices, not least the baptism of 5 of our residents this past Sunday!

As a family, we have lots to give thanks for as we look back at the last few months since we last wrote.

It’s safe to say the biggest thing we’re grateful for is Miah being granted British citizenship! It’s hard to put into words what a blessing (and relief!) this has been to us. Her citizenship feels like the final furlong of a very long endurance race, with legal processes within legal processes to tackle along the way, and much patience and determination required to get it all done. We’re thankful to friends whose advice and practical help enabled us to submit the application through a specialist law firm and for the rapid processing of the application. We now await the arrival of a British passport and we’ll be all set to travel back to the UK this summer, for our first visit in 5 years!

Right now, we’re enjoying having Andy’s parents, Dave and Sue, with us. This is the first time we’ve been able to be together in two-and-a-half years. We also have the joy of Daniel arriving at dawn on Christmas Day – the first time we’ll have seen him in a year. It’s so good to be with family, enjoying daily life together, and with the prospect of Christmas celebrations together!

In other news:

• We’ve all (well, not Miah, of course) received 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine!

• Apart from weeks back online due to COVID cases in the school community, the kids have been back at school in-person since August, though extracurricular activities such as sports and Christmas events have not resumed. Phoebe especially is appreciating being back to school in person!

• Out of school, Jemimah’s learnt to ride a motorcycle, Phoebe continues to love swimming, and JJ’s been enjoying football, as well as gaming!

• Andy has been serving on the board of Trinity International Church, and the kids’ school. He continues to work on completing his book on the church in the age of addiction, which is due with the publisher on 1st June.

• Daniel is working with YWAM at Holmsted Manor, West Sussex. If you’d like to see what’s he’s been up to, you can read his update here: Daniel’s News.

• Mickey has been enjoying the space created by needing to get the dog out for a walk and, as always, is at the heart of everyone’s successes and physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing!

As we look back on 2021, we can’t tell you how grateful we are for the support, of all kinds, we’ve received from all those who stand alongside us. Despite disappointments, frustrations, and challenges of various kinds, we’ve seen so much of God’s wisdom and goodness and go into 2022 full of faith in Him.

Do let us know your news, and how we can be praying for you and yours in the days ahead.

With much love,

Andy & Mickey

PRAYER GROUP

We now have a WhatsApp group where we share occasional prayer requests and arrange a monthly 45-min Zoom pray gathering. The group and the meetings have proven to be a huge blessing to us all. If you’d like to join us, please drop us an email at andypartington@novocommunities.org. We’d love to be able to stay in touch with you more closely in this way.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

As a family we don’t receive a salary and are able to serve with Novō through the faithful generosity of our supporters.

If you’d like to join our support team, we’d be most grateful. Please drop us a line or use the following link to set-up a one-off or monthly donation online: www.give.net/20171708