Dedication invitation

Despite making an effort last night not to go to bed late, getting into a relaxed sleep was difficult. I woke with the alarm I'd set, but started the day feeling tired. I got to Calahonda in good time for the first of the two services of the day. There were seventeen of us present. I didn't stop for coffee afterwards as I drive to St Andrew's via the chaplaincy house to collect Clare for the service. I was glad that Peter and Linda were there to greet her, amongst others of course, but it meant I could ask Peter to read the over-long Gospel passage about the raising of Lazarus. Reading that and then preaching about it earlier took a lot of energy on a morning when I felt I didn't have much to spare.

Among the people in church after the service was José Artacho, whose wife Val had been a key member of St Andrew's when we were here last. On my first stint in Fuengirola at the end of 2013, I stayed in a flat which they owned in Urbanización Albañil for eight weeks.  In the following year Val had been part of the group which negotiated the purchase of Casa de la Esperanza and furnished it as a Chaplain's residence. As locum priest at the time, Clare and I were the first occupants. 

A year later Val died unexpected of an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Now, some seven years later, a suburban street of new houses between La Cala de Mijas and Fuengirola has been named in memory. She and Jose were involved in founding Marbella's English International College, so naming a street after her is a form of public acknowledgement of her services to Costa del Sol residents. Jose asked if I would be willing to devise a dedication ceremony for the unveiling. I was naturally delighted to be asked, given that we'd met and worked together on the house. Val's sister is here at the moment with José for this occasion, and we agreed I'd attend and perform the ceremony this Tuesday evening. 

On the way back from church we called at the greengrocer's shop opposite Mercadona, as Clare was keen to start stocking up on food, as Ann arrives to stay tomorrow morning. Lunch of veggies with trout fillets was quickly prepared when we returned. Afterwards we walked down to the Paseo Maritime and shopped for a few more necessities in Chinese stores which were open, including a proper peeling knife, as the one from the kitchen drawer went missing before my time.

Ann from church called by at supper time with more bedding to supply what's lacking for the two beds she arranged to be delivered on Friday. The house can now accommodate as many as four guests, which hopefully will be an advantage for an incoming chaplain eventually.