At home with the McEwens

Today we get a glimpse, in their own words, of the impact of lockdown on octogenarians John & Margaret McEwen.

Margaret & John (pre-lockdown!)


          Introduce yourself
We are John and Margaret McEwen, aged 84 and 82. John a retired bank executive and Margaret a nurse and midwife. We have two children and six grandchildren. One family live in Warwick and the other in New South Wales, Australia. We became Christians aged 8 and 10 respectively.

        What impact has the current lockdown had on you? 
      All community activities at Queensway Court where we live have closed and most people are in lockdown so are rarely seen. We keep in touch with several, but it has become a rather impersonal location, except when many of us go out onto our balconies to clap the NHS on Thursday evenings. 

     What does your ‘normal day’ now look like?
Our ‘normal day’ provides opportunities for reading, John to do his Sudoku puzzles and prepare our meals. We are glad to have Homegroup via Zoom and Sunday services on line. We are thankful for Suzanne, our daughter, coming to help in various ways.

Tell us one encouragement you’ve experienced whilst in lockdown
We are encouraged to keep cheerful and our granddaughter, Siena, has come to cut John’s hair and wash and set Margaret’s hair.

Any funny moments you are willing to share?
Can’t think of any funny moments worth recording!

Tell us one thing you are finding challenging
John finds it somewhat challenging with various items of housework to carry out.
Margaret has nothing worthy of note, other than her fall and her balance is very poor. 
(Margaret had a nasty fall within the apartment the other Saturday, falling backwards she hit her head on a chair and cut her scalp)

What aspect of God’s character or work have you been enjoying?
Both of us are thankful for such ready access to Scripture which encourages us to maintain our trust in a loving and faithful God. Can’t be specific.

Give us something we can pray for you.
Please pray for  better stability for Margaret so that she does not have another fall.
For John pray that the energy he has been given and for which he is thankful may be maintained.

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