An unexpected move

For a variety of reasons, it's been more than a year since I updated this blog. I must continue the story where I left off. Kathleen and I were enjoying our teaching at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology. In the rainy season (June-July) I taught an intensive eight week course in introductory Greek. This was difficult for most of the students, because (a) most of them worked during the day, (b) the course was, as I mentioned, intensive, five nights a week, and so it was hard for them to keep up, and (c) the course was required by the college (for those who would continue with Biblical Studies) but could not be counted towards a degree. However, I enjoyed teaching the class, and the students worked as hard as they could.
The following semester I started to teach both Advanced Greek Exegesis and a survey course of the Gospels and Acts. About six weeks into the semester I suffered a sudden abdominal pain and was taken to hospital with a suspected cardiac problem, since I had had cardiac surgery ten years previously. Although no definite diagnosis could be made, and I spent only one night in the hospital, I could not continue teaching my classes, and the SIM doctor insisted that I return to Australia for more thorough testing.
It was with very mixed feelings that we said goodbye and were farewelled warmly by the students and staff. Many of them expressed gratitude for our teaching, and hoped that we would be able to return to Ethiopia some day. We hope so, too.