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| Our family on Friday |
We are thankful for Thanksgiving…
- for a happy and HOT Thanksgiving day on the island
- for Thanksgiving morning haircuts for Tom and the boys
- for a day of fun games, yummy food and cold drinks!
- that we were able to video-chat with the grandparents (after months of not being able to, we got around the telecom company’s blocks)
We’re thankful for our home on Clove Island and our life here this past year…
- for the group of islanders meeting and studying together weekly
- for families seeking and studying together
- for more people joining our big family
- for Ma Imani’s pregnancy
- for the translation work into the local language
- for the unity and cooperation among workers on the islands
- for more songs being created in local language and styles
- for God’s grace in the difficult times
- for family traditions- family movie night, pizza, going to ocean or river
- for English teaching being embraced by islanders
- for all the different visitors passing through (at least 18 at our house alone)
We’re thankful for our travels this past year…
- for an inspiring conference in Kenya
- for connecting with other team leaders and learning together
- for generous parents taking us on vacation
- for places where we could have air-conditioning, playgrounds, cheese and ice cream
- for our kids loving to travel and doing so well
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| Our kids built Christmas tree from legos |
- for all her lost teeth
- for her reading chapter books now!
- for her growing in patience and boldness
- for her speaking with people more in French and the local language
- for her desire to learn
- for her willingly helping around the house and loving the team babies
We’re thankful for our oldest son (5 years)…
- for our sweet and creative guy
- for his learning how to read with enthusiasm
- for his creative story-telling!
- for his endless building of “hide-outs”
- for his willingness to listen & compromise
- for his cool elevated train constructions
We’re thankful for our youngest son (3 years)…
- for all his big hugs and smiles
- for his being a good sharer
- for all his cute ways of saying things (he’s 3)
- for his fearless love of water
- for super wrestler and climber
- for his new love of puzzles!
PRAYERS ANSWERED
The above list represents many answered prayers. Thank you for praying. Ma Imani seems to be doing well— the baby is moving around a lot, which reminds her to eat better. One of our teammates has a new opportunity to study with a husband and wife, both of whom are very engaged and interested. Exams have been going well so far. Still a few more weeks to go before they are all done. Our daughter’s exams have been going well too and she doesn’t seem stressed by them at all.
PRAYERS REQUESTED
The local group is in need of prayer. There have been past sins creeping in again and tension among people. Pray for healthy resolution among people, for unity, and for the development of new healthy patterns of coping during hard times. It is hot and humid, making it difficult to sleep sometimes. Also, the electricity and water have become less and less reliable. It’s not the most fun time to live on the islands— pray for perseverance, energy and joy for all of us. We have the long-haul tickets to go back for Tom’s sister’s wedding in February, but the local/regional tickets have been hard to secure. Pray that we’d be able to get them this coming week. Also, the islands are starting to gear up for presidential elections and rumblings of tension, pray that everything would be peaceful and just.
