Christmas Eve...

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room

The words of this song are in my heart and mind as I sit alone on Christmas Eve. Christmas time is indeed a joyful time because of the gift of Jesus to mankind. May each of our hearts prepare room for Jesus since he was sent to us out of love and to reconcile us to God the Father. I am thankful for Jesus since this year I am away from my family and friends. Today I am filled with joy and sadness. Joyful because I am blessed to be here in answer to God's call to serve him in South Africa and sad to be away from home. I don't feel alone because Jesus is with me and that makes me happy.

Christmas time in South Africa has been very different. There is no winter wonderland filled with snow. Instead it is summer time, so everyone is on holiday and people are having fun at the beach. There are Christmas trees in the malls and stores but there aren't very many lights. In Phoenix and around the U.S. there are towns decorated like Christmas villages, zoos are covered in lights and I miss that. I love Christmas songs and I used to listen to the radio everyday to hear them. There haven't been many songs on the radio, so I am glad for iTunes. There was no Charlie Brown Christmas, or the Christmas Story with Ralphie shooting his eye out. I did see the Grinch that Stole Christmas today. I am thankful for all of the blessings and it will be a good Christmas because of Jesus.

To my family and friends a blessed Christmas to you.

Invictus

I saw the movie "Invictus" today and in my opinion it was a very powerful story. Of course the critics can always have something negative to say. I highly recommend seeing it. The angle that Clint Eastwood took and the story that it told was perfect. Nelson Mandela after being released from prison after 26 yrs became president of South Africa. Now as the leader of a country divided he looked to the captain of a rugby team to unite the nation. Many opposed him, but he did what was necessary and he saw his country come together. In spite of the evils of apartheid which kept him imprisoned for so long, he approached his presidency with a forgiving heart. The message that I got was that if we seek vengeance against those who harm us them we are no better than they are. Instead we should forgive.

The movie got it's title from the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley. The word Invictus comes from the latin word meaning unconquerable. Nelson Mandela first discovered this poem when he was locked in a very small cell during his time on Robbin Island. In the movie he said that it gave him the strength to stand when all he wanted to do was fall. Mandela shared this poem with the captain of the rugby team, Francois Pineaar before the start of the world cup where 43 million South Africans stood in support of their team the Spring Boks. I share this poem with you.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul.

World AIDS Day.....

Today is World AIDS Day and all over the world people are showing their support by wearing RED ribbons. I don't know if any of you have lost a friend or a loved one to AIDS. I lost my Uncle David to AIDS many years ago. I didn't understand the far reaching effects that the disease would have. I happened at a time in the U.S.A. when people thought it was only the homosexuals who got it. But HIV/AIDS is much more than that. It knows no boundaries affecting people of all ages, gender and nationalities. It is crippling our world.

In 2008 there were 22.4 million people living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa, more than two thirds of world's total. In South Africa there were an estimated 5.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS, more than any other country and there are 1.4 million AIDS orphans. I am in a country surrounded by people who are living with HIV and many don't even know it. On this day South Africa's message is three-fold: (1) I am responsible - calling on everyone to know their HIV status, (2) We are responsible - encouraging couples to protect each other and remaining faithful and (3) South Africa is taking responsibility - the government is providing leadership to ensure that every South African can prevent HIV.

So today on World AIDS Day, I first ask that you pray for all of those infected and affected and for God's healing and peace. Go for a HIV test, wear a RED ribbon to show your personal commitment to stopping new HIV infections and to support people living with HIV, talk to family, friends and co-workers about what they can do to stop the spread of HIV and be educated on how to prevent HIV, how to manage it and how to help others cope with it.

Thanksgiving Day

Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because he's given Jesus Christ, His Son.....(by Don Moen)

As Thanksgiving Day approached those words keep coming to mind. For the first time I am away from family and friends on Thanksgiving Day. I wondered how I was going to spend the day, would I be alone, would I have turkey, will it be a sad day for me. But God is good and gracious. I will be spending the day with two American missionary families in Pretoria and we will have a traditional Thanksgiving Day. I am very happy for such a wonderful blessing. So today I give thanks to God for the many blessings he has bestowed upon me and for the opportunity to serve Him in South Africa. I give thanks for my family and friends and for all of their love and support, I miss you all very much. I also give thanks for the new friends that I have made here in South Africa and for the families I will be with today.

All praise glory and honor to you my Father in heaven always and forever.

I read a devotion yesterday that was titled "True Thanksgiving". It talked about a man named Horatio Spafford who lost everything including his family and rather than be angry he gave thanks for all that he had left and he wrote the song "It is Well With My Soul." I leave you with this verse and the words to this song..... "Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20

When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well with my soul

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!!!

Needles, thread & bobbins.....

When the team from Phoenix was here a few weeks ago, they gave sewing classes to the ladies in the community. There were about 16 that attended. For the majority of them it was the first time that they used a sewing machine. Linda Funk and Norma aka gogo worked everyday with them. By week's end the ladies had made small bags, aprons and lampshades.

On Wednesday sewing classes resumed. A local lady named Gori will be working with the ladies in the coming months to get their sewing skills refined. There were 12 ladies in the class. Some were new and the others had attended with Linda and gogo. Gori along with Thandeka, a young lady from the community that has a sewing certificate instructed the ladies on how to thread the machines, fill the bobbins and the basics of sewing. By the end of the day they all learned how to make a book cover.

Since some of the ladies were new and still a bit nervous when using the machines so Thandeka and I had a follow up class on Friday. This time when making the book covers they used batting and did a design in the material. They turned out really well. There is a gogo named Regina who is determined to be tops in the class and considering that her vision is not the best, she is leading the way. I had not touched a sewing machine in years, so I had to search my memory banks to remember how to thread the machine, etc. Luckily Thandeka was there. By the end of the day there were needles, thread and bobbins all over the tables as we cleaned up.

It was a wonderful week and the ladies were very excited. Gori was very pleased with how it all turned out. Keep the ladies in your prayers as they progress with their sewing.

Pretoria in Springtime.....

I spent last week in Pretoria and it was wonderful. It was a time to debrief with my supervisor Cindy about how I feel about being here, if I'm adjusting, what challenges I may have, that sort of thing. We talked for a long time about lots of things and it is great to know that I have her support and her friendship. I also got some well needed R & R and caught up on some work.

Now the great thing about Pretoria especially in Springtime are the Jakarander trees. The streets are lined with them and they have beautiful purple flowers. Just looking down the streets all you can see are rows and rows of purple. Absolutely amazing! There are Jakaranders in Hillcrest, but they are scattered here and there. I got to spend time with one of the other missionaries as well. It was a good trip. I got back to Hillcrest Saturday afternoon. Yes, Saturday was Halloween. It's not that big of a thing here in South Africa like it is in the U.S. I pray that everyone had a safe time trick-or-treating. Have a few pieces of candy for me.

A day to relax....

Today I had the opportunity to relax and get caught up on emails and downloading pictures, updating software, you name it. All the things that I couldn't do because I didn't have internet access at home. It is so amazing to finally have it. Oh the simple pleasures of life.

It was a bit overcast and I sat in the living room looking out the window at the hills with a light mist falling, God spoke to me. I heard what has become a very important scripture in my life. Pastor Arnie used it as he blessed me during my installation. It reads...I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth - Psalm 121:1-2 It fit the mood as I spent some time with God during my morning devotion. Days like this are so important. God knew that I needed it and like always his timing is always perfect.