Welcome to the year 2002; I don’t mean to gloat, but we got there before you did! Isn’t it awesome to know that God is there before any of us!

Today is Arriving Day. The students are returning to school and classes start tomorrow. Please be in prayer as families are traveling on roads that are often horrendous because of both the numerous police stops and the potholes that blow tires and/or bend tire rims – at the very least! Also pray as these parents face the tough separation, some leaving their children for the next 11 weeks since they are stationed so far away. There will be lots of tears today – more from the parents than from the kids who are excited to see their friends again.

Now that everyone is back, I’m receiving continual phone calls for support from people whose computers aren’t working after sitting for 5 weeks, or after being disconnected by cleaning people, etc. Some also brought out new ‘gadgets’ from the states that they want to attach to their machines; since most of these are older machines, sometimes attaching new devices takes creativity!

Bob feels much more ready for this trimester than he did for last trimester. He didn’t have to spend time trying to figure out the overall direction of the curriculum, and exactly how things are done in this school environment. We’re also not busy moving in, so we feel more prepared to meet the ministry load.

We thank you again for your prayers. God hears them in His time – one that’s not dependent on time differences, but on His eternal plan. He knows the end result!

Only the day after Christmas, and everyone is back at their ‘jobs’. The students will return next Wednesday, and there is a lot to do before that time. Christmas decorations are coming down, and beds are being made up. The homes and school rooms have been cleaned thoroughly, as they are during each break. This coming trimester is the ‘tough’ one, when it is hot and dry and everything is brown. The dust of the harmattan quickly takes over, and keeping things clean is a never ending project. 

Sunday’s service in the village where our men and boys helped finish a church was attended by 500+ villagers, some walking many kilometers just to be a part of the celebration. The local chief was present to hear a clear gospel message. The people here are so appreciative of all we do, and they really enjoy letting us know. They served dinner to anyone who stayed, and also fed the workers during the week. In fact, Bob was the guest of honor on Thursday when he was served the head of a bushrat. I think he would have preferred not to be so honored!

Although we missed our families, Christmas day wasn’t as tough as it could have been. I think this is partly due to the fact that it doesn’t seem like Christmas to us – it’s too hot! – and there wasn’t the hustle and bustle of shopping that I’m used to. Also, our new friends here at ICA were determined that no one would have time to get lonely. We had activities throughout the entire day and on Christmas Eve. But we also know the biggest reason we were ‘OK’ is because you were praying; we thank you for that. 

Some of you have written to us to encourage us and to let us know how we can pray for you. We enjoy hearing from you and being your prayer partner also, so keep those e-mails coming. (I’ll do my best to keep the e-mail working from this end.)

We’re here, and online again. We apologize for the past 2 weeks’ lack of updates. One week we were ‘out of town’; this week we’ve been in the middle of a network upgrade that turned out to be a nightmare. Right now, we’re praising the Lord that things are up and running again, although we weren’t able to perform the upgrade due to equipment failure. We can’t run out to CompUSA and get a new part; we have to wait for one to come from the states with someone returning from their Christmas break.

While I’ve been ‘locked in the server room’ this week, Bob has been out with the staff men and boys from ICA on a building outreach project in a nearby village. Tomorrow, we all join these local believers for the 1st service in their newly-roofed church building. (It had been sitting unfinished for several years.) It’s our ‘Christmas present’ to the community, and it has been a special time of bonding with these believers and with each other for all involved.

As I thought about you all this week, I was blessed to know that since you hadn’t heard from us in our weekly updates, you were probably praying, knowing that something must be ‘wrong’. What an encouragement you have been to us by being faithful in your prayer support! Won’t it be interesting some day in heaven to find out about all the times you prayed for others, and all the ways God answered those prayers!

We want to wish you a very special Christmas. Give all those you love an extra hug, remembering us as we do our ‘Christmas’ loving by long distance this year. Enjoy your time together, building memories that are priceless.