Teddies!!!

One of our friends, a young minister here in Maun, has a storage container where donations (hand me down clothes, food rations, kids toys etc.) that come from her South African connections were kept. She invited us to come and distribute anything we felt would bless our neighbors and those we minister to in the Hospital. You can imagine Cheryl's sqeal of delight at the sight of these knitted teddies! We immediately took a closer look to see if they were the ones Mom Hauser had knit and sent to Africa through a ministry called ICROSS. Alas they were not her handiwork but I have a feeling that when we give all of these away, Mom's busy knitting fingers will have more to send. The neat thing about giving them away is the way young and old smile with delight when I pull one out of my bag.
Hanging out to dry. These guys smelled a little musty but after some bleach and soap, they are ready to be given away.

December 25th with the Kowalskis

Julie and Colin, our co-workers here in Maun are really special! Last year at Christmas they distributed care hampers they had put together mainly out of items that they found stored in the Flying Mission storage container. This year, we all prayed about doing something similar and felt a leading to go into the hospital. On Christmas Day, Keith, Julie, Colin, and Cheryl, gathered up a load of presents along with our base secretary who could translate for us, and went to the childrens ward at the Maun Hospital.
The lovely nurses took us around to each patient, and Julie and I prayed for each Mother and child. The Glorious thing about all of it is that God seemed to be healing a number of the babies right before our eyes. We watched listless babies perk up, and sit up, we watched a crying, distraught baby settle and go to sleep, and we felt God pour out Love and Healing to everyone we touched. To see God change the atmosphere and to see the smiles on their faces made this by far the best Christmas ever.
Cheryl was appointed Hospiital Ministry coordinator at church and will be taking people with her into the hospital to pray for the sick as often as she can. There is such an openness to receive from God there.

December 24th with the Kowalskis

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Last year Christmas Eve was really hard. Keith was flying and I was alone with the kids greiveing hard for Johnathan and feeling very alone. That experience built some compassion into us and we determined to invite whoever the Lord would tell us to, so that they would not be alone at Christmas. Keith felt led to go the the Airport and visit some of the guys he has been getting to know. It was then that the Lord prompted him to invite Lawrence. Lawrence came with his lovely family and we had a truly beautiful time together. It was a little unnerving at first when he told me that these strangers were coming to dinner, but the Lord connected our hearts and it felt really good to be able to encourage and pray for them, and the kids had a great time playing together too. Now, they are not strangers, but friends.
Laurence's wife, Flora, came to our church the next day as well!