January here is, yes, sunny and warm. We are in our dry season and things aren't as green as they were when I arrived in November. While you are all drinking hot chocolate and snuggling under your comforters, we are drinking lots of fluids and sleeveless.
The beginning of the new year brought us into a new school year. Last Monday all of our children moved up a grade and we began again, just as you did in the fall. Each new year we add a new grade as our children grow into it. And so we now have a first grade for the first time.
Our preschoolers are kindergarteners and some of our newest arrivals have joined our preschool. While we have added a class we have not as yet been able to add to our teaching staff.
With the limitations of education in Liberia there is a great shortage of qualified teachers.
We are waiting and praying for God to send the right teachers to us to be a godly influence on our children. Please pray with me for His guidance in this.
To update you on our new children, I know you all want to know how our tiny Tim, little Grace and Theresa are doing. Well, Grace and Theresa started school last week and are very excited
and eager to learn. They have both concluded that Rafiki is a safe and happy place to live and are flourishing in their new found security.
In little Timothy, we have seen the greatest transformation. He is now walking on his own. Well, actually running. He loves to dance and what a joy to hear his laughter. No longer sad and weak, he plays with toys and interacts with his brothers, who enjoy having a toddler in the house. Watching these little ones change and grow brings joy to our hearts as we experience the privilege of being a part of God's plan for their lives. Please pray for our little ones. We have 21 now. Pray that God keep them tender toward Him, that He heal their hearts as well as their bodies. That He use them for His glory in this, their nation and where ever on earth He sends them.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Dear friends,
Well, it seems hard to believe that it has been nearly a month since the last time I wrote here.
Hopefully you have all received my latest newsletter update since then. I will try to catch you up on the happenings of the village over the passed few weeks.
Christmas brought new experiences for all of us. Many of our children had never experienced a real Christmas until this year. One of the exciting things we were able to do was to prepare a Christmas program and take it out into the community and share it with the local people. I have posted a few pictures to give you the flavor of the event. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to one of MY new experiences. I caught a nasty bug and was confined to my home for a few days. I was disappointed to miss the activities but loved hearing all about it. Over all getting out into the community to give them this gift has been very good. When we go walking outside our village now there are little children everywhere waving and calling out to us. They are no longer afraid of the "whi pepo".
What is it like to be six years old and to never have had your own Christmas present? I really do not know, but let me tell you about our Patience. What a treat it was for her to have dining room duty the night our director and his wife brought the Christmas presents in to place under the tree. Each child was to receive three small gifts. Patience peeked around the tree curious to see if her name might actually be on one of those presents. Dave teased a bit about her being left out, but to her delight she discovered that there was something there for her. As "Mr. and Mrs. Santa" left the dining hall, they peeked back in to get the full effect. Patience, was literally dancing her broom around the tables. I can't help but think of the classic Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella,dancing with her broom. Patience life very much parallels that story as she, too, was rescued from a life where she was expected to serve others and receive less than adaquate care herself. We call her our little Cinderella.
And so there was joy in sharing Christmas here in Liberia, the joy of giving and the joy of receiving. We watched our children learn of both and in the process we learned anew.
Well, it seems hard to believe that it has been nearly a month since the last time I wrote here.
Hopefully you have all received my latest newsletter update since then. I will try to catch you up on the happenings of the village over the passed few weeks.
Christmas brought new experiences for all of us. Many of our children had never experienced a real Christmas until this year. One of the exciting things we were able to do was to prepare a Christmas program and take it out into the community and share it with the local people. I have posted a few pictures to give you the flavor of the event. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to one of MY new experiences. I caught a nasty bug and was confined to my home for a few days. I was disappointed to miss the activities but loved hearing all about it. Over all getting out into the community to give them this gift has been very good. When we go walking outside our village now there are little children everywhere waving and calling out to us. They are no longer afraid of the "whi pepo".
What is it like to be six years old and to never have had your own Christmas present? I really do not know, but let me tell you about our Patience. What a treat it was for her to have dining room duty the night our director and his wife brought the Christmas presents in to place under the tree. Each child was to receive three small gifts. Patience peeked around the tree curious to see if her name might actually be on one of those presents. Dave teased a bit about her being left out, but to her delight she discovered that there was something there for her. As "Mr. and Mrs. Santa" left the dining hall, they peeked back in to get the full effect. Patience, was literally dancing her broom around the tables. I can't help but think of the classic Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella,dancing with her broom. Patience life very much parallels that story as she, too, was rescued from a life where she was expected to serve others and receive less than adaquate care herself. We call her our little Cinderella.
And so there was joy in sharing Christmas here in Liberia, the joy of giving and the joy of receiving. We watched our children learn of both and in the process we learned anew.
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