Our BIG News

We're pregnant! We are very happy and excited for this new blessing in our lives and wanted to tell you about it. July 12 is our baby's due date. And in just two more days, we'll be 12 weeks along. Our plan is to return to the States for the birth. Stay posted for further news and details of our travel/speaking schedule.

Christmas

It used to be different.

Christmas was a season. And it wasn't just that, either. It was a mood.
It was a complex mixture of feelings and tastes and smells and sights.
Even the weather changed from warm summer to brisk autumn to cold winter
in preparation for the Christmas season. It was a time to enjoy the
warmth of the wood stove. It was a time to hang pretty strings of
lights. It was a time to be together with siblings and parents.

That was then. But now is different.

For the most part, the cues to signal the Christmas mood are absent.
There is no warm, apple pie in the oven. There are no Christmas lights
hanging in the window. There are no shopping trips to the mall where all
the shops are decorated and playing Christmas music. The weather is not
much different. It is too hot to be near a fire. Siblings and parents
and other relatives are thousands of miles away. Christmas comes and
goes, and we hardly seem to even notice.

Now is different. But is that bad? Or does it help us in a small way
understand the sacrifice of Jesus, of Whom this Christmas season is all
about?

Jesus was used to a life of peace and bliss. The angels sang praises and
honor to Him. He had wonderful sights and smells and enjoyed delicious
food. His close family were nearby and He enjoyed continual
communication with them. He lived in a perfect, sinless environment. Yet
He was not completely comfortable.

That was then. But things changed.

Sin entered the world. Then things were different. Everything was not
all peace and bliss, and His creatures were suffering under the affects
of sin and were unable to correct the situation. "I will go and
experience their misery. I will go and live among them and give them
hope," Jesus said. So Jesus left His family. He left His home. He left
His culture. He left familiar comforts and smells and sights. He left
everything to come here to give everything so that we could gain eternal
life.

Jesus did not complain. He remained focused on His mission until it was
finished. And what indescribably wonderful results!

No, I can't complain. Yes, I miss the way Christmas used to be. And so
does my wife. This is the fourth Christmas in a row in Africa for us.
But we are privileged to be doing the work God has given us. Our
sacrifices are nothing compared to those of our dear Jesus.

Life here is not ideal. But it never will be until Jesus comes again.
Until then, our work and your work is to prepare ourselves and others
for His return and for eternal life. The eternal reward infinitely
exceeds any inconvenience or sacrifice we can face in this life.

Jesus, thank You for your first coming and for giving us hope and
assurance that You will come again. Our work here on earth is brief, and
after it is done, we may live with You forever! I want to accept Your
offer of salvation and commit my life to you once again.

Cauliflower

We just enjoyed a taste of cauliflower for the first time in over two
years. I didn't know Africa made cauliflower. What a yummy treat!

Seedpods

Bang!

I awoke with a start. Was that a gunshot? In this country it would
certainly not be unlikely to hear a gunshot. But why at this time of
night? It's only a little before midnight. The light of the guard sweeps
across campus. I'm a bit nervous.

As I drift off, I hear the noise again. Bang! And I hear what sounds
like an echoing.

I'm half asleep and I cannot make sense of what I hear. I reassure
myself that it is fairly distant still and go back to sleep.

The next night I hear the same sound. And I hear it again. This time I
am more awake and analyze the sound better. Maybe the bang is a seed pod
exploding in the treetops and maybe the echoing sound is the seeds being
dispersed like raindrops onto the thick jungle bushes below.

Just yesterday I found a tree that had a pod close enough to pick. The
pod is about eight inches long and three inches wide. It is super stiff
and under tension. I pick it, then throw it on the ground on its tip.

The pod pops open and disperses some seeds.

Mystery solved.

Lots of Questions

Yesterday, after driving for about 1 hour and 40 minutes Jonathan and I
arrived at church. The rest of our group was going on 10 more kilometers
to the next church. When we arrived at our location we found out that
the elder had just finished doing church with everyone but as soon as he
heard that Jonathan had a sermon for them he eagerly called the people
back to church. After Jonathan finished his sermon on Jesus' soon return
the people had lots of questions. Since we had plenty of time because we
were waiting for Tammy and Keith, Luke and Chantee, to come back
Jonathan started answering their questions. For the next probably 1 1/2
hours he answered questions about salvation, baptism, and lastly the
state of the dead. It was a blessing to be there. I felt like God was
blessing this church service with sincere people who wanted to know the
truth. It was a couple non-adventist visitor who happen to stop by that
asked most of the questions. At the end of the service I told the story
of Jesus' birth to the eager kids. Jonathan and I were blessed in doing
the Lord's work.

Our Prayer for Chad

Will you join us in praying that God's work in Chad will prosper and
that His way will be known in all the earth?

"God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon
us. Selah That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all
nations." Psalm 67:1-2

Evangelism

I've been reading through the book Evangelism and I highly recommend it.
This time I'm reading it cover-to-cover and am greatly blessed and
motivated to work more enthusiastically and with more focus than before.
You should read this great book, too! I'm around page 300 and hope to
finish the 700+ pages before the end of the year.