Remembering God's Promises on the Journey Back to Africa

Christmas & New Year's here was great this year. On Christmas Day every year all the centers in the ministry I work for (men's drug rehab center, women's center, and the children's homes from the orphan care center) gather together for a lunchtime celebration of the Lord's birth. It's a time of many presentations of songs, skits (the kids did a really cute birth of Jesus play), testimonies, and dances. I'm sorry I don't have more pics to share. I think I was lost in the moment. I did manage to get a few pics from Christmastime.

I took one of the teenage girls out before Christmas
to check on her & give her an opportunity to share what's on her heart.
She's an amazing young woman whose desire to is to preach God's Word.

Waheedah & I on Christmas at Hawane CLC

One of the teenage girls & I on Christmas

A group of friends & I on Christmas Day
(in this photo 2 Finnish, 1 Zimbawawe, 2 Americans, 1 Canadian, 1 Swazi)

To recap on a few recent events - I had the opportunity to lead a week of teachings in December with the children from the orphan care center where I work. They are just wrapping up their summer holiday break from school (we have opposite seasons than the States). It was an awesome time of interacting with the children in groups according to their ages. I taught groups on feelings/grief, self-esteem, and career planning for the teenagers. My prayer is that these trainings minister to them and that they come away with healthier coping skills for dealing with their feelings (many of them have been abused, neglected, and going through grief/loss) and with an understanding of who God says they are. The most important thing about you is not who YOU say you are or who SOMEONE ELSE says you are. No, the most important thing about you is who GOD says you are. That's who you really are. The groups participated in various activities, including designing posters to help illustrate what they had learned.

The teenage girls & I

Participated in a cookie bake activity in
one of the children's homes

Me with some of the kids :)

Teaching the younger kids about God's love for them
(it was so cute- when I explained that God says they are friends of God, one boy
started loudly singing the popular song "I am a friend of God")

The teenage boys & I

Teaching the kids of feelings
(they're also proud of their Feelings Books)

Me with the youngest group
(they're proud of the Feelings Books they made:)

Teaching one of the 6-year-olds

What a joy it is to be involved in sowing seeds of God's truth and His unending love into the lives of these precious kids. I know God's Word does not return void. It will accomplish the purposes it is sent to. How could God be speaking to you about imparting His Word into the lives of others?
May He guide us every day, every step. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Commit your way to him and he will direct your path." (Proverbs 3:5-6)