Thanksgiving

(photos: Peter taking his first bite of masked potatoes;

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thanks to some travelers bringing food imports, we were able to eat most of the traditional foods: turkey, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, broccoli and cheese sauce, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, pecan pie, ice cream pie and pumpkin pie! We were together with the rest of our team and some other Americans who live here on the island and had a wonderful time. Tom also had a couple of opportunities to share with his English classes about the history and traditions of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Some of you know we have a Thanksgiving book. In this book we write down many of the things we are thankful for from the past year. We have much to be thankful for this year and thought we would share some of those things with you:
This year we are thanking God for:

• the recent thought-provoking seminar we were a part of
• good electricity and fans
• our squirmy and smiley baby boy—his energetic kicking, zurburts and two teeth.
• our fruitful and engaging time in South Africa while we waited for Peter to come.
• our little girl who loves her dolly, playdough, Dora the Explorer, Winnie the Pooh, rolly bags, pigtails, singing, her Bible and being a big sister.
• Grace learning to go on the potty
• our teammates:

o Jonny who reminded us when we were feeling down “We’re on a tropical island!” and is now studying to be a doctor in England.
o Chris who didn’t die from heat stroke during a very hot half marathon
o Abby and Amy helping us out with the kids and with classes
o teaching English with Kathryn at the hospital
o Chris and Beka and all they do to lead our team
o Sergio and Aly and the thoughtful discussion and friendship they have shown our family

• great visits with family who got to see our life here on the island
• multiple Christmas parties last year with islanders
• healing from sickness and injuries
• a cooler house thanks to palm fronds on our roof
• reading stories with islanders from our Book and many, many conversations about the things that are most important.
• the opportunity to teach at the prison
• the growth and new life we’ve seen among a small number of islanders!
• our Lord and Savior who gave his life for us so that we might have life and have it abundantly.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends, food, and opportunities to share. We got out our Christmas decorations (meager though they are) and have decorated for Christmas and have started teaching Grace about advent. Sergio is doing better and he and his family have gone on vacation. Our family is healthy.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
We have a busy couple of weeks before we go on vacation over the Christmas holiday. We will be doing lots of Christmas parties, which are great opportunities to share. One of our good friends and brothers here is struggling and complying with the pressures and criticism of family and society. Pray that he would be able to choose the right path. We have a special service coming up here where some people will go under the water and then come out again, pray for those choosing whether to participate and the decisions about where to do it.