My Thoughts

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.” 1Peter 4:13,14

As I sit down to write this, I am filled with regret that it has been so long since I last sent out a newsletter. It is so easy to fall into Satan’s trap when we don’t live up to our own expectations or the perceived expectations of others. I am truly blessed that the Lord has walked with me over the last few months and carried me on numerous occasions when my strength waned.

Elizabeth was in and out of the hospital from October 22 through November 8. They originally thought she had the contagious form of spinal meningitis. She ran a very high fever for ten days and her neck locked up. It was very frightening. The final prognosis was a very bad case of the h1n1 flu. She had to have four different spinal taps. The first two were done without any anesthesia. It was also discovered that she had a fistula on her spine, an opening on an old scar, that was very serious and it had to be closed surgically.

The hospitals we encountered on our journey were horrifying. I tried to keep a diary of our experience and I will send it out later. For me, I learned that leaning on the Lord is very real. He gave me the peace not to be angry and the wisdom to be silent when I wanted to scream.

Volunteer News

When Elizabeth and I return to Namibia, we will be living by ourselves for the first time since we became a family. Miss Claire has returned to England and is preparing for her marriage to Ali in August. Thankfully Amanda will continue to help us in the afternoons. She was married On January 17, but will continue to teach and serve as headmistress for the preschool.

We got to visit with Pastor Alice, who spent a month with us last summer, when she was in Orlando for a ministry training. We are excited that we will get to see Miss Lea from Germany the day before we leave. She is coming to spend the month with Miss Sandy here in the US.

Aunt Sharon has returned for her yearly time in Namibia. She and Miss Juliana will be helping out at the school. Aunt Sharon also comes alongside the foster mommies

We are looking forward to the annual team that comes from Boca Raton and a team of teachers that will be coming from New Hampshire. Both of these groups have been long-time supporters of the Children of Promise Ministry. Miss Jackie, a volunteer from New Hampshire, will return probably in late February or early March to spend a year with her Namibian foster family: Riaan, Smithley, Queen and Ismael.

Once again this year the volunteers that come thorough MVI will be individuals or very small groups. Now that Elizabeth and I are a family my focus has to be on her and hosting teams takes too much time and energy away from this blessing the Lord has given me.

Talitha Kumi News

In September I shared with you my excitement that we had two excellent Namibian teachers on staff. At that time it looked like we would move into the new year with them. Two days before we left Namibia in early December, we found out that one of our unmarried teachers was pregnant. This is a common happening in Namibia, but our policy does not allow us to continue to employ her. School has begun for TKCA with only Ilanda, our fourth grade teacher, in place. My first grade class is being taught in my absence by Miss LaToya. She is working on her lower primary credentials and will be my assistant when I return. The third grade class has a substitute. We are praying for a full time Namibian teacher. We do not have a second grade class as we did not have any ministry children in that grade for the 2011 school year.

This year there will be approximately 50 pre-school students and 23 primary students. We continue to operate on a provisional registration for grades 1-4. We continue to pray that we will have adequate sponsors for our foster children and enough community children to pay the Namibia teachers’ salaries. We are also looking for elementary school teachers who the Lord will call to come and serve long-term with us.

Family News

Boniface joined Penine in the Oseri refugee camp in early October. Obtaining visa’s to be out of the camp had become a real problem and they felt called to minister in the camp. Elizabeth and I were very sad to see them go. We were able to see them right before we left for America, Their little girl, was born on November 22nd. She is a beautiful baby and they seem to be flourishing in their new surroundings.

Elizabeth successfully completed third grade and is looking forward to grade four. She has made remarkable progress in the two years she has been in school. When she came to me two years ago, she had just finished grade one. She continues to be filled with joy and excited about all the things that happen in her life. Her doctors’ visits have gone well and she has a new prosthesis and is now walking with Canadian crutches. I expect her to be running and dancing in the years to come.

Our time in America has been fruitful and restful. Christmas was a time to see friends and enjoy family. We were able to spend the day with Brenda and her three children at Miss Linda’s home in Palm Coast. We had a wonderful time on a cruise that Miss Sandy arranged for us. We have taken care of various doctors’ appointments. We have had the wonderful opportunity to go out-riding with my sister, Aunt Terrie. Elizabeth has become quite the horse woman. The President and CEO of Busch Gardens was on our flight down from New York. He provided a VIP tour of Busch Gardens for us that was over the top.

We return to Namibia on February 9th. We are both looking forward to the new school year.

Praises:

• Elizabeth is in excellent health.
• Baby Sarah, Penine and Boni’s baby girl, is healthy.
• The lord continues to raise up the funds needed to support Talitha Kumi and the foster families of Children of Promise Ministries.
• The resilience that the children exhibit as their family support systems change.

Prayer Requests:

• That we, along with Brenda’s family, will have safe travel home.
• That the Lord will continue to give me the wisdom and the strength I need to be a good mommy to Elizabeth.
• That the financial support needed to ensure that Talitha Kumi becomes self supporting will be provided.
• That the Lord will continue to mold me in His image and release me from any doubts I have that His perfect plan will be realized.

Ministry Support Information

Please consider supporting one of MVI’s approved on-going ministries here in Namibia: **Pre-school Teacher Stipends **Feeding Centers (E-Pap for pre-schools) Please make sure that you note the ministry you want to support by placing a posted note on the check. Tax-deductible contributions can be made through Missionary Ventures International by credit card or electronic transfer via the website, www.mvi.org or you can mail your checks to: P.O. Box 593550 Orlando, FL 32839

All donations to MVI are given with the understanding that the organization has full discretion over the processing and distribution of the funds.

If you are sponsoring a child or would like to do so, send your check to His Promise Ministries, 1106 Old Mill Run, Deland, FL 32720. Be sure to include your child’s name on a post-it note attached to the check. His Promise Ministries helps support Children of Promise Ministries Namibia and has been approved by the IRS as a 501c3 Nonprofit Charity and all donations are tax deductible.

Please plan to join us on Saturday, January 29th for a special Christians In Public Education Meeting From 10:00 to 12:00 Noon, Community United Methodist Church 4921 U.S. Highway 17-92 South Casselberry, FL 32707

”…I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision.” (Acts 26:19)  “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” (John 15:7-8)NASB

This August, I will have been in Arandis, Namibia for five years. When I awoke that morning five years ago with the Lord’s voice resounding in my soul, “Ten years!” I had no idea how His plan would unfold.  For me the vision seemed simple, help start a school for the orphans and vulnerable children the Lord had placed in the care of Hope’s Promise Orphan Ministries Namibia.

The Lord’s plan is seldom simple or easy.  If it were, how would we learn to depend on Him and become the disciple He would have us be?  My prayer continues to be that the Lord will hold me close and that I will not let my vision stand in His way.

The ministry is now “Children of Promise Ministries”.  This change is a result of the ministry becoming based totally in Namibia.  You can visit the new website at www.childrenofpromiseministries.org.

Talitha Kumi Christian Academy

We had a successful first term.  The twenty-eight children in the primary school made excellent progress.  Miss Juliana, the second grade teacher and Miss Monica, the fourth grade teacher, proved to be loving and caring and their classes showed good progress.

It has been especially rewarding to see the progress the four children who are receiving the therapeutic horseback are making.  Each of the children has gained confidence.  Stefanus, one of my first graders, walks taller and straighter with a new confidence.

I was invited to an official meeting of the Ministry of Education last month.  This was an important step as it indicates that our provisional registration is recognized.  The meeting was with the deputy to the Minister of Education.  He was asking for suggestions as to how the educational process can be improved in Namibia.  Two of the salient points were smaller class sizes, currently classes range from 38 to 60 children in the elementary grades and the need for teaching all grades and subjects in English and then teaching first languages as a single subject.  If these two things were changed, it would have immediate and profound results.

There are several new mines around Arandis.  One of them is run by a French company, AREVA. They helped us out last year with sports equipment and computers.  They have come back to us and are considering helping us level and fence the land for the TKCA campus.  We are also praying for a sports field and building that would provide storage, restrooms and a hall for large group activities.  Please join us in prayer that ARIVA will catch our vision.

Volunteers

We are blessed to have Miss Claire back.  She flew in with her Mum who is stay most of a month.  Miss Claire will take over the third grade class for the rest of the year.

Miss Wendy and Uncle Red helped out in the library. Thanks to their efforts, we finally have a handle on the non-fiction section.  It is hard to believe how our little library has grown.  We have almost 3,000 books now! We have added several shelves to help relieve some of the crowding.

Bartels Middle School has been a great support.  Miss Debby, a volunteer from Tampa has involved the whole school in raising support for TKCA.  Each month, we receive two or three boxes filled with books and wonderful school supplies.  It is awesome how God works.

I am saddened that Team Zebra and the team from South Tampa Fellowship will not visit this summer.  These loving volunteers will be sorely missed.  We pray for all our friends and volunteers that they will have a rejuvenating summer and that we will see them again in years to come.

We look forward to the return of the Boca team in June and a team of friends from North Carolina in August.

Personal News

Miss Sandy is blessing Elizabeth and I with a trip to Cape Town in South Africa.  We will have ten days of travel and relaxation.  Auntie Sylvia has helped make all the arrangements and we are all excited to see more of this beautiful continent.

As the weather cools here we have more energy to get projects done that have been put off during the stifling hot days of summer.

Amazing Things

We have had heavy rains several nights in the last week.  There are actually puddles on Arandis streets.  When you live in a desert, you really appreciate rain!

Those of you who have visited my home, know that we see the sun rise out the front door and the sun set out the back.  Since my first days here, one of my joys has been watching the sun set behind three crosses that are on a low rocky hill behind my house.  A couple months ago the crosses disappeared.  We all noticed and were saddened by the disappearance.  Well yesterday morning they reappeared on the hill over night. It brought great joy to all of us.

We had a beautiful miracle this week.  We found a lone caterpillar on the lemon tree in the back yard.  We brought it in and it made a chrysalis and ten days later it emerged as a beautiful citrus swallowtail.  And I thought I had given up my butterflies when I moved to the desert!

Praise Report

• The two Namibian teachers, Miss Juliana and Miss Monica are doing a wonderful job.
• The Lord has provided loving Aunties for many of our children.

Prayer Requests

• That Penine’s pregnancy will go more smoothly.
• That Elizabeth will continue  to grow physically and spiritually in a way that brings glory to the Lord.
• That I rest in the Lord and remember at all times that He has it all under control.

Ministry Support Information

• Support A Child
• School Support
• Preschool Teacher Stipends
• Feeding Centers (E-Pap for pre-schools & Baby Formula)

Tax-deductible contributions can be made by credit card or electronic transfer via the website, Missionary Ventures International.

You may also mail a check to

Missionary Ventures International
P.O. Box 593550
Orlando, FL 32839-3550

Attach a note to checks designating the donation to HUGS and the ministry.

All donations to MVI are given with the understanding that the organization has full discretion over the processing and distribution of the funds.

If you have sponsored a child or would like to do so, send your check to

His Promise Ministries
1106 Old Mill Run
Deland, FL 32720.

Be sure and include your child’s name