Back to the beach...

South Africa is rather lovely, friends. Also, ever lovely, is the Indian Ocean. The first day of our trip ended at the beach.

It was really wonderful. I never get tired of the ocean. One day, maybe, I will live by the water.

This is a shot for all my fellow "Roman Holiday" fans.

Thank you for your prayers for rain and for my paperwork. From what I hear, Mucombeze has seen some rain this week. Please keep praying for the crops.

I went to the High Commission of Mozambique today and it sounds like I may be able to get a three month permit to get back into the country. However, I will have to leave Mozambique again during that time to get a residents visa. Also, I could only get a seven day visa for South Africa, so by next week I need to be going somewhere! Hopefully back to Moz. Please pray for me as I wait.

(And thanks to Carey for all the great photos!)

A little update...

I thought you might like to know how the boy I mentioned in my last post is doing.

Long story short, he is improving. His leg is much better, but there were also two abscesses on his back. The one seems to be responding well to antibiotics, the other we are watching with an optimistic eye. Today his mother directed us to another abscess forming on his other leg. He is quite the medical mystery.

Every day Lynn or I (or, Lynn and I) go and change his dressing. The doctor put a drain in his leg after the aformentioned traumatic initial draining of the wound.

Paulo fortifies his spirit for yet another dressing change. This guy is pretty tired of all things medical.

Cleaning the wound.




The start of a nice clean dressing.





(It is really hot here. Can you see me glowing?)




And here is Tito, Paulo's cousin. I believe I have introduced you to him before. He says "hello" and "goodbye" with a very confident high five. Love this kid...

PS- Please pray for Mozambique. No rain means no crops means no food.

PS- I am going to South Africa tomorrow. Please pray that I come back in

a few weeks with a shiny new resident's visa.

Bends in the road...

This time last year

I thought that this time this year

I would be snuggled in a coffee shop in Vancouver

Looking at the ocean

Doing my grad school homework

Instead...

Today I spent the morning in a clinic

Holding down one of the boys in our orphan program

While a doctor sliced into his leg to drain a large abscess

Without the benefit of anesthetic

It was rather traumatic for him

Life is funny and always a surprise

I can't even speculate where I will be this time next year.

(But I hope it won't involve an abscess....)

Dear everybody...

Please pray that it rains here soon, and in just the right amount.

We lifted our eyes up...

Unto the mountain

And then we climbed it.

Right to the very top.

And it was steep.

Really steep at times. And I was shocked that I was climbing it because I am afraid of ladders.

And Gabriel was like, "I own you."

A good day.

A short Christmas drama...

Here is Tendai shining like a Christmas angel under the tree.

Here is Tendai deciding that sitting like an angel is for the birds, and she would rather knock over a bottle of wine whilst Auntie Keren is fiddling with the settings on her camera.

Here is Auntie Keren frantically trying to clean up the wine puddle before it stains the tiles.

Tendai got a present anyways, though. She is just too cute.



The end.

Merry Christmas...

From my tent...

...to yours.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2:10-11

Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Revelation 7:16-17

PS- Hey, Stuka. Did you see the star?