The first of December!  We move from a season of Thanksgiving to a season of Advent.  As we celebrate Christ’s first arrival and look forward to His second coming, let us prepare our hearts to receive Him daily.

 Praises from November:

 Thankful for Nathan and Janet celebrating another year of life on their birthdays this month.

1. Thankful for your prayers on behalf of our house gal, Edna.  We had no idea how much spiritual oppression she and her husband faced with all the traditions associated with his father’s funeral.  (For the full story, scroll down to “Funerals and Traditions”)
2. Thankful that Ron has completed several jobs at RFIS – basketball court lines are painted, the hole in the wall made by a fallen tree is repaired, grasses planted to stop erosion, plumbing for upstairs library bathrooms repaired (that’s another story in this blog).
3. Thankful for friends and family in Christ with whom to share our Thanksgiving celebrations.
4. Thankful that we’re all basically healthy (Ron and I have colds today, but Ben’s malaria is gone, and even the dog is well again — whose sickness was probably related to “Septic Saga” below).
5. Thankful that the septic tank is no longer leaking into the neighbor’s yard!
6. Thankful that our missionary friends in Gamboula have power!  A bearing on their turbine broke, and it has been no small task getting it fixed.  Pray that a good replacement part will arrive before it breaks again.
7. Thankful for the Spirit of God in our lives; for Jesus who gives us abundant and everlasting life.

 Pray with us in December

1. That our kids will finish this semester strong – lots of tests the week of Dec. 13-17.  RFIS is a much harder school than their school in the US, and they do have to work harder.  Thankfully, they’re improving.
2. For a good Christmas break, quality time as a family.
3. For Sheryl Noren as she arrives here from the U.S. Friday Dec. 3; and Paul who arrives here from CAR when he can.  We look forward to having Norens stay in our guest house next door to their son Karl, Mary and 2 little ones.
4. For all those travelling – students going back to their countries/villages of service during break (Dec. 17-Jan. 10).
5. For the arrival of short term Covenant missionary Samantha Barron at the end of Dec., for her adjustment to Cameroon and preparation for her role of teaching at RFIS.
6. For God to provide teachers for next school year – both at RFIS and PRS, the elementary school.
7. For the remaining projects to complete construction of RFIS – security bars on windows, completion of the science prep room, bulletin boards and tack strips yet to be installed.
8. For construction workers who have been working to complete RFIS – end of December they’ll be out of work here and need to find other jobs.
9. For the electrician, a deacon in his church, who was called to pray over a couple of sick kids.   When he got there he discovered they had passed  away, so he helped take them to the morgue.  As it turns out, the mother had locked them in a chest freezer as discipline, and that’s how they died, so now the electrician has been arrested as an accomplice.

      10. For better parenting skills here — yesterday I intervened in what sounded like excessive discipline next door.

 Finally, have a wonderful Christmas.  We will miss being “home” with family, special music and services.  I think only Ben will miss the snow =o)  But we’re making new traditions here with our extended International Family of Christ.