We leave for Botswana on the 16th....it's coming up fast, too fast!!! Got to finish this packing.....UGH!!!!

O.K....We're gonna try this again....

I can't believe my last post was over a year ago. I really should have been blogging this entire year if only for the purpose of remembering all that happened this year and being able to look back and remember the faithfulness of God through it all!

It has been a year of laughter, tears, family, friends, good times, and lots of indulging in American food! It has also been a year of favor and blessing upon our family. We are amazed at all the Lord has done for us. It has been beyond our wildest dreams...God is so good and faithful to His children!

We are currently packing to move out of our rental home, pack our crate, move in with my parents, and finish up the kids last few days of school. We are full of emotions, excited to go back in some ways, not excited to go back in other ways....the thought of leaving my family tears my heart out,. The thought of our kids leaving family, friends, and their youth group, tears my heart out but their is a call on our lives that is stronger than those emotions and a God that is greater and stronger and able to take care of us through it all. I want to be in the center of His will for my life, even if it means leaving all for the land he has called us to.......

I'm back...finally

I am finally back to blogging! I caught a nasty stomach bug that kept me in bed and bathroom for a solid week and after that I lost the will to blog! Not to long after that we started our preparations for furlough and life became too crazy for blogging. Now we are in the States, have set up a home, got the kids in school, bought a computor, have started itinerating, and the will to blog is back!
I'll start blogging about our final days in Bots and our first days back in the States soon.
For now, I'll leave you with a conversation I had with Elliott last night.
Elliott: "Mom, I wish I was born in Africa. It really is my home, but since I wasn't , can I convert?" I love it that he loves Africa so much and that his heart is still there!

More Pics

Madikwe Game Reserve

O.K. to read this blog and get the feeling of being in Africa, you have to scroll down to my music list and play the Lion Sleeps Tonight, by The Lion King soundtrack. I think It's the first song!!

Last Wed. was a public Holiday in Botswana, so the Mahars, fellow AoG missionaries, and our family went over the border to Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa. Madikwe is the 3rd largest game park in South Africa. It has over 30 lodges on it and some of them are exclusive 5 star accommodations! We are privileged to live close enough to drive there and enjoy a morning or night safari drive without needing to spend the night and pay the very expensive prices!

Madikwe has the Big 5 which is the Elephant, Lion, Rhino, Cape Buffalo, and Leopard. We were really excited to be there because we had only been to one other park that has the Big 5 and only saw Elephants. Not that that's a bad thing!! Matt has always wanted to see a wild male lion close up and he got his wish!! We ended up seeing 4 males and 1 female. It is an awesome experience to be that close to a ferocious, man eating, animal, and a bit scary! Our guide had been warned over the radio about one of the lions we were close to. He had been growling and showing his teeth as game vehicles went by!

During the morning we saw 9 Rhinos, a herd of around 40 Elephant, 12 Giraffe, Wild Dog, A spotted Hyena, and lots of Kudu, Wildebeest, Impala, Springbok, and Zebra. It was a lot of fun!!

Since our time here in Africa we have seen 4 of the big five all we have left is the Leopard!!

The first rain....

We had our first rain last night and it was wonderful...wind, thunder, lightening, the works!! It didn't rain nearly as hard or as long as we wanted it to, but it was a sign of things to come!!!

Hannah

Last week Hannah and I were driving somewhere and I talking about going home for furlough. I was telling her that I have been praying for her and Zach to be filled with the Holy Spirit when we get home. She responded very openly.

This Sunday at church our pastor, spoke on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. At the end of his message he asked all those seeking the Baptism to come forward to pray and for those that had already been filled to come and stand behind them. As Matt and I started to walk forward, Hannah moved quickly to walk with us. She walked straight up front to pray and be prayed for. I have to admit I was surprised and shedding a few tears as I watched her, hands raised, seeking after the Lord. This was a HUGE step for her. We are always the only white people out of about 200 people at church every week. Everyone knows us there and we are no longer stared at which is nice, but as a teenager you are self conscience by nature, and don't like to be or look different or be the center of attention. When you are one of only 5 white people there and are blond haired at that, you are going to stick out!! She didn't care, she was wanting all that God had for her.

She wasn't filled in that service but made a huge step forward in so many areas. She is learning to step out in faith and learning to hear God as He speaks to her. She is still praying and believing God to fill her.

We are so excited and encouraged about this. There is nothing as exciting as seeing your children loving and serving God!! We are expecting GREAT things while we are home on furlough and our kids are in church services in their own language and culture. It's going to be an awesome year!!