2008: AWESOME GROWTH, 2009: GRAND CHALLENGES

For Children's Cup and for Jean and me, 2008 was filled with challenges and great growth.

We expect 2009 to ratchet up even higher--more hurting children helped, deepened spiritual training for staff.

Thanks to y'all that make this possible.

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Be merry.
Be blessed.
Be thankful for Jesus.

I WISH FOR BUT WHAT I HAVE

I just had another of those wonderful moments that are complete joy--nothing else needed to make me happy.

First, I am in Africa.

Five year old granddaughter was sitting on my lap. We were watching the wonderful classic "Heidi."

The warm love in the story, the beautiful, sweet bundle of life named Trinity snuggled in my arms, the echoes in my ears of 10,000 kids giggling and screaming with delight at the Children's Cup CarePoint Christmas parties--what else could a grandfather missionary ask for?

Trinity just hopped off my lap to help her family give a Christmas party to a couple dozen orphans that live nearby. They are going to let the kids decorate cookies--and then eat them all.

I wish for but what I have.

I wish you all moments like this.

THE PARTIES ARE OVER...

The Children's Cup children's Christmas parties are over.

The giggles and squeals are silent.

The trash is picked up.

And the staff are bone-tired.

But, there are 10,000 AIDS orphans and vulnerable children who will remember (perhaps for the rest of their lives) the games, the gifts, the food, the spoken and demonstrated love of Jesus.
Thanks to all who gave to make it possible.

OUR MIRACLE CHILD

I've just seen a miracle!

She is a twelve year old Swazi orphan.

She has been near to death several times with a horrible disease. Once we thought she had only minutes to live. Today it was hard to imagine she was ever that sick.

You would know that we all wept as she quoted the 23rd Psalm for us. "The valley of the shadow of death," phrase took our breath away. She locked eyes with me and smiled as she said it. She knew what she was talking about.

"When you grow up I want you to come work for us at Children's Cup. You have a job waiting for you," I told her.

I meant it.

WONDERFUL!

So amazing! Yesterday the first 4,000 of the 10,000 Children's Cup AIDS orphans and vulnerable children had the experience of their lives--a massive Christmas party.

Today there may be as many as another 1,000 at different location--more in the days to come.

Entire communities are impacted by these events. The kids will never forget it.

They are worth doing.

Thank you, generous partners, for making this happen.

CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR 4000 SWAZI KIDS

In a few minutes Jean and I will be going to the biggest Christmas party in Swaziland--for Children's AIDS orphans and vulnerable children.

More parties on Swaziland, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe over the next few days. We expect a total of 10,000 kids in all.

There will be gifts, food, games, skits, giggles, laughs, screams of delight. For a few hours the little ones won't hurt as much as they normally do.

Also, check out www.childrensup.org for our version of the Twelve Days of Christmas--twelve daily sets of projects you may want your own family to be part of.

INVADERS?

Okay, we got past the dog poisoning night before last. Home invaders do that so they can break into your house later during the night.

No invaders came.

Then last night the alarms went off signalling a breach in the security system. We quickly checked the perimeter walls and found nothing so we reset the system. Then it went off again.

Ben discovered the cause--a loose electrical connection. Phew!

There's always something to prickle the edges of your peace on the mission field.

HOME INVADERS THWARTED

Yesterday while we were at church they tried to poison Cocoa, Ben and Susan's boerbull guard dog--again. That usually means they will try to break in during the night.

I don't know how many lives a dog is supposed to have but this one keeps outliving the poisons.

Cocoa's OK today--and so are we.

Of course, we prayed and stayed alert and no invaders came.

Will you pray for the staff here for God's ongoing soveriegn protection?