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FAMILY CELEBRATION
STREET KID PARTY
QUICK NEWS

FAMILY CELEBRATION

It's been our tradition to go swimming on Christmas - our kids' favorite activity - but not so this year. It's been an unusally cold winter, for one, plus our finances have been worse than ever. So we stayed home.

Another tradition has been to go to a restaurant, with ALL the children (including non-resident) and workers for a chicken meal. With the restaurant going bankrupt, and our financial situation, we decided to not do that either. Instead, we bought over 40 chickens at the market - and they're very expensive at this time of year - as well as potatoes and salad to make our own Christmas chicken meal.

So we had a beautiful dinner of grilled chicken, fries, salad and a soda, that everyone enjoyed. Then it was time to gather in my living room for our actual celebration. Thankfully everyone fit in, and some children looked in a awe at the Christmas tree with ornaments and chocolates, as well as the gathered gifts. For a few of our children it was their very first Christmas ever.

First I talked about the meaning of Christmas, asking them questions, and we talked about the Light of the world who has made us into lights to bring good news in a dark world. Then I lit one sparkler, and the kids quickly lit their neighbors' sparklers with theirs until there were sparkles all over the room. Then we sang "Happy Birthday" for Jesus, followed by a prayer time of expressing our gratefulness.

The Christmas cookies our kids had made were being passed around, and then it was time for the gifts. I first explained that there were fewer this year because of lacking finances, but that Jesus was the most important gift we could have ever received. One child would then come forward to receive his/her gift and pick one gift whose recipient would be the next to come forward. Before sitting down again, they got to choose a chocolate to take off the Christmas tree.

In the name of the kids' sponsors, I had put together a little bag of goodies for each of the sponsored kids, and so everyone was blessed with candy, school supplies, practical stuff and toys. There were a lot of happy faces all around!

To look at all the pictures, click here.

STREET KID PARTY

On the 26th we had our Christmas party for the street children. This year we had 30 kids show up. We started off with a few games until we had one winner at the end who won the prize of a piece of clothing of his choice.

Then it was time for upbeat Bambara praise songs, followed by a time of explaining the whole gospel to them. Then Paul asked them questions to see whether they'd listened, and correct answers were rewarded with candy. Of course they all had an opportunity to start a life with Jesus - which was especially important for the good number of new children who had come.

With their Christmas lunch not ready yet, they first got to watch the MATTHEW movie in Bambara - seeing the life of this joyful Jesus who loved people and loved blessing them, and hearing the exact words He had spoken.

The movie was followed by lunch, and then it was time for their gifts. One by one they came into my house where all the shoes were waiting for them. We picked the right size for each one, gave them a soda, as well as a chocolate off the tree, before sending them off with a blessing.

30 street children got to hear the Good News, had a chance to start living with Jesus, and experienced love in action. Thanks for making this possible by your prayers and giving!

To look at all the pictures, click here.

QUICK NEWS

•        New Year's Eve - We're looking forward to an evening of looking at the pictures of 2013, eating cookies and drinking soda, playing games, and looking forward to the next year.

•       Finances - School expenses, accident and anniversary conference have led to us being $7,500 or 5.500€ short which is the biggest deficit we've ever had at the end of the year. So far we've spent that exact amount just for tuition, uniforms, school supplies etc. We're still praying for a financial miracle!

•        Vehicle Trouble - The mechanic has assessed our totaled bus but not given us the numbers yet of how much repairing it would cost. In the meantime, our remaining two vehicles (22 years and 13 years old) alternate getting repaired at the mechanic's, costing us a lot money.

•        Joseph at YWAM - On Jan 10 Joseph and I are flying to Dakar. We get to stay in a beautiful beach ressort for free for 2 nights, before he starts his YWAM discipleship school on January 13th, which is the day I'll be leaving for Europe. A new chapter for Joseph is starting, with a lot of firsts, not just his first flight and first time seeing the sea.If you would like to help us with ticket and school fees for Joseph, please mark your donation with "Joseph".

•        The Future - Please continue to pray for Cleon and me. I'm glad that he'll be joining me in the US for part of my trip, so those of you in Kansas City and in Harrisburg will have an opportunity to meet him (calendar on the left and on the website).

•       Volunteers - We always need volunteers in Mali who can stay a few months or more. If you'd like to come help us, please contact me.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Num 6:24-26)

Wishing you all the best for 2014,

Claudia