Tanzania 2007 as posted at the ministry website

I wanted to let you all know that the most recent trip to Tanzania, the one Shannon traveled on in September, has been written about in detail and is posted at the End Time Glory Ministry website.

As I prepare for Christmas in this final week, which feels like the only week before it after spending so much time with my jobs and the Christmas program at church, I can't write but wanted to be sure everyone saw the details at the website.

Daily life update

Things have been crazy at our home. As you already know, M and I returned from a quilt retreat last Monday. Since then, there have been more rehearsals for Collin and I for the church musical which started last weekend with three performances. There are four more to come this weekend. Collin also had a school choir concert last week where he sang a duet with Michael. Michael just joined CCS this fall as he was entering the 10th grade. He is the only 10th grade boy in this Christian school which only recently added high school to its program. He and Collin have become good friends.

Last week was also the last meeting for the Beth Moore bible study I had been participating in. I am still planning to facilitate the same group of women as we come back together again in January to do another study by Beth.

Collin turned 15 this week and in the hullaballoo his birthday party with the grandparents has to be put on hold until after the holiday season. He was aware when he chose to take a part in the church musical that this way the way it would have to be. We plan to bake him a cake today and then he will get another in January when the grandparents visit. It seems like a good deal to me!

I recently had an overnight training out of town for my job and am pushing to keep up with my Census Bureau work this month. I also did a self-study for more work I will be getting next month. Being a full-time stay-at-home mom, unfortunately cannot happen for me right now as we work to get bills paid so that when the time to prepare for a move to Tanzania arrives, we don't need to worry about finances.

We are hoping to meet with members of the ministry board soon, probably next month, to talk more about the future. Pastor Richard, who is currently responsible on finalizing things with the land over there, has been very sick with malaria and has only recently been recovering. Our family has prepared a small box of goodies to send over to them which will be mailed today, hopefully, but possibly not, in time for Christmas.

We are hoping to get a Christmas letter sent out to friends and family soon. It never got done last year. Then I had decided I would make it into an Easter letter but that never happened either.

Blessings to you and your family as you prepare for the holiday season in the midst of your own form of busyness.

As you are aware, I have missed a few Wordless Wednesdays. I plan to bring it back so stay tuned.

M's first quilt

I've been away for a bit...things are getting busier around here as we move into the holiday season. Collin and I have have much time committed to the performance at church-over the next 13 days, 8 evenings are committed to it as well as a couple of evenings for his choir concert at school and S's Christmas program. I also have a mandatory training for my job, two hours from here.

M and I just returned from a quilting weekend at Camp Lebanon. I have been there half a dozen times, but due to M's age, this was the first time she was able to attend. She made her first ever quilt! With Grandma Sharon's help a few weeks ago, she went through Grandma's fabric stash to find all of the fabrics for her quilt and got all of the cutting done ahead of time. We arrived at camp on Friday and by Sunday evening M had completely pieced her quilt!

Photo to come soon!

I just received the following comment on our blog this morning. It is good to read and fun to know that others are reading from so far away. It is especially the final paragraph I find should be most interesting to my readers.

I stumbled across this blog page while i was searching through the internet for current happenings and news about Africa and I must say that I am greatly impressed by what you are doing.
It is really rare to find people with such a large heart for the destitutes and orphans in Africa. Service to humanity is the greatest and most rewarding work of life.Although, it might not be financially rewarding but you can imagine the joy it brings when you put a smile or help brighten the life of some poor children in Africa.
I detest religion as it is being practised in the world today. I crave for a religion that would apreciate the uniqueness of every human race and colour and equality of all irrespective of sex physiological and sociological differences. I long for a time when the man next door would realised that the man that is dying in distant lands of want and hunger is also a brother and a neigbour!
God Bless you.

Kingsley keke
Lagos,
Nigeria
west Africa

I will try to keep in touch here throughout the month. I have a lot to say but need to find the time to post it.