Holiday Happenings

I am sure the holidays create many busy moments for all of us! I thought I would share with you in this post, some of what has kept us busy during the last month.

As you look and enjoy these pictures, please pray for David and I, as well as Bob and Judy Van Sant. Tomorrow we fly out from here (Simferopol, Ukraine) to Israel. This month, Pastor Bob and Mrs. Judy (as we so affectionately call them) will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. Since David has been to Israel several times and I have been once, they asked us to accompany them, as tour guides and for the extra fellowship. When we realized that we, too, will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary this year, we decided to go for it! Of course, we are first and foremost missionaries, so we will always be searching for witnessing opportunities. Our three darlings will be staying in the Van Sant's home along with two babysitters and the Van Sant's own three darlings (their three dogs!) It is going to be one action-packed, happy household, for sure! We return next week, January 20th. It may be worth mentioning here, that Israel is just a two-hour flight from here and that we live in the same time zone.

Well, enjoy these newest pictures!

OUR CHRISTMAS CANTATA "TEN THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS" (I already posted about this, but here is a picture of the whole choir.)

SINGING "THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS" WITH A GROUPPERFORMING OUR CHRISTMAS CANTATA FOR A SECOND TIME, THIS TIME AT THE NURSING HOMEI COUNTED ABOUT 30 ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO MADE THEIR WAY DOWN TO THE AUDITORIUM TO HEAR US. THIS PICTURES SHOWS A FEW OF THEM.LADIES' CHRISTMAS PARTY, HOSTED BY JUDY VAN SANT, OUR PASTOR'S WIFEBRIANNA AND I, TRYING TO BLEND IN WITH THE DECORATIONS!

LADIES' CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

THE SUNDAY WE HAD MORE THAN 30 ORPHANS IN CHURCH! HERE, SOME OF THEM BEING DROPPED OFF AT CHURCH BY A BUS.CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS CANTATACHILDREN'S CANTATA SKIT NARRARATORA CLOSER LOOK.... I JUST LOVE THIS PICTURE! (THINK HE'LL ONE DAY TRULY "FILL" THIS PULPIT?!) CHILDREN'S CANTATA SKIT

TEEN CHRISTMAS BANQUET (HOSTED BY THE VAN SANTS AS WELL. PASTOR BOB IS THEIR CURRENT TEACHER)TEENS WITH THEIR CHRISTMAS GIFTS... NEW BIBLES!DAVID AND I, SERVING AT THE TEEN BANQUETTHE "NEW LIFE" SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS HAD A CHRISTMAS CLASS FELLOWSHIP AFTER A SUNDAY SERVICE. THOUGH WE DID NOT ATTEND, I GOT A GOOD PICTURE OF JOSEPH AND MARY (A.K.A. MISSIONARIES TONY AND DAWN HESS) AND WANTED TO SHARE IT!

OUR LAST WEDNESDAY EVENING SERVICE OF THE YEAR... SO WE CELEBRATED WITH A MEAL, A MESSAGE,....

...AND A CANDLE-LIT TESTIMONY AND PRAYER TIME

NEW YEAR'S PARTY AT OUR HOUSE THAT KEPT US UP UNTIL 4AM!ANNUAL MEN'S CONFERENCE... 37 MEN ATTENDED THIS TWO DAY/NIGHT RETREAT, THAT CENTERED AROUND THE THEME "HOPE IN GOD"CHRISTMAS CAROLING TO THE ELDERLY AND NEEDYDELIVERY OF NEW SHOES TO YET ANOTHER ORPHANAGE (I was not involved with this, but some of our church ladies were, so I wanted to share these pictures too)HAPPY ORPHAN GIRL WITH HER NEW HOUSESHOES!