Trust steadily in God,
Hope unswervingly,
Love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love.
Tim has had several big and exciting studio projects over the past year, and feels as though much has been accomplished. He is looking forward to exciting opportunities in the New Year. In fact, he was meeting with a man regarding one of those potential projects less than an hour before we left to catch head to the airport. He is looking forward to another 6 months of quality studio time, while his office and other field responsibilities are less.
Richelle has also had a busy year with Sheep Tales, Zarma lessons and teaching ladies’ Bible study. She is hoping to slow things down a bit in the New Year, to really focus on relationships in our family, our church, our neighborhood and our community. She will also continue writing and translating with the Sheep Tales project, but Tim will be taking over the production side of the work at the studio.
Brendan finished up his time of study at Ecole Alliance and has made the switch to “English” school at Sahel Academy. He is enjoying his studies. He also began playing the flute last year, making good progress and he truly enjoys the instrument, especially music in the Celtic style. He is turning into a young man right before our eyes – amazing to think that in 2008, we’ll have our first teenager!
Rebekah Joy has been working diligently and hard to improve her French writing skills. The spoken language has always come easily to her (yep, she’s a talker); learning all the technicalities of writing French has been her challenge. But she has made a decided effort, and we are pleased with her progress and proud of her efforts. She is becoming an accomplished babysitter and cook, adding new recipes to her repertoire regularly. In her perfect world, she’d have a pet dolphin!
Nadia continues to do well in school and in relationships. Her teacher told us at the end of the school year that he’d never had a student as genuinely sweet and kind to others as Nadia. She is (usually) kind and patient with her younger siblings and is excited that this year, her hair is long enough to braid like all her African friends. She is also continuing piano lessons, although she really wants to learn to play the harp. It is hard to believe that she will be turning 9 in less than two months!
Anna is growing like a weed. There is very little difference in size between her and her two older sisters. She is still a homebody; the first week of school was difficult for her, but she is making great strides. She is a natural at math, but struggles with reading and language skills, in both French and English. Pray that we have wisdom as we make educational decisions for her, and that she learns the importance of really applying herself and giving her best effort. She started piano this year, but the real highlight was seeing the Holy Spirit work as she chose to be baptized, giving her testimony in French so that her teachers could best understand what it means to be a Christian.
Victoria has started the maternelle program at Ecole Alliance, and she is doing fabulously. We decided to start her early – she is a quick learner and loves a challenge. She has a wonderful teacher, and enjoys morning classes, although the two afternoon sessions are difficult as she is often tired. She is a stubborn and determined little girl, but she also has a sweet and tender side that we all love. It has been fun to watch her change from a preschooler to a schoolgirl!
Jonathan? Well, the best words to describe him are “delightful” and “all boy!” He loves cars and trucks, dinosaurs and army men – it is quite entertaining to watch him line his army men up to attack the raging dinosaur! He is quick to smile and enthusiastic about everything; the down side is he is just as dramatic when things aren’t going his way. We’ve been pleased at his speech development over the last 3 months, as his vocabulary grows and his speech patterns become more intelligible daily.
Elsie Mae is no longer a baby. It is kind of sad to think that we don’t have one in the house. She is a survivor – quite necessary as the youngest of 7. She walks, talks, smiles and she very rarely meets a stranger. She spent half an hour walking around in the arms of Porter #10 (the man who always helps us with our luggage at the Niamey airport) while we were checking our luggage, and the first time she met the principal of the school affiliated with our church, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. She is enjoying meeting her cousins, but she is a little curious about this frozen land to which we’ve transported her… and she is not impressed with snow suits or with restraining car seats while wearing one.
Throughout the coming year,
may you be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length,
and depth, & height,…
and to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge…
Celebrating His love,
Tim, Richelle, Brendan, Rebekah Joy, Nadia, Anna, Victoria, Jonathan & Elsie Mae
Hope unswervingly,
Love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
(from The Message)
It is hard to believe that as we compose this prayer letter, we are sitting at Richelle’s parents, a covering of snow on the ground outside, temperatures well below freezing, and- at least to us- it does not seem a whole lot warmer inside! Meanwhile, it is still above 90’F (33’C) in Niamey most evenings (though we’ve been told the mornings are cold, which means the temperature has fallen below 70’F)! We are enjoying seeing and visiting with friends and family, curling up good books in front of the fireplace, electric blankets and big fluffy quilts, and are looking forward to a Christmas tradition some of our children haven’t enjoyed since Anna was a baby: traveling to Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland – a large Christmas store located in a nearby town. It will be hard to decide who has more fun: the children as they look at all the marvelous displays; or their parents, as we enjoy the expressions of marvel and wonder on their faces. It is a treat to take our children to this place, where Christmas is unashamedly celebrated as the wonder and miracle it is, where their goal is for people to: "Enjoy CHRISTmas, It's HIS birthday; Enjoy Life, It's HIS way."
(from The Message)
It is hard to believe that as we compose this prayer letter, we are sitting at Richelle’s parents, a covering of snow on the ground outside, temperatures well below freezing, and- at least to us- it does not seem a whole lot warmer inside! Meanwhile, it is still above 90’F (33’C) in Niamey most evenings (though we’ve been told the mornings are cold, which means the temperature has fallen below 70’F)! We are enjoying seeing and visiting with friends and family, curling up good books in front of the fireplace, electric blankets and big fluffy quilts, and are looking forward to a Christmas tradition some of our children haven’t enjoyed since Anna was a baby: traveling to Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland – a large Christmas store located in a nearby town. It will be hard to decide who has more fun: the children as they look at all the marvelous displays; or their parents, as we enjoy the expressions of marvel and wonder on their faces. It is a treat to take our children to this place, where Christmas is unashamedly celebrated as the wonder and miracle it is, where their goal is for people to: "Enjoy CHRISTmas, It's HIS birthday; Enjoy Life, It's HIS way."
Thinking some about “What is HIS way?” we remembered some of the last words Christ spoke to his followers:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”What is it that He has commanded us? Jesus Himself summed up ALL of the law and the prophets: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself." We read elsewhere that "God is love," and that the world will know we are His followers "by our love." Is there one word, above all others, that is to be our mark? It would have to be love – an agape love that desires and works for the best for others, a love that serves and thinks of others first, a love that spends all with no expectation of return, a love that we can never come up with in our own strength, but that by God's grace, we can become channels for His love as we minister to others in our different worlds where He so precisely placed us. Are there other parts to that message? Yes - and they also need to be communicated, but we can never lose sight of His key message: LOVE. God’s love was most perfectly communicated to man when He sent His Son as a tiny baby who became the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men. A fellow missionary friend in Niger recently shared the following story. She had been out visiting one of the villages where she does some development work as well as Bible storying with the villagers:
Our Lord’s feet brought Him from heaven to walk this earth. How can we ever doubt the immeasurable love that He has for us? How can we refuse to let Him love others through us, regardless?“As I was packing up my tent to leave after a recent visit, an old man walked by and stopped to chat. Your feet show your love, he said. I understood all his words, but wasn't sure of the meaning, so I asked him to repeat himself. One of my friends jumped in to explain what he meant. He means that your coming here shows that you love us.
Yes, the man agreed. Where you don't like, you don't go. Your feet come here often. That shows us that you love us.”
-2007 -
Our Year in Review
And now, for a family update… time sure is flying. It seems like only days ago, we were beginning this journey as a couple, as God brought us together as a new family. In just a few days, we will be celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary…
Our Year in Review
And now, for a family update… time sure is flying. It seems like only days ago, we were beginning this journey as a couple, as God brought us together as a new family. In just a few days, we will be celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary…
Tim has had several big and exciting studio projects over the past year, and feels as though much has been accomplished. He is looking forward to exciting opportunities in the New Year. In fact, he was meeting with a man regarding one of those potential projects less than an hour before we left to catch head to the airport. He is looking forward to another 6 months of quality studio time, while his office and other field responsibilities are less.
Richelle has also had a busy year with Sheep Tales, Zarma lessons and teaching ladies’ Bible study. She is hoping to slow things down a bit in the New Year, to really focus on relationships in our family, our church, our neighborhood and our community. She will also continue writing and translating with the Sheep Tales project, but Tim will be taking over the production side of the work at the studio.
Brendan finished up his time of study at Ecole Alliance and has made the switch to “English” school at Sahel Academy. He is enjoying his studies. He also began playing the flute last year, making good progress and he truly enjoys the instrument, especially music in the Celtic style. He is turning into a young man right before our eyes – amazing to think that in 2008, we’ll have our first teenager!
Rebekah Joy has been working diligently and hard to improve her French writing skills. The spoken language has always come easily to her (yep, she’s a talker); learning all the technicalities of writing French has been her challenge. But she has made a decided effort, and we are pleased with her progress and proud of her efforts. She is becoming an accomplished babysitter and cook, adding new recipes to her repertoire regularly. In her perfect world, she’d have a pet dolphin!
Nadia continues to do well in school and in relationships. Her teacher told us at the end of the school year that he’d never had a student as genuinely sweet and kind to others as Nadia. She is (usually) kind and patient with her younger siblings and is excited that this year, her hair is long enough to braid like all her African friends. She is also continuing piano lessons, although she really wants to learn to play the harp. It is hard to believe that she will be turning 9 in less than two months!
Anna is growing like a weed. There is very little difference in size between her and her two older sisters. She is still a homebody; the first week of school was difficult for her, but she is making great strides. She is a natural at math, but struggles with reading and language skills, in both French and English. Pray that we have wisdom as we make educational decisions for her, and that she learns the importance of really applying herself and giving her best effort. She started piano this year, but the real highlight was seeing the Holy Spirit work as she chose to be baptized, giving her testimony in French so that her teachers could best understand what it means to be a Christian.
Victoria has started the maternelle program at Ecole Alliance, and she is doing fabulously. We decided to start her early – she is a quick learner and loves a challenge. She has a wonderful teacher, and enjoys morning classes, although the two afternoon sessions are difficult as she is often tired. She is a stubborn and determined little girl, but she also has a sweet and tender side that we all love. It has been fun to watch her change from a preschooler to a schoolgirl!
Jonathan? Well, the best words to describe him are “delightful” and “all boy!” He loves cars and trucks, dinosaurs and army men – it is quite entertaining to watch him line his army men up to attack the raging dinosaur! He is quick to smile and enthusiastic about everything; the down side is he is just as dramatic when things aren’t going his way. We’ve been pleased at his speech development over the last 3 months, as his vocabulary grows and his speech patterns become more intelligible daily.
Elsie Mae is no longer a baby. It is kind of sad to think that we don’t have one in the house. She is a survivor – quite necessary as the youngest of 7. She walks, talks, smiles and she very rarely meets a stranger. She spent half an hour walking around in the arms of Porter #10 (the man who always helps us with our luggage at the Niamey airport) while we were checking our luggage, and the first time she met the principal of the school affiliated with our church, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. She is enjoying meeting her cousins, but she is a little curious about this frozen land to which we’ve transported her… and she is not impressed with snow suits or with restraining car seats while wearing one.
Throughout the coming year,
may you be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length,
and depth, & height,…
and to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge…
Celebrating His love,
Tim, Richelle, Brendan, Rebekah Joy, Nadia, Anna, Victoria, Jonathan & Elsie Mae
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