Christmas time

December was a full month for us leading up to Christmas....

The girls had their Winter Concert at school where they each performed songs with their classes. 





I am proud to say that both girls were very enthusiastic singers!

The girl's school also had their annual Holiday Fair, filling the soccer field with tons of vendors and games, including a slip n' slide and dunk tank. Last year we were sick during this weekend, so no one got to go and enjoy the festivities, so the girls were very excited to attend this year.

*dunk tank Burkina style

I celebrated the pregnancies of three friends at a group baby shower.

We had our annual church Christmas service at the girl's school, and we all had roles in helping. I was in charge of decorating for the second year, Isaak gave a reading, Sydaleigh was the lovely pink and red cow in her sunday school classes manger performance, singing a little solo. And Marvelly sang two songs with her class and rang her bell with much conviction.

We attended Christmas parties with both our Embassy friends and our ex-pat/missionary friends....

We traveled to Yako two days before Christmas with our dear friends Seth and Rebecca as well as her parents who are in town visiting, to spend the night and to attend Sheltering Wings Christmas party and participate in a sponsor gift distribution.

We left for Yako Sunday after church and arrived in the late afternoon. We spent the last remainders of light playing with the kids....

And then there was a party for all the staff members and kids at the orphanage.

They had music and gifts and dinner and together we celebrated the success of another year and all that God has done through this ministry.

The following day we were up bright and early getting ready for the sponsor gift distribution.

This is a special time where sponsors in the States can send extra money to purchase needed items or gifts for the children they sponsor here at Sheltering Wings during the Christmas season.

There were a wide variety of gifts handed out, including new shoes, chickens, 50lb bags of rice....

sheeps, oil, fabric, bicycles and even a cow!

The girls were huge helpers in handing out the chickens and sheep. I love that this has become a perfectly normal experience to them now.

And we also got to meet the two girls that we sponsor!

Kadigueta and Neamata. Such beautiful girls.We sent them home with a 50 lb bag of rice, potatoes, and a box full of other goodies.

It was a great two days. It's always a joy spending time in Yako and serving alongside such committed and motivated people!

The night we got home from Yako the girls decorated their very first gingerbread house, thanks to Janet, Rebecca's mom, who brought it over from the States for the girls. How thoughtful!

After returning back to Ouaga I got pretty sick. I started feeling bad Sunday night after arriving in Yako, and by Christmas Eve I was pretty ill. Of course. I should have expected it, we're always sick it seems.

We had plans to have dinner with Fred and Nathanja, but instead I stayed home and Isaak and the girls went. I was initially sad to be spending Christmas Eve at home alone without my family, but the Lord quickly brought peace and I ended up having a lovely time. I turned on some new worship music Holly had sent me, and it just ministered to my soul. Sometimes it's good to be alone even when we don't initially want to be. The Lord used those few hours to just refresh me and give me an energy boost despite being sick. I sat in the living room listening to music for a long time, and then watched Grease while I wrapped all the presents.

The girls and Isaak had a great time with friends eating dinner and enjoying their company, and when they returned, I had the house all ready for them.

I had all the presents wrapped and their Christmas Eve presents waiting for them on the couch. The lights were off and the tree was lit as well as some candles. I had Christmas music playing and the floor was all set up for them to sleep by the tree, which is a Christmas tradition. I am so grateful that my sickness did not rob me of making memories and having a good time that night. The girls fell asleep watching Home Alone 2 in their new Jessie nightgowns with the mermaids Mimi sent. It was a great night.

But then later that night Isaak got violently ill and was sick in bed for most of Christmas day. Our poor bodies. He was a great sport though, and ventured out of bed in the morning to open up gifts with the girls, not letting a little (or big) stomach bug keep him from celebrating with us.

We had a great time together and it was a very peaceful day. We stayed home in our pj's all day, not venturing out or seeing anyone. We spent the day together and rested and tried to recuperate, knowing we only had three short days before we hit the road on another adventure.

It was a great Christmas season, filled with many memories. And before the month was over we'd get to make even more great memories. What fun times (even though some are very hard) we are having here in Burkina! We were reminded so often this month what a precious gift it is for us to be here, and we are so thankful for all the Lord has given us in the way of friends and ministry opportunities. That was probably the greatest gift this season, just getting to spend it here.

It was a very merry Christmas season.