Cactus Flower

This little girl was sitting beside me when gifts where passed out at a little one room school house in one of the interiors where we've been reaching out these days.  Youth from the local church did a Christmas presentation with songs and puppets, games and cake, and presents!  Dolls for the girls and soccer balls for the boys. When blondie here got hers, she said, Awww!  Then her little sister who was sitting on my lap, said the same thing! Prayers for the boys and girls who live in the little interior villas near Fazenda Santana,  Juazeiro, Bahia.

Do you know that one request always on your mind? That request you make in every prayer service in the church?  The one who seems to never have a firm and positive response? That one it seems God doesn't seem to hear? Hear my prayer, O Lord , And let my cry come to You. Psalm 102: 1 I have a request like that. For a long time I pray for a boy who is very dear to us. I pray that he will have a stable home full of love. I pray that he will have wise adults in his life teaching him to live well. I pray that he may have those who teach him well about spiritual concepts. Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. Psalm 54: 2 I think I started praying for this boy while he was still in his mother's belly. I remember when I met her in the shade of a peacock-eye tree with it's little red seeds that my boys loved to collect in jars. She probably does not even remember ... When he was three years old, he came to spend time every day...

Today my oldest turns 23! Whew!  It's been an incredible year for him and I was so pleased to spend a good part of it nearby. We got to be in the USA for Christmas last year and for William's wedding to the lovely Kerri Potter. Our whole furlough was full of many happy reminders of how proud we are of each of our sons.  This photo from the wedding is just one of many that make me smile from 2018. William, I am especially very proud of you individually.  You made it through homeschooling with your missionary mama as your teacher at home and Sunday School teacher at church. You became a missionary at an early age and made it official at the age of 18 when you filled in for your parents on the field, all on your own, for six months.  And you did well !   You figured out life in the States with flair and with little help from mama and papa.  You've proven yourself worthy over and over.  Keep up the good work, buddy! Be dilig...