May God bless you and fill your hearts with His inexhaustible joy. 

Our team came together in Bouaké Christmas and New Year’s. The week before Christmas we had a seminar looking at God's plan to redeem all of creation and Biblically what should be the Church's role.  It is a saddening and daunting subject to reflect upon seeing the damage sin has already done, even through the hands of the church, compared to the end we will someday reach.  Along with that, it is not easy to asking what custodianship of our Father’s creation means for us individually.  I took notes if you are interested.

Our Christmas was balanced between the all night celebrations at the two Bouaké churches in our association and our Americanized celebration.  Christmas Eve I was occupied with the events of the day and was putting the finishing touches on my secret Santa gift for Alyssa, meanwhile I had promised the youth group that they could use my laptop to DJ the all night Christmas party at church but was not finding time to drop it off.  The sun had already set when I hitched a ride into town, and I started the second half of the journey to the church on my bicycle.  It was far from a optimal situation, and I knew I would surely be late for our Christmas dinner even in the best case scenario.  I was bouncing down the road next to where I lived last year when some man on a motorcycle yelled out to me.  Awesomely it was my host father on his way home.  I told him what I was doing and he offered to give me a ride on his moto, so we left my bike with some friends and wound through the scarcely lit dirt roads to the church.  Before I knew it I was headed back home on my bike.  By the light of my cell phone I made it to the main rode, and although I know the road very well it was nerve-racking trying to stay next to the shoulder I could not see well someone walking along the road.  Again thankfully, a man on a moto pulled up alongside my bike part way there and shared his light with me the rest of the way home.  Before I had left, I was tired and not in the mood to spend all night at the church, but as I pulled into gate I was overwhelmed with joy and a desire to praise the unseen One who steered my bike home.  By the way, Christmas here means staying up all night dancing and watching skits at the church; finished by a short service at 5:00 Christmas morning. 

Between Christmas and New Year’s we went camping in the bush for two nights.  It was fun sleeping under the stars in cool night air with the songs of the bush to finish the day and welcome the morning.

On New Year’s Eve my good friend Ouattara Timothée joined the elite ranks of married men. 

I was the chauffer, which means I got to drive a 1990s style diesel Mercedes around all morning. 

Cars are not meant for roads in Cote d'Ivoire. 

I got to struggle opening the champagne (pineapple juice) in front of everyone. 

Timothée and his wife are renting an apartment neighboring us on campus.  We were excited to be living so close to our friend and his continued role in our program teaching French and culture, but this past week he made the tough decision to take an opportunity working as a translator for the UN.  So, instead of walking across the lawn to hang out, we said good bye for a month.  Bummer, but we can’t not be excited for what we pray turns into a full time job for him.  Please pray for him when you remember: his wife was not able to accompany him so it is a stressful departure for them.

Today I just got back from dropping Rod and Angelica off in Abidjan.  They will be gone for a month in the United States, so we are a little more on our own right now.  Until they get back in February I will continue working on campus when I can and playing whatever part is needed.  After they get back the two new journeyers will be getting ready to move into host families, and I will be less needed around Bouaké.  The plan is then for me to travel to Benin to help setup a medium range radio for missionary friends of Rod. Like all plans, especially in Africa, they need the hand of God to make them happen and He usually takes quite a bit of creative license in how they turn out.  Thank you for your continued prayers and emails, as they both often have a greater effect than we realize.