WE GOT MILK!!

Evening tea was started this week. Children receive hot milk and sugar at 5:15. They were gathered on the grass waiting for our Bible lesson and the milk. They enjoy the milk so much. Thanks to all of you who donated money specifically for milk for these children. They will have it seven days a week. Wednesdays and Saturdays are boiled egg days, so they are beginning to get some much needed protein. They are happy and most are healthy.

Sunday School Feb. 14, 2010

Group 2--the older students. After a great review of the first 3 books, Creation, Disobedience, and The Flood--we learned that God is Always looking for Faithful men who would Walk with Him, Talk with Him, Listen to Him, and Obey Him--thereby Honoring Him. Our lesson for today was on the 4th book Abraham, and I think they learned a lot. It was wonderful to go back to pictures in the first three books to grasp the concept of "fellowship with God"--what that looks like, and also to see in Disobedience, what sin does to that relationship with God. After studying half of the book of Abraham, time was up and we all stood to sing the crazy song "Father Abraham has Many Sons....."

They love it and it has lots of motions with it. It was great fun.

It was a wonderful day, and I can't wait for next Sunday. These three in the picture, Moses, Alex, and Babu, came first and started looking through the books--these pictures weren't "set up." They love looking at the pictures.

Sunday School at Orphanage Feb.14,2010

Today was our first day to have Sunday School at the orphanage. I started at 9:30 with the young ones and we sang songs and began learning about God from the Creation Picture Book--the basics---God loves Me; God created the world; God is the provider; God loves praise and worship. Timo, who lives at the orphanage helped with the translating and the teaching. It was a good time to be with these little ones who often get lost in our other studies. We had a good rain during this time and we were really able to Praise---it has been so hot and dusty here.

I am not sure if it was the teaching or the rain, but one little girl fell sound asleep before we ended.

We sang "Praise ye the Lord, Alleluia", "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"," My God is so Great!" and "Jesus Loves the Little Children."

Prayer, Bayer, and Chicken Noodle Soup

I just had to share this. As I was leaving the orphanage late yesterday, I was told that Jack was very ill. He was burning up with fever. Knowing he would get no appropriate treatment from the hospital, I brought him home. Dan Douglas was here to help me. Jack's temperature was 103.5. We cooled him down with water, bathed him, put new clothes on him. I heated up a Chicken Noodle Cup of Soup, gave him 2 pieces of bread and a half liter of mixed Gatorade. He ate it up. We prayed over him, and put him on the sofa to rest and wait. We were all in the dark as the power had gone out. When we next took the temp. it was 101.5. We took him back to the orphanage for the night. Dan checked on him this morning and found him dressed for school and with a temp. of 97.7!! We give God the glory and the thanks, and are grateful we were able to show him some TLC with Chicken Noodle Soup, a good bath, and clean clothes!

Update February 9,2010

(if you aren't interested in the text, please scroll down to enjoy the pictures.)

Book Ministry----We are excited about a new plan to distribute the Creation to Christ books through the Baptist Seminary in Uganda located about 5 hours from my house. Our plan is to travel about once a month to meet with pastors as they rotate in and out for their 3 week sessions. At the end of the year, we should be able to get books in the hands of over 500+ pastors from 5 countries--Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rawanda, Congo. Although I will have those long trips, I will cut back for now on the extensive travel we did in 2009. I will miss traveling to the villages and the bush--but this makes more sense at this time.

We will begin reprints of the first book--Creation.

The artist is working on the next drawings and I have developed a time-line for completion which I will go over with him in a meeting tomorrow---same with printer.

Orphanage---we had a great week with the children last week. On Wednesday the 3rd, we met for our first Bible lesson of the new year. (they are just beginning the new school term) We talked of God's great love for us, as shown through the Creation Book, and His commandment that we "love one another." We are hoping and praying to construct an all-purpose pavilion for meetings and dining, so we don't have to always be on the dirt ground without protection from sun or rain. I will be teaching Sunday School there beginning this week, Wed. will still be Bible lesson and we will have an English/Bible lesson once a week for the older children--studying Luke.

Chicks---we had to do significant renovation to the chicken coop--adding windows, enlarging windows, adding a screen door. Hopefully, the increased ventilation and sunlight will improve the overall health of the chicks and aid in production of eggs. And now the children are all back to assist with the on-going daily work.

Gardens---we are ready to plant--just waiting for the rainy season to begin.

Piggery--at this time, the piggery project is on hold until we get the chick project manageable and profitable, but we are guarding your gifts and donations and will keep you informed.

Christmas in February-- on Thursday we distributed gifts to the children--Teddy bears or Beanie baby, toothbrush, sponge, pencil. The children quietly waited their turn for their gifts and held it in their laps as we continued to distribute. They seemed very pleased and expressed their appreciation and thanks. Thanks to all of you who contributed to this--especially the Girl Scouts of Austin and members of Grace Church, Austin!

Milk--now that the children have returned we will make a plan for providing milk for them--straight from the cows--several times a week. Thanks for your contributions for that project.

Bible Study--we began a Bible study of Acts in my home last night. We will meet on Monday evenings. Last night was a great beginning with 6 present and lots of contribution and insight. Pray for the faithfulness of that group.

IAM meeting tonight with the 4 young men here who work in our ministry. Tonight will be a time of evaluation of 2009 successes and failures and challenges and course of action for 2010.

Thanks so much to Robin Cook who visited with us for two weeks--teaching, advising, participating,and loving all of us. We will miss her.

Loving One Another

Bible Lesson--Loving Others Because God loves us.

Bible Study at Orphanage Feb.3

One of our hopes and prayers this year is to build an all-purpose pavilion for the children to use as a dining room (they currently eat sitting on the dirt or ground), study room, and meeting room--for our Bible lessons. I will be trying to get an estimate on the cost of a simple open, but roofed structure. Pray that God provides that for these children. If we had not built this narrow veranda they are sitting on now, they would be sitting in the dirt. And, for a teacher, it is difficult to keep everyone's attention, when half of the group is wrapped around the side, out of sight. But we manage.

Theresa and George Nelson

February Christmas in Mityana