Merry Christmas

Kids are decorating the tree

Each year we get out the decorations and the fake tree and the kids have a great time decorating.  We start in November because they need to have time to enjoy the decorations before they leave for their vacation.

Daeyoen and Amy choose carefully

I made each of the kids a stocking for goodies

Amy, Cora and Amelia, our "little" girls

Congratulations Yunin!

YUNIN won the Table Tennis Championship this year. It was a double elimination tournament which lasted two days! The competition was tough, but Yunin rose to the challenge and beat out Chunghyun in the finale. Congratulations Yunin!

Happy Birthday Jayson

Jayson is five!! 

Jayson is five! Our little boy who was born just six weeks before our language study is now five years old and enjoying kindergarten.  He is already sounding out words and swims like a fish!  He loves to play with cars, swords and balls!  He loves people and always wants to be at peace with everyone.  Full of energy, he can turn on the charm and endears himself to people.  We love you Jayson!

New Dorm Assistant

On October 18 Ruth Wong came to help us in the dorm, we are so thankful for her and the kids love her.  She is cheerful and fun, yet she knows how to motivate the kids.  She is inclusive and non-judgmental.  We are very thankful to God for bringing her into our dorm and into our hearts.

Tea Party

Mikaylah received a tea pot from our friend Cathy Bliss. It has been her favourie thing, lately to make and drink tea. Recently our big 18 year old senior, Asyncrite joined Mikaylah and Jayson for a spot of tea.

Consider it pure joy...

New Dorm furniture all assembled in our common room when we got back to NiameyBeth and the new furniture
Jayson's first day of Kindergarten with his teacher, Mrs Riggs

Mikaylah and Jayson on the first day of school, Kindergarten and grade two!

Zeb's birthday celebration!

September is already upon us, first let me apologize for such a long wait! We have actually been in school three and a half weeks. We are enjoying new kids, new furniture and by this time next week a new mission board!
Yikes! Yes, many of you may already know that the 24th of August we received news that our mission board was folding due to lack of funds and we would have ten days to find another mission board! God is faithful!

Tim and I had decided in early August that our theme in the dorm this year would be JOY. Our theme verses are from the first chapter of James, verses 2-5. God does have a sense of humour... Consider it pure joy my brothers (and sisters :)) whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him.

We have had the opportunity to practice what we preach! And the kids are watching... always watching. After many sleepless nights and many questions He has given us peace, peace that passes our understanding and, miraculously, joy.
Girls singing Karaoke!
Cora, Amy, Marette and MiYoen at the dorm outing.
Deborah reading at the dorm outing at the pool
Boy pyramid at the pool at our dorm outing, Asyncrite, Zeb and Josh on top!

Deborah with Mikaylah and Jayson at the Terminus Pool
Three boys on one bike, John, Zeb and Josh!
The whole gang on the monkey bars...

Amelia turns 12

Our youngest Brit turned twelve this week. She wanted chocolate cream pie instead of cake! We aim to please, Happy Birthday Amelia!

Trip to Virginia

At the end of our vacation we took three days to scoot down to Virginia to visit Tim's brother Ron and his family. Their son Brian and Jayson bonded and both kids enjoyed hotdogs, cotton candy and icecream at the Washington Nationals baseball game. We also celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary, then we made the ten hour trip back to Toronto before our trip back to Niger.

Trip to Michigan

We spent five days in Michigan visiting Tim's sisters and parents. The kids enjoyed fishing, bouncy castles, swimmiing and jumping on grandpa Phillips' trampoline while Diana took us shopping.

Niagara Falls

American side of the Falls
Rainforest Cafe
Captain Jayson
The Gray family
Captain Mikaylah
Jayson on Maid of the Mist

Mikaylah and Jayson on the MOTM
Waiting in line for the MOTM
One foot in the US and one foot in Canada
Tired boy on the way back to Grandma and Grandpa's.

For the fourth of July Weekend we spent two days at Niagara Falls. We walked across the bridge, had one foot in the US and one foot in Canada and enjoyed a ride on the maid of the mist. We ate at the rainforest cafe and visited with Andrew and Nikki Gray and their three children. The Grays are raising support to come to Sahel to take our place while we are on home assignment next year. It was great to touch base with them and to meet them. They are a wonderful family and we expect they will do a fine job next year.

Canada Day

Mother and daughter on the subway train in Toronto
Cotton Candy or candy floss depending whether you are in Canada or the USA!
Wanna share?
Dairy Queen ice cream cones!  Yummy!
See our Canada tatoos?
Janice and her sister
Our family

The cousins and aunt and uncle took a mini train ride that actually derailed!
Mikaylah and Jayson on the glass floor of the CN Tower
Cousin Joey at the bottom of the tower

We took the kids down town Toronto by subway on Canada day. The MacLeod cousins came too. First they went up the CN tower, ate cotton candy and icecream then they rode a mini train and capped the day off with fireworks at the church.