Sunday, October 25, 2009

Family & Fun Photos from Tchincombe

Lubango! Looking good! The physical effects of war are slowly fading!




Who? Me? I didn't do it!



Ruger thinks Tchincombe beef is yum even if he only gets the drippings!









It's a good thing that Stir loves his Landy because he spends lots of time in it!







Meat delivery! It comes right to the door! You know what? I really like going to grocery store and buying it already packaged!



One of our new horses - we named her Lady.



Hwin





Our BP. "What ya doin', huh?" Is his favorite phrase!



Babs, Meghan's cat, earning her keep!





Meghan, Aimee, McKenna and Riley




Fun in the sand! At Tchincombe we have sand but no beach!



Meghan with McKenna & Riley who visited Angola this summer. What a special thing to be able to be with them now in Greensboro. It's an answer to Meghan's prayers!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Tattooing Calves


Each year at weaning time the new calves must be disbudded, castrated, dewormed, branded and tattooed! Each animal at Tchincombe gets a number. It's quite the rodeo! Enjoy!


Calves waiting in calf pen for their turn! Once they are done they can get to their mom for their breakfast!


Catching the Calf


Holding the calf


Cleaning the ear with alcohol


Tutyiale - foremen for livestock



Tattoo machine


Tattooing


Applying Tattoo Ink



Dewormer so calves can grow healthy without internal parasites. Meghan likes to help. Sometimes it's a messy job!



Disbudding. So the calf won't grow horns. Safer for everyone!


All done! Finally the calf can get to its Mom! This particular calf is too young to wean - it was born at end of season and will be weaned next year.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Meghan's Birthday








August 2009
Meghan is 10!
Celebrating at Friday Night Pizza in Lubango.




















































Saturday, September 26, 2009

Greetings from the USA!

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from the USA! Meghan and I arrived last Saturday. All our flights and travels ran very well!! As of Thursday my body AND my mind are now in this time zone!

Computers are great – we have been able to stay in touch with Stirling & Jeffrey via e-mail and Skype. They are doing well though a bit tired..

The Executive committee meetings of the UIEA that were held at Tchincombe ran well both meeting wise and logistics wise. This week after the meetings Stirling had to go to town twice so he says he’s feeling pretty tired. There is a team from Tchincombe going to Imbondwe this weekend to meet Steve for the monthly service but Stirling and Jeffrey are staying home! Thanks for your prayers on their behalf.

One of the goals at Tchincombe for October is to get as much of the fencing up as possible so please pray that it will become a reality! We make our plans but they don’t always materialize the way we imagine!

Please do pray for Stirling’s Mum. As you know she had a stroke at the end of March. She’s really made remarkable progress over these months. But about 10 days ago her back started hurting and now despite ibuprofen she prefers to stay in bed and doesn’t want to eat very much. She has a doctor’s appointment on Monday. Pray that she would have the desire and mental strength to communicate! It takes a lot of effort. She will answer questions and some times we all get a laugh from her response – even she laughs because she knows it’s not what she wants to say – but she doesn’t really initiate or participate in conversations! Pray that she will be encouraged in her spirit. Pray too that Helena and I will know how to encourage and help her.

Please pray for Jeffrey too – he has two more courses to finish 9th grade!

We do appreciate your prayers!

In Him,

Donna Foster

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Meghan and I start our journey toward the USA tomorrow.

Hi!

Meghan and I start our journey toward the USA tomorrow. We are driving out with friend and colleague Karen Henriksen. We will make the journey to Windhoek in two days and so arrive there on 15 September. Our flight from Windhoek is 18 September. We arrive in Greensboro on 19 September. Thanks for your prayers as we travel.

September 16-20 the Executive Committee of the UIEA will be having their annual meetings here at Tchincombe! At last year’s meeting when we offered to host the meetings we had no idea that I would need to go to the USA. Shelley had agreed to help Stir with logistics of cooking, etc BUT she and Peter’s plans changed because the team coming to build their house in August got delayed until September! All to say that Stirling will definitely appreciate your prayers as he hosts 27 delegates as well as attends the meetings! Thankfully Perpetua, our former housekeeper and cook, is coming to help. We are grateful to her new employers (an MAF family in Lubango) who were willing to give her the week off. Pray too that our little church here will wholeheartedly help in anyway they are able!

Stirling and Jeffrey WILL be joining us in the USA on October 26!

Pray for Sheila Fabiano – Stirling’s sister - who will be traveling this way to teach a module at the seminary in Lubango. While she is here I will be there to assist Mum and Dad Foster. We are glad of your prayers for them also – the aging process is a humbling one.

Continue to pray for the Foxes as they work through all the feelings associated with losing their home! Pray too that there monthly support would come in so that they can head off to Portugal for language study!

IF ANYONE KNOWS AN INDIVIDUAL OR CHURCH WANTING TO TAKE ON THE SUPPORT OF A MISSIONARY FAMILY PLEASE LET THEM KNOW! Foxtribe6@aol.com

We won’t be traveling while in USA but would love to hear from you by phone!

Our number will be 336-218-8989 or 336-218-7509

We do appreciate your prayers!

With Love From Tchincombe,

Donna for all of us!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

here’s news from the Fox and need for urgent prayer

Dear Prayer Warriors – we returned to Lubango on Sunday evening after many dusty kilometers of travel to see the Menongue Bible Institute’s cattle BUT – here’s news from the Fox and need for urgent prayer – we’ll send another update about our trip.

On August 29:

Hello Prayer warriors,

We need your immediate prayer. We have just been informed that we have to evacuate the camp because of a forest fire that is burning out of control. We can see the flames on a ridge about 2 mountains away, and that is probably 7 miles, but it is not contained at all.

We were leaving for CIT on Saturday and have been making plans accordingly....however; that has just been upped to getting out in 30 minutes. We ask your prayers for safe travel and that we will rest in the arms of our Lord. We pray that the camp will not be harmed and that all will still be here to come back to in November.

At this present time we will be planning to live at our other camp, Harmony Pines, until we fly out to North Carolina for classes on September 6th.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Cynthia

On Monday, Sept 7

“....we REALLY need extra prayer right now...we received a call this morning and they are 95% sure that our house has burned to the ground . . . .”

On Wednesday, Sept 9

Hello my fellow prayer warriors,

If there was ever a time that we needed prayer...this is it. We have just confirmed today that our house and schoolroom has been a total loss in the fires.

We had to evacuate Aug 29th and have lived in suit cases until we arrived at CIT today. During this time, it was continually up and down on news about the fire as it flowed toward the camp. When we were driving to the airport on Sept 5, we were informed that the firefighters guarding our camp, had to flee because of the danger....then from the plane we could see the actual flames from the mountains far away.

We just told the kids and they are taking it pretty well. Tomorrow's school assignment is to draw a picture of their house....don't know if this will be therapeutic or painful....please pray for strength.

The rest of the camp survived, our house was the only structure lost....leave it to us to always try to beat the odds.

Right now we are pretty much in shock, and we really don't have time to assimilate this in our brain in any manner, because we are beginning intensive training for cultural studies and language acquisition.

Because we were leaving for CIT and had 30 minutes to pack and get out, we did not anticipate that the fire would actually consume everything we own.....we were having to think "travel to North Carolina".

It has been a hard 2 1/2 years since we began our journey to Angola, Africa.....all we want to do is serve the Lord where He wants us...you wouldn't think it would be this hard. They say the Lord never gives you more than you can bear....well, He must think the world of us!!!!!

Please pray for the following:

1. Cynthia is pretty weary. She has lost ALL of her home school curriculum and most of her records. Her concerns are how to hold the family together and support them, all the while thinking about the school year that lays ahead and how to meet their educational needs.

She is also involved in deep studies herself and this is going to make it hard for her to concentrate. Please ask the Lord to show her some encouragement.

2. Lawrence is thinking about the family needs...that the camp will open soon...also the loss of personal items. A mind of study and trust and comfort that the Lord has everything in control.

3. Dylan is doing pretty good. Please pray that he can make some friends here....lots of boys his age. Also, that he could verbalize if he is feeling sadness from the loss of all his goods.

4. Megan. She is feeling insecure with all the new surroundings and people, but she usually perks up once she gets familiar with everyone. Ask the Lord to help her study....she's not the "school" type and this might be hard for her.

5. Garrett...he's pretty sad about losing his bionicles and tends to be our "pack rat", so he is considering the many things that he has lost in the fire, most have sentimental value. Already he is making friends (as always)....for a mind of study.

6. Melanie...she is acting really tough....but on the inside, I want to make sure that she is not verbalizing her sadness at things lost. We had to leave our cat behind, and we are not sure if he is alive....he was VERY bonded to Melanie. She needs prayer to make a good friend in her school class.

We want to be sure and give God all the glory for the many good things that He has done. Our vehicles escaped the fire, as well as Lawrence's tools that were in the shop....this is a great blessing to him. We are grateful also, that Cynthia's glass studio appears to have escaped the flames and is still standing.

We are indebted to him for keeping our family safe and in good health. Nothing else really matters. Things can be replaced.

Thank you so much for holding us up before the Lord. We keep telling each other, that if all these trials we have endured in the last 2 1/2 years is just to get us strong for the mission field in Angola.....I can't imagine what life there is going to be like!!! Satan seems to feel pretty strongly that he needs to attack us on a regular basis and with great venom. Please pray for our spiritual protection. It is obvious that he wants to divert our attention away from this training......and we REALLY don't want to do that....it's obviously important for the Kingdom of God.

Much thanks in our hearts for all of you,

The Fox family

Lawrence, Cynthia, Dylan, Megan, Garrett, and Melanie.

If you want to write us here at CIT, ( I know the children would really appreciate letters) you can send mail to:

Lawrence and Cynthia Fox

C/O CIT

P.O. Box 250

Union Mills, NC 28167

Thanks so much for your prayers on behalf of our colleagues!! We so long for them to join us here at Tchincombe! Pray that we will all be patient and trusting HIS timing about their coming to Angola!!

We’ll write again soon and also update the blog with photos of our trip!

In Him,

Donna

Thursday, August 27, 2009

The first bush threatened to enter last night.

Hi! The 19°F (-7.6°) weather we had a couple of weeks back means everything is BROWN! All the bushes and even our citrus trees got burned by the frost! Only the largest trees have some green on them. We have truly a winter picture – the white sand even looks like snow in the moonlight!

The first bush threatened to enter last night. The men were able to stop it at the border with a back fire!

On Saturday we begin a 10 day trip to the east of Angola! We are going to visit the herd of cattle which The Menongue Bible Institute (IBM) bought some years ago. Apparently quite a few have been eaten by crocodiles . . . . we shall see! Please pray for safety in travel. Pray that we will be an encouragement to those we meet!

We arrive back in Lubango on 7th September. Back to Tchincombe on 8th. Then Meghan and I begin our travels to the USA on 13th.

We were able to sell the 15 heifers at the fair for a good price so we are content!

Pray for Firmino, Tutyiale and Paulo as they hold down the fort here. There’s always SO MUCH to be done – the foremen work very hard. Pray for strength, encouragement!

Pray for Toiya (13-ish) and her family – she’s the daughter of the family at Imbondwe where we meet. She was stricken some years ago with malaria and as a result has epilepsy as well as some residual motor deficits. For some reason she was alone last week and had a convulsion and fell into the fire and got burned quite severely. Epilepsy in itself is a hard burden to bear for the family – there are not the supports that we have in the west. Infection is the worst enemy of the burn patient.

A team from here will go to Imbondwe this weekend. Steve Foster will come from Lubango to preach.

Pray too for Teteiko Andre – a member of the Tchincombe Church. He’s has some health issues that are keeping him from being able to work.

Last week we weaned 237 calves! Lots of lowing from the corral! This week we are injecting the cows with vitamin A which is essential for reproductive health and which they don’t get much of when the grass is not green! We have also been getting together financial and cattle number reports for the annual executive meetings of the church. On top of all this we have been preparing for the trip – e.g. cooking all the food – there are no fast food places to stop! Preparing the vehicles, etc. So life has been full and we are a little weary! I wanted to share something that has been good for me to remember AGAIN – this from Andrew Murray:

Many people want to take the Word and believe that, but do not think it is so necessary to fellowship with God. Ah, no! You cannot separate God from His Word. No goodness or power can be received separate from God. If you want to get into this life of godliness, you must take time for fellowship with God.

People sometimes tell me: ‘My life is one of such scurry and bustle that I have not time for fellowship with God.’ A dear missionary said to me: ‘People do not know how we missionaries are tempted. I get up a five o’clock in the morning, and there are the natives waiting for their orders for work. Then, I have to go to the school and spend hours there. Then, there is other work, and sixteen hours rush along. I hardly get time to be alone with God.’

Ah! There is the need. I pray you, remember two things. I have not told you to trust the omnipotence of God as a thing, and I haven’t told you to trust the Word of God as a written book. I have told you to go to the God of omnipotence and the God of the Word. Deal with God as that nobleman dealt (John 4:50) with the living Christ. Why was he able to believe the word that Christ spoke to him? Because in the very eyes and tone and voice of Jesus, the Son of God, he saw and heard something which made him feel that he could trust Him. And that is what Christ can do for you and me. Do not try to stir and arouse faith from within. How often I have tried to do that, and made a fool of myself! You cannot stir up faith from the depths of your heart. Leave your heart, and look into the face of Christ. Listen to what He tells you about how He will keep you. Look up into the face of your loving Father, and take time everyday with Him. Begin a new life with the deep emptiness and poverty of a man who has got nothing, and who wants to get everything from Him, - with the deep restfulness of a man who rests on the living God, the omnipotent Jehovah. Try God, and prove Him if He will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there will not be room to receive it.”

I guess really Jesus said it first in John 15:1-8 – Meghan and I are memorizing for her school . . . “I am the vine, you are the branches . . . . “

THANK YOU so much for you love, prayers and gifts of support!

In Him,

Donna

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Our lowest temp this winter!

Hello! We’ve had an exciting week!

Our lowest temp this winter! We decided to have a sleep under the stars night. On Friday (10 days ago) we had our pizza, Coke, and movie and then headed over to the waterhole that’s in the middle of the farm. We set up in or on the vehicles and when we woke up there was a good frost on our sleeping bags! The car thermometer read 19º F (-7.6º C). Brrrrr! We have very good sleeping bags! We were not cold . . . .until we got out of our sleeping bags!

This week we had a scary adventure. I opened a window to let out a bee which had gotten into the house and got bitten by a different bee who was on the other side of window handle! The ring finger of my left hand! I immediately took out stinger, put on ice and took 2 benadryl to prevent my finger from swelling too badly. I managed to get my engagement ring off but not my wedding ring. THEN as I’m sitting on the sofa with my hand up in the air, holding an ice pack I begin to feel my face get red and my neck itch. My face started swelling and I began with hives! Bummer! My finger was swelling so much that we had to cut off my wedding ring – good job, Jeffrey. I took another benadryl and a cool shower. THANKFULLY the reaction stopped! But we were pretty shaken up. I’ve never reacted like that to a bee sting! I guess we need to get a bee sting kit! The kids were pretty worried but they did very well and stayed calm which helped me to stay calm! Because it’s dry season the bees are after water wherever they can find it so they are constantly buzzing around the house! It will be slightly nerve wracking until the rains come!

Stirling was away accompanying the farm truck which was taking Tchincombe’s heifers to the neighbor’s to load up them for their trip to the fair. There are several sandy hills where the truck might get stuck so Stir went along to give a pull if necessary. So he wasn’t here for our bee excitement!

The fair started yesterday and will go through Sunday – pray for Tchincombe’s workers who are there taking care of the 15 heifers. There’s lots of temptation to get drunk!

Stirling and Jeffrey will join Meghan and I in the USA at the end of October. We’ll have a month together with Stirling’s parents – we are grateful for this opportunity. We’ll return together to Angola on 23 November.

At this point we are at 96.7% support – we are SO grateful to you for your faithfulness!! THANK YOU!

In Him,

Donna

Saturday, July 25, 2009

SLC 2009 is an historical fact!

WHEW! SLC 2009 is an historical fact! We hope that all that we heard and did will be a part of who we are becoming. Pastor Abias gave excellent talks – not easy ones – about The Church, The Mission, and Evangelism. There are many things to think of and pray about as we look at how we do missions and how we can get the WHOLE church (i.e. the Body of Christ) involved in Evangelism!

We’ve spent the last few days taking things down (meeting tent, eating tables, latrines etc.) and putting things away. Today is the first day that’s been a more normal day! And we are beginning to feel rested.

It’s now Saturday and we do feel rested! Stir, Jeffrey and Meghan are reloading ammunition – my family the hunters!

Tomorrow is Embondwe. There is a team from Tchincombe Church going but not us this time! Please pray for God’s word to penetrate hearts! Stirling and a smaller team will be going to the Bicuar preaching point. We heard from our workers that the Bicuar game guards gave a word of thanks over national radio to the “fazendeiros” (farmers) who have been encouraging them!

The UIEA national leadership is traveling this week to Catota to inaugurate the newly rebuilt Catota Mission hospital – the provincial government built this hospital with the desire that the medical department of the UIEA will help to staff and run it. So please pray for doctors, nurses – both Angolan and expatriate!!! Pray for Pastor Chiquete, Pastor Zebedeu, Dagmar Henchoz (SIM field leader), Dr. Henriksen and others who are traveling!

September is looming big in my mind! Meghan and I will travel to the USA on 18 September to be there for 2 months. Stirling’s Mum is still progressing well after her crises a few months back. But Stirling’s Dad has a left sided weakness that is progressing – the doctors can’t explain exactly why. He’s had loads of tests but nothing shows up to explain the weakness. He’s had several falls lately and so now they are in the process of getting a wheelchair for him. Please PRAY for Dad & Mum Foster to have peace of heart and mind in this time when their bodies will not cooperate! If the funds should come available Stirling and Jeffrey would like very much to travel to the USA for part of the time we are there!

It really feels like winter here today! Yesterday’s high was 73.5ºF! Right now it is only 60°F and there is a cool breeze blowing! Brrrrr! I know some of you in the North are laughing – for you it would be Spring but for us it’s cold! Tutyiale just came over and he’s got on his big jacket!

Pray too for the Fox family! It’s hard to have all their one time support and still need monthly support! They are planning to go for 3 months of training in September. It means they leave their current job. In these uncertain economic times they are not assured of a job to come back to! Yet how to live and leave for Portugal without full support!

Thanks so much for praying with us!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

Monday, July 13, 2009

We have been SO BUSY this week

We have been SO BUSY this week with preparations for our annual SLC – Spiritual Life Conference - which begins tomorrow! We are so grateful that Brent Mudde, Jason and the Duplantises came early to help get things ready! Pray that we will be renewed!

Jason is part of a team of 8 that have come from St. Andrews in Thunder Bay, Ontario to help with the conference. Please pray for the team as they help out this week.

Pray for Pastor Abias who will be speaking this week. Pray too for those who are traveling tomorrow to get here.

We have found out that the ‘neighbor’ 25 km from here lost 5 horses and the close neighbor (7km) has lost at least 2 horses to African Horse Sickness. So far the rest of our horses have been healthy. We’ve had several frosts which has killed the midge that carries the disease!

Please pray for Aimee Heyer as she is desiring to come back to Angola for a year! Ask the Lord to make it clear if this is his will for her life. The process for getting a work visa is extensive and time consuming!

Please continue to pray for the people at the Imbondwe and Bicuar preaching points that the Word that has been spoken will produce fruit in their lives!! That they will come to know the Word of Life!

Thanks for your prayers on behalf of the ladies. We had a great meeting on Wednesday this week. We are studying the passage about the Samaritan woman at the well. Our study is one of learning to read Portuguese – them learning new vocabulary as well as exploring Biblical truths!

Pray for Jeffrey as he is in 9th grade and doing an Independent Study High School – at 15 it’s hard to see what school has to do with REAL life! He does great on open book exams but the major closed book exams are a challenge since he’s not used to test taking – it is one of the short comings of the way we have done home school!

THANKS so much for your partnering with us!

In Him

Donna

Saturday, June 27, 2009

We got the tent yesterday!

HI! We got the tent yesterday! Traveling north today. Will cross border tomorrow! Please pray!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Another of our horses has died...

Hi to you all from Windhoek!

Stirling and I came down to bring Aimee to catch her flight back to Canada and to do shopping for our annual missionary retreat. We are currently waiting on the large tent we’ve ordered as the meeting tent. It should be here on Friday! Please PRAY that it will come on Friday as we are anxious to get home – NO – PRAY it will come early! Like tomorrow – that would be better!

We got word from Tchincombe today that another of our horses has died. SIGH. It’s the horse that Jeffrey had chosen as his own. They found ‘Trinity’ dead in the pasture. It’s hard to be here when we know the kids are feeling sad! So we’d appreciate your prayers for them that the enemy will not be able to use this to turn their hearts away from God or make them afraid to love!

Please continue to pray for Fran Gralow who’s coming to work in Bible Translation. She hoped to be here by the end of May but actually lacks about $400 of monthly support!

Pray for the meetings at Imbondwe this weekend. We’ll not be attending but a team from Tchincombe will go and so will a team from Lubango! Continue to pray for open hearts!

Pray for our missionary conference which is July 13-18. That we would experience rest and renewal!

Thanks for partnering with us in prayer!

In Him,

Donna

Friday, June 19, 2009

We do feel loved!

Dear Friends All,

THANKS so much for all your prayers and for the many hugs that have come our way! We do feel loved! The biggest shock about Strider is that he didn’t look sick. One minute we realized he was sick and the next 5 minutes he was dead so we had to preparation time mentally. The greatest loss is for Stirling because Strider was big enough for him to ride. He was one of the few large horses around. On top of everything he was very gently even though he was a stallion. Again we do appreciate your understanding.

PRAISE! On a positive note Aimee has made wonderful progress with the other horses that we have. We received 8 horses from a farmer friend. Our idea is to choose 4 or 5 to keep and four to train and sell (in order to pay for the 4 we keep). The horses were delayed on end arriving (nothing new for Angola) but in the two weeks since they came Aimee has managed to catch and halter and lead them all. One is ready to ride and another will be ready soon.

On Saturday Stirling and I will drive Aimee to Windhoek where she will wing her way back to Canada. Please pray with her and with us as she contemplates the possibility of returning to do more horse work and to work with youth here. Our desire would be YES, YES, YES please do come back!! But we know that it must be the Lord’s YES first!

While in Windhoek Stir and I will be shopping for Spiritual Life Conference which is July 13- 17. Please pray for Pastor José Abias who is our speaker that God will prepare him to share with us what’s on His heart! SLC will be held at Tchincombe again. It’s a joint retreat for missionaries from various organizations and for our Angolan colleagues. Pray for Stir and I to be able to plan well so that we can enjoy the retreat as well. Pray too for the team coming from Canada who will be doing the cooking and leading the children’s worship. Pray that we’ll all REST and have FUN!!

Jeffrey and Meghan will be staying with our MAF colleague/friend, Brent. They will be holding down the fort and taking care of all the critters and keeping on with school!

PRAISE! Herbs got a two year multiple entry visa. This means that next year they will be able to plan their trip and come without the uncertainty of waiting for a visa.

PRAISE! At the Bicuar preaching point there were 40 people. Our church here is excited about this outreach. Since it is closer than Imbondwe it is feasible to send a team every week.

PRAY for the Angolan Embassy in D.C. Visas delays are costing lots of time and money for those wanting to come and be a help here in Angola. Dr. Nick Comminellis is supposed to be coming to relieve Dr. Steve Foster so that he can participate in SLC but Dr. Nick still doesn’t have a visa!!!

Thanks for your partnership in the Gospel!

With much love from Angola!

Donna for all of us

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Sometimes the adventure isn’t fun

Dearest Friends and Prayer Partners,

Sometimes the adventure isn’t fun - one never knows what the day will bring - our horse, Strider, suddenly died this morning!

I feel a bit worn out so here is the story in Shelley’s words –

a sad thing today - and it may seem a bit frivolous to some of you - but it is a real part of the warfare for our joy here - my brother Stirling's horse died suddenly this morning from what appears to be African Horse Sickness. What is especially sad other than losing a family friend and pet, is that the horse had just finished being trained to ride and Stirling had just ridden him twice. It is a big blow to our sense of joy when such things happen, but we know it is, as I mentioned, part of a warfare . . . Please pray for Stirling in particular during this time of grieving over this loss.”

Aimee has spent many hours training Strider and done such a wonderful job – pray for her too – she was at the beach this weekend and will only be finding out now as she returns from the beach and then here to Tchincombe tonight.

We only realized Strider was sick after Stirling left to go to town for fuel. Stir will only be back late tonight. There are long line ups for fuel. The fuel company is having a hard time keeping up with demand in terms of transporting fuel from the port.

Someone also just came and said that one of the ladies here (Cristina) has just started with a miscarriage. Please pray for her and her family. Pray that the bleeding will stop. Pray for wisdom and strength.

The Herbs were granted a visa but it was too late and so they have postponed their trip till next year. Pray for their peace of heart and mind. They lost quite a lot of money because of cancelled tickets, etc.

Pray for us too as we work through these disappointments!

I will praise him – though the mountains fall into the sea and all around me is dark – I will praise his name!

Donna for all of us

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Stirling and Jeffrey are haying today

Stirling and Jeffrey are haying today – we are dreadfully behind because of breakdowns. Aimee, Meghan and I are getting life organized to go to Imbondwe! Stir should come at noon to eat then we pack and leave!

PRAY for hearts to hear and receive God’s Word and love into their hearts! Brent, our MAF colleague, is coming as usual and he is bringing a new MAF family along so that’s exciting and encouraging. PRAY for Steve & Peggy Foster – they are crazy busy these days with med students and other medical visitors coming and going!

PRAISE – the Hall Family got their visas and are here in Angola!

BUT please CONTINUE to PRAY for the Herbs – they still don’t have received their visas! If they don’t come by next week they will have to cancel their trip - L!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

Monday, May 18, 2009

The Herbs and Halls DID NOT receive their visas last week!

Greetings from Tchincombe! The Dry season has come! It was 11º C (52º F) this morning! The air is dry. Harvest and haying are in full swing!

The Herbs and Halls DID NOT receive their visas last week! Please PRAY that they would be granted this week!

Today we go to Lubango to meet with the rest of the SIM team, SIM Int’l leadership and the UIEA leadership – meetings are tomorrow.

Jeffrey and Matt will stay here and take care of the critters and do their school work. PRAY for them as they take on this responsibility.

Aimee is making great strides with Strider! She is riding him now and helping him to be confident. Meghan is enjoying her lessons on Star very much. Continue to pray for safety! Aimee is a great blessing to us!

At the end of February a mapping team came from SA. Their project is to map the national parks in Africa. We ‘happened’ to meet them at the petrol pumps in Namibia and gave them our contact information in case they needed help or advice on mapping Bicuar which is a national park that is 45 minutes from us. They contacted us and Stirling accompanied them to Bicuar for two days. On that trip the game guards of Bicuar having heard that Tchincombe was a mission asked Stirling if someone could come and do services there! Stirling took a group from Tchincombe Church twice before we went to Namibia. A team went while we are away and another team went yesterday – Stirling didn’t go because we are traveling today. Yesterday there were 30 people that came to the service! We are excited that the Believers here at Tchincombe are excited about this outreach. Pray for open hearts!

Now there are two preaching points to pray for!! Imbondwe and Bicuar!

Thanks so much for your partnership in the Gospel!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Please PRAY for visas for two families

Hello again from Tchincombe! Please PRAY for visas for two families:

Brenda Herb and her son, Brandon are dear friends of ours from Raleigh. They were supposed to be traveling Monday to start their journey here BUT they have not received their visas! They have had to delay their departure please PRAY that their visas are granted on Monday or Tuesday.

The other family, the Halls, are a family from Greensboro that are coming out to visit Peter and Shelley Duplantis. They fly a little later this month but they too have not yet received theirs visas.

It’s always a huge encouragement to us to be visited by friends and supporters so please do PRAY that these visas will be granted! We know that nothing is impossible for God!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

New Pictures!

Sandals for a real man! Notice the long horns!
First Potluck at Tchincombe Church
Bridge! We decided not to use it!
Lunch on the way to Cavango
Camping at Imbondwe - sleeping on roof rack is easier than putting up tent!
Meghan & Aimee
Village elder from Imbondwe
Hay field at Tchincombe
Wire for fencing
Poles for fencing
Strider #3
Aimee & Jeffrey working with Strider
Meghan and her piano
Strider #2
Strider
Strider #1
Strider under saddle
We spend a beautiful sunny day at the beach. Encountered this rain on the
way back to Lubango. Rain in the desert is always welcome!

Around the bridge - YEAH we made it!
Going around and not over the bridge
Going around the bridge looked safer than going over!
Into the Land Rover and then on to Cavango where Peter and Shelley will be
working
Out of the plane
Waiting for the MAF plane to arrive at Chinhama. The Land Rovers are
waiting to take people and supplies to Cavango.
This young monitor lizard dropped in for a visit. He likes warming himself
on the top of our wood fired hot water heater!
Waterholes on Tchincombe are full!!!
Benches in the bush.
Fueling up in the bush! This is the fuel pump that has been half way between town and Tchincombe. You can imagine how long it takes to pump 1200 liters! These pumps have recently closed so we are back to driving 4 hours for fuel!