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.

Meghan's Birthday

August 2009

Meghan is 10!

Celebrating at Friday Night Pizza in Lubango.

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 9^th grade!

We do appreciate your prayers!

In Him,

Donna Foster

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!

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

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 7^th September. Back to Tchincombe on 8^th. Then Meghan and I begin our travels to the USA on 13^th.

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

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