Traveling

So much continues to happen that it would be difficult to fill you in on all the details.  But we do hope you had a Christ-centered Christmas as you remembered His birth.  We....well, we spent most of the day driving.  Because of a snow storm we ended up traveling to South Dakota on Christmas day, arriving in time for the evening meal with family and friends.  Between Hobe Sound and SD we have seen a lot of friends; been to a lot of places; and experienced a lot of things.  The boys enjoyed snow in TN, OH, IN, IA, and now SD.  God has been good to us as we have been traveling.  Once we hit some ice and the van decided it wanted to change directions but other than that God's hand has been on us-giving us His protection.  We've seen numbers of vehicles in the ditch and farther south we passed a car on fire.  We appreciate your prayers as we continue to travel thousands of miles. 

I'll add a few misc photos:

We certainly enjoyed our visit with Steve's Grandma Geise.  We miss Grandpa!

Our boys playing with cousins

Snow! Cold!

Shoshanah saying "Hello" and "God bless you"!

A Special Friend

Whenever we are in Hobe Sound we always do our best to visit Sis. Cleaver.  She is a special friend, of more than ten years, and a faithful prayer partner.  She loves the children and always has some special little activity or gift for them.  We are so thankful for people like this that God has placed in our lives.

Our first week in America

I thought I would give you an idea of the week we had after we left Africa.  Phil and Amrie rode with us to the airport and took our car back home. 

 Here we are at the airport in Johannesburg.

 This was Shoshanah's first flight.

 This is how we all felt after we arrived in the US!

Gwen's brother Brent and family picked us up at the airport.

Gwen's family surprised us and met us at a restaurant after we arrived in D.C.

We had snow Thanksgiving morning.  The boys were ecstatic!

 On our way to Florida we spent a week-end with my cousin and family Derek Geise.  Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of their family.  Once we got to FL we visited with my Mom and grandmother.

After arriving at Hobe Sound Mr. Howard took the boys and I on a flight.  It was a little bumpy but not bad at all.  We enjoyed the flight a lot.  There has been a lot of other things happening but I don't have pictures and time to share them all.  We plan to leave Hobe Sound on the 9th and begin our trip North.

Hobe Sound

We arrived in Hobe Sound, FL on Tuesday.  We've been very busy.  We landed in D.C. on the 24th and were in PA for Thanksgiving with Gwen's family.  Then on Saturday we drove to Columbia, S.C. to spend the week-end with Derek and Jessica Geise.  From there we drove to Summerfield, Fl on Monday and came here as I said on Tuesday.  I'll try to put some pictures on in a couple of days.  Pray for us as we begin a busy schedule. 

Wrapping it up!

With ten days to go the pressure is on to finish last minute business, pack, wrap up ministry for this term, set the house in order for Phil and Amrie to move in while we are gone and a host of other details.  Today I will teach the last class of a Bible study we've been working through for about the past 30 weeks.  Monday or Tuesday we will try to get Isaac to a place in his school work where he can stop for a while. Last week we helped Phil and Amrie get a garden plot ready for planting.  We have about 15 services schedule so far with a number of other good possibilities. Thank you for your prayers during this busy time. 

Visitors

We always enjoy having different individuals from our church over for a meal.  We've done that a few times recently.  Here are three men who are a real blessing in the church.  From left to right: Bro. Moshume, Bro. Bokang, Ntate Kori.

Dedication

The other event this week-end was that Pastor Thabang dedicated Titus and Shoshanah.  I preached a short message on Psalm 127; focusing more on the parents responsibility to prepare their "arrows" to hit the mark.  What is the mark? Malachi 2:15 - middle of the verse.

Birthdays

This past week-end there were two birthdays at our house as you can see by the picture.  The reason for the lion head and the cross:  Micah wanted a lion on the cake, so we decided to put a cross also to symbolize Jesus: The Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Not real artistic, but it sure tasted nice. :-)

Sheep Farm

We recently visited some friends who own and operate a sheep farm.  They were in the process of sheering so the boys enjoyed playing in the wool.  The boys also helped bottle feed some lambs.

Sunset

I'm not a professional photographer but I do like to try to take nice shots.  The sunset was really neat the evening I took this picture. 

More Fire

Unfortunately this is very normal for this part of South Africa!

Wild Fire

Every year during the dry season here there are many wild fires.  Yesterday one started up on the mountain behind our house and eventually worked it's way down the mountain and into the fields around the house.  We didn't have to worry as there was no tall grass or trees near our house, but a lot of the pasture was burned.  A week or two ago another fire burnt through a farm a couple of miles from our place and that farmer lost most of his peach orchard, several cows and  a lot of fences.  Needless to say there a lot of smoke in the air this time of year. 

Count down....

Seven weeks from yesterday, 10/5/10, we fly out of Johannesburg, SA in route for the US.  The weeks are flying by and there is much to do.  Some of my responsibilities have already been transferred to others who will be taking over permanently.  Sometimes, lately, I have felt a bit in limbo as I'm stepping out of past obligation and now preparing to return to the US for six months.  Recently I've had a burden to get good messages into the hands of our people here.  I've been taking old audio cassettes, playing them into my computer and then burning them onto CDs.  I would like to do this on a bit more of a larger scale so we can give good sermons out here in the community.  Help us pray about this new venture. 

Our Four

Nick Vujicic

Here is a link to the website of Nick Vujicic, a man born without arms or legs.   His is an amazing testimony of God's grace.  Thank God for those who can go places and be used of God in ways I can't.  I am not necessarily endorsing everything Nick believes or teaches, but he does offer hope through Jesus Christ.  http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/

Special service

This past Saturday we had a special ordination and licensing service for our pastors here in South Africa.  This was the first time this has happened in the history of the work here in South Africa.  We are so thankful to the Lord for the progress He is giving in the work here.  Mr. Howard our Regional Director was visiting so he was able to take part in the service.  Two men were ordained and two pastors received licenses.

Mr. Jim Howard speaking with Pastor Thabang interpreting

Pastor Pheko, HIM's National Representative in Lesotho, and Glenn Gault our Field Director.

Johan van der Merwe, HIM's National Representative in South Africa

Philip Geise, Administrator of Hope Christian Academy

Piet Marais, HIM missionary and director of the Bible distribution project in various African countries

The four pastor's with Mr. Howard

All Thumbs

It looks like our little girl will be a thumb sucker. She hasn't mastered the concept but she does it quite often!

Church Ladies

Let me introduce you to a couple of ladies from our Manyatseng church. I hope you will pray for them.  The young lady on the left is Nthabiseng.  She has only been saved less than a year.  She always has a smile on her face and testifies that God is working in her life.  The older lady on the right is Makamohelo.  She has been attending our church for about a year and a half.  She is really saved and is a tremendous blessing in the church and community.  She never misses any service of the church unless it is absolutely beyond her control. Pray for these ladies.  Life for them isn't easy. 

Diagnosis

Well, it's been an intense week, but at least we now know for sure what has been causing my pain.  According to the specialist I have many ulcers, thus the pain.  I am taking anti acid tablets, but thankfully there was no H. pylori so I don't need antibiotics.  I am eating a lot of papaya and aloe vera which I think are helping to heal the raw areas of the stomach.  Thanks so much for all your prayers!  Taking life a little slower......  Steve

What a year!

This past week has been rather eventful.  Actually, it seems this entire year, so far, has had it's share of drama.  In the past 8 months we have moved twice, been burglarized, had oral surgery, welcomed a new baby in the home, made an unexpected 6+ hour trip one way to take an HIV patient to a AIDS clinic, also made an unexpected trip to Johannesburg (5+hrs one way) to work on US paperwork for Shoshanah, started homeschooling Isaac, and many other smaller activities and details that have barely allowed us time to stop and catch our breath.  A few weeks ago I was talking to Gwen and I said, "I wonder what is next?"  And then this week...  Sunday night I, Steve, had terrible abdominal pain and didn't get much sleep. Monday was fairly normal except for being exhausted from the lack of sleep. Then Tuesday morning after breakfast I started feel uncomfortable again.  After lunch I again began experiencing severe pain in my stomach. Finally we decided to go see the doctor.  He first gave me a shot for abdominal cramping, which I reacted to.  So he then put me on an IV and gave me some strong pain meds and sent us to the ER an hour and a half away.  In the ER they did x-rays and took blood samples.  All the tests that were done came back clear.  The doctor told us he thought is was gallstones or a stomach ulcer. We stayed that night with some friends who live in Bloemfontein and the next day we went back to the hospital so I could be tested for gallstones.  That test was also negative.   A couple of hours after leaving Bleom I was again in a lot of pain.  I hoped it would go away, but I actually spent the entire night tossing and turning, getting in and out of bed, sitting in a chair and on the floor but with no relief.  Thursday morning the pain subsided a little but by the afternoon it was back again.  Some friends took me to the doctor again for more medication.  I was finally able to sleep the whole night.  My diet at this point is yogurt, papaya and bananas.  (Great weight loss program!)  I am scheduled for an endoscopy next Monday to verify whether my problem is a stomach ulcer or not.  We are so thankful to those who have helped us and have been praying. We trust the Lord to work out His will in these events. 

My Two Beautiful Girls

I'm blessed to have a wife like Gwen.  She enjoys little things and doesn't need expensive clothes and gadgets to make her happy.  She made the jumper that Shoshanah is wearing to match her skirt (sorry you can't see that in the picture). I think it turned out very nice.  I'm very thankful for my 1 Timothy 2:9 wife and her desire to raise our daughter the same way. 

I'm sorry

I have deleted the previous post due to some incorrect information.  I apologize. 

The Big Four!

A Poem

Here is a poem we read this week that really spoke to us. It is taken from 101 More Hynm Stories, by Kenneth W. Osbeck, p. 269.  Think especially about verses 3 and 4.  What do you think?

"My God I thank Thee who hast made the earth so bright,

So full of splendor and of joy, beauty and light;

So many glorious things are here, noble and right.

"I thank Thee too, that Thou has made joy to abound,

So many gentle thoughts and deeds circling us round,

That, in the darkest spot of earth, some love is found.

"I thank Thee more, that all our joy is touched with pain,

That shadows fall on brightest hours, that thorns remain;

So that earth's bliss may be our guide, and not our chain.

"I thank Thee, Lord, that Thou has kept the best in store;

We have enough, but not too much to long for more-

A yearning for a deeper peace, not known before."

Written by:  Adelaide A. Procter

This morning

I just thought I would share a picture of Shoshanah I took this morning.  She is doing well and is taking lessons on endurance from the hands of her older brothers.  They do love her! They just have to learn to be gentle!

Titus' Second Birthday

This week Titus turned two years old. We didn't really have a birthday party for him, but since we live so close to the Uncle Johan and Aunt Hessie we decided to have supper with them and Gwen made the cake you see below. She put the cow on since Titus likes the cows we see when we travel through the country.

 Here is Titus with his South African Grandparents.  In Afrikaans they are Oupa (Grandpa) and Ouma (Grandma). 

Enjoying the baby

Shoshanah is really popular right now!   

Shoshanah Marie Geise

Monday started off with Gwen and I going to Bloemfontein for me to have two wisdom teeth surgically removed.  I rested quite a bit on Tuesday, thankfully without much pain.  Then that evening we realized it might not be long before our baby came.  Sure enough about 2am Wednesday morning we left the house to drive back to Bloemfontein for the birth of our little girl.  The hospital kept Gwen and the baby one day, although they normally keep them in for two. After getting out of the hospital we had to go by the Department of Home Affairs to get a birth certificate - no such thing as getting one in the mail. After four hours of waiting we received the certificate.  The boys are really enjoying their little sister.

When Shoshanah was born she weighed 6lbs 9oz.  She was 16 inches long. (All the boys were over twenty inches.) Gwen and Shoshanah are both doing well.