Blessings to you as we enter 2008 and celebrate our first year of service in Lesotho. It has been quite a year for our family and we have experienced the Lord’s provision, protection, and promises in so many different  ways. We thank you for your prayers and encouragement and hope you will continue to stand with us as we seek the Lord on behalf of the Basotho in 2008. We continue to learn about the culture and our language learning is ongoing.

December was a busy month for us. We visited a new work area weekly to teach Bible stories and train church leaders. Although all women and only one man, we had many to come each week of the training. Pray that the Basotho men in this area will see their need for Christ.

Cindi had the opportunity to give the True Love Waits presentation in the village where we teach on Sundays while students were home for Christmas. Pray that this teaching will open doors for more TLW and follow ups when the students return to their prospective schools.

Our “Backyard Kids” camefor a one day VBS/Birthday party for Jesus just before Christmas. They heard the Christmas story, made a craft that they could use to retell the story at home, played games, had a snack, and watched portions of the Jesus film in Sesotho. Pray that the truth of the gospel will penetrate the hearts of these children.

 We had a Christmas cookout and invited two neighborhood guards we have befriended over this past year. Pray for Aaron and Lockey to seek a personal relationship with Christ and be able to move away from the bondage of cultural traditions.

Two of the existing Baptist churches held their annual Christmas conference December 24-26. Many attended, five were baptized, and Tom was asked to give the closing remarks and prayer. Pray that we will continue to build confidence and trust with the Basotho Baptist and that they will “catch” the vision of outreach and church planting.

God provided new friends for our family to fellowship with on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We were also able to talk to some friends and our families in the U.S. Christmas evening which was a real blessing. On the 27th we drove to Johannesburg so the boys could attend their first MK Camp. They had a blast and made lots of new friends. Tom and Cindi enjoyed reconnecting with a South African Baptist church and visiting with new friends there as well as enjoying a few days of rest while the boys were at camp.

As we enter 2008, we look forward to how the Lord will make Himself known among the Basotho this year. Maybe He wants to use you. Could the Lord be calling you to a new area of service and obedience in 2008? Perhaps overseas volunteer missions? Maybe with a people you have spent this past year praying for? Perhaps with the Basotho?

Join the mission team from Ironbridge Baptist Church in Chester, Virginia and help make Christ known among the Basotho in the lowlands of Lesotho. The trip will include broad seed sowing through person to person evangelism, showing of the Jesus Film and follow up, building relationships in new work areas, and prayer walking. The trip is scheduled for June 21 – July 6. Contact us or Shirley Toler, B1toler@aol.com team leader, for more details. Team formation deadline is February 3.

Praises:

Lottie Moon offerings,

 new Basotho relationships and the growth of other relationships,

True Love Waits teaching opportunities, health, safety, boys finishing their

first term at the International school,

\wonderful first Christmas in Africa,

IMB and CESA support for schooling and insurance,

evening rains,

flat tires (3) in the driveway and not on the road

Prayer Requests:

 New ministry work in the Village of Motsekuoa and Thabana Mohlomi (no pastors),

 True Love Waits opportunities,

 language learning,

 discernment to work in a village called Ha Khitione (no pastor, hunger for the Word),

Tanki a young Basotho boy who helps with interpretation,

Bob and Shirley Toler of Ironbridge Baptist Church -Lesotho team leaders for volunteers coming in 2008,

Zachary’s softball program at a local orphanage,

travel safety, health,

new prayer partners