The importance of being a team

I definitely miss having my entire team around to serve and fellowship together since the Kenners headed over to Vanuatu in December. Gretchen and I were recently asked to assist some fellow missionaries who minister to Turkish Muslims here in Melbourne. They are an older couple retiring later this year and have always served just as a couple. They mentioned the value of working as a team, seeing that as a team they could have done so much more, especially to reach out more to children when they have family outreaches. Gretchen and I were enlisted to share the Christmas story with the children and we did other activities while their parents heard a message. I am thankful for you, my team of givers, pray-ers, and encouragers and I am thankful for the Richards and Kenners and the opportunity to glorify God together as a team, sharing His message and hope.

Here is a Turkish single woman I've been able to get to know a bit through the ministry of our missionary friends here.

Christmas

Our Christmas this year was a special one even though we were away from all our family.  Our church does a Christmas morning breakfast so we started the day with that, then went to hang out with friends Lee & Janet, their daughters Aurore and Amelie, and Janet's dad.  Lee is quite a chef so we enjoyed tasty and perfectly arranged food at their house.  :)  Plus we had a lot of fun hanging out and talking.  That evening, we spent time with friends Phil & Lenna, their kids Andrew & Kristin and another family connected to the church.  After eating with them, Kristin engaged us in a rousing game of Bible Pictionary... using a knife and tub of butter for her creations.  Very unique game and very fun.  :)  We left their home late after singing Christmas carols together.  God has provided some very special friends for us here in Australia and I am thankful.

Team Shots

Just before the Kenners ditched us for Vanuatu :) (don't worry, Lord-willing, we'll be joining them soon) we got some fun new team shots.  Here's Bush Team Vanuatu!

Christmas program

Prior to Christmas, we celebrated Christ's birth so many years ago, with a progam at our church.  I was able to be in a chimes group, playing hand chimes I'd never before seen or heard.  Gretchen and I had quite a learning curve on these instruments so we took them back to Kangaroo Ground to practice a few times.  I was also in the choir and helped with one of the presentations of the toddler-age kids.  Anytime you have kids in a program, there are chances for laughs so it was fun to see them share what they'd practiced and memorized and to have multiple reminders of why and how Jesus came to earth.