An Upcoming Birthday!

Well, Jake’s 4th birthday is coming up on June 6th, it’s hard to believe that these four years have gone by so fast. It is another time for us to reflect on how much God has blessed us to have this special little boy in our lives. It’s also a time for… Jake to get presents! This year, Jake decided that what he really wanted was a couple of goldfish. So, we decided to go ahead and take a trip to the pet shop this week because… well, because we just can’t wait for exciting things like that. So now we have two little goldfish, Tigger and Adarby (we have no idea where that one came from). Jake loves to sit and watch them, and especially loves to feed them. Looks like it was a success!

This past weekend, we have had two Point Loma Nazarene University students staying with us as part of a cultural anthropology class that they are taking (how come I never took any classes like that?). It has been a lot of fun getting to know them and some of the other members of the group. Jeremy even had three of them playing basketball with him on Sunday! We really enjoy when teams come through here and we can get to know people from all over the world.

Also this weekend, we took seven of the babies from the baby home to a park to play. They had a great time being out and about and getting out of the orphanage for a little while. A few of them even fell asleep on the ten minute ride back, they had played so hard!

Jake’s Quote of the Week

Jake: “Mom, something is telling me that I should have some more fruit snacks.”
Tricia: “What is telling you that?”
Jake: “My voice is.”

Praises and Prayer Requests

We praise God for giving us another year with Jake. He is the best thing that has ever happened to us!

Please remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- The safety of the Point Loma group as they travel around South Africa for the next two weeks and then back home.
-- Jeremy’s transition to his new job next month.
-- Our family’s health during the winter months.
-- Unspoken request

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Time for an Update

We’re sure that most of you are thinking, “About time…”, and you’re right. It’s been two and a half weeks since our last blog entry, and there is some important news to share. However, before we do, take a look at Jake’s most recent masterpiece that he drew on his chalkboard. He got some new chalk, so it inspired him to write his name and draw a self-portrait. Not bad for a three-year-old, eh? :)

So, now to the news… first of all, Jeremy has gotten a new job! Starting on June 11th, he will be taking the position of Communications Coordinator for the Africa Region. It’s quite a bit more responsibility, as he will be coordinating the video, radio, internet and written communication for the Region, as well of thinking of new ways to tell the story of the Africa Region and work to better connect the African church with the rest of the global church. Jeremy is excited for the challenge and the opportunity!

Second, we got a little taste of home this past weekend when we had a telephone call with our home church! It was great to be able to share a little bit about what we are doing in Africa and to get to hear our pastor’s voice, as well as the voices of a few other congregation members! Jake sang a song and said a Bible verse for them, and everyone seemed to enjoy that. Unfortunately, we were on the call from our computer and the African internet was not cooperating too well, so it was hard to understand parts of the call. But at least we got to hear from them, and that was nice!

Finally, we want to wish a belated Happy Mothers’ Day to all of the mothers that follow along on our blog. Hope you had a very special day!

Jake’s Quote of the Week

“Dear Jesus, thank you for our lovely pizza and our lovely servillettes and please let it stay smelling “pizzaly” in our car, because we like it when it smells like pizza in our car. Amen.”

(It’s those little blessings that God bestows on us… like “pizzaly” cars.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We praise God that he was looking after one of our friends, little eight-week-old Jonathan Kanenungo, as he underwent emergency surgery to fix an artery that had not closed properly after his birth (Jonathan’s parents, Naila and Simba, work at the Africa Regional Office). Jonathan came through the surgery very well and is now recovering.

Please remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- Jonathan's continued recovery

-- Jeremy's preparation for his new job

-- Our family's health this winter

-- God's blessing upon our ministry here in Africa

-- Unspoken request

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Winter on the Way

Well, now that we have entered May, we are reminded that winter is on the way. This past weekend has been VERY cold (for autumn in Joburg), with highs in the low 50s and very windy, and the temperatures at night getting into the low 40s. This forced us to get the space heaters out, since houses in South Africa do not have central heating. Today is much warmer, but we are hearing that a cold winter is on the way. Luckily, winters here don't last too long!

Last week, Jeremy finished teaching his first class at Nazarene Theological College, and it was a success! He taught church administration and basic budgeting to our future pastors that are going through the program there. Jeremy still has finals and course projects to grade, but he enjoyed it well enough to do it again when the college needs him!

We have had a few days to relax in the past week, as we celebrated Freedom Day and Laborer's Day here in South Africa. Freedom Day commemorates the birth of the "new" South Africa, when free democratic elections were held for the first time in this country on April 27, 1994. Laborer's Day is essentially the same as our Labor Day, and is celebrated today, May 1st. The time of relaxation has been nice!

Jake's Quote of the Week

“I really miss my cousins. I’m going to be sad for forty days and forty nights, because I really miss them.”

(We recently got some pictures of his cousins, so he is remembering them and has been talking about them a lot lately.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

It has been a good few weeks, and we are really thankful for that. Jake has battled with the change of the seasons and sickness, but nothing too major. We also praise God because the first test in the series of tests that Lindiwe has to go through turned out to be negative for the illness she was feared to have.

Please remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- Lindiwe's continued testing

-- Jake, as he fights off a cold

-- That Jeremy and Tricia can manage to stay healthy as the season changes

-- God's blessing on our work here in the Africa Regional Office

-- Unspoken request

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake