It has been a rainy day here in Atlanta. But we really needed the rain.
I met with my young expectant Mom today and we had lunch together. I took her to eat at Red Lobster. We had a good time and the food was great. Afterwards I took her with me to Clarkston. I needed to check on the African Mom that I taught last week. She was very glad to see us. Her newborn baby girl was sleeping. I brought both families a gift bag of fruit. I am not sure that Mom is getting enough to eat. She is very tired and weak. I am concerned about her. The baby looked good but Mom says she crys alot. I had a hard time communicating with her since she speaks very little English. I didn't have a translator today so I am not sure she understood some of the questions I was asking her about herself and the baby. I do know she is very lonely. I love what I do but sometimes it makes me sad not to be able to do more for the people that I meet.

We had a great day in Hiawassee, in the north Georgia mountains, with Mark's parent's, Paul and Louise Wilson. We enjoyed a nice meal. We also viewed family pictures. The older kids, Rachel, David, Hannah, and Sarah had to work and are planning to go visit them on Sunday.

I Chronicles 16:34, "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting."

Today we celebrated Thanksgiving Day with family and friends.
We are thankful for the many blessing that the Lord has given to us, the blessing of life, the blessing of family. the blessing of good health, the blessing of good friends, the blessing of living in a free country and many others but most
importantly the blessing of eternal salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.

We spent today getting ready for Thanksgiving. Sarah and all my kids have worked hard getting the house clean. I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year for my family. We have also invited a few guests. All together there should be 18 people eating here tomorrow. I did have one of the babies to watch today. We were able to take her to the park for some fresh air. I was able to get in some much needed exercise too! Boy, we have really been having some car problems. David sold his car last week and has not bought another one yet. Rachel's car was in the shop a few days ago. Now our big red van is running hot. We just had it worked on a few weeks ago. It seems the enemy is trying hard to make it difficult for me to get out to do my mission work. I have been working hard on getting my prayer letters out by Friday. Leah, Deborah, and David's girlfriend Ruth have helped me get finished tonight.

This has been a wild week. We have had car situations as a family and it has been hard to get out to the apartments. This morning, Deborah and I met Annie, a worker from World Relief in Clarkston so that I could teach a young Burundian Mom from Africa about taking care of her newborn. She has 2 children, a son who is 5, and a 3 week old baby. They have been in the US for about a year. She does not speak much English so her brother, came to translate for us into Swahili. We had a very good learning session. The baby is doing fine. Mom is not feeling well so we went and bought some prenatal vitamins and took them back to her apartment. Nursing Moms need to continue on prenatal vitamins as long as they are breastfeeding a baby. We got some children's vitamins for her 5 year old son too.
I really enjoyed our visit with them today!

This afternoon, Deborah and I went out to see the youn Mom in Chamblee. She is feeling good and has had a good week. She filed for unemployment this week. I taught her more information on childbirth. She seems encouraged. Next Saturday I am going to meet her and take her to lunch. I am looking forward to this time with her.

Saturday, Mark, Leah, Deborah, and I had play practice all day for the Christmas play we are in at First Baptist Atlanta. We were there from 9:00am until 6:00pm. Fortunately, Mark and I were able to get away after lunch to go to Azalea Place Apartments. Mark played basketball with some of the boys. I met with my young expectant Mom. I went over some more childbirth information for her. We talked about where she will deliver. I suggested that she sign up for the hospital tour. I ask her to think about who she will want with her at the delivery. We also talked about her future. I prayed with the Mom for her and the baby. A little later I ask her if she could ever remember a time where she had personally ask Jesus to forgive her of her sins and come into her life. I ask her if she wanted to pray. She did. I want to see about getting her a new Bible this week.

Wow, Today I spent the morning with Tim Cummins and his son Jesse at NAMB (North American Mission Board) headquarters. Tim spoke on the 5 levels of engagement to new missionary candidates. It was my 1st visit to NAMB. It was great meeting all the new missionaries. I met Mike Riggins as well. He is the director of Missionary Service
Corp. Tim took us to eat a great Mexican lunch afterwards. I also got some literature to use with my young mothers out at the apartments from Deborah Hayes who is the director of the Doraville Pregnancy Resource Center.

Leah and I went to Clarkston this afternoon. Leah played games with the kids. Bennett and I worked on the upcoming year's schedule. I will be starting a choir with the kids at the mission on January 8th. My goal is to meet every Thursday evening with the kids for choir for the rest of the school year. I love music and I think music may really be the window to the soul.

I met Catherine Palmer tonight when I was leaving. Tim told me that they grew up
together as missionary kids in Kenya. We have read several of her books and Leah was anxious to call home and tell my other girls that she had met Catherine Palmer before they did. The girls and I enjoy reading her books. She is now doing missionary
work with North American Mission Board here in Atlanta in the refugee community.

Today was the last Sunday of our missions conference at First Baptist Atlanta.
I always love the conference because I love missions. I wore my Nigerian outfit that was given to me by my friend Patience. I had many complements and enjoyed reminding people that our emphasis was missions. After singing in the choir the 1st service, Mark and I attended Gap 57, where our 2 younger daughters, Leah and Deborah attend Sunday School. They are in the 6th grade. Tim Cummins of Whirlwind Missions spoke in their class about how everyone is a missionary. Tim called on me and his daughter Ashley to tell the children about what we are doing at the mission.

This afternoon I was exhausted, and had a headache, so I decide to stay home from
play practice. Mark, Leah, Deborah, and I are in our Christmas Dinner Theater Play, "Here's Love" or "Miracle on 34th Street." I only had 1 scene this afternoon so I felt like I just needed to get some sleep. It was good. I was able to sleep for 3 hours. I just hope I can get some rest tonight.

The last month Mark and I started working in the International community again here in Atlanta, Georgia. I have had a break from working the past months due to some health problems. Now I am much better and loving every minute being back out with people. The first week back we helped with a team from Alabama. They were very nice and had a great program and day planned with the kids in Chamblee. I have started working with new Mom's or Mom's who are expecting using my Nursing background. I have also been hanging out with the kids at the apartments in Chamblee and Clarkston helping with the afterschool program.

Last Saturday we helped with an event in Clarkston. Another missionary and I ended up taking a Mom from Burma and her sick 7 month old baby to the Doctor. We bought a
thermometer, baby tylenol and pedialyte and taught the Mom how to use them with the
help of her young niece who was translating for us.

Today Mark, Leah, Deborah and I popped over to the apartment in Chamblee to check on
my 2 young mothers. I started teaching a young Mom about childbirth. Her baby is due in March. Mark played basketball with one of the boys from Bangladesh. Leah and Deborah played with his sister who was close to their age. We had cookies for the kids who came over to the mission. While Mark was playing ball, I noticed the boys parent's watching intently. I decided to go up and introduce myself. "As Salama Lakum," I greeted them in Arabic. They warmly greeted me in return and invited me in to their
apartment. We had a wonderful conversation. They showed me their family picture and told me how they came to the United States 4 months ago. They then invited me to have refreshments at their table. I was served some sweet noodles and cola. Mark, Leah and Deborah came in with their children and were also served. The Mom is interested in learning to speak English. I am hoping to be able to help her.

Wow, What a summer it has been. Mark, Sarah and I traveled to Voronkiv, Ukraine in June 2008. I was the team leader from First Baptsit Atlanta for a team of 11 people. We assisted the Baptist Church in Voronkiv with an overnight children's camp. We had 50 children at camp this year. This was my 5th year returning to Voronkiv. I have so many wonderful friends there. The Voronkiv Church feels like home to me. We did music, crafts, sports, bible stories, and English classes with the children. I think the greatest moment for me this year was a teenage boy named Sasha. 5 years ago he attended our camp as a head strong rebellious young teenager. The next year he came back and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. The next 2 years he was to old for our camp so I didn't see him. This year Sasha came back as a camp counselor. He went out of his way to help us. I was so proud of him. The morning we were flying home he was the 1st one up, waiting on us at 3:30am to come out so he could load our luggage for us. He even went to the airport to tell us goodbye. I feel as though I have come full cirle. I am so grateful that God has allowed me to see how He has worked in the life of Sasha over these 5 years.