Immanuel, God with Us

God was with me... "every good and perfect gift is from above." Despite missing home and family at random times, Christmas was so special, and I had very special people to spend and celebrate Christ's birth with. Christ's name Immanuel resonated with me quite powerfully this Christmas season, knowing he came to earth to dwell with us and still does. He was my comfort and joy this Christmas season. He had so many things in store for me.

Above are my fabulous friends Amanda and Sarah with me Christmas eve...we spent the night in order that we could wake up with the kids to open Christmas stockings and gifts on Christmas morning.

It was so much fun to be able to spend Christmas with one of my dear students Marni and her family!

Little Tori enjoying her Christmas surprise

Ty enjoying his Christmas cow! It was his favorite gift :)

It was fun getting excited about Christmas gifts like OREOS! Never thought that would happen!

Merry Christmas,

My sister and brother left a few days ago, but gave me the best Christmas ever!
This would be out traditional matching pjs picture :)

We got all dressed up for an early Christmas eve service of Christmas song singing! Too much fun!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Thank you for all your prayers. Praying for you and that the God of all peace supply you with a refreshed spirit for this new year!

Love you lots!

P.S. Miss you Jess and Jay, thanks for making our time so special! You two are the greatest gifts someone could ever have! Love you more.

Psalm 92:2
Love and Faithfulness

Quality Time

Having a soda in Kijabe Village

Sledding in the backyard!

I love cooking for them!
Snuggle Time

God is Good,

So so thankful!

They're HERE!

Having Christmas!

Slumber Party at the Kurz!

Animal Fun!

One of the Greatest Moments of My Life!

SO GLAD TO SEE MY SISTER AND BROTHER!!!!

This is the best Christmas! Miss you Mom and Dad!

A Christmas Blessing!!!

Actually, I get 2 Christmas Blessings in a few days! My SISTER AND BROTHER are flying into Kenya to come and stay with me for a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just found out! What a surprise! I cant stop skipping around and smiling!

God is so Good!

Christmas in Kenya

Yes Family and Friends, believe it! My friend Sarah and I decided to do what we could to celebrate a little Christmas in Kenya!

Kiamaiko

Hi Everyone! My heart is so happy, can you tell why?... An afternoon celebration for some of the Kiamaiko kids who promoted to Standard 1!!! They are so precious in their caps and gowns too!

Tracy
The children giving their presentations

Jessa, here is your little man! Felix, remembers you...his mom told me he talks about "Jessica, his people" :)

Little Fazal, smallest little guy.(Christy I held him for a bit just for you!)

Abby remembered me right away....can you tell by the pictures!? Carrie, she still as precious as ever!

Can you find her here?

Can you find Felix sister?

Anthony

One more Kijabe sunset last night... Thank you Jesus.

Burdened.

My heart is burdened for a dear friend and her ministry among an unreached people group. She said "yes" to the Lord's calling, leaving behind everything and traveled with the Lord to a land unknown to her, an area dominated by the Muslim faith. She is living out a deep commitment of faith and sacrifice with an evident joy. The people she lives among live in the shadow of darkness, always questioning if they are good enough and have followed proper ceremonies and rules to please their god. They question their place for eternity, Never knowing until its too late. They have a life of torturous uncertainty and a lack a Christ's abounding and unconditional love. Please join me in prayer for this precious daughter of the King as she reaches out to those God loves, as well as the burdening of hearts to join a new wave of people that will go to proclaim the goodness of HOPE and for others to send those called to go, until he final day when "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..."

The Lord has been GOOD to me...

Since vacation has officially started, I finally have a few moments (or hours) to upload some pictures of the past month so you can experience some of my joys and excitements. Not that this month has not held its challenges, but these pictures will show you that God outshines them all. Let me take you on a little journey through November.

Above my class got a special package from the Rosales' family, they kids are celebrating fall oreos and teddy grahams. You would have thought they gave them a million dollars. Below you can see my girlfriends and I also enjoyed some goodies in the packages as well. Oh happy day!

Birthday Hunter appeared a few times. The kids LOVE having him all day! Too bad the real one can't be here. He would love hanging out with all the monkeys :)
We start celebrating Christmas early here because the students leave right before Thanksgiving so we have to get all the Christmas festivities in before they leave. We collected and put together "baskets" of food for those in the Kijabe community. Here are my girls and a few precious little ones helping out with this.

(Tori turned 5 on this day and I was invited to celebrate her birthday with a cheese noodle lunch and chocolate milk :) Can you guess how old she turned...she still reminds us a week later! Precious.

Seriously, this precious one is so good for my heart...she reminds me of my little cousin Paige. I can be clear across campus and if she sees me she runs to give me the biggest hug!

My girls and boys wishing all of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! I know it's early but it still counts :) Besides, we are in Kenya so it might take a little while to get to you right?How much fun would it be to celebrate leaving for vac at your teacher's house? Well that is just what we did. It was the greatest time. They helped me make chai, we played games inside and outside (I have a huge yard if you can see in the picture and a giant tree) Word has it from my class it is the best one on campus. Probably because it is about a trillion feet in the air and they all want to climb it and give me a heart attack!

Evan thinks I have the best coffee cake ever!

And my dear Sunshine bear has brought more entertainment then alot of things here on campus. She is rented out for slumber parties and the kids come to dres her weekly :) Thanks Franchesca and Bella! RVA loves her!

My kids love SPEED SCRABBLE! Carrie you will have to come and play with us :)

YES, they wanted to give me a heart attack!
PSALM 116:8"Be at rest O my Soul, for the Lord has been good to you."