The Hills with HOPE for the Congo: January 2013

Nate and I had a wonderful Christmas holiday with Jim and Patty! It really felt like Christmas even though it was 90 degrees. Patty brought stockings and we had presents to open on Christmas morning. I even had a small Christmas tree, nativity, and small strand of blinking lights as decorations! They were here in Brazzaville for 10 action packed days. We did something different everyday! We canoed down the Congo to the the "Mysterious Bluffs" and stopped at an island to have lunch and play botchee ball and a board game. We had numerous meals with good friends, including Chris, Barb, and Ann. We visited a lazy river site that was an hour drive out of the city. We got to see beautiful views of the countryside and Congo river. Patty and I cooked Christmas goodies and Patty cooked some good meals for us full of all the good stuff like chicken, bacon, hot sauce, and a bunch of cheese! We were able to visit 2 orphanages where we played a game with the kids and got to hold precious babies. On Christmas eve we went caroling in the back of Chris' (our friend who works at the US embassy) pick-up truck. We were a spectacle to all the Congolese who were trying to figure out what we were doing. We stopped to sing to the US ambassador, some chinese friends, and other random friends. We took a small canoe ride out to see where the big rapids are on the Congo and got to see Kinshasa right across the river. After that we enjoyed a coke and fanta under a tiki hut on the shore. Patty brought a fun craft for the older girls that Sarah and I work with at the orphanage to do. They made bracelets and iced christmas cookies that Patty prepared. They loved it and ended up being better at making those bracelets than me and Patty were! I took them shopping to 2 crazy Congolese markets and they were troopers! Even in the mud, crazy crowds, and weird smells they kept a smile on their face. We bought "pagnes" (Africa fabric) and visited the tailor to get hand made skirts, pants, and shirts. Jim and Patty were also able to bring money that their home church in Raleigh raised to help the local Nazarene church here build a church. They visited the church one Sunday and went out to the see church plot where the Nazarene church hopes to build a training center in the future. The pastor was so encouraged by their visit and help in creating a long-term partnership between his church and the church in Raleigh.

I am so blessed to have such wonderful in-laws who would sacrifice a lot of money and time to come see Nate and I in Africa. Nate and I were encouraged and recharged by their visit. Both of Nate and I's parents have been so supportive throughout out entire journey to and in Congo. God has blessed us emmensely. He has give us his presence, a community of friends here in Brazzaville, and a supportive family to sustain us through the ups and downs of living in a developing country. May God continue to use our lives to accomplish his great mission. We pray that everything we do would point people to their creator and savior. To God be all the glory.