Opening gifts Christmas afternoon
Our friend, Ruth, joined us for our celebration
Modeling a new sweatshirt and blanket! (yes, we get cold
here, sometimes!)
James got a new bike from an Aunt!
Kurt and Ben built a water rocket launcher.
Launching the rocket!
They've gone to the school's soccer field to launch it a bunch
of times. It gets rather high!
"Is there anyone in our midst who pretends to understand the awesome love in the heart of the Abba of Jesus that inspired, motivated, and brought about Christmas?
God entered into our world not with the crushing impact of unbearable glory, but in the way of weakness, vulnerability, and need.
On a wintry night in an obscure cave, the infant Jesus was a humble, naked, helpless God who allowed us to get close to Him.
This will be a sign to you:
You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Luke 2:12"
Brennan Manning - Reflections for Ragamuffins
O Come, Let us ADORE HIM!
Merry Christmas to all from us here in the Philippines!
Wise men still seek Him
This tiny infant King
Just like the Wise men of old followed Him
And if I had been there at His birth
Would I have seen His Worth?
And would I have sought Him as My Lord?
This Tiny Infant King....
And it's a miracle not to celebrate one day a year
But every day giving thanks always
to the Father for the Son
And it's a miracle
This tiny infant king
lying in a manger, a barn for His shelter
is our redemptive King...
O Come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him
O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord...
And It's a miracle to be celebrated every day!
God's redemptive plan wrapped up in this small babe
His love for us, uncomparable and never ending
This tiny child, The King of Kings, is our eternal home.
copyright 1984 - Beth Symanzik
We've been busy with Christmas activities here.
The elementary kids presented a selection of Christmas Carols.
Middle school band, that Kirsten is a part of, presented a Christmas concert as well as went and played in some of the poorer neighborhoods around the school.
Kirsten and I frosted cookies.
I helped organize the SIL Christmas party.
Mikayla was part of the ensemble that led the Christmas Carols at the party.
But no matter what we are doing this Christmas season, may we each remember that the real reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ - King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Please pray for all the people affected by this flooding....Thanks.
This did not occur in Davao where we live but in towns several hours here on the island of Mindanao.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/18/death-toll-from-philippine-storm-reaches-569-hundreds-missing/?iref=allsearch
from CNN website:
Death toll from Philippine storm reaches 548; hundreds missing
December 18th, 2011
Devastation from a tropical storm that deluged the southern Philippines mounted on Sunday, with the death toll rising to 548, military officials said.
About 370 people are missing, the Philippine Red Cross said, after entire villages were swept away. The agency offered a different death toll than the military - 532 - but it was not clear why.
The stench of death permeated the air as aid workers scrambled to help survivors.
The vast majority of the dead were found in the port cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, according to military and disaster officials. Water-logged bodies from washed-away villages floated at the shoreline, on the northwestern coast of Mindanao island.
Five people were killed in a landslide, but virtually all others died in flash flooding after Tropical Storm Washi, which is called Sendong locally.
Survivors in the hardest-hit areas now contend with no electricity and a lack of clean drinking water. One woman in Cagayan de Oro collected murky brown floodwater in a bucket, just meters away from where a destroyed vehicle was submerged.
Flash flooding overnight Friday - following 10 hours of rain - fueled the devastation. As much as 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rain fell within 24 hours in some areas.
