Who's Covering the Clinic?!?

After spending a few days with us, Miss Ontario seems to be a little leery of who she is leaving to cover the maternity center as supervisors and staff.

Miss North Carolina having been used to the 6pm curfew up in the rural clinic gets quite giggly when we keep her up past 9pm. We thought she was just giddy when she tried to convince us they sing a song called the Redneck Reindeer in North Carolina.

Thanks to Google, we no longer suspect she brought a little something extra back from the tribes...there really is a LeeRoy the Red Neck Reindeer.

Yes, the clinic is in VERY good hands...

Santa, Baby

[referring to the song Santa Baby] "If the list of fellas not kissed is directly proportionate to the fulfillment of desired gifts, I am so totally cleaning up this year." - Joy Slabaugh

I'll be looking for that convertable and those checks...

We Won't Be Home For Christmas

Crystal 'n' I just letting you know we miss being there for Christmas (her prolific quote is in the post below).

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! My friend Crystal (down from the tribes to help cover the clinic over Christmas) says "The person who wrote 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' should be shot"...I got teary myself when I walked into a store to hear 'you will get a sentamental feeling when you hear...voices saying lets be jolly deck the halls with boughs of holly.'

Captivating

These ladies are tough!

Tribal Tat

This is a good example of the tribal tatoo the older women have up in the tribes. Girls used to get them for beauty. On men tats (esp on the face) were obtained when they killed someone (former headhunters) They are done with calamansi thorns (ouch) and the ladies said each arm took most of a day. 

The next generation

Youth group up in one of the tribes. They lost their meeting spot so they all came over to worship and pray with us. 

Glimpse of the tribes

Waking up in the tribes I was continually amazed at the beauty. 

Pine Trees?

At the end of our tribes trip three of us went further north to a little town with guest houses, pine trees, and COLD weather (what, 60?). Eating in this log cabin with a real tree and wool mittens made it feel like Christmas. This was definately the best Christmas present. (Almost feels like Christmas is over now that I'm back in the hot city) 

The View

The view outside the house where we stayed in one of the tribes. 

Visiting

Some of the little friends who came to our door to sing with us.  

Green Eggs & Ham

Caught on film!!! I'm eating SPAM, eggs, and rice just before dawn in the tribes. (can you tell I'm not a morning person?) At least we have a hot cup of tribal coffee! 

Trecking

Backpacking up to the tribes...It rained our entire trip, but the cool weather was so refreshing. The clean mountain air cleared up my lungs! 

It's beginning to look like Christmas

That's the new piano I bought after being forced to lead worship with a guitar (and the answer is NO, I don't play guitar). My roommates bought the little 5 foot tree and it looks pretty cute if I do say so myself. 

Thanksgiving