These are all homemade with tin cans (here you see the closed end) Yes, the lovely children are flipping me off in the picture. 

Let's Talk

The Most Popular Christmas Eve Activity

I know this thing is saying 12/23...but it's really Christmas Eve here....Miss British Columbia checks e-mail hoping for a letter...she's single and not busy on New Years or Valentines if any one want's to email me for her number. ;0) 

This Sums Up My Life Right Now

Got this song from a friend and man, it sums up my life right now

Even though the journey’s long And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who’s gone before me He will help me carry on
After all that I’ve been through Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road That You have lead me down You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found That You are here with me Yes, You are here with me I confess from time to time I lose my way But You are always there To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I’ve come from
And the things I’ve left behind
But of all I’ve had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what’s in front of me With what’s in front of me

(thank you, Third Day - Title: Mountain of God Album:Wherever You Are, 2005)

So Cute

One of the midwives with her family...they are so cute! 

Spirit of Christmas

Nothing like children to remind you of the joys of Christmas...IT's MINE!!!! Two or our staff kids fighting over a Christmas present. It really was hers and she told him so. 

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)