give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving from Toposaland!!!

In school, I had Davis and Walker write things they were thankful for on slips of paper and then make chains from those slips!  Davis is thankful for his parents and brothers, fishing, green parrots (that we saw on the compound yesterday!), friends, computers, God's help, cows, and so much more!

Walker, who wrote on every strip himself, is thankful for his heart, life, house, parents, brothers, help, and that God made him!

Our whole team left the compound and had a lovely meal in Kapoeta at Mango Camp.  We had roast chicken, ratatouille, mashed potatoes, rice, and fresh veggies--and we didn't have to cook!

 It was delicious!

Today also happened to be Shannon's birthday.  Carrie made an LSU colored cake, and we sang "Happy Birthday" and enjoyed the cake at Mango Camp.

Also, I am giving thanks to God today for electricity.  Our power randomly went out right before we headed home (which is not a biggy, we can on without it), but the thing was that everything looked ok.  I asked God for His help.  He showed up!  Shannon and Edwin discovered this one button was not on and a different light was shining...now, our power is on and is working just fine!  PRAISE THE LORD!!!

 To finish off the day, Mindy and I made pumpkin pie with a pumpkin that's been sitting on our counter for a while now.  Mindy made the pie filling...

 And I made the crust!

 And we each had several meat samosas that we bought from Mango Camp as a light dinner.  So good!

"Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."  Ephesians 5:19-20

retreat.

I just returned to Sudan from a women's prayer retreat in Uganda.  I had a wonderful time!  After being with other women who serve the Lord in another country as I do, I feel refreshed.  Even in the few days there, God taught me things to which I was blind while in Sudan.  How I love my Teacher!

I really enjoyed getting to hang out with Holly Lesley (and Mindy of course) away from Toposaland.  Holly and her husband, Jonathan, joined the Toposa team about nine months ago and currently live in Lokichokio, Kenya learning language.

Here's Mindy, Holly, and I at the Nairobi airport on the way to Entebbe.  The stewardess came into the gate area and passed out ponchos.  It was pouring rain outside, and we had to walk to the plane in it!  Good thing we had these awesome ponchos--nothing got wet!

Here we are with Renee (she and her husband supervise our sub-cluster).  Renee hosted the prayer retreat in her beautiful home, and she took us out to eat at this place that overlooked Lake Victoria!

 I ate the most delicious tilapia I have ever tasted.

Here Holly, Mindy, and I are again on the shore of Lake Victoria at a pizza place

 Mindy and I with Susan Hatfield (she and her family serve with BGR, Baptist Global Response, which is a disaster relief and community development organization)

Sunset on Lake Victoria

a fall day.

I don’t know about you, but I spent this lovely “fall” afternoon with…

Ironman and...

The Hulk!

For a special science project on October 31, these two fine heroes joined us in the kitchen as we whipped up some mean caramel apples.

 Peeling the caramels that my grandma sent in a care package (thanks Gigi!)

 Stabbing the apples as we melt the caramel

 Dipping the apples and waiting for them to harden

And eating a delicious treat!

Later in the afternoon, I took a walk to a nearby garden.  I visited this one months ago when it was only dirt and tiny little sprouts.  But now…

And then...

After throwing around a tennis ball, playing “Monkey in the Middle” with some friends, the river came.

  

I actually got to witness it coming and watched as the waves grew in size and as the waters reached further and further across to the other bank.

This tree was standing about thirty feet closer on this bank of the river when I moved to Paringa about 17 months ago.  Over time, the water eroded away all of the soil around it bringing it crashing down about a month ago and moving it along away from the bank to where it lies in the middle of the river now!