Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Our update and prayer requests come wrapped in our brief Christmas letter and attached photo of "Touchdown Jesus", recently painted on the side of Christ Aid Academy.

We can imagine how busy everyone is with travel, family and friend schedules, worship services, last minute shopping, and probably a day or two of skiing on great snow...so when you have time, enjoy what we've sent.

Prayer Requests:

1. A blessed Christmas season for all you/we know and love - especially in light of the effect the economic conditions will have on so many families. It is common here in Uganda to have very little in material possessions, if anything, for Christmas. Always a good reminder to keep our eyes focused on God, the provider.

2. Travel mercies for the Christ Aid January mission team - they depart the US on December 29th. Also, that through them, God would accomplish all His perfect will desires while they are here.

3. Hearts to serve...for anyone you want to pray for!

4. God's choice for a new teacher for Christ Aid Academy - still not selected

5. Always, always, always that loving God and loving his people, wherever and whoever they are, would be above all other personal desires.

6. Safety, efficiency and commitment for all the construction workers who are beginning on the pit latrine and soon on Building II at Christ Aid Academy.

7. God's blessings on so many who continue to support the school project in Kicuna in so many ways.

Merry Christmas - love to you all - thanks for your prayers which sustain us. Into the New Year!

Bob and Linda

Sleighbells ring, are you listenin', in the lane snow is glistenin'…

Everyone back home has snuggled in for the long winter, braced for the snow and ice, bought ski passes, lugged out the boots, blown out the pipes, and turned on the gas fireplaces…We can smell the buttery microwave popcorn, taste the steamy hot chocolate, and look over your shoulder at the list of bowl games you'll watch during the holidays. We can imagine the calendar marked with celebrative gatherings and hear Manheim Steamroller on your CD player. We can feel the nip at your nose as you tromp out in the forest to cut the perfect Christmas tree, listen to your family chatter as they gather to decorate, then watch you relax late in the evening as all your lights twinkle brightly on your tree as snow quietly falls outside… stockings hung by the chimney with care…holiday treats in the oven, the fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg mixing with pine. We are there with you in spirit…

"A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking in a winter wonderland"…well, not exactly. Let us welcome you to Christmas, Uganda style! Snuggle is not a word that exists over here – not when it's a balmy 80 degrees every day. Dragging out the boots? It's a matter of what color of flip-flops you want to wear. Sipping hot chocolate? Ugandans sip on bottled coke with a straw to celebrate Christmas. Bowl games? We'll be checking NCAAsports.com. to see if Linda outwits Bob in her picks. Festive gatherings? The expat celebration is the happening place on Christmas afternoon at 3:00. Christmas tree? We have a blazing red poinsettia tree in our tropical back yard that will serve quite nicely as our Christmas tree this year. Decorations and all those cute twinkly lights? You wouldn't know it is Christmas if you didn't have a calendar.

So while we may be missing family, friends and just good ole' home this Christmas, there is one blessing we have this year which we have never had before…the opportunity to prove to ourselves that Christmas really is in the heart and not under the tree. Our Christmas is stripped down to its barest bones…so instead of being swept away with the festivities, the schedule, the shopping, the decorations, we are asking God to make good use of this Christmas to sweep us away with the Good News that God would care enough to become a baby and join us here on earth. We want to stand in awe before our Creator and simply marvel at his love, his generosity, and his yearning to bring us home through his Son, Jesus Christ…such deep yearning that through his Son, He chose to set aside his omnipotent power which called the vast galaxies into existence, and humbly take on our nature… so we could know His. And what we all share together, no matter where we are…

"Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King." Not let the USA or Uganda receive her King, but the earth…the entire earth. Let every person in every land bend a knee to receive Jesus Christ as King over all. You may be crunching through the snow…we may be flip-flopping through the dusty roads, but all of us will be celebrating the love God has shown for us in sending His Son to walk among us. You may be gathered together with family and friends…we may be sitting in a hut on a hillside in Kicuna, but all of us will be rejoicing that our Savior comes to make us new every day as he blesses us with the gift of eternal life in his Son, Jesus Christ.