Happy Thanksgiving!

Top ten things I'm thankful for in Swaziland:
10. For the days that I have water and hot water.
9. For my fan and mosquito net because it is so hot here and more humid than I expected. Obviously I misunderstood the answer to my question about the weather in Swaziland. “Compared to Houston, heat is relative.” I was so silly thinking that sentence meant it wasn’t too hot or humid here.
8. For the most beautiful trees with red blooms. The common name is Flamboyant tree. How appropriate.
7. For the encouragement of my new friends as I try to learn a few words and phrases in Siswati. They are so supportive, especially the young night guard for the church grounds. I am thankful that he got over a long illness and is back at his post!
6. For e-mail and the internet so I can communicate with my dear friends and family.
5. For the many people I have come to know and love in Swaziland.
4. For the opportunity to be serving in Swaziland.
3. For the Petrol station attendant and the two kombie drivers who were polite, concerned and honest when I drove my steaming car into the first Petrol station outside of Mbabane before Manzini last night after dark. I thank the Lord for my safety, their help and honesty and that the long drive on a very overheated car didn’t seem to do any damage.
2. For all of you who support me through financial donations and prayer. Your support has gotten me through many tough, frustrating times.
1. And what am I most thankful for? For being loved by a God who hears each and everyone of my prayers and thoughts and who answers my prayers, sometimes before the prayer even leaves my lips or is written down in my journal. I realize his timing is perfect and I thank him so for that. I also thank him the gift of his son, Jesus Christ. God is so great!

How will I be celebrating Thanksgiving in Swaziland? I will awake sometime before 5:00 am and probably get out of bed a little after 5:00. I will do my daily devotion, pray and write in my journal while I drink a cup of instant coffee with hot chocolate mixed in. I will eat some breakfast and then around 7:30 am, Siphiwe and I will travel to two schools and a care point to deliver completion certificates I made for all the seventh graders who are leaving primary school this year. I will also take some miscellaneous text book donations to the schools. I will deliver a few stuffed animals and balls for the carepoint. One of these schools is the furthest away from St. Paul’s. I am hoping to be home by around 2:00 and I’m praying I will have water to take a shower because the day will be very hot and dusty. Than I will drive to Mbabane for a thanksgiving dinner, complete with Turkey and stuffing, with American friends and their families who are doing mission work in Swaziland. I will come home after dark, check e-mail and go to bed because Friday morning will come bright and early. Please pray for travelling mercies, especially in the dark.

I hope you all have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving and that you take this opportunity to think about all that you are thankful for.

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
Come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his
people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalms 100