The Last Good Night from Namibia (Tim)

Good night from Namibia! I can't believe we heading home tomorrow, there is so much left to do. I'm in my upstairs room listening to the two young girls on our team (they shall remain nameless) spending the last few hours with thier friend Lorenzo, you need to roll the are to get the full effect, watching a movie and just being young girls who are, if I may say so, crazy about this young man. But I promise Karen and Stephanie, that Brandi, Bill, and I will check thier luggage before we leave, and I thought I was going to have to worry about Branjulina. They will have a tuff night of sleep and an even rougher flight home tomorrow so please keep them in your prayers.

Today begins a four day celebration of the last week of the month and all around the Center people are singing and having a party. It's certainly a not what you would expect with all that they are challenged with, but maybe, just maybe there is a lesson to be learned here.

This has been an amazing journey for this team and it all came together in the most amazing way, but isint God amazing. We all went to the wood carvers today and found just the right treasure for family and friends. A friend of the Care Point Coordinator, who is also the Pastor of the church we visted last Sunday, took us to his tent where he, along with his wife and daughter sell carvings, we all can't wait to get home and give out our gifts.

Gifts, all I can say is WOW. We had the blessed opportunity to watch as 60 children recieved shoe boxes from Samaritan Purse. As i'm sure you have already heard through Brandi's FB and Blod posts her family has been putting these shoe boxes together for the past couple years, but to actually be in a place like Africa and expereince the JOY and EXCITMENTon the kids faces was more than Brandi could handle. As she shared her story and this opportunity with the kids she was overcome with Joy and I think a little humility because she saw first hand God doing such a great thing.

Last Friday was the first Kids Club that Christ's Hope has had at the center in quite some time and as they left last week the leaders challenged the kids to bring one friend, last week there were 32 kids and today as we drove up to the building there were 20 new kids standing at the door waiting to get in. The kids from the Care Point walk to the Center. The kids gather in a circle to sings songs and as they were singing other kids bagan showing up.I can only imagin that they heard the singing and wanted to know where it was coming from and what was going on. I was looking out the doors that are open on both ends of the building to allow for the warm winter breeze to flow through, and first it was one by one then it was two by two, running to see what the noise was. The kids would move thier chairs to make room for them and that maid them feel welcomed. There were two occasions where two boys were outside wanting to come in but to shy to do so I went out and invited them in but one chose not to while the other ran away. The second time two boys showed up and i nivited them in, one came in while the other sat outside, about 50 yards away and just sat in the dirt, I think he was probably 6-7 years old. I continued to watch him from the door way jesturing once in awhile for him to come join, butb he just sat there in the dirt. I decided I would take him a piece of bread and a hard boiled egg and hoped that might pry him from that spot but he still would'nt budge. As the other kids started recieving thier shoe boxes God kept telling me to get him inside, so I went and found his friend who was finally able to get him to step inside, and just in time for him to also recieve a shoe box, he was so excited. We walked with the children through town, past the bars, the people, and the filth that is thier home. At the end of the evening there were 60 children who expereineced God and some for the first time.

We spent the evening eating BBQ Lamp Chops and Sausage made of wild game, it was a great way to close out an amazing adventure. I can't thank God enough to have been blessed me with the opportunity to lead such a great group of people in Bill and Brandi Brooks, Emily Gonzales, and Taylor Patton. The next time you meet them thye will not be the same people, maybe not on the inside but for sure the inside and that's exactly where this whole adventure began. God placed a call in thier hearts and they responded with out any if, ands, or but's and God did a mighty work.

The take away for the team from this trip to Africa: what Vision has God planted in thier hearts and how will it be revieled? Could it be filling a container with much needed items for the Center? we will have to wait and see.

Thank you for your prayers for they have sustained us.

And to my loving and beautiful Lifepartner Stephanie, who with out her hard work and her servant heart we would not have been able to expereince the love of Christ shared with the kids, the staff and our team. You are truely a gift to me from God and I give Him thanks and can't wait to see you.

PS- The girls are still down stairs talking.

Good Night!

See all of you soon.