I was standing in a few inches of snow, on a cold blustery night, watching the clouds scream by in front of a clear, bright moon. And it hit me - what do the moon and sky and stars look like in Africa? Have the people ever seen snow (I assume not)?

And as I considered the breadth and extent of this great big world, I stepped back and reflected on the generosity of our friends and family - and on the goodness of God. 

As of today, we have more than covered the expenses for our trip through your gracious giving. 🙏🏻 And you guys are so generous, that your contributions will also nearly cover the cost of drilling a well for a remote village in Chad. 🥹 For this, we simply say: Thank you.

This next statement is almost enough to make you weep: around 80% of all diseases in 3rd-world countries could be avoided with clean water. A pediatrician in country said that his work is less important than bringing clean water to those who don’t have it.  And those without wells - they literally walk hours, wait hours, and hope to get just a little bit of water - which is likely muddy and dirty. 

We’ll be digging a well for a remote, African village on Friday, Feb 7th. It now feels real - having a date tied to the work. You don’t know how excited I am. 

On the other front, Angela is dutifully preparing lesson plans and teaching tools, as any awesome teacher would (she’s an awesome teacher). Her teaching and interaction with local girls will cover three days - February 6-8.

She’s working on flashcards, games, activities, and lessons. 📝 We have the chance to impact around 30 16-19 yr olds with  English lessons and the Gospel of Christ. What comes of this - only God knows.  But he promises that his Word 📖 will not return void - like the rain that falls and waters the earth. 

So thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your giving. And thank you for being friends. 

We are excited, rejuvenated, and ready for our trip.