Baby Noelle Kate

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord . . . . Psalm 127:3"

The Lord granted our request for a safe and healthy arrival of our second grandchild on Saturday, 2 January, 2010 in Greenville, SC.

Noelle Kate weighed in at 6 pounds 9 ounces. The next day, she was able to come home with her 2 and 1/2 year old brother, Jake,

and her parents, Amy and Rob.

While Amy was labouring in hospital on 2 January, Tony and several of the men traveling with him from the leadership retreat were stranded on the side of the road for a couple of hours in 36 C heat with our 1996 Toyota Venture which had blown a gasket. Thank the Lord that Tony arrived home in time to receive the call announcing Noelle's arrival!

Friends kindly loaned us a vehicle which enabled us to take the Pattersons to the various mission history sites in the Cape. After they left Cape Town on 7 January, I had just 3 days to complete some materials and preparations for Sunday School teachers and for freezer meals for Tony as he had purchased me a ticket to the USA, so that I could be a help to Amy in the early days of

Noelle's life.

It has also been a great joy to have some special time with our middle daughter, Clare, as she begins her final semester of her Bachelor of Nursing degree. On Sunday, I got a photo of Aunt

Clare with Noelle.

Lord willing, this weekend Clare and I will visit my mother in NC. Sadly, during this brief trip, I will not be able to visit our youngest, Emily, who is in Wisconsin studying at Northland International University.

Noelle was 9 days old when I was able to meet her for the first time.

I am enjoying this special privilege of having 2 weeks with our grandchildren.

Pray for my safe return to South Africa -- and to Tony!--- on January 27.

Leadership Retreat with Pattersons

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith . . . . Hebrews 12:2"

Oostenberg Bybel Instituut held its first Leadership Retreat for the men and their wives from the various churches who pastor and have positions of leadership in various church plants in the Western and Northern Cape. In June 2009, we began the planning for this retreat, which we believe will become an annual event. The Lord led fellow missionaries, Jeff and Judy Blanton and Amy Blackburn, to help us and we believe their support made the retreat a great success. Dr. and Mrs. Alan Patterson (below)

from the home office of Gospel Fellowship Association Mission Home arrived on 29 December, 2009 to be our camp speakers.

Tony and I, along with the Pattersons and the leadership from our Delft ministry, departed for Glencairn on the southern Cape peninsula on Wednesday, 30 December, 2009. The normal 1 hour drive stretched out to about 2 1/2 hours due to the heavy traffic along the coast at this holiday season. Fortunately, the baked spaghetti for the evening meal had been prepared before we arrived the Rotary camp in Clencairn. Dinner was served and the first session with Dr. Alan Patterson teaching the book of Hebrews

began on time with every attendee having safely arrived. The 12 couples and two singles were challenged and encouraged by Dr. Patterson's teaching. Dr. Patterson spoke in 10 sessions covering the book of Hebrews in 15 hours together.

The ladies enjoyed two separate sessions taught by Jan Patterson.

At the close of the retreat, Dr. Patterson presented each man a copy of his 140 page outline of Hebrews.

For weeks I watched for sales and shopped and planned the menu for the camp.

The days before our departure to the camp were greatly aided by the volunteer camp cook, Amy Blackburn. She was a tremendous blessing to us and to everyone as she prepared meals and served so selflessly.

Her first assistant was Jeff, but there were a number of others who volunteered help with peeling veggies, preparing curry and even making dessert for Friday night.

On New Years Eve, we spent time singing, testifying and praying to bring in the New Year

Pray for the ministries represented by these labourers from Upington, Atlantis, Calvinia,

Northpine, Delft, Eindhoven, Mitchell's Plain, Strand and Macassar.

The theme verses of the camp, Hebrews 12:1-2 summarize the desired focus of the 4 days we spent together--that we who labour in the work of the Lord here in South Africa would keep our eyes on Christ!