Christmas Again with Nana and Papa

Our church, Central Baptist Church, had gotten a list of things that Joe, Laura, Gilbert, Danny, and Bonnie would like to have for Christmas.  The folks at church piled up things and were going to mail them all to Joe and Laura.  In the mean-time Buster and I made arrangements to go to Africa to see them.  Bro. Dodson thought it would be great to pack two suitcases with some of the things for us to take with us.  What a wonderful idea!

Mandy purchased the tickets for us.  She is very good at finding good prices.  Our family had taken up a collection to purchase the tickets and sent the money to Mandy.  I sent our passports off to get the visas to enter Ghana.  Buster got his yellow fever shot. 

I packed and unpacked trying to fit all of the gifts into the suitcases.  Then I sorted again.  This time I sorted things that weren't Christmas gifts, but that the kids would like to get.  I packed five boxes of those things.  I mailed two of them and took three boxes for the church to mail while we were on our trip. 

Then I packed again.  We bought some things that we knew the kids would like to have.  I packed those too.  When it was all over we had packed 3 and 1/2 suitcases for Joe, Laura, and the kids.  We took four outfits each to finish the other 1/2 suitcase.  We were ready! 

The kids could hardly contain themselves.  They wanted to know what we had brought for them.  Joe and Laura had to leave their Christmas decorations in the Ivory Coast and had not been able to make the trip into the country to retrieve them.  I reminded Joe that when our house burned when he was in high school we had to hang ornaments on the wall in the shape of a Christmas tree because we had lost our decorations.  Here is his variation on that theme.  I am sure this is one tree these kids will remember for their entire lives.  Good memories!  Celebrating Christmas is not always with a big tree and lots of decorations.  A family can celebrate with just a little and still know that God loves them and takes care of them. 

Joe took the kids and Buster to do some errands while Laura and I wrapped packages to put under this wonderful tree.  I kept pulling things out and pulling things out of those suitcases.  We wrapped and wrapped.  Joe and all came back and we were still not finished.  So he took them to pick up a pizza and come back. 



The kids were ready.  They had waited for this for weeks. 

It was so much fun to watch them open each gift.  They were so appreciative of each little thing.  I know they are still enjoying each gift as much as they did while we were there with them. 



I was so encouraged.  The kids enjoyed each others gifts too.  There were clothes, underwear, socks, crayons, pens, pencils, color books, and new Bibles.  We had so much fun watching the kids enjoy each other. 



Danny's new Bible and shirt.  He loved them both.



Gilbert's new boots and Bible.  He loved them.



Bonnie's new dress, flip flops, and New Testament.

Thank you, Lord, for these three children who love you.