Karamoja Okkens

As most of you are quite chilly, we are starting to feel the heat! Yes, we are into our dry season it seems which means lots of wind and rising temperatures. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. We enjoyed a Christmas Eve service with our Karimojong neighbors and then a time of munchies and fun with our teammates. Now we approach the end of the year! As I have said many times before, time goes by so fast! We thank God for his protection and giving us health this year. We thank Him for the opportunities to spread the Gospel and continue to pray for wisdom on how and where to do that as David and Pastor Al preach/teach in different villages. We have been encouraged by the things that are happening with our friend, Pastor Emuron, in Namalu. Through his invitation we have had some involvement in the ministry at his church for some time and more recently have begun a midweek meeting of teaching and a literacy program with teammate Martha Wright. So, please pray for that time ...

This is often the view around us right now. Dry season...people are either burning their fields preparing for next year's planting, or shepherd boys burning an area to catch rats for some good eating! It can make a nice haze in the sky at times and make us a little nervous wondering if it will get too close. But, most of t he time, it does its thing and dies...the fire and the ground.

Jacob is ready Curious George cake (didn't have to work hard on this!) what a ham!

the little party birthday breakfast new toy

Well, yesterday we returned to our home here in Nakaale after spending the week down country. A wonderful time of swimming, ice cream and seeing friends. Not to mention a wonderful internet connection! It had been quite some time since the family had been out of Karamoja, so we were excited from some little luxuries. Hot showers, ice cream, pool, and yes a little shopping ;-). We also had a great time visiting with our teammates and new friends in Mbale, and also seeing friends we haven't seen in a long time. Thank you to all who made the visit wonderful! Until the next time...which won't be so long! P.S. Cholera update. It is still here, but moving slowly. Someone did die in the nearby village of Kopetatum (where we hold a early Sunday morning service). I think still just a few cases seen at the clinic, but not everyone goes to the clinic. So please continue to keep the community in prayer.

Well, it seems our clinic has had two cholera cases since I last wrote. Please pray for Dr. Jim and the clinic staff as they handle things. The cases were a child and wife of one of our workers. Right now, we are actually down country enjoying some vacation so are not right in the middle of it. Please keep our teammates and neighbors in prayer.