God's goodness in Grenada

In February 2020 one of my friends from Grenada announced that she was getting married in June that year. She was the first of our liming crew to take this step, so we were all excited about the celebrations. Everything ground to a halt when covid hit our shores in March; my friend still got married, but it was scaled all the way down, and no one from overseas was able to attend due to closed borders. 

So happy to be able to catch up with her after 2 years!

A few months later I told someone that as soon as the borders reopened, Grenada would be my first destination. I wanted to go and visit my old landlords, Sister Wilma and Pops, as well as reconnect with my friends who were there. Unfortunately, Sister Wilma went home to be with Jesus in October 2021, so I never got the chance to see her again. I finally made it to Grenada in September this year when my brother planned a trip for the family to celebrate his and his wife's 10th wedding anniversary.

Enjoying the sun at Grand Etang Lake

I found a beautiful resort for us to stay in which had a balcony overlooking Grand Anse beach. The grounds were full of exquisite flowers, the staff was wonderful and my niece and nephew kept me laughing with all their antics, but I could not help think about how different this trip was compared with the last time I was in Grenada. Some of my closest friends had migrated, Sister Wilma was no longer there, and Pops was staying by his daughters in Canada. I visited my old apartment, and seeing my previous landlords' vehicle abandoned in the yard, and finding a stranger renting in "my" house broke my heart.   

One of the beauties at Blue Horizons Resort

While taking in the sunset on Grand Anse beach the first evening I was reminiscing on all the memories I had there which are no more - the 5am beach swims with Pops, the countless limes and sleepovers with my friends, the adventures all around the country discovering Grenada - and then I noticed something. After the sun had gone below the horizon, the rest of the sky lit up with colors which were not there before. It was as if God was showing me that even though the sun was no longer in the sky, beauty was still possible. Coming back to Grenada would never be the same since so many of my loved one are no longer there, but there is still something beautiful that remains.

Beach + sunset combines my two favourite aspects of creation

I was reminded of John 12:24 - 

    Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. 

    But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Many times we see only the negative aspect of death and loss, but when we look at the bigger picture, it offers the opportunity for expansion and growth that was not possible before. For the rest of my trip, although I grieved the losses, there were so many opportunities for joy and beauty still to be found.

Even Mummy could not resist the lure of Grand Anse waters :)

I did not realize before how much closure I needed following Sister Wilma's death until I came on this trip. I was not able to attend her funeral last year, but being able to meet with some of her closest friends on this trip, and her granddaughter, allowed the opportunity for us to share stories and precious memories of our times with her. I thank God for providing those spaces for the healing conversations which were very much needed. 

At lunch with her best friend, Sister Joan

We saw the favour of God every step of the way. When we left Trinidad, we were experiencing rain almost every single day. In Grenada, we had sunny weather and blue skies everytime we had to venture outdoors! Thanks to my connections, we got a great deal on transport for the time we were there, and when my family left and I remained for an extra week to reconnect with friends who were still there, I was hosted by my second Grenadian family who took the best care of me. I didn't have a car during that additional week, but transport was provided whenever I needed it. I felt so loved and cared for!

Delicious lunch prepared by Mummy Patricia

Nine years ago when I went to Grenada to relaunch the ministry of Inter School Christian Fellowship (ISCF) I knew exactly one person. I only intended to spend one year there, so I immediately started sharing the vision and mission of ISCF with everyone I met. Everyone thought it was an excellent initiative, some joined for a season, others continue to be a part, new persons have joined. It was my joy and privilege to be a part of a panel discussion on a local radio station during this trip about the role of ISCF in the schools, alongside Don-rae Wilkinson who was a sponsor in my day but is now the Board chairman of ISCF, and Rodney Mc Intyre who now serves as the General Secretary of the movement.

It was such an encouragement to see ISCF Grenada alive and well!

As I was moving around town, I bounced into some of the young people who were ISCF students when I was the staffworker years ago - it was so strange to see them as young adults! There was one that I had hoped to meet with, but was unable to make contact with her before I arrived. One afternoon we took my niece to the mall where she had seen face painting being done the day before. Not only was she the last one that they did before they closed, but I noticed that the organization doing it was run by the husband of the young lady I was hoping to meet! I was able to connect with her in person later that week, and had a lovely time catching up while doing a painting. Talk about a God-set up!

Engaging my artistic side :)

One morning a friend invited me to see her sea moss garden which was in a nearby beach, with the option to swim in the beach afterwards. Due to the presence of sea urchins in the grass under the water, there is only a narrow area which is safe for bathing, but I accepted the invitation as I had never seen a sea moss garden before. After seeing how they grew and harvested the sea moss, my friend's daughter offered to take me to BBC beach (which is the second best beach in Grenada) instead of staying there to swim. This beach is not accessible by public transport; not only did I find someone with a car who wanted to go, but she also had the time to take me there, because she was still on vacation! If that is not a God-set up I dunno what is...

Can you tell I am in my happy place?

Later in the week I met with one of my first friends that I made in Grenada. Sister Wilma had introduced us when I arrived, and Sister Dale was responsible for me getting familiar with navigating around the country, especially those special streets in St. George's. We had breakfast on the beach, where the water was very calm and clear. On one of my swims out into the deep, I had the tremendous privilege of swimming with a sea turtle! I had seen many fishes and even starfish on my previous beach escapades, but this was my first time seeing a turtle and it was so beautiful! The week after I left, Sister Dale told me that the beach was so rough and the tide so high that people who went for a swim decided against going into the water. I recognised that God provided the perfect conditions for me to enjoy the beach fully that week.

First Grenadian riding partner :)

On my last full day there, I was supposed to meet with a friend for breakfast but due to a mix up, we missed the reservation. We were told if we missed our reservation time, we would not be able to be accommodated due to limited spaces being available. Since I was running late, I called my friend who I was supposed to meet after breakfast and she was happy to join us. When we were ready to go, we called the restaurant, and they were able to fit us in! The ambiance was exquisite, the food was scrumptious, and being able to meet with my two friends at the same time made the experience so much more enjoyable.

Good friends, good food, good times

This trip was filled with so many examples of God's goodness and faithfulness. He knew exactly what I needed, and made sure I had it. I was truly blessed and refreshed by my time there, and am grateful to all who made the trip as wonderful as it was.

Happy Anniversary to you two -thanks for this trip!

 

Impact the community, change a nation

 At the end of this past academic year, we took a step of faith and held a Closing Program for our community-based Bible Club for the first time in 2 years. We had not gathered the children together to meet since March 2020, opting instead to go to their homes and share the Bible lessons in their yards or in the street, which resulted in much more children attending compared to when we met at the Green House in Grove Park. 

Posing with their prizes for saying their memory verses

However, as the children had already been interacting with each other for the past few months in school and covid cases were on the decline, we decided it was time for us to meet in person, and the children were ecstatic! They sang songs, played games and were given tips by the speaker about how not to let their emotions control their behaviour. After the 1-hour long program, the children declared that it was too short, and begged that we do another one. This prompted our decision to run a Vacation Bible School for them in August before they had to go back to school.

Engaging with the children at Closing Program

From a planning perspective, deciding the first week in July to have a VBS the third week in August, especially when you already committed to running 3 weeks of camp, a thanksgiving and another week of VBS in between, is madness, but if it is one thing I have learnt from my time with Is There Not A Cause (ITNAC) it is that, once you have the right networks, prior knowledge and experience, having a huge lead time in planning and executing a successful event is not a necessity. 

One friend sourced the roll of newsprint, another
prepared the weekly and daily themes and memory verses

I had a one week window between when my church's VBS ended and our community VBS started and during that week, we went through the teaching material that had been prepared by another church for a VBS in 2020, decided on the number of classes, sourced teachers and assistants, printed banners and flyers, photocopied worksheets, rented tents, tables and chairs, purchased craft supplies and ingredients for refreshments, and put our prayer support team into action. I give God all the honor and glory that every single one of our prayer points were answered!

Setting up the prizes table - these two were
an invaluable source of support throughout the week

Those who needed to hear the good news of the gospel came out

Due to limitations of space, staff, time and transport, we decided not to extend the invitation to VBS to the entire Dow Village community as we usually do, but to limit it to those who had been attending Bible Club. We gave the Bible Club children the flyers we printed, and encouraged them to distribute to their friends. On the first day, we had 46 children! These included our regular and irregular Bible Club children, children who we only see when we have VBS, children from outside the community who were spending holidays by their family members, and a couple newcomers from the community.

We were barely able to fit under the tent

Hearts were receptive to God’s Word and spiritual decisions were made

God brought out a group of young men between the ages of 12-14 who were very rowdy and disruptive but desperately in need of guidance. The teachers for that age group worked patiently with them, and on the third day, six of them prayed to surrender their lives to Jesus! The gospel was shared clearly for the entire week, so we are trusting God that the seeds of His Word which were planted would grow roots in the hearts of the hearers, and that God would bring the increase and the lives of the children who attended would bear much fruit in years to come. Please pray that they would be willing to live for Christ rather than adapting the lifestyle of those in their immediate environment.

 

Grateful for the godly men who served as teachers
for this age group

Teachers were granted wisdom and discernment as they presented the truths

Due to the limitations in space, class sizes were huge, with the largest being 18 children on one day (6 and under!). God gave grace and strength to the teachers to be able to communicate the basic truths of the gospel over the week, culminating in the final lesson which encouraged them to grow in their relationship with God and to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. One teenager had the responsibility of teaching a class for the first time (she had been an assistant in the past) and although she struggled a bit on the first day, with guidance she was able to improve in subsequent lessons. One day when a teacher was feeling overwhelmed, I was able to take over her class so everything ran smoothly.

So proud of these young people for stepping up!

The weather was favourable during the time of VBS 

Since more than half of our VBS attendees came walking, it was crucial that we had favourable weather before and after VBS. Even though the rain fell in surrounding areas from Monday to Thursday, we didn't have any rain in Dow Village during the time of VBS. On Friday the weather was overcast but we continued to trust. The Closing Program started with close to 80 persons in attendance (we saw the largest contingent of parents ever!) and after all the classes performed their items, a thunderstorm came down. Our guest speaker kept the children engaged with puppets and songs throughout his presentation, so they were not perturbed by the lightning and thunder around them. While I was closing in prayer, I thanked God for letting the rain cease so that parents and children could go home, and it did! It was so incredible to see how the wind and the rain continue to obey God's commands, even today.

Grateful that the sunny weather allowed this class
to comfortably meet in the front porch

Health and safety of all who attended

Two of our teachers experienced challenges with their health during this week, but in both cases, they improved significantly by the next day - we thank God that He is still in the healing business! After VBS on Wednesday there was an altercation between two boys which escalated to one throwing a stone at the other one's head but thankfully no one was hurt and the teachers were able to intervene. On Friday while heading to the beach with some of our teenaged teachers, my friend had to swerve to the other side of the road to avoid being hit by a crazy driver; thankfully no vehicles were coming from the opposite direction and they were not hurt.

Practising their song for Closing Program
while doing their craft

All expenses were covered

As we drew close to the start of VBS, a couple of our regular financial supporters reached out to make contributions to help with expenses. While the majority of our budget was covered through their giving, there were still some costs outstanding when we started. However during the week, we were contacted by Scripture Union, who wanted to partner with groups that were ministering to children in communities, and their contribution was sufficient to cover the excess. Jehovah Jireh provided once again!

We had to buy paint for craft for the first time in years

Vacation Bible School provides an excellent opportunity to present God's truth to children in a community. There are children who attend VBS who would never come to a regular Sunday School or other evangelistic outreach, so it is worth all the effort, time, energy and resources to execute it. Many of the children who attend do not receive moral and spiritual guidance at home, so it is a wonderful opportunity for us to teach principles that can turn their lives around. If we can encourage the children to make right choices while they are young, it has the potential of changing their future. We count it a privilege to do our part in investing in their spiritual lives, and are grateful to all who gave to make our "Green House" VBS a reality.

Practising their dance for Closing Program

Confessions on the day after Mother’s Day

Confessions of a follower of Jesus 

who is over 40 years old, single and female 

on the day after Mother’s Day.

I remember one year at camp when I was probably a young teenager, the question was asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Everyone who responded gave the conventional responses – doctor, lawyer, teacher, policeman, etc. I honestly had no clue what career path I was interested in, so when it was my turn to speak I said, “I want to be a mother”. 

At that time I remember being drawn to working with children. I found them to be so much fun to be around and so loving, full of energy and eager to learn. As my older friends started getting married and having babies, I claimed them as my nieces and nephews (some as my children) long before my siblings made me an official Aunty. 

Some of my earlier 'children'

As I continued serving in ministry to children and youths, it was clear that this was an area in which God had uniquely gifted and equipped me. It was also something I had seen in my mother, and later on I discovered that her mother also had an incredible love for children.

I was sharing with some friends yesterday that Mothers Day can be both lovely and painful. It is lovely for those who still have their mothers in their lives, and have good relationships with their mothers, or who are themselves mothers. But it is triggering for those who have lost their mothers, or who have lost their children, or don’t have good relationships with them, or who want to have children but are unable to. 

So grateful for the opportunity to celebrate Mummy this year

On Mothers Day, I can choose to grieve over the children I do not have, but instead I choose to celebrate those I do have. I am beyond blessed to still have my biological mother still with me, and that I was able to execute my aunt's wishes to bless her and my sister with a sumptous lunch and beautiful flowers, but I also chose to gather with others who didn’t have that privilege, and celebrate someone who has been a mother to us all. I felt led to share God’s love by buying cupcakes from a single mother, and giving them to a mother I have noticed selling water at a traffic light with her son under the shade of an umbrella. And my heart was made full with all the messages of love from those who acknowledged my role in mothering the children God has given me the honor of ministering to.

There is more than one way to have a happy mothers day.

Psalm 113:9 - He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord.

My "Best Aunty Ever" Mother's Day mug

Let the little children come!

 With the easing of restrictions for public gatherings, for the first time in 2 years we were able to have in-person outreach activities for children over the Easter vacation and they thoroughly enjoyed it! The first activity was held in a community in Morvant called 9 Storey, where ITNAC has been building relationships and meeting needs over the past 2 months. We identified young persons in the community who had business ideas, but lacked the basic capital necessary to move forward, and were able to assist at least 10 individuals with the materials and tools they needed to start their own small businesses. One of our members envisioned having a Fun Day for the children, and came up with the theme of "Outrageous Love". There would be Bible stories, games, science activities, art and craft. I was in charge of the Bible component, and felt led to focus on Matthew 5:44 - "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you." Little did we know that, 6 days before the event was scheduled to take place, Orlando, one of the young men we had helped to start a business selling drinks, would be innocently murdered...

Aunty Odette, the visionary behind the Fun Day
teaching the children science using an experiment

The community was plunged into mourning after Orlando's death, but we didn't let this deter us from having the Fun Day as scheduled. When we arrived to set up, we could feel the heaviness as we spoke to the grandmother of Orlando's 5 month old baby, who was having problems sleeping since his father died. We prayed with them, and then proceeded to set up for the days' activities. As the children started coming out and the music started playing, the atmosphere started lifting. We started with some games for the children, then taught them some songs about God's love and loving others. Two of the youth leaders from St. Augustine Evangelical Bible Church, along with one of their friends, came to assist with the Bible component. Antonio and Safiya helped with the songs, organized the skit introducing the Bible lesson, and led a small group discussions after the Bible lesson, helping the children apply the principles which had been taught, and giving them practical advice about how to love those who treat us badly. The timing of that lesson could not have been better.

Antonio praying with the older children

After the small group discussions and prayer, the children had opportunities to devleop academically through the fun science experiments, creatively through making their crafts, and socially through the team games they played. Prizes were given to those who answered questions correctly and learnt their memory verse, and they also enjoyed the refreshments served. Even some of the adults who were there looking on participated in some of the games, and everyone enjoyed hearing the children's laughter and seeing their smiling faces. We trust God that the seeds of His Word would be watered, and that God would bring the increase. One of the residents shared that at Orlando’s wake the night before, someone suggested that the residents meet on a Sunday afternoon for a weekly church service, so we are trusting God that this would become a reality and that as God’s Word continues to be proclaimed in that community, the change will come.

Showing off her craft reminding them of
God's outrageous love for us

Four days later we held a Resurrection Party for the children of the families who stay at ITNAC's transition homes. Children of ITNAC members were also invited, as well as children from some of the families that we have been supporting during the pandemic. It was a wonderful opportunity to challenge the children about the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection to their lives - that they were to die to sin and live to righteousness. The children sat attentively for the Bible lesson, and eagerly answered all the questions which were asked. They were then divided into small groups according to their age group, and ITNAC members lead discussions with the children about areas in their lives where they needed to die to sin. They made craft to remind them that the same victory Jesus had over death is available to empower them to have the victory over sin in their lives. A meal was served, and they sang and danced until it was time to go home. 

Children engaged as Sarah led in a time of worship

What was incredible to me about that event was how God allowed everything to fall in place just when it needed to. Despite my efforts to plan in advance, I didn't actually sit down to plan the lesson until just a few days before the party. Half of the persons who had initially offered to help on the day in question were unable to do so at the last minute for one reason or the other. Yet with the help of some dedicated ITNAC members and my brother and sister-in-law, we were able to ensure that all the children who attended were well taken care of. The decor was exquisitely done, the food was amazing, and the support provided by all who attended was well appreciated. I especially thank God for Gabby, as I didn't think about organizing the use of the sound system in advance, and she was able to organize everything so I didn't have to be straining my voice to talk to over 30 children in a wide open space. God in His wisdom also led us to change the venue 6 days before, as He knew that the original venue would have been exposed to someone who was covid positive 3 days before the party was scheduled. I continue to be in awe at how God takes care of the details we are not even aware of.

Activity encouraging children
to make right choices

For the final outreach event of the holidays, we partnered with Miss Patricia who has an outreach to children in Febeau Village in San Juan. The community is plagued with many social issues, but Miss Patricia answered God's call 5 years ago to start a ministry to the children in that area. They report that there has been a noticeable difference in the atmosphere and attitude of the children since they started. We were privileged to work alongside her, sharing the same Bible lesson which was shared at the Resurrection Party, challenging the children to use every part of their body as instruments of righteousness, and teaching them that they have the power to resist every temptation to sin. I had the incredible privilege of leading the son of one of our team members to Christ at the end of the event when we were packing up! We thank God for those who prayed and gave generously, which enabled us to share God's truth and love with so many of these precious young souls.

Sharing with the children in small groups

Making Jesus the center of it all

Christmas means different things to different people. For some, Christmas is about spending time with family. For others, it is all about the food, shopping, cleaning, decorating and gifts. Many struggled to get into the "Christmas spirit" in December 2021; there was so much sickness, death, economic hardships and restrictions on gatherings, so they were unable to celebrate as they usually would. As a follower of Jesus who has committed my life to sharing with others how they too can be a part of the kingdom of God, Christmas provides a great opportunity to share widely about the significance of God coming to earth in the form of a human, so that we can be brought back into relationship with Him.

I had the added bonus of spending Christmas
Day with these two bundles of joy

The first outreach activity was scheduled for the day after I returned from my trip to the US, and the target group was the Bible Club children. I had bought the gifts for them since November, and my neighbour's daughter wrapped them for me while I was abroad, so everything was in place for the execution on the day. It was interesting for me to hear some of the children's responses to questions I asked about the details surrounding Jesus' birth: some thought it was the angel who put Jesus inside of Mary, others that the wise men were the first to hear about Jesus' birth. I shared about how God chose ordinary shepherds, the ones not considered important by society, to be the first persons invited to see Jesus following His birth. The children were encouraged to have the same response as the shepherds did: after they encounter Jesus for themselves, to share the good news about His coming with others.

Sharing the biblical account of Jesus' birth

Playing a game with candy canes

Happy to receive their gifts and snack boxes

From as early as November, persons who had received hampers from ITNAC throughout 2021 began contacting me to find out if we would be distributing hampers for Christmas, because they were still in need. Thanks to some timely financial blessings in December, I was able to purchase hampers worth $300 to bless 10 of these families. A few days later I received some additional funds from an unexpected source, which facilitated the purchase of 5 more hampers. I told a friend that I felt as though, as fast as I was disbursing the blessings which had been channeled through me, it seemed like more was being given. By early January, I had the privilege of delivering 19 hampers to families who had been experiencing economic hardships. Thanks to some sacrificial givers, the children in these families received toys as well!

We also included some goodies in the hampers to
make them extra special :)

What sets ITNAC apart from other organizations that distribute hampers around this time of year is that our motivation for doing so is not just because it is a "season for giving". In addition to meeting the need for sustenance, we also seek to meet persons' spiritual needs. Christmas provides a great opening for sharing about why God chose to come to earth in the form of a human, and after sharing the gospel with the families, two children prayed to invite Jesus to forgive them of their sins and take control of their lives! We pray that the seeds of God's word which were planted in the hearts of all who heard the Good News would grow and result in much fruit.

One of the children who is now a part of the Kingdom of God!

It is hard to put into words what it feels like to be an answer to someone's prayer... I had asked our ITNAC Administrator for the names of 3 persons in need of hampers close to where I lived, so I could distribute them easily. She included the name of someone who lived in Central, and I called this person by 'mistake' to tell them that I would be delivering it the next day. It was only the following morning that I realized my 'mistake' when I entered her address. When I met her and heard her story, it turned out that God had orchestrated that connection. She had been praying the night before and God told her that He would provide for her, as the main breadwinner in the family had been laid off and they had a 3 year old son to take care of. When she received my message, she was greatly encouraged. To her it was a confirmation that God was indeed providing, and she felt confident that He would also restore the brokenness of her past. She is a new believer, so it was a tremendous boost to her faith to see how God literally answered her prayer.

Getting to see smiles like these are an added bonus!

There is one family that I have been in touch with since meeting them earlier this year; I really wanted to do something special for the mother, since she has recently been sharing how overwhelmed and stressed she had been feeling due to the challenges they were experiencing. I contacted my friend from high school who has a store selling perfumes and brand name creams, told her my budget, and she let me know what I could get for that price range. When I got to her store and she started asking me about the person so she could match the fragrance appropriately, on hearing the mother's story, she decided to give me, not just what was in my budget, but 4 extra items ALL FREE OF CHARGE! In addition to this, she also gave a cash donation which I was able to use to bless more families in need, and I got a personal sweet treat as well. Talk about God providing exceeding and abundantly above all we could think or imagine!

Special thanks to Natika Singh-Chadee from Signature
Collection for her generosity :)

On my way to deliver the last hamper before I left for a mini-getaway to Tobago, I observed that there was a car parked on the road in the space where I would normally turn. I made a mental note to keep that in mind when I was leaving, however I totally forgot about it. When I was reversing to leave, I kept my eyes on my back end and it was only when I realized my car was no longer moving that I looked to the front and saw that I had collided with the parked car. I panicked and continued reversing, which made the damage even worse. The owner was not around when I made enquiries, and when the residents realized that I was waiting for the the owner to be located, they commented that I could have just left the scene. I thank God for the conviction not to do that, as it would have tainted my reputation in that community where we do outreach. Thankfully when the owner was located, he was very sympathetic and was more concerned that no one was hurt than the damage to his car.

If you think this looks bad you should see
the other guy...

At the beginning of the Christmas holidays, I was talking with my 8 year old goddaughter about things she could do since she was 'bored' and had 'nothing to do'. I suggested that she could clean our her toy box and sort it into 3 piles - toys she wanted to keep, toys which were in good condition that she could give away to a less fortunate child, and toys which were damaged and needed to be thrown away. She then informed me that none of the toys were suitable to give away as they were all damaged in some way. We had no further discussion about it, so imagine my surprise when, 3 weeks later, her parents took her to a toy store to pick out something for herself, and she insisted on getting something for a less fortunate child instead! I had no idea that our conversation affected her so deeply, and it reminded me of the value of passing on our responsibility to care for the less fortunate to the next generation, so as to develop in them hearts of compassion for others.

Her mother subsequently bought this stash so all
 the siblings in the needy family could get something nice

Our church got creative as once more, we were not able to gather in person for our Christmas outreach and fellowship. The choir put together a musical entitled "Night of miracles" in which my niece made her debut as one of the angels. Although we would have loved to present it in person, the online show has massed over 1,100 views to date, so we thank God for the reach that social media platforms afford, and pray that those who listened to the challenge at the end would have been brought one step closer to Jesus. I helped in the planning and execution of another online time of fellowship for our church family, where we spent time learning about Christmas traditions in other countries, and also sharing what it means to us to have "God with us" in our daily lives. All who attended were encouraged by our time of sharing together.

Singing "Glory to God in the highest"

On Christmas Day itself, my brother invited Mummy and me to spend Christmas Day with him and his family. It was our first Christmas without Daddy, and both Mummy and I independently had the same idea: to introduce a tradition that we had in our family when we were younger - to have the children dress up and act out the biblical account of Jesus' birth. Joseph wanted to pull off his headpiece halfway through, and Jael only agreed to be Mary if she could deliver baby Jesus while wearing her rollerskates, but we trust God that it served as a reminder of what our focus should be on that day and everyday - celebrating God with us, and God sending His only Son to be the Saviour of the world.

The angel Joseph announcing that Jesus is born

 Two days after Christmas, my niece celebrated her 5th birthday. Since August she observed her friends' birthday cakes reflecting characters that they loved, and initially she indicated that she would like a unicorn cake for her birthday. A few weeks later she had a change of heart, and declared that she wanted a Jesus cake instead. She also requested a Jesus pinata that was filled with craft that would tell her friends about Jesus, rather than sweets and toys. After much research and discussions with the cake decorator, her mother was able to come up with a design for a cake that portrayed Jesus' life on earth, from His birth to His death and resurrection. This was used as an evangelistic tool to share with Jael's friends about the significance of His coming to earth and the fact that He is now alive.

Shout out to Karina's Yummy Cakes for
this awesome creation which was totally delicious!

We thank God for the opportunities provided during this time of year to share the Good News of salvation with persons who are not usually in our sphere of influence, as well as those who are. We trust that the seeds of the Word which were planted would be watered, and that God would bring the increase. We also trust that others would be encouraged to find creative ways of keeping Christ at the center of all our celebrations.