December in the Village

Welcome to Christmas 2023 in Obule!

I am very thankful for our festive, special, memorable and full holiday season!

I feel a little like Mary pondering it all and treasuring it up in my heart. Especially that we are all together as a family in Obule this year.

The first week in December we went to Mbale to go Christmas shopping.
Good food, holiday shopping, swimming and Makai's favorite mini golf!

This singing Santa we found could be yours for about $550!

Enjoying our ride home in the AC with Christmas music playing...

Another Christmas shopping option, our local market!

The teens also enjoyed shopping with a friend in Soroti town.

We even had a trade show come through so Makai had fun too.

All month long we had carolers in our home, played Christmas games, watched Christmas movies, and Emalai and Makai were full of imagination and played Christmas everything!

Makai saw me put out the manger so he ran to get baby Jesus!

What is Christmas without decorating Christmas cookies?!
(Thankful the girls did all the work this year!)

The girls and I were able to go to a ladies Christmas tea put on by another missionary.

My 45th birthday!
Indian take out for supper - love it!

My family spoiled me with love, appreciation and kind words!

We put on a candlelight Christmas carols. It is always so beautiful and meaningful.

These two enjoyed playing candlelight carols for days!

I love my kids!!!

Another party, another reason for a picture!

A nice Christmas meal, games and devotions with our missionary neighbors.

Town becomes crazy busy Christmas week. City folks come back to the village for the holidays.

Our dear friend Mary gave us a turkey. A huge gift! We ate it Christmas day with our church family.
We also gave rice to our FIC volunteer teachers, a gift basket for a few needy families, and got potatoes to contribute to Christmas lunch.

Bringing a gift to families in need this year.
(They all are but we tried to pick the neediest.)

This family lost their dad/husband in this year.
They were over the top thankful for our love we show them.

Family Christmas party Dec. 24th.

The girls wanted lots of Ugandan things for their college rooms.

Emalai loves to play being a housekeeper and wanted a duster.
She also wanted a local bucket they use to sell the local little cakes so she could pretend to sell in market. So cute!

Luka was surprised with Arby's sauce from the States.

They all got new shoes.
Grace and Emalai wanted Ugandan bathing slippers.

A little soccer while we wait for our Christmas kababs.

After supper we read the Christmas story and sang carols.
It was our favorite part of the night!

Poor Emalai has battled on and off sickness this month. She didn't feel well Dec. 24 but managed with Tylenol. Christmas day she was down and out. Such a bummer! She had a great attitude though.

Grace did children's church Christmas day.

New clothes is the Christmas rage in the village.
Lydia got her gorgeous secondhand dress at the market for $1.50. Grace had hers made from African material. And Luka picked out his shirt in Ethiopia.

Our Christmas lunch with friends from church.

Volleyball was the hit of the day!

Two days after Christmas, birthday girl turned 11!

It is cultural to have water poured on the one with a birthday, so Emalai's request was to have a birthday bath! And she got it - and LOVED it!

Emalai had a can of snow she wanted to spray for her birthday.

We love you Emalai!!!

Dec. 28 was the Ugandan FIC Christmas party.

Josh talked about all God has done in 2023 and seeking and following God in 2024, people gave testimonies from the last year of FIC and we took communion together.

Then we played BINGO

Our kids loved giving out the prizes!

And we played musical chairs and they loved it!

This is a husband and wife fighting for the win of musical chairs!

We gave out planners as a gift for their faithful teaching this year.

And we prayed over one another.

The FIC teachers. I thank God we get to serve the Lord together.

The boys

We defrosted the freezer so Makai and Nathan got to play in the "snow"!

Annual youth party on New Years Eve
It is a highlight of my kids each year.

We started with worship then had a prayer time for one another. These youth are so great!

Josh gave a message about seeking God's heart this new year not just His hand.

Then we had a talent show! My kids are so fun!

Happy 2024!

And this is how Makai looks most days now. His bike, no shirt (it's hot), Christmas sunglasses and dog.
Doesn't it just make you smile!

Makai keeps saying don't take Christmas down, I'm sad. I understand.

Unfortunately more change and sadness is coming. Pray for Makai as his best friend Lydia (sister) will be leaving the end of the month for YWAM in South Africa.

I didn't put pictures of our Church conference in yet because I think Lydia did a great job on her blog about it. You can find it at: https://shaarda-beauty.blogspot.com/2023/12/annual-conference.html

Here are a few of my photos too:

Each year all the UCFM churches gather on the school break for a conference. Honestly it comes at a very busy season for me, but other than that our family looks forward to these few days with our church family. Being together is unifying. Our whole family is involved in some way. Emalai loves holding the babies and helping for hours in the kitchen.

I led Journey to Jesus this year.

Our teens listen to the sessions, help cook, serve food and hang out with their friends.

This year they added sports and Luka was co-leader of it.
Our district ended up winning in a shoot out against Serere district. Luka was goalie and stop a shot to win! It was so much fun!