no one was stabbed

Thank God for a peaceful Christmas in Philippi. Christmas time is a dreaded time for many living in the squalor townships as year end bonuses and vacation time, a most noxious synergy, produce drunkenness, violence, and fear. This kinda hit home one afternoon as we dropped off two of our dear friends and co-workers at their homes in Philippi over the holiday. Manelisi and Babalwa thanked us for the awesome day we enjoyed together in Cape Town and on the train to the beach and, in different words, thanked us for risking our lives to pursue this friendship. I hadn't quite looked at it from that angle...but in a sense, yeah, he's right. (He also dropped the comment that he's watching our marriage and is taking notes! Please keep our marriage in your prayers--we're being watched! :)

But we were so glad to hear reports from several different sources that THIS Christmas was different from most. As Elizabeth, one of our committee members, put it, "No one was stabbed. God is hearing our prayers." Now that is Faith. God answers prayers and mobilizes his forces to keep peace in entire million-member communities. Thank God for protecting all of our orphan kids in the support group who endured attempted kidnappings, several muggings, and gunfire directed straight at them (the gangster missed and only grazed the neck of the girls aunt who stood behind her. They are all OK)! God protected and provided shelter in every case. We don't take that for granted, we are all so dependent on Him.