African Christmas - different but the same.

Belated Christmas greetings to you all!!!
I kept meaning to blog over the last two weeks, and yes, I know,  intentions don’t amount to a hill of beans!!!
Christmas sure was different for us this year; almost no trace of commercialism in sight, no Christmas carols being played where ever you go, not one house decorated outside, no snow and sub zero temperatures : ), almost no Christmas treats, no mad dash to get the latest must have gadget, no turkey, no Santa (very thankfully!!), but praise the Lord, the true, joyful meaning of Christmas - the celebration of the birth of the Messiah, JESUS CHRIST, yes, that was as real here as it was out there!
The fact that the Father knew from eternity past that we would need a Christmas so that we could have an Easter has taken on a new deeper meaning. The ineffable love that was demonstrated by the Father and the Son when they both knew what was awaiting the Son. What perfect love!
In the weeks coming up to Christmas we were very busy, both at school and at CRIB. At school we put in many “overtime” hours getting ready for the school Christmas program. It was wonderful; Fabi wrote the play, which began with Adam and Eve and the fall of man, continued with Noah and the flood, went on to the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You see, what’s so wonderful about this is the fact that a very large percentage of the audience were staunch Muslim/Hindus!! A large sector of students in both primary and secondary are of these faiths; reason being we’re the only English speaking school in Burundi, and English is becoming more and more common as a business language.
And so this affords us the fantastic opportunity to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to these folks. Isaiah 55:11 tells us that God’s word will not return empty, but will achieve the purpose for which it was sent. These people heard the word of God, many through their own children’s mouths. I love that!!!
At CRIB we made a huge 3D wall mural out of felt/bamboo/fabric/paper, etc. of the nativity scene, as well as assorted Christmas decorations, snowflake placemats for the Christmas dinner as well as crowns for the King’s birthday, and cards for Chrissie and Dave and Sheena.
I have much more to write, and I will soon; time just has a way of running away, just like it did out there.
I do want to leave you with a warm thought though. Tomorrow morning we’re off on a tiny little mini holiday with friends we’ve met here. We’re planning on spending one night at a very basic they-may-not-have-running-water-or-electricity-$10-per-night guest house; but here’s the warm part: it’s very close to a  pristine beach, complete with snorkelling!!  What a rough life!!! No, seriously, a little R&R will be great.
But in the mean time, we wish you a blessed new year, filled with the love, joy and peace that comes only from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Isaac, Rosel and Colton

Ramona lives on in my heart

You know, I just can’t imagine Ramona… not alive. The same thing happens every time; she sits bolt up right with her radiantly beautiful smile and her eyes twinkling with sheer joy and happiness, and also a tiny bit of mischievousness. I like this picture though because this was her in life, and I know that the citizens of heaven are now enjoying this vibrant new comer.
Perhaps it won’t seem real until we come back and I see the family/physical/relational void she has left. For this reason I don’t ever want to come back.
This has been so very difficult; I can’t even begin to imagine Earl and my brother John, wife Carol and siblings Kevin, Randy and Becki. Please continue to pray.
Rosel

In honor and in memory of sweet Ramona

Hello everyone;
Sometimes when you’re down you get kicked yet as well. Not a very positive way to start a blog, I know.
I cannot recall ever having felt as awful from the flu as I’ve felt since Wednesday, early afternoon. I’ve been so weak that the only thing I can do outside of lying in bed is going to the washroom. Yesterday when I managed to eat something, Isaac literally had to put the bowl under my face while lying on my side as he fed me. It’s not been pleasant. We’ll probably check for amoebic dysentery tomorrow - not a pleasant thought. I feel much better already than I did, but ‘much better’ is still not good.
And so, as  I lay in bed on Wednesday at 7:00 in the evening,  our time, 11:00 A.M. yours, all I could do was pray. The service for Ramona had just begun. Final goodbyes were being said; there would be deep, deep mourning, yet celebrating a beautiful life that lived for Jesus with abandon. Rejoicing over the fact that her pain wracked body is completely healed and liberated. Tears of sorrow and grief that only Jesus can understand, and only He can wipe away.
Throughout sweet Ramona’s three and a half year battle with cancer, I’ve prayed Romans 8:28 into the situation;  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” That’s a promise that will not go unfulfilled.
I asked to be excused from my teaching responsibilities for Wednesday, the day of the funeral (I still can’t believe there was a funeral for Ramona.), so that I could go to Sabe again to help with the feeding, this time in honor of, and in memory of Ramona. Working with orphans in Africa was her dream and passion.
Colton fully believed that God would heal her here on earth, and was shocked when we heard the news on Saturday morning. Isaac and I both wanted to fully believe as well, but having lost a very dear friend a few years ago from cancer with whom we almost fully (99.9?) believed as well…..
I asked Colton if he was disappointed with God; he said he was disappointed, but not with God. Pray that he will come through this with a strengthened faith, and for wisdom for Isaac and myself as we help him process everything.
My whole family, all 10!!! siblings and my mom were there; I was the only one missing. This added much pain. It’s been years since we were all together, as we’ve lived scattered in 3 countries for years, now with us here in Burundi, it’s 4 countries.
There’s so much more in my heart, but I’ll leave it at this, at least for now.
Thank you very much to everyone that’s prayed for us, for personal emails, and for the blog comments.
It means so much to us, and the peace in the midst of it all is a powerful testimony of God’s faithfulness.
Please don’t stop praying for Earl and family.
Love and blessings, IRCF