Post for Bonnie

The children at Good Samaritan have a Christmas tree! Someone sent a Christmas tree on the container for the children. The tree has been set up in the clinic temporarily and will be moved to the main dining hall on Thursday. Right now the tree has just lights on it. Thandie says they will be "finalizing the decorations" on Thursday after the tree is moved. The children are very excited about having a Christmas tree. Thandie said that the children only know what a Christmas tree is from the moving "Home Alone". The kids have been passing by the clinic looking at the tree and pointing "like home alone". Too funny! Anyway, Good Samaritan children will not be without a Christmas tree!

Thandie's grandmother and Mother

Thandie was supposed to take 15 children to her home village this past Saturday to pick Mangoes. Even though the kids were exhausted from the all night prayer meeting, they all wanted to go. Somehow Thandie ended up with 29 children at her mother's house. Thandie's mom is one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met. She is just a so warm and loving. She was overwhelmed with happiness to have her house full of children. She prepared a large "Malawian Buffet" which consisted of cabbage, nsima and beef. It was an "all you can eat buffet". The children were able to go back as many times as they wanted. They are not used to this style of eating! They were so happy....and so full! Thandie's mother and grandmother had the opportunity to meet Savannah-Hope for the first time. Of course they fell in love with her right away. Which is not hard to do!

Other news:

Henry's (President of the Good Samaritan Bible College) wife Rebbecca went to the hospital today (12/17)in labor. We are hoping for a girl! They have all boys!

To the left is a picture of Henry with two of his boys. I am drawing a blank on the older one's name....but pretty sure the younger one is "Little Gentry".

The children at Good Samaritan have finished their summer school session and are looking forward to promoting to their next grade in January. Please pray for their school fees! A huge but necessary cost for us.

All of the children and staff our currently healthy! Praise the Lord!

Savannah-Hope update:

We are still in the paper chase. Waiting on Adoption Recommendation Document from Malawi and the immigration form from America. International adoptions in the country of Guatemala are being officially closed as of Dec 31, 2007. The only children that will be allowed to be adopted will be those already through the power of attorney process. What does that have to do with Savannah-Hope's adoption? Good Question! Well, the rumor is....Tennessee (which is where Savannah will reside) is prioritizing the immigration paperwork for Guatemala for the next two weeks to help bring the children home who have already been matched to families in the US. So the Johnson's paperwork likely wont be ready till after the first of the year. But only God knows for sure when the paperwork will arrive.

Please also be in prayer for Savannah-Hope's attachment process. Typically Malawian infants are extremely afraid of white skinned people. They rarely see them, and when they do....they go crazy with fear. When we first got Savannah she was too small and sick to realize that I was white or that the other visitors were white. Now time as passed, she has gotten older, and the American visitors have all gone home (rainy season!). Yesterday Thandie was watching a video that had Nzungus (white people) in it. Savannah started screaming and grabbing at Thandie is shear fear. Thandie said she was terrified. That just breaks my heart! The Johnson family has been preparing and aching for this little one, and Savannah-Hope really has no understanding that they are on their way for her. The Johnson's have already sent pictures and a video is now on the way. Hopefully that will help prepare her heart.