Dear all,

This will be the last update in 2009!! Happy New Year to all of you :).

As I look back on this past year, here are some of the things I am thankful for:

++Wonderful friends and supporters; we haven't "number-crunched" for a while, but there has NOT been a desperate shortfall in our support level in spite of the problems with the economy. THANK YOU for your giving. And your praying, which is much harder to measure, but I am positive your prayers have made this year easier!

++Time spent with family; we are glad to be living just a few houses away from my parents, and they make the extra effort to come over and visit with us when we get caught up in our busyness. We had a wonderful Christmas in Calgary with my brother's (Peter) family as well as my parents and my sister's (Ruth) family; we missed my other brother's (Paul) family, but we Skyped with them (in England). Then on "Boxing Day", we returned to Three Hills and enjoyed having Ruth's family stay with us for a few more days, including one work day when Kendall and Mike (and friend Shaun) almost finished blowing the insulation up into the ceiling (I helped for a bit too, and came back in with bits of insulation sticking to my eyelashes & eyebrows!!).

++Great neighbors & friends here in Three Hills - it's really a great place to live, our kids have good friends (especially Kenneth & Laura - right here in the neighborhood), and so many people have volunteered their time, expertise, and tools to help with our house project.

++Good progress on house renovations; Christy was able to sleep in her new room starting on Boxing Day, and the rest of us are now switched around so everyone is in their "new" room except for Laura. It's really nice for Mike & I to finally have the extra space that the "master bedroom" gives (Kenneth & Laura were sharing it before this). There is still a lot of work to do, so we continue to chip away at the work as well as continuing work for World Team.

++Hard work on the part of the Oroko Translation team. Our teammates, the Friesens, are always working overtime, and the Oroko translators have put in a tremendous effort this past year. As I've started proof-reading the Oroko Luke, it's exciting to think of this soon to be published and available for the general public!!

++A wonderful local doctor who is willing to work with Jenny (in consultation with a Lyme dr.) - I'm finding out how many "Lymies" are having to go down to the States for treatment because of Canada's poor medical response to Lyme (ignorance/denial, whatever); Jenny is still holding even, so was able to fully enjoy the Christmas celebrations and time with extended family. In another week or so she will switch off the co-infection meds and back onto Lyme meds, so that will be the test to see if she starts improving again after a couple of weeks. If this "works", we could start making plans to return to Cameroon (not immediately, but could make plans to travel to visit supporters, start getting paperwork moving, etc.). We won't know this probably until some time in Feb.

Thanks for those who prayed for my Uncle Jim; while there have been some tough days, he might be breathing on his own in another week. But it will be a few months before he gets his body (muscles) in working order again. Keep praying for Kim (son) and Gail (Jim's wife) as this has been a long ordeal for them.

Love,