The goats

On a farm in North Africa, there lives a goat. This goat, "Bill," lives in a barn filled with other goats waiting for the day it will be given a new home. Bill is weeks old, the newest of the 50 or so also waiting for new homes.

Bill knows he'll live with a widow and her children. Bill will roam the hillside around the widow's hut with other goats eating dead grass. He'll learn the call of his shepard and come bounding down the hill towards home when he hears the call. His bed will be a small corner sectioned off by bamboo polls in the widow's rounded hut.

Every day he'll provide milk to nourish the family. This year the widow and her children will not starve. Bill is proud that he will help a family live longer and healthier lives.

Bill provides a way for workers to visit homes and tell stories about Jesus. Pray for those workers to find ways to share these stories with Bill's owners.

The Christmas

Merry Christmas

the truth

just spent two weeks in a beautiful North African country. the terrain is similar to that of Denver, mountainous and dry. the people are beautiful with an interesting history.

religion is a major part of their lives. traditional Christianity is what they worship. lost in the tradition of works. lost in the inability to understand the gift God has given us.

like Philip, be willing to explain the truth of Christ's saving Grace to those who don't understand.

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road
—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."

27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch,
an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace,
queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,

28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the
book of Isaiah the prophet.

29The Spirit told Philip,
"Go to that chariot and stay near it."

30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man
reading Isaiah the prophet.
"Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.

31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?"
So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."

34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet
talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with
that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water
and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"

38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch
went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

39When they came up out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away,
and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

Acts 8:26-40

The Nile

went whitewater rafting on the White Nile River in Uganda last weekend
loved every minute of it
cannot wait for the next adventure

The hammock

relaxing in the yard

the thanksgiving holiday

enjoy thanksgiving in Africa

The child

went hiking with some MKs during a prayer retreat about an hour north of nairobi

The prayer

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me;
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139

The smile

Have joy in the work and words of our Lord.

The Office

The Overseas Correspondence office in Nairobi, Kenya.

the conference room

my office

teammate Kristen's office

office kitchen

work room and spare office

the Go West Africa magazine

Order the new Go West Africa magazine for free here.

This was my last project before leaving West Africa. I learned a lot taking pictures, writing, designing and laying out this magazine with the media team.

The New Place

This is my new place in Nairobi, Kenya.

Thanks LMCO, the Overseas Correspondent office and Sue for such a great place.

in the Closet

Dinning RoomLiving Room

Hallway

Kitchen

Spare Bedroom 1

Spare Bedroom 2

Spare Bathroom

My Bedroom

My Bathroom

Driving Kenya Style

First time for the opposite side of the road

Chill'n on my new car

The Rift Vally (about 8,000 feet up)

The original

The Original Chick-fil-A
Atlanta, Georgia

Pictures courteous of K. N. Sayres

The summer tour

16 states in two months

From the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains

From the Gulf Coast to Lake Michigan

Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado.

Along the way I visited 25 family members, participated in one wedding, spoke at five events and spent time with countless friends.

Nephew - Andrew

Maw-maw, cousin - Brian, and Paw-paw

Little Addyson and Amy

Laura

Sister-in-law - Erin and nephew - Gavin

Cousin - Tracy

GA's at Camellia Baptist Church in Prattville, AL

Grandpa Frank

Speaking at Hebron Baptist Church in Headland, AL

Nephew - Tyler

Thanks everyone for making my time in the U.S. great. Later update on future adventures.

Paris -- Day Five

Opera

Column made of Cannons by Napoleon

Egyptian Column brought by Napoleon to Paris

Olya and I had a face mask and a manicure (a great way to end my time in Paris)
See you in the U.S. tomorrow!

Paris -- Day Four

The Louvre

The Mona Lisa