White Christmas!

The big kids!

The little ones: Ella & Andi

GRANDS having fun!

Grand #1: Hunter

OMGoodness! Our oldest granddaughter is so grown up!

Bo & Charlie

Pappy and sons making Christmas breakfast!

Evan's graduation from University of Houston

Evan, Allison, Jacob, Faith & Andi

Tom, Evan & Beck

Virginia (Evan's mom)

Waterloo Drop-in Center

The DROP-IN CENTER is lookin' good!  Boys are hanging out every time the doors are open.  Charles has two volunteers that have proven to be passionate in working alongside him with these precious souls!

Alhaji!

NOVEMBER: It's always good to see Alhaji. He was one of the first boys Tom met in January 2011 on the streets of Waterloo. 

Isatu!

NOVEMBER: Thanks to our teammates, Gabe & Sada Herrera, Isatu was able to have surgery for cataracts and has been fitted with new glasses.  She is so happy to be able to see!

Plants and flowers along our security wall at the compound.

So thankful for Ibrahim!

OCTOBER: Ibrahim made the monthly purchase and delivery of 440 pounds of rice to Leonard Cheshire School for Children with Polio!  Thank you FINCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in McKinney Texas for your annual drive - PENNIES FOR POLIO!

Planting Brenna's hair!

Some of Margaret's older girls "planted" Brenna's hair while John and Mariama kept her entertained!

Art classes!

OCTOBER: Brenna gave Margaret's kiddos a special treat! ART LESSONS!  They loved it!

Mama Ina's Orphans

SEPTEMBER: It is always fun to visit Mama Ina and her 70+ kiddos. Christine, Lexie and Megan held Saturday morning Bible study, and I had the privilege of giving a suitcase full of goodies from our teams.

War Widows for Christ harvest 30 acres of rice!

The women are in the middle of the harvest.  We are praying for a banner crop for them!!

Simply crazy...still getting rains in mid-November!

I never cease to be AMAZED at the sunsets here in Salone!!

Sussex Beach, Freetown 

The prayers of CHILDREN!!!!

It thrills our hearts to know that so many children are praying for us!!!  In the last month we have received encouraging letters from our granddaughter Madison's class at TCS, as well as notes from Jennifer McCarthy's first grade Sunday School class at Calvary Baptist in Denison.  We also heard via email that the Kindergarten GAs at FBC McKinney have adopted us and are praying weekly!!!  Over the last two years we can't tell you how many notes we've received by email or Facebook to let us know that children as individuals and/or classrooms are lifting us up to our Heavenly Father in prayer!!!  What a blessing!!!  

Margaret's Orphans: A day at the beach!!!

How exciting for Margaret's kiddos to enjoy a day at the beach!!  This was a first for many of them, and the chicken & rice plate was definitely the first time they had eaten like this!! Thanks to Kent, Brenna & Jill (pictured far right) for providing for this amazing day!!  We were blessed to have Charles, June, Tommy & Esther with us as well.  Charles has been a godsend in the areas of education and social welfare for all of our aspects of ministry.  And we are thrilled that God is expanding Charles' work even further with street kids in Waterloo!

WATERLOO DROP-IN CENTRE FOR STREET KIDS BECOMES A REALITY!!!

WOW! Has God ever been busy!!

A lease is in place!  Within a month renovations will be complete, and
CAVERN (Concern for Vulnerable Children)
will be an on-site presence ministering to street children in Waterloo!
We are thankful for the dedication and commitment of Charles Yimbo,
who for three years has faithfully served among
boys who have NO HOME and NO HOPE.
We are thrilled as the opportunities expand,
and we are thankful to so many who are making this possible!

Our gratitude to:
FBC Lake Park, Georgia
Duren Family, Missiouri
Memorial Baptist, Missouri
25project.org
FBC McKinney, Texas
2011-2012 Team Members
Waterloo Family Services Division
Waterloo Social Welfare
And...a host of prayer partners!!!

It's all for the Kingdom!!!

What a wonderful tribute to our precious Margaret Tucker and the War Widows!!!

  Check it out at http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com/news/view/from_hopeless_to_hopeful  

Last update from Texas!

Dear family and friends,

WOW!  Where do I start? Today is my last day in our hometown in Texas following a month long whirlwind!  For those of you who keep up with us on Facebook or our blog, you have watched some amazing things unfold for Tom, Bo and our extended family.

There are a million things I would like to share about every aspect of ministry in Sierra Leone, but time will not allow.  I have a summary available that we shared in late July at a team meeting, and would be happy to email it to you if you are interested.  It’s a quick overview, but please feel free to ask questions about anything.  We LOVE to talk about how God is moving among the people and projects, so you just say the word and we’ll tell you more than you ever wanted to know!!!

For now, I would like to thank you all for your prayers, encouragement and support as we have relocated our “Bo” to our hometown.  He is living with our oldest son and his family, attending an amazing school and has been absolutely embraced by the staff and students of the school and the members of our son’s church.  We are humbled and blessed beyond words!

An unexpected event on this trip has been the illness and passing of my dad.  I cannot praise the Lord enough for engineering circumstances in such a way that I was able to be here in Texas, spend time with dad, walk through everything that goes along with a funeral and be with my mother for the endless follow-up that is involved.  Things could not have worked out more perfectly!

As I anticipate my return to Sierra Leone, I am thrilled at what I see God orchestrating as we prepare for expansion of ministry.  Areas that seemed two months ago to be a year or more down the road have suddenly opened wide!   We cannot wait to share about all God is up to!  Be watching for updates!!!

Tom and I love and appreciate each of you so much!  We are in Sierra Leone because of YOU!  

May God bless you real good!!!

Becky