MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008
And for this we are most grateful... on the mend, recovering, and becoming more independent everyday. Christmas was low key, quiet, and no one is complaining about that. Less is more when it comes to Christmas too. I think I missed my daddy more this Christmas than the previous two, but there was a special grace Christmas Eve and Day to focus on now and the new year and to realize that daddy is complete and whole and I wouldn't wish it otherwise for his sake. We still mourn for us, but that mourning has turned into joy this holiday season. 
I think this was the most precious moment for me from our "Shaeffer side" Christmas Eve and requires a little background knowledge. When we were waiting our two years to bring MeiLing home I, like any mother, prayed for the usual things. I prayed for her health, good survival skills, etc. I had a selfish prayer in the midst of all of the usual prayers that went something like this..."Lord Jesus, keep my baby healthy and intact. Help her not to be lonely and let there be someone to hold her in my place until I can get there and bring her home. And by the way Lord, would you see fit to make her a little musical?" When we were in China, we put a set of headphones on her and from then on she was hooked. There is not a moment when she is busy doing the things that little 6 year old girls do that she is not singing something. She's taken to the piano like a duck to water and so it was no surprise that she asked for a guitar for Christmas. Jonathan taught her the names on the open strings and the scale on the E string in 20 minutes. She still was playing what she had learned the next morning. I remembered my prayer from 8 years ago and had much to thank God for. I absolutely love this picture. 
I knew I couldn't post this picture without explaining why Kelby is in a knee brace with crutches in the background. After years of "athletic-ness", Kelby's knee is now much older than his actual age. The latest MRI shows, no cartilege, bones fusing together, bone on bone, arthritis, and a cyst of some kind. So he is probably headed for some kind of surgery in the new year. I think the thought of the athletic feats fleeting away is worse than the pain he is enduring on a daily basis. 
It was Milgrim Christmas day this year which usually involves Kelby's mom Ruth, his brother Darrin, sister in law Kim, and their two boys Royce and Rylan. We gathered for the the traditional devotional time, dinner, presents, and games. This year we involved the kids in the devotional time by "making them" participate :) Royce acted out a play he had written, Rylan sang "Mary Did You Know", and MeiLing played "Away in a Manger" and "Go Tell it on the Mountain" on the piano. We had a great time together and declared it a great day.
We've had quite a few people ask about the ministry in Ajo. It came about when we found out that the Indian Assembly of God church in Ajo would be closing because of the lack of a pastor. There is another Assembly of God chuch in Ajo but this was the home missions work and historically speaking it was a shame that it would be closing. Kelby found out and offered to take the position with the understand that we could only devote the time to one Sunday morning service. We started going in September of 2007 and have been going out every week since. There were three ladies left in the church that had basically been members since they were teenagers and cried that first service when they found out that their church would not be closing. We are located just across the street from an open mine pit that has been closed to operations since the 1980s. With the close of the mine came the drastic population change in Ajo. There are probably about 3000 left in the town with half being winter visitors that are there about 6 months out of the year. We now have a congregation of about 20 and meet in a tiny sanctuary. This is our little wiseman for this year's live nativity. When I told MeiLing she might have to play Mary if no one showed, she was horrified. She had her heart set on being the wiseman that carried the gold.
No wisecracks please :) This is Jesus the donkey. For those of you who are not used to the Spanish, it's pronounced (hay suess) :) Jesus has been a part of our live nativity for several years now. He's very sweet and gentle.
And here we have the whole crew. My 8 year old Mary, my 5 year old Joseph, one shepherd, one wiseman/woman, and an angel. They did a great job.By the way, so much for trying a new layout on my previous blog. I'm going back to my boring layout and ways.
