Tucker Times Vol 27 November 2019
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As this is always after the end of the month I know you have celebrated your thanksgiving and are quickly moving on to Christmas. So indulge us as we wanted to take a few moments to reflect with you on our gratitude. When you are in a foreign country the holidays are often much different. we were very grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the event with other American missionaries! We had turkey, ham, green bean casserole, mash potatoes and pumpkin pie just like most of you! It was refreshing to sit at a big table and enjoy the day with friends and helped us not to miss our family quite as much. Of course we are always most grateful for the big things like our Salvation through Jesus! Our opportunity to serve here as missionaries, with your help! Our family and our health! So here are some things we are now even MORE grateful for. We are blessed to have a vehicle! it is not common for people here to have one. We are so happy for rain or "Pula" because when you experience the effects of drought first hand the it is amazing! We have a blessing of food but when you see people with out basic nutrition your are even more grateful for your own! Interestingly enough we are grateful for unlimited internet! Which we don't have in Alaska but do have here! That allows us to talk and video chat with our kids and granddaughter!
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We have learned to enjoy the differences in Alaska and Botswana so the sunny days are wonderfully abundant and help us remember fondly those fall colours and crisp bite of cold weather. The welcome of shade in the scorching sun remind us of the quiet refresh in the first soft snow falls.The many unique calls of birds in our window each morning remind us of the silence of the Alaskan winter night shining in the moonlight. We enjoy the variety of animal life with Baboons, kudu, and occasional giraffe or ostrich instead of the moose, caribou or coyotes in our drives along the highways. We keep ours eyes out for snake tracks instead of bear but are still alert as we walk the paths. We have learned to eat Pap (kind of like corn meal mush) and Seswa with spinach instead of moose nose soup in our opportunities to fellowship in the villages. We are still living our lives in expectation for all that God is doing in and through us! Sometimes it seems small as we just simply make ourselves available. We pray with people, encourage and help in many small ways. Even as we would be doing in the US. We are ready to move north and truely immerse ourselves in the bush of Africa and appreciate you all so much as you pray and support us. May you be richly blessed this Holiday season and also find joy in all that God is doing in your lives.
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1. Praise the Lord for a 4x4 vehicle! We didn't find a buyer for so we found a much cheeper 4x4 at an auction and busy making repairs in hopes that it is a good purchase.
2. Praise for the good friends we have here in Lobatse!
3. Pray that we find the right time to move too Maun.
4. Pray for the right housing for us in Maun.
5. Pray for us as we begin more cultural training and working with the WTA and Every Nation ministries.
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Thad's Thoughts
"Merry Christmas to everyone!" Is not something you hear this side. Not because it is not politicly incorrect to say. It just seems Christmas is in general a non-event here. Even the true Christian church finds reason to close its doors over the Christmas season. I know it seems strange. Most people travel back to their home villages. I remember another family who traveled this time of year (well maybe this time year).
Luke 2:1-7 tells us of this great journey. God uses a decree to get Joseph and Mary into the place he wanted them. It was hard and struggle-some, full of uncertainty. Where are you this Christmas season? I mean on your journey with Christ? For some maybe Christ is waiting on you,waiting to be born in your heart! God turned that old dirty stable into a palace. Please lets remind ourselves this is a great season of hope! Be encouraged God is working on your behalf!.
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Sara's Sayings
I am taking this time to wish you all a wonderful holiday! Since it is too difficult to send you all Christmas cards know that you are all in our hearts! We do pray that you can celebrate with the joys of family, music, lovely food and wonderful events! As we remember the greatest gift of Jesus' birth, we are praying for you.
Love and Blessings,
Thad, Sara and Elianna
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Our budget was about the same and we are glad to have a bit of money left from the one time donation last month that we could purchase a 2008 4x4 Nissan Patrol. We also have a bit left to put into parts for the "new" truck! Thad is busy working on it now and we hope to have it running soon. So we can move to Maun with both vehicles. That was not in our original plan to have two and we had hoped to sell our 2010 Nissan to buy the 4x4. God must have had other plans.
While it isn't always what we think the funds were enough as always! Thank you!
Remember as the year comes to an end if you need a tax donation giving through the Foundation for Missions will give you the nonprofit credit! Just click the link below!
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Elianna's Escapades
We had to take a picture of this blow up Santa! There are not many decorations up here in Botswana. Elie and one of our missionary friends got to do a little Christmas shopping and catch a movie when we went to the capital. It is only an hour away from here and they had a good time. Elie has been baking with me some and hope the cooler weather holds out so we can stand to run the oven! She was also very relieved that the visiting python, spitting cobra nor the baboon that have all been around haven't injured her cat too badly!
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We love to hear from you all and emails, facebook, messenger and texts are always great to receive! Our internet seems to be much better and we should be able to respond back quickly now! Love to you all!!
Our address:
Thad and Sara Tucker
P.O. Box 1161
Zeerust, Northwest province
South Africa 2865
ptnstucker@yahoo.com
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