December arrived in North Georgia with a blast of cold weather from Canada. We have had most nights below freezing this week. Ron wishes he was in Thailand. He has dry eyes now (my dry eyes started in the summer of 1990) and as temperature affects the humidity, it causes more pain in dry eyes. Ron does not want heat because the humidity lowers the warmer it is inside the house. He is working in a cold room but then suffering with cold feet and cold hands with no heat but a humidifier putting out moisture. When it is warm enough to be comfortable, his eyes are scratchy and blurry. I have fought this battle so I know the feeling but I prefer warmth and dry eyes. Over the years, my eyes have become less painful so nerve damage must have occurred to give me some relief.
We enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving dinner and left overs for a couple of days. It is sad not to get to spent holidays with family members but we have not had that pleasure very often since we went into the mission work. Usually, wherever we are on Thanksgiving, I have invited someone to share the meal with us. But, not this year. With the virus raging in Georgia, we stayed home alone and still felt very thankful.
Many of the schools have reopened in Nepal and girls are returning to school. Some are limited to a few days a week and some have access to internet and are taking high school classes on-line. We got reports this week from Nepal of the great poverty among Christians in some villages. Our girls all come from such backgrounds but living in the safe houses, they have food and clothing and no worry about their opportunity to finish their education. I had reports on two girls that went back to their homes and this is very disturbing to us. One wanted to help her mother so I know some of the girls are concerned about their families back home but the other one just did not want to study any more. Maybe being shut down and unable to go to school for a long time, caused this girl to just give up her chances for an education. An important lesson we need to teach our children is NEVER GIVE UP!
Ron has been busy raising funds to feed the poor Christians and loads of 30 kg bags of rice have been distributed to many families. If you want to help with this relief work or see the pictures of these poor people and how they live, write to Ron at ronbrown20@gmail.com. After seeing these pictures, I refuse to complain about anything. I do not know how they even survive the living conditions in the Himalayan mountains with no proper shelter, clothing, blankets or food.
We are learning of more people we know who have survived or passed away with the COVID-19 virus. Apparently, it will be bad in the U.S for many months to come. We were eagerly hoping the vaccination would help end the pandemic but I read yesterday that it's effectiveness is about 3 months. Before everyone can be vaccinated, and the pandemic eradicated, it may still be around to affect those who got the vaccination more than three months earlier. Am I incorrect in this thinking? It also takes up to a month to be effective once you get the first shot. In any event, we are staying close to home and taking every precaution when we go buy groceries or run necessary errands.
Please continue to pray for our workers, our girls and our son's work in the Philippines. We have been blessed to be able to continue our work at the same level. Ron talked with an elder in one congregation and he said all the mission works they support are on hold. Missionaries cannot do their work in the foreign countries due to the virus, and those who came home cannot get VISAs to go back to the mission field.
Troublesome times are definitely here, but God is in control and things will eventually change. I am reading The Narrated Bible in Chronological Order with commentaries by F. LaGard Smith. When reading about the wanderings in the wilderness for 40 years, I cannot help but realize that God allows things to happen to the people He loves. I am grateful that I did not live during those days. We are so blessed to be living under Christ's New Testament era. Life is surely easier for us now than in those days.
God bless you all!
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