Update on our work...cold weather coming for Christmas Day!

Today will be our last day to have a warm afternoon.   It is supposed to reach 60 degrees so I will finish my leaf raking in the front yard and Ron will complete some painting on the RV.   He needs warm weather to paint and this may be our last warm day until spring.    Snow may fall in the North Georgia mountains but not here in Woodstock.   It will just be very cold through the weekend.

Leigh Ann and Tatum sent us a honey baked ham and we are surely enjoying it.   I made Ron a favorite apple cake.   It fell apart when turning it out but it is still very delicious with a little whipped cream or ice cream.   I will prepare some vegetables and salad to complete our meal treats this week.    

I posted my picture on FaceBook showing my hair naturally gray now.   With over 100 approvals, I will leave it alone and not go back to hair color.   I don't feel any older but surely looking it!     

Our granddaughter moved into a new condo on Tuesday and had her 28th birthday yesterday.  She and Leigh Ann love Florida.   They have had a couple of cool weeks but its still warmer than any day we have seen since September.    They are very blessed with steady jobs and new homes they love so we are happy for them.

Things are going well in the Philippine work.   

Three of the older children have become Christians now.  We are very proud of the example these young people will set for the other children.    A younger girl asked Gigi:  "Ma'am, are you a Christian?"   When Gigi said yes, she said, "I want to be just like you when I grow up."    We set an example for young people, whether good or bad. 

A few nights ago, a tropical storm passed right over the city of Tanjay.    Ronald woke up at 3 a.m. and realized that there was flooding going on so he woke Gigi and she began getting anything off the floor of the laundry house where they are living.  Ronald said he ran out barefooted to the houses to be sure the children were O.K.   Then he proceeded to move the two vehicles to the highest point of the property.  They ended up with 6-8" of water inside where they live but lost very little.  Gigi worked tirelessly getting everything moved to tables and countertops.   What they lost can easily be replaced.   None of the other buildings were flooded since they are at higher elevation.   It was a long 12-hour clean up but they feel very blessed because it could have been much worse.

They had a big holiday party which included a lot of food and games on the 22nd. They selected three gifts for each child of equal value so every child will feel they have been treated fairly.   In the Philippines, it is traditional to open one gift at midnight so the children will get to do this and then go back to bed.   When they awake, they will have two more gifts to open. They will all have a big meal together that day.  One night, they will take the children in the van around the city and look at the Christmas lights/decorations.  They have never had a holiday like this, so I know it will be a very special holiday for these children.   Ronald and Gigi will be sure this is all done in a secular way without any religious significance about Christmas being Christ's birthday.    The children will continue to learn the truth of HIS Word.

Last week, a young Filipino couple celebrated their 5th anniversary by coming to the orphanage and presenting the children with t-shirts, balloons, toys and lunch.   There is more and more awareness and help coming from the Filipino community as they build good-will among the residents of this city.  

In the second house they built for SAS, they just added a 3rd girl who is 14.  She wanders around the neighbor- hood without supervision so she is at high risk for something bad happening to her.   We will eventually have 22-24 teenage girls in that house who are at high risk for trafficking.    I have sponsors for the three girls already.   Ronald and Gigi have located good house parents for these girls but they will continue to oversee this SAS work on their campus.  

Ronald and Gigi are very devoted to this work and are doing a wonderful job.   Check out their activities on Facebook at Casa Esperanza of Angels.     

Workers in  Nepal have completed their visits to each safe house, distributing blankets, warm mattress pads and winter clothing (jackets) to all of the girls. The major portion of this expense was donated through Carole Booker's effort to secure a gift donation from Westbury Church of Christ in Houston, TX.  The girls were very happy to receive warm bedding and new winter clothing.    

Workers in Laos have distributed rice and supplies to plant gardens to the Christian villages along the Mekong River.   

We have been supplying rice and some other supplies to Christian families in Nepal and Laos for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented people from working and earning enough to provide for their own food.    

With 2020 coming quickly to an end, we are waiting to get the vaccination so we have less chance of getting COVID-19.   When it is available for seniors, I will go first in case I have side effects.   With 6,600 new cases in Georgia just yesterday, we feel the need to stay inside away from crowds and not take a risk.

We wish all of our family, friends and supporters of our mission work, a very Merry Christmas holiday and a blessed New Year!

With much love and appreciation from Ron and Pat Brown.