Happy Mothers Day!! & Happy Thanksgiving!!

Some of you may think the heat has finally gotten to Danny. No it is not the heat and of course I am thankful for my Mother and all she has done to encourage me along in life. The Happy Thanksgiving is related to my day on Friday. I had the priviledge to meet and worship with a group of Christians from Liberia at the Liberian refugee camp about 45 min from the VOH. I could not tell you how many reside in the camp but it was packed. They are living here as a result of Civil war which has ravaged Liberia over many years. We met in their church building and the Thanksgiving is in regards to the second anniversary of the Child Care Foundation. This is a foundation established within their community to take in and provide for orphaned children from the civil war. They are helping to educate and provide health care for the children. They are hoping and planning to create a village based upon the model of the VOH in Liberia in the town of Flayla (sp). Flayla is a place many of us from the Arlington Church are familiar with. As many of you know the Drinnens Tom and Anita and Tommy and Susan their children spent several years doing medical and evangelistic missions. There were probably 50 children present and 20 adults. The children are so very similar to the children at the VOH. Very loving with beautiful smiles because they have HOPE in their future.

Tommy asked me if I would go there and speak at their Thanksgiving celebration for what they have accomplished and for the plans they have to go back and rebuild. I told him it would be an honor. He said I needed to let them know of the Arlington ties to the region and the prayers and assistance offered over many years. I was totally honored to do this and as I thought of what to say, my mind went back to the stories of Ezra and Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the Temple and Wall of Jerusalem that the exiled children of Israel were facing. I stressed the first steps that they took which was to rebuild the altar first and make right their relationship with God before they did anything else. Prayers to mend and make right after admitting the error of their ways. They endured much opposition from enemies and neighbors as they took on the Temple, but God showed up as he always wants to and proves he is behind them. How do we know? Their enemies and opposition wound up paying for the whole reconstruction. That is so much like God to put such an exclamation point on that story as well as Nehemiah's story in rebuilding the wall.

I encouraged them to place their petitions and plans before God and commit themselves to glorifying God in the process and He will make those plans become reality. I also mentioned to them about a little red headed white boy from Knoxville Tennessee who has been praying for the work in Liberia and two men Charlie Pagar and George Tokba(sp) since the 1970's. We had a wonderful day together and Fred Asare spoke to them also with his words of encouragement. I was honored to represent Arlington that day and I pray that God was glorified in the process.

Thanks for all of the continued support for our family.

We love you all and again Happy Mothers Day to all of our Moms.
Danny and Bobbie Lynn and the kids.