What's up? Miracles!

Little Ferdinand from Burundi best expresses how I have felt this week. Huh? What's going on? Are you serious? This has been a week of amazing wonders from God.

The Refugee Sewing Society has a new instructor! The Lord sent us Leona from Liberia. She's going to teach a crochet class on Monday mornings. We're so grateful for her participation.Our sewing class won't officially start until next Monday, but 3 women came to sew this week. One of them brought some of her crochet work. She created this beautiful piece in her refugee camp in Nepal. We were astounded by the intricate craftwork in this piece. If you look closely, you'll see that these are actually crocheted "shells" in 3-D!Our Bhutanese friend crocheted the doily with the thinnest yarn I've ever seen. Over the Christmas break, she took some American yarn and worked up a smaller version of the same pattern. As you can see, it's still pretty but our big, fat yarn doesn't crochet quite as well. She would prefer the thinner yarn. We're going to look for a source. Others in the class continued to work on their ongoing projects.
Some completed work they had started before the break. Great patchwork!I always thank the Lord for sending Kelly. She's wonderful with the women (and the children). At sewing class, she is especially talented at working the automatic threading function on the machines. Good thing -- because I'm almost too blind to see the hole in the needle!A major miracle happened when Kelly and I went to the low-cost fabric store in town on Monday afternoon. It was closed for inventory, and we were very disappointed. We popped into the Dollar Tree next door and did a little shopping. When we came out, there was a semi parked in front of the fabric store -- loading wads of crumpled cloth to take away for reprocessing. The owner of the store was so kind, and he gave us two boxes (the size of major appliances!) of free fabric. We literally filled my car to the gills.Kelly and I had just purchased a metal shelf to store fabrics, so the next day we set that up and began to fold. One of our students and her husband dropped in, and they began to fold, too. Also we had help from another Mission Year volunteer, Kathryn. You can see the joy on our faces as we arranged our bounty!Finally, Kelly and I had time on Tuesday afternoon to go visiting our families and setting up our schedule for the coming months. Kids were busy with homework.Or dinner! These girls and their mom just came from a refugee camp where they had no table or chairs. This is the African way of dining, and with a big plastic cloth on the floor, it makes perfect sense.Please pray for Kelly and me as we swing into gear. We would both love to work full time, but finances are tight. Right now, we can only manage two days a week for this ministry. If God is calling you to join His work in Atlanta, you can make tax-deductible donations on the address to the right.

And think about coming for a visit! We'd love to show you around. You'll see miracles that will make you tremble.

Christmas break -- baking and sewing

On the mission field, the lull between Christmas and New Year's Day offers rest, fun, and lots of visiting.

Tim baked 6 loaves of banana bread for our refugee friends. On New Year's Eve, we went from home to home, greeting families and delivering this yummy treat. Here are some members of a family that fled Burundi and lived many years in a refugee camp in Tanzania.
We took a loaf of banana bread to one of my favorite families -- a mom and dad with seven children. On this day, the mom had done laundry, which was spread out over the evergreen hedges to dry. We think we may have a used dryer for her. I hope that works out!

In the short time I've been in Atlanta, I've watched the oldest daughter transform into a lovely young woman.
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Her younger brothers and sisters are a squirmy, rowdy bunch. Trying to take a portrait of the oldest boy is a challenge. He did his best to push all obstacles (in the form of little brothers) out of the way!
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I was relieved to find the baby at home and smiling again. He had been in the hospital for almost a week with fever and dehydration. Propped in sister's lap, he was observing everything with his usual wide-eyed fascination. She was as giggly as always! (photo removed by request)

I did manage to get a portrait of sorts, though two children didn't make it into the shot.
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As we left, Tim and I remarked that we had no idea what became of the banana bread we took!

I have spent time preparing for the expansion of the sewing program God gave me. Three groups of women want sewing classes -- two sets of Bhutanese and one of Somalis. I also have several Burmese women who want to set up a loom and begin weaving. A Liberian woman is joining us on Monday to begin teaching crochet. Please pray for us!
I'm trying to sew a dress for an American Girls doll. I'm struggling just to thread the needle -- let alone sew those tiny seams!

I have been very excited about the box of fabrics, threads, lace, and other wonderful gifts from the Women on Missions group at First Baptist Church Camdenton in Missouri. Wow! We'll be able to create a lot of things out of that beautiful cloth! Thank you!
As we "sew up" 2008, Tim and I want to thank all our supporters for your prayers, volunteering, and financial donations.

Happy New Year 2009!

Fun with Friends

On Christmas day, we visited our friends the Yarbroughs.

Tim (Palmer) and Tim (Yarbrough) have been buddies since they both worked for the Missouri Baptist Convention many years ago.

All our children were little then. Now the two Tims boast a fine collection of sons -- (left to right) Andrei Palmer, Caleb Yarbrough, and Geoffrey Palmer.
Tim and Pamm also have a beautiful daughter, Hannah. She shared her American Girls doll with me. The Refugee Sewing Society will be making doll clothes in the near future!
Thanks, Yarbroughs, one and all!

These precious moments . . . hold them very dear

No matter how old our sons get, they are always our baby boys. Even when they're 6' 4" tall!

All his life, Geoffrey has loved sitting on my lap for a mommy-snuggle. Nowadays when he plops down, my legs fall asleep pretty fast. But I wouldn't trade these precious moments for anything.Christmas is a special time in our home, as it is in so many. We enjoy the fun of gift-giving even as we express our reverence for God's gift to us of salvation.

Christmas morning begins with opening presents. This year, Tim played Santa and handed out the gifts.Tessie took up her usual spot -- guarding the tree from any who might try to gain access. She's a Border Collie, so she positions herself where she can corral the flock. Or Christmas presents, as the case may be!Andrei was thrilled with the stuffed penguin and the DVD of "March of the Penguins," gifts from his two birth sisters in Nashville.Geoffrey snacked on his annual Christmas stocking stuffer -- beef jerky.Tim was happy to get a new pair of jeans. His old ones were shot.Later, Tim made a huge breakfast, another Palmer Christmas tradition. Yum.The following Saturday we braved the crowds and went to the High Museum to see the terracotta warriors from China and the "masterpieces" display from the Louvre. My three boys joined this somber guard outside the museum.
The time finally came for us to say goodbye to Geoffrey. He's heading back to Missouri State University for his last semester. God willing, he'll graduate next spring with a BA in film .We love our sons so much and we're grateful God gave us this precious time to be together. We're going to do as the song says, and we hope you'll do the same --"Keep Christmas with you . . . all through the year."

We three kings . . . and other family silliness!

The Palmer family is together again! Geoffrey arrived on Tuesday afternoon.

Andrei and I rode the MARTA to the airport to pick him up. Then we all came home the same way.That evening, we took our boys (men -- how can it be?!) to Medieval Times. We heard some groaning when they learned our plans, but five minutes into the show everyone was having a jolly good time. Today the boys lazed around watching TV, eating the refrigerator bare, and dropping socks, shoes, coats, backpacks around the living room. Sure felt like the good old days again!After the candlelight Christmas Eve service at Intown Community Church, we drove Andrei back to his apartment. He wanted to show us some of the cars he's been making.Back at home, Tim and Geoffrey took Tessie for a walk. They were at the far end of the complex when rain began pouring down in sheets.
I'd say Tessie's expression sums up that experience. "Bah, humbug!"But we know if she could talk, she'd join us in saying, "We wish you all a very merry Christmas!"

A Christmas tea with Sudanese friends

Our friends from Darfur in Sudan had told us they'd like to visit our home. I visit them once a week or more, and I was very eager to invite them to tea in our little apartment.

We served Kenyan tea and a cake Tim had baked. Though they love tea with lots of spices, they enjoyed our plain version, too.

Tim brought out photo albums, and the adults all looked at the pictures with great interest. I've learned that refugees are always fascinated with photographs of our lives. I plan to incorporate my scrapbooks into my ESL teaching in the new year.

This handsome couple has been married for eight years, but they have only spent a few months of that time together. In Sudan, he was jailed twice for refusing to fight against his southern Sudanese countrymen even though most of them are Christians and he is a devout Muslim.

I always enjoy hearing him explain the political and religious situation in Darfur. They both have family members still living in Sudan. Please pray for the safety of those who remain in this wartorn nation.

We were glad we had a chance to explain that the secular traditions of Christmas -- trees and Santas -- have nothing to do with our true celebration of this blessed season when God humbled Himself and came to earth, offering the only acceptable sacrifice for our sin.

As we say in Swahili -- "Heri ya siku kuu!" Merry Christmas!

Christmas joys for girls and boys!

What a fun day Kelly and I had! Wow -- it's been a long time since I could say every single minute of a day was a total delight.We began our sewing class with a bunch of extra guests. Bhutanese refugees crowded into our room to watch what we were doing and sign up for the start of the new January class. You can see the concentration on their faces as they tried to understand our English instructions.With our six regular class members, we finally got down to the business of sewing our brand new project -- fabric grocery bags! I sewed a bag while the ladies gathered around and listened intently.Then everyone got busy pinning . . .and sewing . . . and ironing . . .This precious lady worked in the most comfortable position for her -- cross-legged on the floor -- even though she is seven months pregnant! Could you do this?Toward the end of class, we passed out Christmas presents. At each place where we gave gifts, we had the blessing of sharing the reason why we give -- because God first loved us and gave us the gift of Jesus Christ who was born to show us His love, died to show us His sacrifice, and lives again to show us His promise of eternity in His presence.

These warm scarf and glove sets were given by two Missouri churches -- First Baptist Camdenton and Grace Evangelical Free church in Jefferson City. Thank you very much!
After sewing class, Kelly and I met with two staff from the Women's Refugee Network. They are going to partner with us as we work to create a well-rounded micro-enterprise for our women.

Then we set off to visit one of our Muslim friends from Sudan. After sharing gifts for her and her husband, we drove to the home of another Sudanese woman. She and her three children are from Darfur. We gave more gifts from both Missouri churches as well as from Vineyard Church in Atlanta. How pretty she looks in her new scarf. And she'll enjoy her cherry blossom scented bath soaps and lotions, too!

I don't think I've ever heard quite as many squeals of joy as the moment we set out these pretty pink toys for our friend's three daughters!

Having missed out on the joy of having daughters myself, I just loved watching these girls exclaim with delight as they opened a Barbie kitchen and car, a crown with little clip on earrings, and several other dolls and toys. Kelly and I confessed we were both Barbie lovers, and we haven't quite gotten over it even to this day!
At our final home of the day, we visited our family of 10 Burundians. As always, the house was crowded with extra guests of all ages. The big red firetruck was a hit . . . So were the two soccer balls . . .
and a set of soft farm animals for the littlest member of the family.You would think the "extra" children visiting might feel jealous. Nope! They had fun looking at the toys with their friends and anticipating the playtime they would all share.

In case you're wondering why we love working with refugees . . .
Here are a few shining reasons for our joy!
Bye-bye, and Merry Christmas to one and all!