JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2010

HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY 2010

Our year started quick and has been busy busy busy but we are being blessed in all that we are accomplishing for our Saviour.

TROYDEN's BIRTHDAY

Well lets just say that his celebrations continued for the full month of January with a pre-birthday on holiday in Kei Mouth with yummie death by chocolate pud at the TREEPOT coffee stop and fun playing on the big house jungle gym.

Then we celebrated on his birthday with balloons for everyone and supper with his cousin Joshie and he got to blow out the candles on the Leechie desert! YUM

Then we had a "Fishy Party" down at the beach with boat rides, fun in the sand, pool fishing and breakfast snacks. It was a really fun day and Troydie got to blow out the candles again on his FISHY CAKE! - What celebrations. We praise the Lord for the blessing that he has been and what a joy to see him grow and question and reason things of life - Thank you Lord for his special little life.

NEWS on all the BOYZ - TROYDEN, TREYSON and TRYSTON

Our little boyz are growing so quick and fast it is hard to keep up with all that they are up too. We have great fun playing in the garden on the jungle gym and in the sand pit and summer has been soooo hot we have spent many an hour out in the sun under the sprinkler and in the little spash pool it has been great fun.

On the realy hot evenings we turn on all the aircons and play ball in Troydies room romping and playing throw and catch in the ball pool. Troydie loves his wooden train set and is aways ready for a story from his Thomas the Tank Engine books.

Treyson and Tryston have started climbing up and down stairs now so that has been great we don't have to carry up and down stairs in our double story home and just this month the craze with them has been to wear backpacks and climb - such big boyz!

We have come to learn many things about the "twin relationship" they have their own way of communication. They call each other (shouging Ba Ba Ba) and respond to each others call (very cute to watch.) If Tan gives out juice or a cookie and Treyson gets first he will always give to Tryston - the careing and sharing is quite something. They love playing catch and riding their bikes after eachother - this is quite a giggly time in the house!!! Tea time is their favourite and a quick smile is always there for you - we are so blessed and love our boyz very very much.

Treyson has grown his will and definately is stronger in character. (on the left they are eating Valentines Day chocolate lollies). Tryston just smiles his way thru life - look at that grin!!

The first words are coming and Treyson loves UH-OR!!! and Tryston is saying AH-NO!!! It is too cute - - added to this they are signing THANK YOU and PLEASE (sign language) so we are well on the way to teaching some early manners!

All three of them have tender hearts, are loveable and friendly. Generally they get along great with eachother with big brother as the definate leader of the pack. Rubgy tackling, giggling and "ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO races (or as Troydie says lets play "MARKET GO" have been the order of every days activities. On rainy days we watch a movie (most times it's Troydens favourite - SURF'S UP) and share popcorn (with the couch!)

FAMILY

Both our families are doing well busy in their work and ministry for the Lord. We have had a sad time with good-byes to Mark and my gramps at the end of last year, and then Marks great gran (97yrs old) passed away in January to be with Jesus - Praise the Lord they all had a saving knowledge of our God and King and as we explained to Troyden - Ouma Dickie is now dancing with Jesus in Heaven! (something her frail earthly body would not allow her to do).

Tan's folks are currently in Zululand missioning on for the Lord sharing the gospel, teaching, preaching, doing door-to-door visitation, AIDS care, childrens ministry and loving on the local church and its pastor. Trent (Tan's brother) is with them with several from his church in Johannesburg together with some students from our Johannesburg Baptist Seminary. Praise the Lord for this opportunity.

Mark's folks are busy with dad's business and great blessing mom has been able to give up her accounting job to work from home doing the occasional clients books and help dad out with his business - this is an answer to prayer as she has wanted to do it for a while.

Errol, Tracy and Zinny (Marks sister and family) are in Cape Town for this year as Errol studies though Baptist college to get his recognition and they are ministering as associate pastor in the area. Pray for them as they equip themselves for future minsitry.

Craig, Robs and Joshie (Mark's sister and family) are settled in Pietermaritzburg, Craig is working with dad in his business and they have just bought their first little house that is a do-up project. Big news they have another baby on the way due to arrive at the end of April. Pray for them as they prepare for this new little life to enter the world. - we are all very excited.

Most mondays we try to plan an outing as a family as it is Mark's day off and we went to Waterberries (little coastal forest coffee shop). They boys had so much fun eating cheesecake, drinking milkshakes, climbing on the jungle gyms and playing in the sandpit.

A real highlight for a visit to this little place is the "Forest Walk". This was Treyson and Trystons first "hike" as they walked the whole way by themselves. We saw a baby duiker that was really tame and the boyz pointed and smiled. (if you look really hard in this pic you can see it in the bush on the left). They swung on the boardwalk railings and played follow the leader along the path.

We treasure this time that we can input into our childrens lives and we have had so much fun on our many Monday outings or fun activities.

MINISTRY
Our church ministry is going great and we are having a busy but fun time. Mark is very involved in the leadership and teaching and preaching ministry and enjoying the challenge very much. Pray for him as he stands for what he believes is right and that he remains always true to God's Word.

Lambs Fold We have just completed the extentions to our mothers rooms at the church and what a difference this has made for all the mommies. It was a very memorable event as these rooms were refurbished in memory of one of our very own mommies who lost her life tragically in 2007. A sad but very happy and blessed time for all involved to see her wish and prayers come true. Praise the Lord.

What a celebration to have this legacy left - for moms to use these facilities mainly during our worship services on a Sunday. The prayer of her family was and is that many little lives will be trained in God's love and word through the use of these additions to our buildings. Praise the Lord! Our mom's group has grown from 3 to 11 and between us moms we have 19 children that we are training up as God's little warriors. Pray with us that this ministry will grow and many will come to the saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Impact Mark and I both are involved this semester in leading our junior youth every week and having a blast. They meet every week for a time of games, crafts and study in God's word. This first term has been great fun so far with stories from "HERMIE THE WORMIE" as he the bookworm shares of his adventure through all 66 books of the bible. The group is individually making their own full library of 66 matchboxes representing the books of the bible and this craft has proved to be great fun. Please pray for continued commitment from this group as we are struggling a little with getting the kids to participate on a regular basis and our numbers vary week to week. We decided to include the boyz in our ministry and has been a challenge at times but great for them to interact with kiddies older than them. The twins even got to join in a duster hockey game and they loved every minute of it.

Youth Praise the Lord! We have a young married couple with 3 children that have come forward to help with the leadership of this group and it has been a blessing all round. Mark is speaking every week at their get together and the young couple is planning and supporting in every other way possible. It is great to see parents get involved with their children to help train and build them up. Pray that many more of the parents will want to be involved with this group.

Bible Study Mark is still leading the Young Adults Bible Study group and they are studing their

way through the book of Revelation - challenging but a good study time. They enjoyed a traveling supper this last month and had a lovely evening of food and fellowship with 23 of them all traveling along together.

The Moms Group is going strong and we are just about to complete our topical study by Elizabeth George - "A Woman's High Calling". WOW talk about challenge we have been so stretched to live Christ's example out in every aspect of our busy "mom lives".

LIFE IN AFRICA We are praising the Lord for His blessings on our lives - on our marriage, for our special children, for His constant protection, for His great love, mercy and grace. What a privileged to be serving the Lord in this place and in this way.

Please keep us in your prayers:

• Direction for our future ministry as we lead, teach, train and disciple others in the things of the Lord
• The Lord's clear leading in the decisions we have to make daily
• A continual passion to read and study God's word
• The discipline of training and teaching our own children the truth of our Saviour found in His wonderful word - the Bible
• Health and strength to mission on for the cause of the Gospel

GOD BLESS and thanks for all your support and prayers they are greatly appreciated.

Mark, Tan & terrific T's

December - CHRIST is BORN

BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL -
WHAT A REASON TO CELEBRATE!

A quick little note to tell you all we had a wonderful CHRISTMAS TIME - Celebrating Christ's Birth. We had a lovely family dinner with Mark's family and the big cousins Troydie and Joshie were spoilt with new BIG BIKEs.

We all had a wonderful time. Troydie asked Father Christmas for "a Jungle gym, a tent and an umbrella and motor bikes for my brothers".

A highlight for us was to be Father Christmas and Mark got to build our very own jungle gym and that has proven to be loads of fun for all three boyz. Troydie is very chuffed because he gets to climb right to the top out of reach of Treyson and Tryston. However the twins have since learnt to swing like little monkeys and giggle all the while they hang there. (too cute)!

TREYSON (left) TRYSTON (right)

We had the opportunity to spend a week with Trent in Joeys - and still laugh about being inland away from the beach at Christmas when the trend is to migrate to the beach. We had a lovely relaxing time in his home and enjoyed a new game called catank! Its a combonation of carpet bowls and shot put played out on the grass. Many a laugh and Mark and I are still the reigning CHAMPS!

Troydie "played guitar" with Uncle T all the time and had a wonderful time singing "Our God is Mighty to Save"!

We then traveled down to Kei Mouth for our annual hols by the beach and had a wonderful time of fun in the sun, sand and boat. The little minki pinki's (our new nic name for Treyson & Tryston) so enjoyed the WAVES!! Mom had quite a time keeping them all together.

Building sand castles was a new explore for Troydie but Treyson and Tryston just wanted to bash them down.

Troydie flew a Kite for the first time and got his very first real fishing rod and caught his first fishie this was very exciting for eveyone. It was a lovely break to enjoy the out doors and let the boys have lots of fun on the beach.

HAPPY 2010

We were well rested and ready to start 2010 when we returned. What a HOLIDAY!!!