Phemelo and Tebogo's Wedding

On November 24, 2018 our dear friend Phemelo and Tebogo were married. They asked Bradyn to be their ring bearer so that was so fun to go and buy him his first real suit. What a handsome boy...he said he felt like a pastor like his daddy.
Please pray for Phemelo and Tebogo as they begin their new life together!

Handsome boy

Getting the rings from the best man

walking down the aisle

The groom and his father met the bride and her father part way down the aisle

Pastors praying for the bride and groom

Ellie playing with all the flower petals on the aisle

Officially married

Our family

The boys

Arriving for pictures

So sweet

Love!

Bradyn with Pastor Kabika

New Personnel

We are so excited to announce that we are receiving new personnel to work with us here in Gaborone-Coye and Sherra Still. The Still's previously worked with the IMB as missionaries in India, but have pastored in the Charlotte area for the past 14 years. They have 5 grown children, so they will be arriving to the field with just the 2 of them. We are so excited that they will be joining us and their primary role with be working with the Baptist Convention Seminary.
Please keep them in your prayers as they finish up their missionary training, say goodbye to family, and arrive here in Botswana on January 4, 2019.

Sherra and Coye Still

1st Graduating Class-Baptist Convention Seminary

The Baptist Convention Seminary was started in 2016 and is the first of its kind here in Botswana as it is the only accredited seminary in the country. Currently we are just offering a certificate level program, but we are working with BQA (Botswana Qualifying Authority) to become a diploma/degree program. We recently hosted out first graduation ceremony and had 6 graduates. So proud of the students, teachers, and leadership who have devoted so much time and worked so hard to make our first graduating class a success!

Pastor Jack Rantho (Deputy Principal),
 Pastor Benjamin Kabika  (Principal),
and Brent Turner (Dean of Students)

 Graduates

Phemelo Morupisi

Mma Ndlovu

Mma Nkotsi

Obakeng Ntshipi

Valedictorian-Theresa Kabika

Graduates minus Rre Mmope who was in the hospital

Please pray for the current students who are finishing up their certificate program.

Bridal Shower

It was my privilege to host a bridal show for my dear friend Tebogo Mayane on November 3. Her wedding will be on November 24 to a wonderful guy named Phemelo who loves the Lord. So excited for them!

Me and Tebogo

Beautiful Bride to be

All the guests

JOY

Tebogo with Mma Mmope who shared some words of
wisdom about how to be a wife

The grooms sister made this amazing cake for the bridal shower

YUM!!

Pen License

The schools here really promote good handwriting which I am so thankful for. Taylor is just finishing 5th grade and has been working really hard on her handwriting as the kids can earn a "pen license" and write in pen for all of their classwork. We are so proud of her for working so hard and she came home with her Pen License today. Great job, Taylor!

Art Show

I have never been much of a nick nack person, but each place we travel to we like to bring back a piece of artwork for our wall. We have great memories from India, Paris, Spain, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and I am reminded of each of them throughout my home from all the artwork hanging. I had been looking for an elephant picture I had in my mind for about 6 years and never could find exactly what I wanted. My friend Barbie Podmore is an artist and actually won Botswana's Wildlife Artist of the Year in 2013. I had sent her my idea about a year ago and she recently hosted an art show and it was amazing to see her talent. As soon as I saw this painting, I knew it was exactly what I had been looking for over all these years. It is now proudly hanging on my wall and reminds me of Botswana every time I look at it...I will always treasure this painting.

Artist Barbie Podmore with my beautiful painting

Here are just a few of her other paintings, what a gift God has given her!

Madagascar dress

My sweet friend Anna who is a missionary in Madagascar brought this sweet dress for Ellie and she looked so cute in it at church. Since she has started walking she likes to "explore" during church and this day she decided to go to the front of church, take off her shoe, and hand it to one of our pastors. Silly girl!

Ellie's friend at church

Halloween

Well, we didn't get to trick or treat but we did dress up and carve pumpkins. Brent found orange pumpkins in South Africa, we were so excited! So much fun!

Ellie wearing the pumpkin costume all my kids have worn

cutest pumpkin ever!

Carving pumpkins

Bradyn, is that you?

When daddy's away...

Brent had to go away for a week in October and we had fever, vomiting, and to top it all off-pink eye. This pic is how I felt after that week...tapped out as soon as he got home!

Below are pictures Brent took when he told me to go out for the day. I think they had fun together!

Getting into every kitchen cabinets
(we bought locks for the cabinets right after this)

Combing hair after bath time

Hanging laundry out...who needs a shirt

Happy 8th Birthday, Bradyn!

Our Bradyn Hunter will be 8 years old on October 12. We celebrated his birthday in September as we have other commitments around his birthday and this boy wanted a "Fear Factor" birthday party. He helped plan out the entire party. Below were just a few of the festivities for the day...so thankful for this fella!

Tug of War

Tug of War

Blowing a balloon until someone's pops

Eating 1/2 a tube of Polony

Ice bucket challenge to see who can get the most marbles

Eating Mophane Worms

Raw egg and spoon race

Sack race

Eating chicken feet

Eating chicken feet

Water gun war

Dirt cake complete with snakes

Happy 8th Birthday, Bradyn!