"It's always great to see our children's joy and anticipation as we celebrate Christmas here in Pemba. Christmas Eve we had a candlelight service unlike any other. Christmas day dawned, and our very excited children each received a gift bag of treasures. We thank God that there were also presents to hand out to each of the village children who came to our centre on Christmas Day.

"It has been good to continue on with a weekly teenage girls group. We share singing and a short message, refreshments, and once a month a birthday cake.

"The children enjoy the horses and I love that they have this unprecedented opportunity, against the backdrop of one of the poorest countries in the world. I often get to hear squeals of excitement, combined with the sound of hoof beats as the children canter the horses around our Mozambican-style bamboo paddock and corral or out on our property. We were able to participate in a city parade, in which to my surprise, all the vehicles (and horses) practically raced to the bandstand and then circled it for a long time while waiting for the rest of the parade on foot to catch up.

"In January and February the horses had a mandatory rest period due to vaccinations they had received. During this time I began teaching in the Bible school and enjoyed it so much that I have continued teaching. Sharing from the Word of God is truly is a highlight in my life here, along with evangelism outreaches to nearby and distant villages. I thank God for opportunities to pray for the sick – there is great praise when someone is healed by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!"