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 Aaahh…home for the holidays! We were thrilled to spend this holiday season in America. As I write, we have only one full day left in America and I’m enjoying recalling all the sweet memories of this Christmas and our entire furlough. For the first time in four years we have been surrounded by all the signs of Christmas. Palm trees have been replaced by evergreen pines; green grass is smothered in snow; and we’re reaching for sweaters and scarves instead of shorts and sunglasses. I have enjoyed every bit of it! But mostly, we cherish all of our time with family and friends these past few months.
This year has been another joyful one for our family. We are getting quite used to our home and life in Uganda. There are so many things we enjoy about it and we are continually thankful to God for calling our family into such a wonderfully dynamic ministry and unique culture. We are especially thankful for the ways in which God has revealed to us new understandings of who he is, what his mission is and how we can participate in his redemptive plan. We remain extremely grateful to all of you who support us, encourage us, pray for us and provide for us in this ministry.
This year is mostly remembered by all the fun we’ve had raising Tessa. She has been such a delightful little baby, with a unique first year of life. Another significant event this year is sending Ngobi Tom to Rochester College. The Lord has woven Tom into our family in a very special way. As a small boy deep in an African village he had no idea that one day he would be a student in America with a future of opportunity before him. We are proud to share that Tom earned A’s in each of his classes and has become a favorite on the campus – elected to the freshman homecoming court!
All of our children continue to amaze us with their creativity and ambition for learning. Luke is 8, Connor is 7, Lydia Jane is 5 and Tessa is 16 months. They have each shown great patience and strength living in both of their worlds and learning to appreciate their exposure to diverse culture and people. We see the Lord using this to shape them in wonderful ways.
As a family, we find ourselves at yet another turning point. We returned to Uganda on January 5th to begin our last year. This evokes a multitude of conflicting emotions. In December of 2009, our family will move from Uganda to Sheffield, England for three months to fulfill a residency requirement for Mark’s PhD which he begins this month. This will complete our time overseas and we anticipate returning to Michigan (I can hear my mother cheering)!
As we look forward to this coming year, we praise God for the ways he is faithful to our family and to all of his creation. We specifically want to acknowledge his provision despite financial crises that has swept the land; we celebrate him drawing the hearts of men toward greater simplicity; and we offer God glory for the ways in which he represents an alternative reality to our consumer culture. Our prayer is that the Lord will continue to show men all over this world how to be community with one another and how to engage the world in meaningful and redemptive ways.
Blessings to you and your entire household! May this coming year bring many many sweet memories.
The Manry Family
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Lori's Closet 
