Ella McKenzie Saraceno

January 18, 2010

6 pounds 11 ounces

20 inches long

born to Tiffany Stobie and Johnny Saraceno (not pictured)

Proud Grandmother - Julianna Overmeyer

Proud Aunties & Uncle - Kirsten Stobie, Ciara and Brian Stone

Plett Christian School Assembly

(email from Nathan)

It is always a privilege to bring the Word of God to this school. With the challenge of an age range from 5 to 17

(all coming out of Christian homes and even some PK's - Pastors Kids); it is on these days that I need to be very real and humourous. Animated stories really get their attention.

The schools own worship team lead us in some cool praise and worship. My story revolved around the question "So who is my neighbor?" expanding from the Good Samaritan. Using parallel animated video clips, I concluded
with analogies relevent to their context and understanding.

Ending with prayer, I prayed for them as indivduals, as a body of students and for all staff and leadership. Both the teachers and principal conveyed their gratitude.

Probably one of my favourite schools: I think it is so because they are an easy audience even though there is a vast age spectrum.

Love Nathan

p.s. only 6 days left till you are with me in South Africa (Praise be to God!)

Parenting with

ASSURANCE...

(Nathan still busy

while I have 6 days

left in Spokane)

18 parents from Hornlee, Concordia, and Neckies communities (these are generally considered sub economic areas where crime,violence, gangs and substance abuse is surnonomous with these Knysna districts) joined 6 facilitators from YFC Options for "Parenting with ASSURANCE"

Camp was held once again at Ingwe in Plettenberg Bay nestled in some beautiful Forest hills. Only 2 fathers were present, the rest were mothers, so there is definitely a challenge that needs to be addressed (Please pray for wisdom to attract participation from more dads!).

Once again Child welfare Knysna sponsored the entire camp with YFC Options facilitating the process. Nathan was seconded for numerous tasks, from taxi driver to camp facilitator. His sessions were well received; "U" unconditional love and "R" responsibility, in addition to TEAM building activities.

A very interactive weekend including: group discussions, group feed back, interactive ice breakers, letter writing to their children using an array of multi media, music, dvd clips, white board, courses notes where applicable were distributed or made available. The Team building was much fun and ultimately gave the parents some creative ideas to pull the whole family together. And not attempt to tackle tasks on their own.

The camp cook was outstanding and the food was a definate highlight.

2 devotional times catered for spiritual upliftment, not all the parent participant were believers but they all participated! On the Sunday morning Shahieda led and The Holy Spirit moved in our midst as we saw some deep inner healing

happen. To God be the glory!!

The evaluation session at the end was a resounding thumbs up and a call for more similar type camps maybe even to bring kids along and have joint sessions from time to time.

Please pray for our next camp in February!

In the US, I am busy sorting through stuff in my parent's basement. Ciara and Kirsten joined me Sat night, and helped divide up 3 boxes of pictures... below is a note we found that Ciara wrote about age 9. I hope you enjoy it, we laughed till we cried!

I'm running away, but If you

catch find me before I'm gone

I leave, I'll stay only if you

still want me to stay.

(there is more writing on the back)

Dear Mom, dad,

Tiffany and Kirsten

I'm not here

any more I

left to go

somewhere, I don't

know exactly

where (i'm going) but before

I leave I'm going to go

(turn page)

in a couple

places in the house,

the places are the

closet by the front

door next I'll

go in the dirty

cloths closet where

we keep our dirty

cloths then I'll go

to my room and

if my bedroom window

is open I'm not here!

(as you can see Nathan is BUSY without me!)

Dear darling

Our recruitement process for BSSM has yielded 36 1st year students for the School, for 2010. My portfolio is to administer and facilitate the school for the next 2 years. A daunting task but the process has been extremely successful. Representing a cross section of students from the Hornley and Concordia Communities (non white segment of South Africans) as well as cross denominational presence (i.e. Vineyard Church, NG Church-Dutch Reform, Pentecostal Charismatic Apostolic, Presbyterian etc). It was stressful yet exciting to collate all the manuals and Pastor
Brian Long and myself accomplished the task timeously. Colin Rouse also assisted the process by ordering our first reader "When Heaven Invades Earth " by Bill Johnson. A deep hunger and anticipation for the course by the students is the prevailing atmosphere and we are officially out of the starting blocks. In addition the Revival Groups were well attended and very vibrant. Lois Gardner is running a Tuesday Morning sessions from her home at a slightly slower pace but already experiencing an intense ministry time.

God bless Nathan

(an email from Nathan)

Hello Sweetheart,

Attached is my new Children's Church Teen Group for 2010. Wow, a vibrant group of young people. This weekend past Pastor Brian Long called all the young people up from my group to lay hands on and pray for members of our congregation that needed prayer. The Holy Spirit exercised the gifts of the spirit among the congregation and the fruit was phenomenal. There is not a doubt in my mind that God is definitely raising up a generation of history makers and change agents among our youth at The Island Church. Praise God for his Glory and open heaven we are currently experiencing.

Regards Nathan

Hospitality...

While here in the US, Nathan has been busy with guests in Knysna...

A frantic call from Island Church friends, needed a place for 7 to stay the night traveling through. Meet the "Aiyawoo's" (sounds almost like "I love you"). Clarence & Mandy and thier children Caroline and Cameron... along with their church friends William, Andre and Levelle.



Add those to Nathan's other guests; Steve staying for the whole month of January and Warren for this week... and Nathan was pleased to find there was still hot water for his shower. After the extra guests left Nathan sent the following email

"My heart was so warmed, by seeing friends enjoying our home. Wow God is so good. We prayed together proclaiming ownership of this property for the extention of God's kingdom. Baby we need to pick up the pace for pushing into God for our inheritance in Christ Jesus. He wants to bless us to be a blessing... I believe this will be a place of Shalom!"

Jesus is the reason for the season...



Christmas morn...

although not all men in the prison ward were excited, Nathan couldn't wait to share his enthusiasm of Jesus' birth with them. Walking down the hallways of their cells he invited each man in the "Awaiting Trial" ward to come, those who were hesitant ended up coming anyway when they recognized that Nathan's sound system was so loud they couldn't escape the singing!

Using his harmonica to lead, they sang "Joy To The World", "O Come Let Us Adore Him" and "Silent Night" if they didn't know the words in English, they hummed or sang in Afrikaans.

Speaking with authority and in the power of the Holy Spirit, Nathan described all the characters to whom God gave divine invitations (thru signs and wonders of angels and star)... Mary, Joseph, the wise men, the shepherds... each was personally accountable to respond. God also speaks to us and we are responsible for our response. The angels rejoiced this Christmas like on the first one as 3 men made first time commitments and one shy man gave Nathan a note and invitation to come back and speak to him individually.

By the end it was clear all 30 were happy that they attended the service and even the prison warden expressed appreciation for the message! Thank you Lord for inviting us to celebrate the birth of Your Son!


After the prison



Nathan picked up 7 chickens, rolls and apple juice (looked like wine, but was juice) from the local supermarket with help of anonymous donor to feed a group of homeless.

One man still drunk from night of drinking, shed tears in unbelief that a complete stranger would come give him food while his own family chased him away...

After praying, some of them served while Nathan took pictures.

Having 2nds and 3rds, about 16 homeless ate 'til they couldn't eat any more.

Thank you Jesus, for coming to give us abundant life...

A celebration of Jesus day of birth that these children will not forget!

Wow, we had a tremendous day today.There were 20 kids at the party today. My helpers were so organized. After I opened in prayer we joined in song - "Oh Come Lets us Adore Him". The children sang with such vigor and passion, offering up true praise and adoration.

With much action and animation the nativity story unfoldeded with something that occurs months before the birth of Jesus it was a huge bright star, high in the sky... a sign leading three wisemen to find him. They tirelessly followed that sign (Star). There were also some shepherds in the field that God revealed another amazing wonder, they saw hundreds of choirs of angels in the night sky, like the millions of stars in the sky so was the sky filled with bright and beautiful angels singing about the glory of God and peace on earth. This must have been a sight to behold.

Getting both indidvidual response and group participation at one stage I got them to close their eyes and  asked them to tell me what all was in the stable. Wow, they name the animals... they visualised Mary and Joseph... the straw, the shepherds but one little fellow smelt the animal poop and straw because he has a pony and "the straw smells great!" When asked "why are we having a party today?" the sweetest little girl a visitor from Joburg, responded by saying "because Friday is Jesus birthday and I have to go somewhere else that day." Another piped up said "yes, we've got family coming and it better to have cakes today otherwise they'll just eat too much and we will get nothing" Then little Sheldon asked, "so how old is Jesus exactly?"
 
As we got to the part of the three wise men and the gift they brought I pulled out the "I KNOW" braclets and they almost asked in unison "I KNOW ...WHAT?" And Joshua shout at the top of his voice "JESUS !! stupid, why do you think we here?" We then chanted "I know" and they responded "JESUS" and we were loud!



We then served Juice and a huge plate of cupcakes, popcorn, crunchy and mash mallows. After telling them what the gift were they were each given a balloon. they ate and ate and ate, with popcorn all over, I then told them the story of the wine that ran out at the wedding and Jesus was called to come to the rescue which he did by get them to fill vats with water and by the time it was brought forth for the host to test it was wine , wow that was a miracle.
 
At this stage I had to leave to take JP to the bus station, by the time I returned they had finished eating and where watching the movie Sunday School Musical. Not all the kids were intersted in the movie so we played a few games and took lots of photos. I had lots of helpers Robert, Strawn, Marilugh, Mercy, Shade, Dylan and Simone. All the cupcakes and cookies muffins and crunchies were abundantly supplied by many of the moms and even from some of single ladies.

Hey Sweetheart,
(email from Nathan)
 
I just remembered I didn't send you a photo of Jean Paul Solomon, we attended Cornerstone Christian Collegue together. I moved to Knysna while JP visited and worked abroad for three years. Just having him visit to catchup and him have an opportunity to have some rest and relaxation. We did some fishing together, we cycled, did a short beach hike and also circumvented Liesure Island, visited a local pub to enjoy a hearty beer together, watched a couple of dvd's together and cooked some great and gourmet meals together. We took in some of the local sites like The Knysna Heads and The Knysna Water Front.

JP holds down three jobs, but next year he will be attending UCT University of Cape Town. Besides catching up we took the odd opportunity to pray and encourage one another. I truly believe that as I shared our home with JP the Holy Spirit was doing his thing. God is at work in this young man's life. I pray God's peace over his life, and desire every success for his journey of life.

Wow, its good to know that I still have friends that still allows me the privilege to speak into his life.