Dear Friends and Family,
This is Theresa writing from sunny South Africa. Reflecting back on this year, I'm amazed at how our Father has seen us through one of the most difficult and trying times the world has seen in a long time. But He is faithful...always. Psalm 91 and many other Psalms have been so comforting and real to us during the past months as I'm sure it has been for many of you. I'm so thankful for how God has blessed and cared for us. Highlights of the year have to include our newest grandson, Zane Landon McArthur, born July 7. Another highlight would be that my mom went home to be with Jesus and we got to be near her to say goodbye. We also conducted one of the biggest feeding programs we have ever done during the roughest months of lock-down for thousands of people in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Even our own personal time in serious lock-down here in SA is full of pleasant memories of hours spent with the Lord. Our God is good!
When I last wrote we were in the US and were hoping to be able to return to SA in October. That didn't happen. South Africa remained closed to international travel up until around mid-November. We had just begun to make plans to find a temporary home in the US when we received news that the SA boarders were open and flights were available. So we quickly booked flights and within a little more than a week we were on our way home. We were met with a few obstacles in our travels but it all got sorted out and we made it safely back although a couple of days later than planned. It's good to be back. We found quite a few things have changed; businesses closed and people who have moved. As we talk to people it seems that the fear that had so many in it's grip is losing it's hold and folks are anticipating good things in the new year.
Our extended months spent in the US were full of good things, especially getting to be with our kids and their families. We had opportunity to visit with all of them. We even made it out to Oregon to visit with our daughter Lisha and her family. It was a good visit that got stretched a little longer than planned because Dan and I both got sick with COVID. It was not so bad for us. It was kind of like a bad cold only we lost our sense of smell and taste and became breathless when we exerted ourselves. I feel so thankful that our Father even saw us through that.
We arrived back in SA just in time to renew our Charitable Volunteer Visa. We have an appointment with the Department of Home Affairs on December 10th. Please pray that all goes well.
We have reconnected with many people, those near and many in other parts of Africa and the excitement for what is in store for us in 2021 is good. We hope to be able to travel to several of those places in the new year and reconnect face to face with people we love and care for. We shall see what God has in store for us. We know for sure it has to be good because that's who He is!
May God abundantly bless you this Holiday Season and in the coming New Year!
In His Service,
Theresa and Dan McArthur
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