Starfish Charities: Gifts

I just wanted to share some blessings with everyone. Since I am usually in Kenya during Christmas and my July birthday, I miss out on celebrations and often gifts. I'm not asking for gifts, nor am I upset that I don't usually get them on those occasions, but when something special happens, I believe it needs to be acknowledged.

My dear sisters are often in a quandry about what gift to give me that I can carry in my suitcases. It is a dilemma as every article has to be accounted for. This past year Shirley sent me money while I was still in the states and ask me to buy myself a present. It was a wonderful gesture and pictured below is the tripod I was able to purchase. I have already put it to good use and look forward to using it again for many years to come. Thank you dear sister!

Linda, my older sister, knows that I keep a list of "Things to Buy in America". So she asked me last fall if there was something on my list that she could help with. I told her I wanted a good pair of binoculars. She and I went to the sporting goods store and she bought me these fantastic binoculars. I certainly don't need them on a daily basis, but when I do, it is wonderful to have them close by. I will treasure them for years to come!

Next is a very special kind of gift. Jeremiah (pictured below) is the co-founder of Starfish Charities. He has always wanted a pair of cowboy boots! My sister, Linda, lost her husband, dear sweet Bob, in August. Bob always wore boots and cowboy hats, so Linda had quite a collection to deal with. I asked her if it was possible for me to have a pair to offer to Jeremiah as a Christmas gift. She was thrilled, but cautioned that Bob had small feet. Well, I looked them over, chose a pair, and brought them back to Kenya. God is so good! They were a perfect fit and in spite of the sober look on Jeremiah's face, he was thrilled!

My daughter, Rachel, just outdid herself this year. She started taking a stained-glass-making class in September. When I arrived in Houston to depart for Kenya, she presented me with this beautiful stained glass piece she designed and made. The acacia tree looks just this way and she knows how special it is to me. Thank you Rachel for using your creativity to make me something so special, and thank you Ricky for supporting her in this expensive hobby. This window has been highly admired by many as it is the first thing they see when they enter my living room!

And last but not least, a group of ladies in Oklahoma shopped til they dropped and presented me with this beautiful bedding. They bought it last summer and it traveled to Texas in a Rubbermaid tub to be loaded onto the shipping container. The container arrived in October (while I was in the U.S.). I didn't get to see my July birthday present until almost Christmas, but it was definitely worth the wait. They also bought me a shower curtain, rugs and towels. I haven't used them yet, because I had to do some modifications on my bathroom and in true Kenyan fashion, the guy who promised to have it done still doesn't have it done! Oh well, I can still look at them from time to time!