I hope that all of you had a great end to your year with a Christ-filled Christmas. God blessed us abundantly during the last few months. We had some great meetings to finish out the year, which left us encouraged, as we plan to depart for Kenya this year.
Our Christmas celebrations the last three years have been in three different states with different family members or friends. The one constant to the last three years is that we have made a point not just to keep Christ a part of Christmas but to spread the Gospel to others. Three years ago, we handed out 50 Christmas tracts door to door on Christmas Eve, and then on Christmas Day, we passed out 50 more at a gas station. Last year we handed out 100 tracts on Christmas Eve at the Maine Mall. This year we went to a mall in Gainesville, Florida. I was fresh off knee surgery, so I stayed with Adilene in the van. Elizabeth took the others to the main entrance of the mall, and in about 15 minutes, they handed out 100 tracts. We have found that having the children hand out these tracts with a candy cane makes people not only more receptive to the tracts, but they also take them with a smile. This has become a highlight for my family at Christmastime. We are very excited to continue and expand this tradition in Kenya. We are increasing our goal from 100 to 1,000.
In February of last year, I injured my knee. I didn’t know until May that I had torn my ACL. Because of a full schedule and the need to be in one place for a while, I couldn’t do anything until December. The Lord provided a place for us to stay and a good doctor who worked with our insurance company. The surgery was done December 17. Everything seemed to go as planned, other than that I also had a lateral meniscus tear that had to be repaired, which has slowed my recovery time. God has blessed with a wonderful wife and children who have helped pick up the slack. I have been going to physical therapy. I hope to be off my crutches within a couple of weeks, which will really increase my ability to pull my own weight in the family.
I have found this experience to be very humbling. The looks of pity that I get make me want to say, “It’s not that bad,” and it really isn’t. Everything I do is slow and drawn out and, at times, frustrating, but there isn’t much pain in everyday activity. The pain comes in physical therapy when I push my knee to bend or extend.
The last several months, we have been in New York, Minnesota, Kansas, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, and Maryland. We are very excited to have several new partners, which puts us very close to finishing deputation. We need about nine more churches to partner with us before we can depart. The children are excited to have a place to call home, a place that we will stay at for more than a few days. Elizabeth and I are eager to see souls saved and converts discipled and to see God move. We are so grateful for the partners God has given us. Please be in prayer that others will join our partnership so that we will have the funds required to move.
Prayer Requests
• Al-Shabab recently attacked again in Nairobi, Kenya, killing at least 21. Pray for the safety of Christians in Kenya.
• Pray that the loose ends will be completed for our departure: packing, passports, etc.
• Pray that we can purchase a vehicle in Kenya.
• Please pray for the full recovery of my knee and that I will have guidance throughout my nine-month recovery.
• Pray that we will get the rest of the support we need.
Fellow servant for Christ,
Corey McDonald