• What happens when a 4 year old finds a tarantula on the wall… (Ecuador)
• A birthday party in South Africa
• An upcoming women’s conference, Being a Mother, a challenging reward (Mexico)
• Working with pastors and their kids – no fighting over the toys, please… (Guatemala)
• It’s not easy going to school that isn’t in your mother tongue – read about Eliza’s first day (Thailand)
• Travelling in your "home country" as a kid can be hard – just ask Micah. (Kenya)
• You never know what some missionaries are in need of until you ask.  How about cloth diapers (Russia)?
• Pray for what’s-his-name and his Mom… (Rwanda)
• And what better note to end on — Daughters are a Gift of Love (Chile)

Boy in Rwanda

• Acquitted:  …and Happy Anniversary!
• Amazing Love:  Thinking about what we sing. (Costa Rica)
• Good Friday and Alcohol:  Thoughts on an Irish controversy. (Ireland)
• Easter Cookies:  A variation on "Forgotten Cookies" to make with the kids over the weekend. (Mexico)
• Good Friday:  Yes, He was. (Romania)
• "Holy Week" 2010:  A video – as seen from a car window. (Philippines)
• Good Friday:  A precious baby gone. (Japan)
• How it happened…:  Don’t forget… (Romania)
• Sent to Coventry:  A saying – but what does it mean?  A story from the British Civil War. (Niger)
• Good Friday:  What a church in Uganda is reflecting on today.

And now let’s talk about houses.  First, there’s the joy of House-hunting in Congo.  Do you think this house will do?

And after you’ve found a house, there’s work to be done – here’s a video: An Update on our House in Mexico.  Oh, and just for fun – the installation of a shower curtain in Rwanda.

A good reminder out of Peru – Safety Zone.

Finally, how about some kids – birthdays (Ecuador), life in Niger, and kids hanging out at the house (Romania).

But it looks like South Africa is dominating our new blogs this time…

• The Chapple Family (Mexico)
• Welcome to Africa Ya’ll (South Africa)
• JUNGLE NEWS (Venezuela)
• Zach Attack (South Africa)
• Siedling Stories (South Africa)
• Scott & Ruth Yingling (Mexico)
• McClean Family News (Thailand)
• Rachel’s Romania (Romania)

In case you haven’t heard the news, here’s a summary.  Early Friday morning, a riverbank burst open sending sewage water suddenly on to one of Mexico’s major highways.  It caused accidents, explosions and a few deaths as it rushed suddenly over the highway and into the city, instantly filling hundreds of businesses and homes.  The last I heard 12-18 thousand people were affected.

However, since then the flood waters have continued into more neighbourhoods.  Last night I toured the area, and sewage water was still flooding in.

Many people lost everything.  However, along with the believers in the area we hope to provide some small help in Jesus’ name.  The flooding is only a few minutes away from our home.

If you’d like to help, you can contact us via the link in the video.  It seems this massive flooding has received very little news coverage, and help is slow in coming.  Many people still have no homes, no clean water, nowhere to go.  This is a great opportunity to get help to where it’s needed.

We’re hoping to start serving breakfast to as many people as we can over the next couple of weeks, and supply a few necessities to those who have nothing left.  We’ve been able to build some relationships with people in the area, which is a big help.

Thanks for taking the time to consider helping out!

It’s time to congratulate those who have completed 5 years of blogging!  5 years is still a good old age for a blog – in fact, these blogs are still older than this site (which started in 2005).

I’ve done this in the past, but I’m not sure if I’ll do it again – the more time goes by the more blogs are celebrating!  But here it is, at least one more time – Happy Blogoversary!

• Adventures With God serving in South Africa
• Musings of a Missionary serving in Thailand
• The Boyds to Columbia serving in Columbia (their former blog is here)
• The Kautz Family serving in Columbia
• Itsara serving in Thailand
• Always an Adventure… serving in Taiwan
• Coxes Quarterly serving in Germany
• les Davey de France serving in France
• Simplicity serving in Taiwan
• Under the acacias serving in Burkina Faso
• Life of a Steward serving in the United Kingdom
• The Ramblings of Norm and Debra Copeland serving in Guinea/Senegal
• Kingsley Clan serving in Ireland
• Into Rwanda serving in Rwanda
• Ramble Zone serving in Guatemala (AAAHHH!  They’re having a baby right now!)
• Kurt, Johanna, Kassia and Luke Metzger serving in Papua New Guinea
• Reflections of Refinement serving in Japan
• garcias2chile serving in Chile
• The Roe’s Garden serving in Germany
• Nanana serving in Mexico
• The Journey serving in the Netherlands
• The Naine’s Cameroon Adventure serving in Cameroon

I went on a hunt today to see if I could find some missionaries with podcasts (audio or video).  I know there are some out there, but finding them isn’t always easy!  Anyway, here are a few from my first attempt – but I’m hoping you’ll help me out with your comments and tell me about more!

• Starting in Nicaragua – check out the Missions Minded Podcasts!  Not sure if/how you can sign up in Winamp or iTunes or whatever – but you can listen on their site.
• And heading to Uruguay, we have Brad and Lindsey’s Podcast.  You can view online or subscribe in your favourite podcast program.
• And now, from Mongolia, the Remember Mongolia Podcast.  The formatting looks a little off, but they do play!
• And now in the United Kingdom we have Kouya Chronicle podcast.  There’s a link on the blog for subscribing in iTunes, but it didn’t work for me.  I did find them in the iTunes store under KouyaCast.
• I have a podcast out of Mexico City – the Finding direction podcast.  You can subscribe here.
• Finally, a video podcast from Mexico – Mexico Movies.  Subscribe here.

Sad to say, I found a few that are no longer functioning.  Come baaaack! 

Know of any more podcasts?  Leave your comment!

Now before we start, I have to admit I’m still adding blogs from 2009, so there are lots more that could be mentioned.  But here are some fun facts about the blogs I’ve got in the system so far that have started in 2009:

Most unusual blog name of 2009

And the award goes to Juicy Pomegranate Bits, from Albania.  From the blog, here is the reason for the title:

I was introduced to this delicious fruit sometime during my many years in Albania and fell in love with it.

I believe that life is a gift to be savored and cherished– similar to a pomegranate– savoring one kernel at a time.

If you’ve ever eaten one, you know that pomegranates are often messy and complicated to handle– much like life itself– but if you persevere in unwrapping this exotic fruit bit by bit, the juicy kernels inside are oh-so-worth it!

This is a blog about savoring life in Albania- despite the messiness of living in a post-Communist country experiencing the growing pains of transition.

Here you’ll find bits to savor about culture, relationships, ministry, missions, leadership, mentoring, faith, cross-cultural living, language, marriage, travel, and of course, Albanian cooking!

Most useful blog of 2009

This one has to go to Missionary Moms, which is not only the blog of a missionary but also packed with great ideas and tips.  The blog comes out of Russia.  A brief explanation:

I made this site thinking about other moms with the same desires and specifically, though certainly not exclusively, for those to whom this means living their lives and raising their kids in a different country. It is definitely an adventure to be a parent in a place where everything is foreign! It is a joy, it is a challenge, but more than anything, it is a rich blessing from the Lord. I love connecting with moms on this adventure of parenting, whether overseas or not, and hope that this site can be used to pass on helpful resources and encouragement, and can be a place of community.

Best laid out home page of 2009

I’m looking for useful information that I can scan for and find at a glance – and I have to give the award to Updates from the Messick Crew, from a family preparing to go to Guatemala.  Tabs at the top, useful info in the sidebar, but nothing is cluttered or confusing.  Right on!

Best title banner of 2009

Right at the top, looking good – there were a few good ones, but I’m going to say my favourite was Life is Beautiful from Mozambique.  Check it out.

Most recent post as I write

As I write this post, which blogger from 2009 had the most recent post?  Turns out it was this I never thought to mention that … from Ryan’s Random Thoughts in Malawi.  It’s a good post, too, about something we often take for granted.

Pinkest Blog of 2009

No contest here.  The official winner of the coveted "Pinkest Blog" award goes to Perfectly Imperfect.  Did you know that the word pink originates from the 17th century, used to describe the colour of Dianthus type flowers?  And who says this blog isn’t educational.

Have a great weekend!

Let me leave you with some verses that bloggers of 2009 have shared with us in their sidebars – 2Sam 22:23, Psa 18:32, 2Cor 12:9, and Rom 10:14-17 (these come from Perfectly Imperfect and Scott & Ruth Yingling).  A good reminder that God shares the Good News through us, though imperfect people – the good news that He has Himself provided our salvation – a story that starts before the beginning of time, but was celebrated by angels, shepherds, prophets and prophetesses, wise men, and more, at His coming.

Drinking coffee in Sudan
Photo courtesy of joodmc

Food, drink, Christmas outreaches, flashlights… quite a variety today from our bloggers.  I don’t know what it is, but the posts seem to be getting more and more interesting – check out this eclectic set from recent days…

• Zillions of Cookies in Russia: Don’t you love this kind of outreach?
• The difference between the statistics of Christians worldwide and the reality – talking about syncretism in Swaziland.
• Hate to say it, but these kids are Not Future Missionaries in the Philippines
• Let’s head over to Rwanda to see A Batwa Christmas, and why it was extra special this year.
• While we’re in Africa, let’s stop for a Coffebreak – Sudanese Style (in Sudan of course) before continuing.
• On with our travelling, to see Jacmel… beautiful place with beautiful people in Haiti.
• Around the House and Around the Neighborhood in Mexico.  Ice skating and riot police?
• So you’re a techy interested in missions?  Check out this amazing Reliable Solar Powered Light from these folks heading to Kenya.
• Just for fun, check out these International Nativity Scenes from Thom in Senegal.
• One of the world’s most amazing delicacies right here – Balut–something to try at least once (the Philippines)

So in this post, let’s look at recipes missionaries have shared in the past – first, some with a cultural flavour, either very authentic or variations.  Then, some unique recipes that are just for fun!  (Note: once in a while the recipe isn’t in the post, but is linked to).

Cultural flavours:

• Sarmale Recipe (Romania)
• Pork and sausage shishkabobs and mote with dried peaches (Chile)
• Chupe de Pescado (Ecuador)
• Kourabiedes Greek Christmas Cookies (Greece)
• Empanadas (Mexico)
• Guatemalan/Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup (Guatemala and Mexico)
• Balkan Pie (Macedonia)

Mexican empanadas

• Black Bean Soup
• Chai Mix
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownies
• Gluten-free Peanut Butter Cookies
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pizza