By Donna:

Dearest family,

    What a wonderful year! What a wonderful life! When we look back we are amazed at the myriad of miracles that have happened in our lives last year and we are so  very thankful.

We started off with a very cold winter at the farm with a lot of work pruning vines and trees and continuous work on improving our cabin and living facilities. The Lord gave us the strength and health to accomplish a great amount of work throughout the first half of the year, and our efforts were not unrewarded. We were able to enjoy a family reunion with Phil and Julie, Zac and Riley coming over as well as Gabriel and Selen and her brother and mother and the rest of us who are living in Lisbon, as well as a later visit from Joana.  Although very hot, it was wonderful being all together again and we are looking forward to it happening again in the future ! We were blessed with a great olive harvest and the chance to meet many new friends and neighbors during the harvesting season. The harvest truly was plenteous!

   In 2024 we celebrated the birth of our grandson Afonso, and watched him grow into a healthy little tot and Cristy and Nuno grow into loving parents, 

We also celebrated he marriage of dearests Gabriel and Selen.

Not least we witnessed the persistence and graduation of Gloria from medical school. We enjoyed Jason driving us to Lisbon and listening to Ben’s newly released music recording.

We then  traveled to Macau to celebrate Christmas with all our beloved family here! What a beautiful season! We celebrated Gabriel’s birthday in grand fashion and mom was able to see a screening of Joana’s film, which was showing in Hong Kong.

Crossing over to the mainland, we have been able to contact  dear friends and brethren who we worked with many years ago and this has richly blessed our souls. His work goes on with it without us! God is good , and we are looking forward to another year of blessings to come all through the grace of the LORD.

   

Our prayers are for all to be blessed with a wonderful year in Jesus, with the grace, courage and faith to overcome any and all challenges that arise in 2025.

The Lord is our light and our Salvation. The Lord is the strength of our life, of whom shall we be afraid.

    ‘But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ Isaiah 40:31

More Images of this month:

We can only thank God for His mercy and abundant supply!

Love and Prayers