Hello Dear Ones,

  Once again we greet you during Christmas-time and bring you a brief report on this year’s news.

  Roger and Amy continue mission work on Chuuk, their island paradise, bringing the gospel to the islanders and building up their school. They took time in between all their work to have a new baby, July 1, 2005. Welcome Alyssa.  We love you even though you are so far away! We know your big Brother, Nathan (2 years old in July) loves helping take care of you!

  This August we visited Bryan and his family. This photo is their family, including Bridget their beagle. We can hardly believe Tiffany is already 10 and Grant is 6. It was fun to be with them and get to enjoy first hand the kid’s

 musical accomplishments and other activities.  We especially enjoyed our outings into nature. Thanks Elizabeth & Bryan. We wish we lived closer!

     We are happy that Helen, Scott, Gareth and Brenden Allen live near enough for visits! Highlights of our year have been when 3-year old Gareth sleeps over. We love taking him to the zoo or wild animal park. He´s also very happy to be big brother to Brenden, who was born September 20, 2005.  

   Gloria continues working as an artist at the School of Hope and in her career as an educator. She taught art classes this summer for the Redlands Art Association.

  This year she completed a large art commission for a local group called Crosswalk.

   This year we expanded our home with a new sun room by Sun Boss. Really a great addition. Even serves as guest room. You are welcome to stay with us when you come this way.

   We worked hard in our garden this year. Tomatoes, green beans, apricots, persimmons, figs are some of the crops we have enjoyed.

  Phil loves working on his computers. He has taken a great interest this year in GPS programs and gadgets.

  He continues searching for and sharing up-to-date health information in health nuggets at our church, in English & Spanish.

  He has become a skilled and prolific photographer. His most recent digital camera is a Casio EXILIM.

  Some of his favorite types of photos are of nature—flowers, and sunsets, for example.

  We love to visit San Diego, especially Coronado Island. This July we even rented a tandem bike to tour the island. In September we visited Las Vegas. Can you believe it! What can two non-gambling, non-drinking, non-smoking people do there? We had fun.

  This year we helped with a cooking school at our church in Mentone, CA. We had planned a trip to Ecuador to hold a training of nutrition instructors, but it was postponed due to Marlene’s health. Maybe next year…

   Marlene had a productive and satisfying year in her work for the Department of Public Health, Black Infant Health project. She helped coordinate two “Healthy Baby Celebrations” this year.

  Marlene enjoys singing with a classical chorale, Canto Bello. The last concert the Christmas concert December 11.

  Thank you to all of you who prayed for Marlene while she was fighting breast cancer and had surgery. God blessed in that she did not have to have chemotherapy or radiation.

  May you be specially blessed this Christmas. Remember that it was for YOU and US that Jesus was born, lived and died. This is the central, beautiful truth of Christmas.

                  Love always,  Phil and Marlene