Hi, well the past 2 weeks have been so so.  Had my blood test done finally for Hypothyroid which last time was still too high.  Praise the Lord it is down now, too low, which is the cause of my tiredness etc.  

My brother Bob is going through a lot of pain with his low back pain, and is on strong pain killers also.  Is hoping to be operated on before the end of the year, regards to Insurance.   He does know Jesus and attends church regually which is more than I can say for myself.

Saw my doctor too, earlier about going to the Fremantle Clinic for counselling, therapy, and maybe a change in medication too.   My twin sister Jeanette and myself have a very simular pain in our groin, she has had all the tests done and nothing has come up.   Which I knew already, but she had to go through all the tests etc.  which helps me too.  At times I have had to use heat beads to help to ease the pain, if one can call it that.  for it isn't really physical pain.   It does get unbearable at times, and the stress it causes affects my back also.   Which I did aggravate earlier this week, by trying to use a hockey stick to hit a tennis ball.  A couple times I missed and hit the dirt with it, and I guess jarred the body and that is what started it all.  Besides that bought myself a large ball to play with Benji too.  We play chasey with a tennis ball also.  The large ball is real funny to watch him with, being not a big dog.

Did go to a Recreation Centre where there is a Gym and had an assessment done, which cost me $20:00 Aussie Dollars.  Have yet to go through the Hours Program, which is around $30:00  and they have games there also, team games, one is called Life Ball, don't know whether I will get to go to it yet.  Terribly out of condition and muscle tone is weak.   But after the $30:00 it will only cost me $5;00 every time I go and to me that is really great.  

I usually reply to any comments or subscribers on the weekends, it seems the only time I can do them. 

Have been reading a book called At Home in Mitford, it is so funny at times.  It is about a single Anglican Pastor in the United States who is called Father Tim.

Bathing Barnabus:

Father Tim was please with the location he place the bath for the dog, which is a size of a Buick( what ever that is in cars, I have no idea), in a clearing at the Rectory.  As soon as Barnabus was bathed, he thought, he'd give him a good rub down afterwards with the towel.   Well!    Attaching the looped end of the leash to a laurel branch high over his head he encouraged Barnabus to get into the sudsy water.   Instead Barnabus hurled himself into the tub with a flying leap.  Just as quickly as he went in, he came out, diving between the Rector's legs.   He circled his right leg then plunged back into the sudsy water, soaking his master from head to foot.  Then, he leaped out of the bath, raced again between  Father Tim's legs, joyfully dashed around his left ankle, and head for the laurel bush.   It seemed to the Rector that it all happened with a matter of seconds.  and while his memory searched wildly for a scripture nothing came to his mind.  Barnabus cirled the bush at a dead heat, catching the leash in the crotch of a lower limb, and was brought to an abrupt halt. 

Bathing Dooley:

Father Tim approaches Puny his housekeeper  with Dooley and says, "Here's a boy who needs cleaning up,and here are some clothers for him to wear.  I don't know what to tell you to do, but I know you're the one for the job."  Having said that, he left in some haste, leaving Puny holding the bag.

Puny"s Story:

"So I run a tub of hot water," an' handed 'im a bar of soap and said git in there an' soak."    "Well, he went to sayin' how I wasn't his mama and couldn't tell 'im what t'do, so I yanked a knot in 'is tail."    He thought she looked very smug and self satisfied, "And what did you do to yank this know exactly?"   She says,"That's for me t' know and you t'find out.  Not meaning any disrespect, of course."  "Certain not."   Father Tim said.   "So here's what I done.  While he was soakin', I washed 's overalls, and sent 'im home in 'em.  I couldn't see dressin' 'im up in new clothes t' go spilling some' down th' front, or setting' in dog poop.  I've seen Mr. Jacks's place and it ain't the Taj Mahal."  "Well done." said Father Tim.   "He was mad as fire about itm but Mr. Jacks is bringin' 'im  in th' mornin' and he's gittin' dressed in 'is new stuff, and you can take 'im up to Miss Saie's.  I've cut off th' tags and pressed everything, an' he can wear 'is new blue jeans with that green plaid shirt."    "You're a marvel," he said, sighing with relief.    "What I am is give out, if you don't mind.  I declare, takin' care of a preacher is the hardest work I ever done."  Puny said.   "It is?"  says Father Tim.   "Trust me on this".  Puny said.

I thought these 2 stories  so funny so rewrote them a little when I put them in here.

Soccer:   

What can I say, the Socceroos ousted by a more esperienced Italian team.  True or False

Or was it the Referee'?

As for the penalty kick in Soccer, period?  Can't make head or tail of it.  Seems to me to be biased, unfair all around.  Oh sure, Soccer has been around for years in Europe, surely they could have come up with something better than a PENALTY KICK in all that time?   What a waste of time, energy and effort when after all is done it is then DECIDED  by a penalty kick.       UNFAIR!!!!!

Give me Aussie Rules any day!.

There!  I have said my piece.

Aurel Cocos aged just 4 years old was the youngest child who attended our Summer Camp in Romania last year.  The camp was at a hill resort near a forest and monastery.  There were 45 children aged 4- 16.  They stayed in wooden cabins with 4 bes. gas heating, toilets and showers for each room.

This was Aurel's very first summer camp.  He comes from a dysfunctional family.  Last year, his mother was killed with an axe by his father.  The greatest tragedy was that Aurel and his sister Maricica 6 saw the whole event.  Their father was arrested and will spend 12 years in jail.  Aurel has four siblings:  Maricica 6, Costel 7, Vasile,10 and Ion 12.  They live in a Placement Centre.

At camp the children were placed in age groups.  Aurel was in the first group with Maricica and Costel.   He spent 8 wonderful days full of sun., fresh air, games and happiness.  The children learned many games, Bible verses, and Christian songs.  One of their greatest joys was to sing Christian songs every evening at chapel.

Aurel was one of the most playful and spoiled children.   As he was the smallest child everyone took care of him.  The camp workers were impressed by his story and his innocence especially when he was talking about his parents.  "My mother died because my father hit her with an axe".   This memory will follow Aurel all his life because it is obvious that he is suffering.  During the camp he lived in the same cabin as his brothers and they won the prize for the cleanest cabin in the camp.  Aurel enjoyed the food, the fruits and the sweets at this camp but said his favourite meal was French Fries with barbecued chicken.  He knew that "the person who eats, grows up faster? and without being greedy he ate everything he was given.

The teaching topic for the camp was "Feelings".   The children  learned about anger and self control, fear and faith, selfishness and generosity, pride and  humility restlessness and contentment and about anxiety and patience.    Every lesson linked the Bible to the children's lives.   There was much fun, games and competitions for every lesson.  Every day started wtih a prayer and morning exercise.  Aurel enjoyed art and playing.  He tried to be very quiet during lessons but preferredplaying with balloons and toys.

On the last day our MWB Romanian mission staff visited the camp with a special treat for the children.  They performed  a special puppet show .  Aurel enjoyed this puppet show because he had never seen one before.  He attached himself to Nuti Macavei out Bible Correspondence Course  Co-ordinator and she spent a lot of time with him.  Aurel is one of the hundreds of children who need much love and care in the supportive envirement of summer camp. 

Please give your generous support today.

This is something I had on my mind for some time now, and that is good memories, didn't know I had any.   I was brought up in the center of the Wheat belt area and the Junction for the Railways too.  Very hot in summer and cold in winter for the town of "Narrogin" was situated in a valley with a creek running through the center of it.    In the summer in the evenings we would be outside waiting for what is called the sea breeze, the Albany Doctor, it is called and which reaches us around 9:00pm,  you could hear it come through the russling of the leaves in the trees as it came through and was very refreshing.    The other is Springtime, after the rains, the smell of the eucalyptus and freshness was sooo good on the nose, hay fever etc.  We had a place in the bush we called the Foxes Lair where we did a lot of wildflowering before it was banned.  Spider Orchids, Donkey Orhids, Cradle Orchids, Everlastings, Kangaroo Paws not sure about Kat Paws there though.  Haven't been back to Narrogin for years but know the area is now residentual, which is regretful, nothing stays the same, does it?  Loved the bush and some day hope to go back to the country to live. 

No one who is interested in observing birds can fail to distinguish the large birds of prey such as the Hawk and the Eagle, those 'fierce and bloodthirst hunters of the air'.  They are known as diurnal predators; that is, they hunt for their prey in the daytime, unlike the Owls who hunt by night.  They are endowed with special powers - keen vision, strong wings - and weapons - a strong curved beak and sharp curved talons - to fit them for their mode of life.  The beak of the Hawk and Eagle has been described as a meat-hook and both it and the talons have great striking power.

The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey and one of the largest of the world's eagles.  Its wing span  may reach nine or ten feet.  It has been described as a 'kingly' bird and its specific name audax means 'bold'.  It lives in all types of country, forested and open, and is fairly common all over Australia including Tasmania.

These birds have a majestic soaring flight and with their marvellous vision can detect their prey on the ground from a great height, and dive on it swiftly and unerringly, uttering shrill screams.   When flying, the wedge shape of the tail is clearly seen. 

The diet of the Wedge-tailed Eagle consists of small animals such as rats, mice and rabbits.  They will also clean up carrion such as recently killed kangaroos and sheep.  Some pastoralists say they also destroy young dingoes.  In this way they do a valuable service to man.  They are said to take helpless lambs but this is a controversial point.

The Wedge-tailed Eagle builds a huge nest of sticks, lined with gum leaves, high up in a tree.  The nest may be as much as eight feet wide and deep.  The birds appear to pair for life and return to the same nest adding to it year after year.  They also nest on rock ledges in mountains and cliffs, or sometimes use the old nest of another bird such as the crow.

Willie Wagtail:

Almost everyone must be familiar with this little black and white Fantail whose name expresses his habit of constantly wagging his long upright tail from side to side and sometimes fanning it.  The Willie Wagtail lives all over Australia except in the rain forest and in heavily timbered areas.   It is a very common resident of open forests and scrub, farming areas and wooded watercourses, even near creeks in the dry inland regions.  It is also a very familiar bird in city parks and gardens and is quite fearless and friendly.

Like other Fantails it is active and restless, never still for long.  It  will sit on a vantage point watching for insects - mostly flies - and quickly snapping them up on the wing.  In the country it will sit perched on the backs of cattle and is said to destroy cattle ticks.  It is said also to sit on the back of crocodiles in the far north and even to picks scraps from between their teeth.

Willie Wagtail has  an attractive and melodious whistling call which sounds something like 'sweet pretty little creature': this call can often be heard late into the night.  It has also a scolding alarm call of chicka-chicka-chicka.  Although normally a trusting little bird, it becomes very pugnacious when it is nesting and will try to drive even a hawk from its territory.  The nest is a cup beautifully moulded of fine strips of bark and grass, tightly woven and bound with so much cobweb that it appears to be made of it.  The Wagtail  has a variety of nesting sites, usually quite low - on a horizontal limb of a tree hidden by foliage, attached to a fencing wire or house rafter or under a verandah.  It may raise up to four broods in one season.  It often uses the  same nest, rebuilding it the following year.  When nesting in a tree, Wagtails often nest in the same tree as a pair of Mudlarks.

Why don't eggs tell jokes?  They'd crack each other up.

Why is milk the fastest thing in the world?  Because it's pasteurised before you see it.

How do you make a strawberry shake?  Take it to a scary movie!

What food is best for your eye sight?  Sea food!

How do you fix a cracked pumpkin?  With a pumpkin patch.

What kind of food do scarecrows like?  Strawberries!

What do you call a cow with no legs?  Ground Beef!

What did one plate say to the other ?  Lunch is on me! 

What did the mother monster tell the baby monster when he ate too fast?  Stop goblin your food.

What did the left eye say to the right eye?  Between us, something smells.

PET PRANK:

Can you imagine the looks on the faes of your family and friends as you chow down a can of pet food with great gusto?  Here's how you can make it a reality.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE:

A small can of pet food(dog or cat tins are good)  A small can of tuna or chucky soup(something that you can eat that resemble the pet food)  A fork.

GOTCHA:

Carefully open the can of pet food and thoroughly wash it out with soap, making sure you remove all the remains.  Replace the pet food with the tuna or a suitable subsitute and replace the lid as best you can.  

When your family  or friends have gathered around or are having a meal together, casually take out your can, remove the lid and heartily tuck into your meal with a fork or even try using your fingers.  Enjoy the looks on their faces as they watch you guzzle down your dog's next meal.

Have fun, and a giggle.

Jennifer.

Hi, Apparently my tiredness, weariness is to do with the Thyroid Gland, I'm below the border level.  So the doctor has put me on 1 tablet to start off with, and a terrible week was that. Saw her again this time realizing what a lot of the symptoms I have been having for most of the year is to do with this and not depression.  Wow!!!   What a relief though.  Anyway, the doctor put me on 2 tablets for a short time to boost me up, which is helping me at present. 

My brother and I had a quiet Christmas, we had a family gathering on the 19th December.  As our brother's and sister have families of their own to go to, in Perth, and down south of the country.  

Have a Happy, Safe New Years Eve, won't you all,  and a prosperous year for 2006.

God bless,

Jennifer.

Vera witnessed how God helped her in the summer camp.  "I prayed together with my fellows that our team "princesses" would win First Place in the competition for the cleanest cottage, and we got the highest score.  Then I managed to be one of the best in arts and craft.  I even taught my friend Olea how to make post cards.  Here I have a special card for the sponsors of the summer camp.  I shaped it as a heat to show that I loved them."

Vera is just one of those 1500 children who made cards for sponsors, or who wrote letters to thank them for the camp, or prayed mornings and evenings to thank God for their generosity.  All three summer camps gathered children's tears of joy and words of gratitude  for making their vacation not their bad one, but , instead, a wonder time to relax, to play, to eat well, to chat with friends, to learn from God's Word.  The ten days became sweet memories for a lifetime in the hearts of so many children who know so much about sadness, hurt, pain and poverty.  Mission Without Borders summer camps turned out to be the real examples of how the Light worked for them and in their souls.

I am sure that you already know the value of summer camp to the children in the orphanages of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.  This is a wonderful time for the children to experience the love of Jesus Christ as they see this lived out daily before their eyes.  As Ver said above,  "Everybody is so nice here!  I did not hear quarrels or bad words."  The example of a Christian life is of inestimable value to demonstrate God's power.  A time to experience Love is even better than tasting a banana again after two years.

Child Rescu International is continuing to search for sponors for children particularly in Ukraine, but also in Romania.  At present our programme is in every orphanage in Moldova and the sponsors support is greatly appreciated by all.  We have letters of thanks from the leaders of the country who applaud the work of Mission Without Borders in Moldova.

If you would like to see children who are  available, or for more information please visit our web sites at www.mwb.org.au   or call us at Bankstown, (02) 9793 8100

Pray some are moved to respond when reading these, there so much reward in helping a child in another country. 

Bye for now and God bless,   Jennifer.