Blessings and then some-

Hi, this is Shelby. Sorry that no one has posted in a while the internet server has been down. Mum and Hunter haven't been feeling well, and we thought it was a cold, but we now know that they are allergic to dogs. So we had to give Eagle and Ludo to some friends in the hall. We are all very sad, the puppies were doing so well and everyone loved them. But we cann't have Mum and Hunter be sick. So it is for the better. We had a toy dinosaur for the dogs that we jokingly called there sister Lucy. The kids saw it today and were sad that Lucy was all alone now. So I told them that Lucy was now our only pet and that they would have to play with her more now that Eagle and Ludo were gone. It seemed to knock the edge off.:)
I am going to Bethel to work every Monday. It is really enjoyable and a bleesing from Jehovah. I have worked in Laundry and House Keeping, I enjoy doing both. Everything that is done for Jehovah is not work but refreshing. The whole family is encouraged by the stories I bring home each time.
I have one new study with a guard, he is doing very well. I will turn him over to a brother soon, brothers study with men and sisters with women. It is just better that way.
My study, Anitia, her employer is moving to Kenya in March and asked her to come. She was thinking about it but desided that she couldn't leave her son and husband. I was very happy to hear this, because her study is coming a long so well and I didn't know what would happen to her. She is now looking for a new job, we will have to rearrange were we study as I usually study with her Thursday afternoon at her place of work. But that is much better then her moving and not studing at all.
Here in Seirra Leonne the only real problem we have run in to, is that many of the ministers here tell people that Jehovah Witnesses don't pray. We are able to nicely explain that we want to talk to people about God and who he really is before we pray with them. Kind of a funny thing happened with Anitia, I didn't really know how to ask about praying when I started the study, but after a few visits and at the end of Chapter one " Who is God?" in the Bible Teach book, I brought out how it would be good to pray before we study. She said Yes, I want you to pray but I was afraid that if I asked you would go away. We both laughed and I was able to tell her that it was not true, that the witnesses do pray.:)
ASL class is so much fun, there are about 40 of us in the class. It is the first forgein language class in the country. Br. Wright is very enthuastic and fun. We also went to the deaf bookstudy, it was amazing. It is so odd for me cause no one talks, and you have to get up and go to the front to give your comment so that every one can see your hands and benefit.
There are four deaf baptized and at least five or six more who attend the book study. One of them is Kareen, she is 11 years old. She comes to the bookstudy every week even know her school beats her and fines her 300 leones for not going to Saturday classes. They also purposely failed her on her last exam. Yet, she is all smiles and wants to be a publisher soon, with the goal of baptism in the future. Her courage and endurance is really remarkable!
A deaf sister that Mum met on her first trip here. We even went to her sisters wedding and she know has a baby girl. Is coming later this afternoon to make my hair. She is going to cornrow it. It is really nice to be able to talk to her know in ASL we have known her for four years now, but it was always difficult to speak with her.
We are all excitedly awaiting Dads return. Hunter asked every hour or so, is is Sunday yet? It is very cute.
We hope you are all doing good, and continueing to stay warm, enduring the cold. We now have the hotest time of the year coming to us. It is at least 90 everyday and not much breeze, it will get warmer and warmer til the rains in May. It is hard to imagine that it hasn't rained scince the end of November.
Warm Christian Love,
Swifts.