PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT and GOOD FENCES

Most of these photographs were taken either when the family and I went to Zambia before CHRISTMAS or when we came back to Malawi to have CHRISTMAS here this year.   The prompt word with be in BOLD. 

Christmas is one of the important times of the year when we as a family come together with JOY in our hearts to celebrate Christ's birth and show love not only to one another but also to others who are less fortunate.   This is the Nativity scene beautifully carved out of wood from Malawi.

As most of you know, prior to me going to Malawi this year, my family had a head on car crash however here was great JOY in knowing that they all survived and are all well now.  Unfortunately the mother of the driver who had multiple fractures of both Femurs and was being operated on, died while in theatre.  This year it has been wonderful to have CHRISTMAS TOGETHER with my family.  Both shots are in Zambia, one at a restaurant and one over looking a bridge when we were looking at dozens of day old crocodiles entering the large river.

I saw this TREE in a shop on our way while in Zambia and thought it looks very festive with the red Elephants on it.  The other tree was in the house we had our CHRISTMAS meal and was made up of photographs of friends and family from around the world  who were not able to be with us.

This is one of the CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS and below in another one of a church with a 'FENCE'!   Sorry this is the only fence shot I could find in these  photographs.

These are 2 photographs of LIGHTS that I took in my home town of Bangor in Norther Ireland before I left for Malawi.

                                                      Light

                                                  CHRISTMAS is a family time to come together, a time to thanks God for everything we have, a time to share with one another and a time to relax and have fun.

                                      I thought this tree had a lovely SPARKLE

In Malawi my family have a family living in a small house on the property and Nelson looks after the garden and opens and closes the gates.  Another Malawian lady called Martha comes twice a week to do some house work.  There are also 3 guards that take time turns at night to guard the property and family.   My family bought red buckets and filled them with a chicken, sweets, rice, soap and toothpaste.  My family appreciate all the staff do for them so this is their way of GIVING back a little to them at CHRISTMAS time.

While in Zambia Annika it was Annika's 8th birthday and Weston, our chef at the house we had rented made her this glorious chocolate cake.  Yummy FOOD.  One of my presents to Daniel for CHRISTMAS was a Sushi maker and these were his first Sushi rolls which we brought to our friends home on CHRISTMAS day to eat before our meal.  Wonderful FOOD

                                                      

Now there were so many RED things around at Christmas time so here are 2 of them.

This is Weston, our chef in our Zambian KITCHEN and the other shot is Theresa in our friend's home on CHRISTMAS day.

 I will leave you with one of the sunsets I photographed in Malawi on Christmas Day and may I wish everyone who follows my posts on my blog, Facebook and Google+ a very HAPPY NEW YEAR.  

I am linking with PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT and GOOD FENCES

Thanks for continuing to visit my posts and also for all who leave comments.

Yellow- billed Kite

As promised today I am showing you a Tawny Eagle I saw in Malawi last time I was here.  

Thanks for your visiting and particularly to those of you who leave comments when I am still away in Malawi and cannot sent comment to you.  I appreciate that VERY much.

WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY - Tawny Eagle in Malawi

This is a Tawny Eagle I saw in Malawi last year when I was here.  I am linking it with WILD BIRDWEDNESDAY.

Tomorrow I will show you a Yellow - billed Kite.

Thanks for your visiting and particularly to those of you who leave comments when I am still away in Malawi and know I cannot sent comment to you.  I appreciate that VERY much.

SCAVENGER SUNDAY HUNT and THROUGH MY LENS

I hope everyone had a wonderful CHRISTMAS.  These are the photographs I took on Christmas day when the family and I joined another family in Malawi at their home.

I had very limited time and Internet to make this post for SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY  and THROUGH MY LENS, however decided to show you some photographs I took on this Christmas day from Malawi.

The real meaning of Christmas for my family and me is centred on Christ’s birth and the message He brought to the world of showing LOVE to one another. So later on in the day we went round to friends for a combined Christmas meal and this simple scene illustrated the Nativity scene.

Of course first thing in the morning, we all exchanged gifts and my greatest gift this year was knowing that after that terrible car crash they all had just before Christmas, they we are all alive and nearly fully recovered and that I was able to share Christmas with them.  Thanks to all who prayed and thought of them at that difficult time.

I am going to show you a few gifts that were received.  The first one was for my son in law from all of us and although from the photo you will not understand it, I will explain. Judith, my daughter bought at great expense (in Malawi) a box of After Eight Mint Chocolates.  On Christmas Eve Judith, Daniel, Annika and I wrote 3 -4 small notes of how we felt about Jon and put each on into the chocolate envelopes.  Now the significant of the actually chocolates were, they when Jon proposed to Judith, 20 years ago, he had hidden her engagement ring in one chocolates.  On Christmas Day when Jon read the messages we wrote for him, he was extremely touched.

Now this also needs a bit of explaining.  Daniel had suggested that it would be a good idea to have a pouffe to put their feet on when watching a movie so Judith set about and made one and this is a photo of us all trying it out!

Although the glass reflected when I took this photograph I will explain how special it was for Jon to receive this gift.  He had, a number of years ago, when they lived near Etty Bay in Queensland, come face to face with this Cassowary who was called Etty and photographed him.  As he had always loved the shot so Judith got it enlarged and found a girl who made the frame from an old blue canoe that she purchased from Lake Malawi.  You can tell Jon was thrilled.

This is the beautifully laid up Christmas table we had for our meal which was really delicious.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that 2016 will be a very blessed year for all.  Thanks to Ashley for hosting and sharing her photographs with us all.

Thanks for your visit and also all your wonderful comments.

SUNDAY THOUGHT

The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.

Daniel 4:11

Photographed in Malawi

2014

Many thanks for visiting also to all those who leave comments.

SATURDAY CRITTERS - Visiting an Orphanage in Malawi

I mentioned to you on Wednesday that Judith, Daniel and Annika visit an orphanage every Friday in Malawi.  They read stories and play games with the boys and often play hand ball with the older girls.  These are photographs I took in their grounds and the children looked after quite a number of Tortoises and 3 older boys were responsible for looking after the goats.  

Above was one of the boys bedroom which they kept very neat and tidy and below is one of the girls bedroom.  They all keep them clean.  

This was a lovely room where the children played inside with different instruments and this is Daniel trying out the drums.  

I hope you had a glimpse of this orphanage and thanks for your visit.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that Boxing Day would this be even better.  

I am linking this post with  SATURDAY CRITTERS.

Also many thanks for all your comments.