While enjoying the Christmas holidays, a local church asked if I would be willing to help them baptize some new Christians New Years Eve morning. Of course I was honored to join them at this joyful event. Baptism is a lovely and inspiring act of submission, and a powerful symbol of death and rebirth. 
Renita and I joined the dozen new converts at sun up, and a couple pastors from local congregations were there to assist. We stood in the water, faced the rising sun, and rejoiced at the promise that we are buried and risen with Christ. It was holy fun.
I keep telling everybody that we are not missionaries or a pastors, just Christians trying to live out our faith in meaningful ways. I guess I've figured out by now that "just living out our faith means more that what we thought. 
As of January 8, the Reeds are all back to work. The kids are in school, Renita is branching out, taking LEAD on the road, and the MPCHS social work staff is hammering out the details of its new social work program, plus preparing for a visit next year from Calvin College students. The cool Harmattan winds are still with us, but we know that the weather, like the work, is going to heat up soon.
