Update on Zeke, Jaden & Taff

Here's a bit of an update on the three of us not in school! :)

Zeke is growing quickly and seems to be more intelligent by the day! He's managed to work out how to operate the computer and navigate around Bob the Builder and Thomas the Tank Engine websites, completing all the puzzles and activities as he goes! While I don't like him playing on it for too long, it does help in those moments where you just need some time to get stuff done! He loves the kids church here. They teach them to listen to the Holy Spirit and prophecy over each other. The spend time worshipping and soaking in the presence of God. It's such an encouragement to know that your kids are being taught what you are being taught! How much more will they flourish in life being taught this stuff now! Zeke also loves to play with his Aussie friends Luca and Amaya. Luca is turning 4 in January and Amaya will be 2 in the same month. So Zeke is right inbetween which suits him well. He loves to play with those a bit older than him as he can communicate with them. Zeke is very excited about Christmas. Christmas is so much more enjoyable with children around!

Jaden is now 6 months old and has just cut his first tooth! Even in the process of immunisations, teething and learning to digest food he still is pretty much a placid and smiley kid! He's also been prophesied over in the child care room at church. It was about him being peaceful and bringing peace to our house. It's so true! Over the past week Jades has been practicing getting up onto his knees and rocking. Lots of development to come in the next few months! I'm looking forward to him being able to move around as I think Zeke will enjoy playing with him more. Zeke is beautiful with Jaden. Loves to include him in story time at bedtime, and loves to roll him around on the floor! We look forward to watching them grow up and play together.

I (Taff) have been doing a parenting group called 'Raising Tomorrow's Leaders'. The material used is brilliant - taken from many different authors and experts in the field. It's been a good way for me to get to know others mums and a chance to get out of the house! I plan on doing a bit of a summary of some of the material we're looking at, so if you're interested in it, let me know!

Recently I've had a few opportunities to sing. I've starting worship leading for the parenting group I'm involved in. There are about 100 women, so it feels like leading at a small church. I'm loving the opportunity to work with another mum who's been involved in the Bethel Worship Team. I've also joined the Bethel Worship Choir (I know, I can't believe it either). It's been a great way to get with other 'worshippers' and catch some of the culture of Bethel myself. The choir sings every sunday morning, and we've just finished a month of Christmas events. We've sung in the mall (shopping centre kinda like the Bendigo Marketplace or small Westfields), the Holiday Feast (community christmas lunch put on by Bethel Church), and a couple of events for the elderly. As part of this, I've also had the opportunity to sing a few solos. It's so nice to be able to do what I love to do. I had come here prepared not to sing for a year or so, but God has provided opportunities for me - and oh how I needed it. I was feeling a little restless not being a part of worship or singing! :)

Recently Dave surprised me with a new car! When we initially arrived in Redding, we purchased a cheap small car in a hurry. The car wasn't the most reliable car I've had, and it wasn't big enough for Dave to sit in the passenger seat! We'd been keeping our eye out for Subaru Outbacks on Craigslist (online classifieds). Dave saw one and got it checked out, then brought it home for me! It cost about the same as the first car we bought as it we purchased it for half its value! The car is in brilliant condition! We then sold our first car for the same price we purchased it. So we basically upgraded our car for $150. Very blessed! Now we all fit in the car and can take a day trip to the snow!

Now Christmas is upon us and we're really enjoying a winter Christmas. Something really special about it. We'll have about 15 people in our house to enjoy Christmas lunch with. But before that, as is the case every year, we will put Christmas on hold for a day to celebrate Dave's birthday on December 24!

Happy Birthday Dave!

Lassen, Redwoods, Winter

As previously mentioned, we've been enjoying some of the natural surrounds of Redding. Lassen National Park is a dormant (yet still active - don't ask me why they call it dormant), volcano. We managed to head up there (about 1 hour away) before the main road through the volcano was closed for winter. Zeke had his first touch of snow which was pretty cool :). For the main part of the day we hiked into 'Bumpass Hell' (great name hey!). You hike in, then walk around on a boardwalk built over hot bubbling, steaming mud pools. It was quite an experience. The smell took us back to Bendigo - the dreaded sulfur smell of the Bendigo Creek, only intensified! We spent the day with our good Aussie and Kiwi friends! Lou and Shane are a couple from Taree, NSW, that we've loved hanging out with. And of course, Tim, our Kiwi boarder was with us - but he's lots of fun too :).

The students all had time off over Thanksgiving. Again we used the time to explore! We travelled with Lou & Shane, and Mike, Bek and the kids - all Aussies! The northern coast of California is famous for it's large Redwood trees. The size of the trees was amazing. The most spectacular drive that we took was though an untouched part of the woods. It was magical! Something mysterious and breathtaking about it. The coastline was just as spectacular. Similar to the Great Ocean Road in parts, but the rocks are grey in colour. Just beautiful. We also enjoyed our first west coast sunset! A pod of whales decided to show off their spouts of water too! My (Taff) first sighting of whales. Unfortunately they didn't want to show off their jumping skills!

We returned to Redding on Thanksgiving so we could enjoy our first Thanksgiving with an American family from the church. Lots of delicious food and great people to enjoy it with.

These days we are enjoying sitting by the open fire as the days are colder. So far, all our wood has been provided free of charge! Today our landlord gave us a truck (ute) full of pre cut wood! It's perfect! Apparently the last couple of days have been unusually cold. I would say the weather was on a par with Bendigo. Doesn't seem to be any colder than what we're used to. The good part is the snow is only half an hour away! Our neighbours have another property there which we have been invited to spend some time there whenever we like.

So our christmas tree is up (with our home made decorations) by the open fire and for the first time all the christmas songs make sense and it feels like a 'real' christmas. We even has christmas stockings hanging from the mantle piece! We'll be celebrating Christmas with the people in our house and some other families from Australia who have no one else to share it with. Although we really miss our family and friends at this time, it should be a beautiful Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone!

Partner with Dave's Mozambique Orphans & Prisoners Mission Trip

Many years ago, I went to a church in Queensland and was prayed for by a man (who I didn’t know from a bar of soap) who said “I see you in a village preaching to black skinned people and God is doing mighty things!” When he said this (15 years ago) I felt like “well I can’t see that ever happening! I don’t ever want to go to Africa!” and yet here I am in California America at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministries and God has asked me to go to Mozambique and I cant wait!

We will be joining Bethel missionary Tracey Evans (who sees over 600 children fed by faith each week!) She is amazing & has survive un attacks, witchdoctors & even seen corn raised from the dead! On this trip we will be getting opportunities to minister in a local prison, in the markets, to village children, at local and bush church plants!We will also pioneer an open air church with 150 people from Tracey’s clinic!

We are believing to see people healed, set free from demons, people discipled and people resourced. I can’t wait to prophecy into people’s identities, see them healed, see them saved and see them set free! I was told today that 99% of people we pray for will get healed!

I really believe that this trip is God ordained and that he is going to bring together a strategic team of people who will spiritually and resourcefully support this trip and ensure its success!

For all who would like to partner by praying, I hope to be giving regular feedback during the trip, so that you can pray specifically into what God is doing! To sign up as a prayer partner email me at daveh@suvic.org.au.

If you would like to give into the trip (I need about $3700, plus am aiming to take a gift of $1500) you can make a donation through our bank account below:

Bank: Bendigo Bank

Account Name: David S P Harvey

BSB: 633 000

Account No: 104861463

If you make a donation please also email me at daveh@suvic.org.au as I would love to send you regular updates too.I really appreciate your belief in me & in the power of the gospel of our amazing Jesus Christ! Thanks so much for your gifts, prayers & partnership! I look forward the lives that our team will see changed!

God Bless Heaps!

Dave Harvey