What a blessing this has been for us to spend this Christian season with family and warm friends.We are in America a year earlier than planned but we have been visiting family, churches and renewing acquaintances and friendships at the speed of light.

Our autumn arrival, in the USA, afforded us the opportunity to be part of Sarah's large family reunion held during Thanksgiving.We saw brothers and sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews, grand and great grand nieces and nephews- some we had never seen before.Our kids were so excited to see so many kin in one place and it wasn't a funeral or a solemn occasion.The health of Sarah's mother is fair, but failing, and her memory is fading fast.She is 90 years old and just the fact that we were able to see her alive and speak to her was indeed a blessing.We even sneaked in a dance with her at the reunion.

Charles' mother is considerably younger- in her seventies- but she is experiencing some medical, aging issues.The fact that Charles is an "only child" means that he has a lot of decisions to make that concern her.

• Please pray for us, and the many families who must deal with family aging and transition matters.

We are in Richmond, Virginia as "Missionaries in Residence" to the American Baptist Churches of the South (ABCOTS) - a thirteen state ABC region- and have been traveling to many of the area meetings.This has been very rewarding because we have had a chance to meet some great people.We are available to do deputation in other areas also and we will be quite pleased to get a chance to see and to hear from you.Just make your region aware that you would like a visit from one, or both of us.Your region's Mission Support person can contact Ruthann Stevenson at the Valley Forge Mission Center (800-ABC-3USA) to discuss and set up a visit to churches in your region.

Our partners at the Baptist Convention of South Africa send their greetings to you and as we embark on a new partnership with the Baptist Convention of Zambia in August 2006, we ask that you continue to pray for us.Our new assignment will continue to entail the training of leadership, evangelism and national partner empowerment and reconciliation.

We pray God's richest blessings on you for all your prayer and financial support.We can't say it enough, but without you we cannot go, we cannot fulfill the mission we are called to.That mission is "to glorify God in all the earth by crossing cultural boundaries to make disciples of Jesus Christ."

We are so glad that in the Christian world we can truly say without worrying about repercussions or being politically incorrect that Jesus is truly the reason for the Season!

Merry Christmas from the West family.

Charles and Sarah West and

MK's Chasah, Caleb and Charliese