Christ's Co-Mission UPDATE on Prime Meridian Opportunities 2003 # 9 We at CCMission, on behalf of our Krobo friends, wish you a Christmas full of His Presence. Jesus, the reason for this season, is our reason for continuing to come-along-side of the oppressed in Manya Krobo. Progress has truly been made since last Christmas. The most significant is the purchase of the school plot and the quality teachers that are with us now. Opening a formal office and Garment's Of Praise secondhand Shop have been significant to. We are learning so much. If funded, it is likely that PMO will have opportunity to begin our second school - as He leads. As usual, we continue efforts to develop more jobs for needy Christians. We are grateful for Jane's safe return recently. She left 5 weeks of 100 degree weather to find 25 degrees and snow here in New England. Thanks to so many of you who have been praying. Although she says she is the one blessed, CCMission has and will benefit from her involvement. She has said that PMO is a Light there in the midst of a dark culture and has amazing opportunities. CCMission was asked recently to prepare a certificate so that a gift for the W.Africa mission could be given in honor of a friend. So, if you would like to have a contribution made in your name instead of receiving a gift or if you don't know what to get the person who has almost everything already, just contact us at PMO@CCMission.com Thank you to so many who participate with us in this adventure.  Feel free to forward this to others. Contact us to add or delete names from our list. Snail mail & Contributions: CCMission P.O.Box 456 Vernon, CT o6o66 Christ's Co-Mission UPDATE on Prime Meridian Opportunities 2003 # 9 Bonus: We received this via Berta's sister last evening. I've shortened it and entitled it below: We were the only family with children in the quiet restaurant. After I sat little Erik in a high chair, suddenly, he squealed with glee, "Hi there." He flapped his hands and radiated a toothless grin. His eyes were crinkled in laughter as he wriggled and giggled. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his unwashed hair a mess. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. I was sure he smelled. His wrinkled hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; Hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," he exclaimed loudly to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi, hi there." Everyone in the restaurant looked at us and then at the old geezer who was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was probably drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skidrow bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and my husband went to pay the check, directing me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. "Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or my Erik," I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labour, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby." Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest unwillingly, longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift." I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me." I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a filthy suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?" when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children." A person's character is revealed by the way he treats someone who can do absolutely nothing for him. Matt.25:31-40 Entitled: Loved By Jesus God's Presence sometimes comes in unexpected ways.