Christmas with family in Australia....

sadly, Celeste was unable

to join us due to passport issues...

We shared the day with my family and their children....
In this shot, Matilda, Mark, Zac and I

with my sister, Bonnie, who owns Masai Mama, the store...

Justine with her cousins, Ben and Joel...

with my parents and brother, Mark...

with my sister, Kris

In this photo, Sonia with baby Cooper on her knee chatting with grandpa during the gift opening...

More beaded decorations in a store in Casino

Heads salon in Casino, featured the snowflakes made by masai women from Emboret in their store window this Christmas

Visiting Masai Mama store made me wish I could bring my beading ladies here....

It was so much fun finally getting to visit my sister Bonnie's store in the seaside town of Ballina, Australia. To look at something on the shelf and know where it came from, and in some cases who made it, was quite a thrill.
While in Ballina we also got to catch up with some of our oldest friends from pre-marriage days, Bob and Rozanne Ping - former Qantas crew and more recently teachers at Watoto in Uganda.

Next stop Australia..... to see my parents and lots of old friends

Visiting with Lloyd and Susan...

Dad and Paul organise BBQ pork...

Next stop Tauranga to see our beautiful daughter Justine...

and to catch up with old friends Jim and Min...and Jesse

Tauranga is one of the more beautiful places on earth... we can see why Justine loves it!

Onto Vancouver....

More reporting about our work with friends, food & fun in Vancouver....
It also meant time for catching up about taxes, teeth, school friends for Zac ....
We caught up with ECC in Richmond
Time limitations meant we missed many of our friends....
but we managed a lot!!




We had the generous loan of a car, traded in our computer and fixed up our banking issues.

Time with family & friends!

In London, St Albans we saw our lovely daughter Celeste, her flatmates...... and David's family.
We also caught up with the Vineyard team who came to Tanzania.
As for David's family, it was an Owens family reunion, except for big brother Ron and sister-in-law, Pat.

Celeste took her dad to a Chelsea game, for his Christmas present!!

Celeste and her lovely flatmates made us very welcome....

Catch Up Time!

Since moving to the new property, life has changed considerably.
The church building is almost finished. We started worshiping there on Oct or Nov 1st. We had a baptism, prodigals return, young women's home group as well as prep for furlough which we are now enjoying.
One thing that became clear during our travels is that people read our blog! This has encouraged us to continue writing and we hope to a catch up (mostly pictorial) of the last few months.

We are in the process of buying the land for Arusha Vineyard at the moment. The church is meeting together, praying and seeking God for the $20,000US we need for a deposit by January 2011. We are so blessed that they have already raised $14,000. We are believing God for the rest. We believe God wants to birth a movement of Grace and healing and spiritual empowerment within East Africa thru Arusha Vineyard. God wants to visit Arusha in a way that transforms lives and brings many people to know Him. This building and property is a part of this. We want to see an invasion of kingdom of heaven in Arusha Tanzania. Please join us in praying for an open heaven and for storehouses to be released so that many may be freed, healed, loved welcomed and belong to the Church in Arusha.

If you wish to give and be a part of this venture then please click on our donate button or contact us via email at owensinafrica@gmail.com. We welcome your prayers, words, encouragement and support at this time.

Thank you for standing with us,
Judi and David