Home for the Holidays

 December Happenings

On Wednesday, November 27, Ricky traveled from New Day to Lusaka and stayed 2 nights at the guesthouse. On Friday, November 29, he traveled from Lusaka to Ethiopia (losing his luggage in route) and onto Nairobi, Kenya. He arrived after 1:00am and had to fill out paperwork for the lost luggage. He finally made it to the guesthouse in Nairobi at 3:00am!

On Saturday, November 30, Coby arrives from Kijabe into Nairobi on the school bus, and Ricky is waiting for his arrival. It was a great reunion for both of them, having not seen each other in 3 months! After some lunch and shopping, they begin getting ready for the long journey home.

Saturday night, November 30 - Ricky & Coby make their way to the airport in Nairobi. Ricky has to pickup his luggage that finally arrived. They board the plane for Dubai. A few hours layover in Dubai and then it was off to Milan, Italy. They had a few hours in Milan before heading across the ocean to New York.  Arriving in NY on Sunday night, December 1, they realize they cannot stay in the terminal overnight because they were transferring to a domestic flight to Charlotte. So, they call in a panic that they need a hotel.  I am able to book them a hotel near the airport, and they get a few hours of horizontal sleep and a good shower!

The next morning, Monday, December 2, they make their way back to the aiport and are told by US Airways they missed the check-in by 4 minutes!  After trying to convince USAir that the flight was not leaving for another 45 minutes, they were still forced to wait on the next flight which was 2 hours later. Ugh!!! In the meantime, the family have gathered at Charlotte Airport to await their arrival.

Ricky & Coby finally made it home!!!  It was a long, tiresome journey, but we were SOOOO HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY to see them!

Granddaddy, PopPop, Coby, Niki, Ricky, Mama, Kelsey, Meme

Tracy (our BFF), Coby, Niki, Ricky, Kelsey, Mama, Granddaddy

Once we were back home, Coby immediately headed to see his friends that he missed. The first week he was back, he spent every day with a friend and even went to eat lunch with the 9th graders at the High School.  He also got a much needed HAIRCUT (3 months without one is a long time)!  Both Ricky and Coby caught up on their sleep that first week.  Plus, there were dinners with friends and doctors appointments to go to.

Kelsey was able to schedule some time to say "farewell" to some of her friends. We had a bowling night and the girls were able to write messages to Kelsey on a Jenga game so when she plays the game in Zambia she will get to read all of their special words of love!

The second week home, there were more dinners & lunches with friends, more doctors appointments, and family gatherings to attend. Coby was reunited with his baby cousin, Logan, at the Abstance Christmas party.  Coby also got to go hunting that weekend with his Uncle John on 2 different occasions. He shot at one deer, but they couldn't find it :(  He's looking forward to hunting in Zambia when he's on his next break!

This is baby Haley, born on March 14, 2013 (Austin's birthday) and we were so excited to see her before she goes back to Cincinati for surgery in January. She was born premature with a rare birth defect called Long Gap Esophageal Atresia.

 We have spent a lot of time traveling to see friends and family, but now that school has finished for Kelsey & Austin for this semester, we are traveling to the beach for Christmas for some much needed relaxing!

Kelsey at her last band concert. She's in the flute section (3rd to left)

Precious

A Tribute to our sweet girl, Precious

February 2013 - Her first day at New Day

Precious was born October 21, 2008 in Lusaka, Zambia. Her mother became unable to care for her in 2012 due to mental illness, and her father abandoned the family. Her mother and uncle released her into the care of Zambia Social Welfare, and Precious and her big sister, Glory, soon came to New Day in February of 2013.

 

Precious with Cambree

Precious and Axer wearing dresses that Laurie wore as a child

School and routine was a big adjustment for her, but she did great and could count to ten after just one week at New Day! She loved to cuddle, be held, and give hugs.

She loved getting to hold the calf

Fun times with balloons

Precious giving cuddles to Darbi

Precious with Mama Lala

Axer and Precious at the Wilcoxes watching TV

March 2013 - Her first face painting

Niki holding Precious

Playing on the playground with her siblings

Such a "little cheese" for the camera

Shaking hands after church

March 2013 - Easter Sunday - all the girls in their new dresses

Darbi getting some love (August 2013)

September 20, 2013 - the last time I (Niki) saw her

Shortly after her 5th birthday in October 2013, Precious became very ill. She was under the care of two different Zambian hospitals, and being treated by Indian, Zambian, and American doctors. They ran many tests and speculated on everything from tuberculosis to congestive heart failure. One trusted American doctor believed Precious could be suffering from Cystic Fibrosis, but another doctor believed her condition was similar to Muscular Dystrophy. We were told that she had a genetic condition which could be fatal, and her lungs and heart were aggressively affected.

 

Her 5th birthday - and first birthday party ever

Traditional pouring water on her birthday

Precious and Kefbert

Field trip October 2013 - just before she went to the hospital

On the morning of Wednesday, December 4, 2013, our sweet Precious went to be with Jesus. Our fellow missionary, Laurie Wilcox, recalls her quiet time with the Lord on that particular morning in which the Lord was saying it was the day that He was calling her home.  The scripture Laurie was reading was Isaiah 57:1-2. A song kept coming to Laurie's mind, "Come home, come home, my sweet little Precious, come home. I am waiting here for you and the angels are waiting too. Come home, little Precious, come home. My arms are open wide as I wait on the other side. Come home, little Precious, come home."

Hospital visit

Getting a dollie from Papa Wes

Uncle Ricky reading her a story from the Bible

The last time Ricky saw Precious in the hospital

Hospital visit from the Langston family

In Lusaka hospital ICU

A testimony from Darbi Tidwell: "God did heal Precious, just not in the way we had selfishly hoped. Instead of deciding what to get her for Christmas, we are deciding where to bury her. Instead of seeing her first Christmas tree, she is seeing the face of Jesus. In the nine months we were privileged to have Precious in our family, she experienced so much at New Day. She gained 21 brothers and sisters, learned how to count, had her first ever birthday party, ate a s'more, wore her first brand new dress, opened her first book, was potty-trained, and experienced SO MUCH LOVE. As amazing as all of those things are, none of it compares to what she is experiencing now."

2 Samuel 12:22-23 says, "And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

The funeral was held on Friday, December 6, 2013. It was a sweet and, of course, sad good-bye. It is never easy to put someone in the ground, but remembering that that is just the tent that she was housed helps to bring comfort. The real Precious is with Jesus now. To finish Laurie's song that the Lord gave her the day she died - this is what Precious could be saying right now:

"I'm sitting on Jesus' lap and looking on His face. I'm home, dear family, I am home. Do not shed those tears and put away those fears. I'm home, dear family, I'm home."

 

Precious will forever be in our hearts, and we count it a blessing that God gave us the privilege to love her for the last 9 months of her life.