Christmas Letter 2023
'For unto a us a child is born' Isaiah 9:6
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests. - Luke 2:14
Christmas greetings to all our family and friends! Some of you live close by, and some live far away; we are thankful for each of you, and God blesses us with knowing so many wonderful people.
It is December 2023, meaning we have lived in Enderby/Salmon Arm for over a year already! We have experienced the rhythms of the farm for an entire season, from harvest to planting to harvest again. We have watched countless milk trucks and feed wagons lumber past the house, and the corn grow nearly as fast as the kids!
I (Curtis) continue to study full-time through Calvin Theological Seminary. I have completed over half the required credit hours for the Master of Divinity Program. Studying full-time has been an immense blessing, allowing me to read many books, write many papers, and enjoy conversations with fellow seminarians and faculty. One of the highlights has been travelling to Grand Rapids twice in the last year (once per semester). On these trips, I have connected with classmates and professors and have made some friendships that will last a lifetime in ministry.
In addition to studying, I completed my necessary ministry internship this past summer at East Hill Community Church in Vernon, serving as an interim lead pastor. Preparing and preaching a sermon each week and the necessary visiting was a joy, pleasure, and challenge. I have also started working part-time with Christian Reformed Campus Ministries Okanagan, one day per week, as a chaplain at Okanagan College in Kelowna. I meet with students and teach a bible study each week.
Nicole has started working, offering mobile massage in the area again and has been wildly successful (as usual). Her 1-1.5 day a week schedule fills up every week. She also attended her first birth in the Okanagan just last month and is excited to start working as a doula again. In addition to her business, she works tirelessly in the home, managing all the schedules, play dates, and school events. The home is busy with five kids under ten, two of those being two little energetic boys! We are grateful for the babysitting and help Beppe (Nicole’s mom) provides.
Nicole has made some good friends through church and school. And some old friends have reconnected now that we all live in the same place! Nicole enjoys a weekly book club with some friends and other social events. The people here are wonderful; we continue to meet and make great friends.
The eldest three kids are in school daily, with the littles at home. They attend Kings Christian School in Salmon Arm. Silas is in grade 4 and enjoys gym, science and Bible class. He also competed with the school’s cross-country team! He occasionally helps on the farm with milking or feeding calves and adores the farm work. He hopes to save his money to buy a goat next spring.
Sloane is in grade 2 and is an excellent student and friend. This year, we planned a big birthday party with all the girls in her class at the local rock climbing gym. It was a blast! She loves the animals on the farm (especially the cats), but school is her favourite activity. Silas and Sloane also attend GEMS and Cadets at the church. Those Tuesday nights are a highlight for the big kids.
Margot started kindergarten this fall and loves school, just as we expected. She is a bright girl with plenty of personality, energy, and big emotions she is learning to sort through. She usually crafts, draws, or colours at the kitchen table. Our tables and walls are covered in her artwork. She also is our resident cat lady; if you can’t find her, she’s probably playing with the cats outside or new kittens in the garage.
Judah turned three at the beginning of December. He is quiet, smart, and a big helper. He loves to help on the farm, always looking out the window to see if his Pake needs an extra hand nearby. He loves harvest because he can ride in the tractor all day with Pake, his favourite place with his favourite person! He is also an avid kitchen helper. Nicole took Judah this fall to a speech therapy play group where they had a lot of fun singing, exploring “what’s in the box,” and learning skills for encouraging his speech at home, which is improving!
Ardie turned 1 in the fall, has been walking since then (he crawled at five months!), and gets into everything these days. He is very happy and so much fun. He loves his Pake and Beppe and can even say their names!
One of our joys here is a house with a guest room. It has been in constant use over the year, with many house guests coming for stays and even one guest for the summer! We love hosting visitors throughout the year and have enjoyed many glasses of wine and late nights with friends and family on their way through or for a stay in the beautiful North Okanagan.
Overall, life here in the North Okanagan has been truly delightful. We have experienced God’s constant hand of provision over us. The kids adore our church and their school. We all love the farm life and enjoy the fruits from the trees, the veggies from the garden, and the eggs from the chickens. We even raised and butchered some meat chickens this summer! With winter settling in, we look forward to tobogganing, cross-country skiing, and skating. Next summer, we hope to take advantage of the seminary lifestyle and do a month-long road trip around Western Canada and a few states.
Thank you for the past year’s visits, messages, and prayers. A hearty thank you to those who support us and are helping us through this season of seminary. May God bless you all this Christmas as we celebrate the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and continue to hope in the promise of His return.
With love,
Curtis and Nicole Meliefste