Mission Safari: The Next Chapter(s)

The Arrival: A Book Review

One of the most powerful books I have "read" this year was Shaun Tan's The Arrival "written" in 2006. The reason I have the words read and written in quotes is that this book has no words; it is a Graphic Novel.  That's right, one of the best books I have read this year has no words.  But lest you think that I have returned to Sam's (my seven year old) taste in literature, let me dispel any notion that graphic novels are the lazy and simple-minded.  This books shows the developing maturity of a genre that literally takes to heart the cliche "a picture is worth a thousand words."

In a nutshell, The Arrival, details the life of an immigrant family.  In the beginning chapter you see the main character carefully and painstakingly packing his few belongings before bidding his wife and daughter farewell.  It is apparent he, along with many others, are in search of a new life in another country.

Over the next chapters you experience along with the immigrant the sorrows, delights, and confusions of arriving and living in a foreign place.  Things look bizarre - the language, the modes of transport, the foods, the sounds, and the people.  But along the way, you meet other immigrants helping the protagonist out by pointing out directions, giving him a job, inviting him for dinner, and sharing their stories of how they came to this new land.  Finally, despite the difficulties, the main character saves enough money for his family to join him in their new world. Fittingly, in the last scene, you see his daughter helping another new immigrant get oriented to this foreign place.

As I already mentioned, this is a graphic novel.  Unlike a lot of other graphic novels which have some dialogue with words, there are no words in this book.  Hundreds of drawings, some simple, some detailed, tell the story.  This is a one of its greatest strengths, it invites, no pleads for you get into to story. One interesting technique that the author/artist uses in telling his story is the insertion of bizarre things (such as alien appearing animals) into otherwise normal drawings.  In this way the author communicates how strange things really appear to this immigrant in a foreign place.

This unfortunately is also a weakness.  My wife bought this book for the kids (it was in the children's section).  Some of the drawings are so bizarre and conceptual that even my bright 12 year old has trouble sometimes grasping the story.  And to be honest, it will be hard for some adults to understand some of the subtle messages he is sending through some of the abstract pictures in this book. And that is too bad, it is such a powerful story.

So what kind of Kingdom Lessons are to be learned in this fascinating book?  First, this books resonates so strongly with me because I have been in those shoes.  Living in a foreign country is overwhelming, especially during the arrival and adjustment periods.  We can not ever underestimate this.  And so, I think that people (especially believers) who really want to understand the challenges that missionaries, or soldiers, or diplomats face living overseas should give this book a read; it will help you better pray for those living in foreign lands.

Secondly, I think the book shows the tremendous opportunity we have to show the love of God to those "not from around here."  Despite tougher immigration policies (which is a good thing), there are still thousands of new immigrants arriving on our shores every year (also a good thing).  But unlike the past where these arrivals stayed mostly in the larger U.S. cities, today these immigrants are living in more and more communities (big and small) throughout America.  This doesn't even include the thousands of foreign students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in our colleges and universities.  This book shows why immigrants look confused; and what a difference a kind, compassionate helping hand can make.  We as Christians need to be on the forefront of extending a welcome hand to these new arrivals.

Overall, this book gets my 5 Star Rating for its excellence in art and message.

Trying Something New

As many of you know, I love to read.  I have posting my book reading lists the past 3 years (on the right hand side of the blog) and have tried to right short blurbs or thoughts on the books.  While away on vacation, I decided I wanted to give an extended book review on the next couple of books that I read.  I hope to give an introduction, plot summary, strengths and weaknesses, and what I am terming "Kingdom Lessons."   I will post them and see what kind of response it generates. 

I decided it was time to try something new for the blog.

It's Been a While

It's been a while since I last posted to this blog.  After returning from our vacation to NYC and Cape Cod, I worked a ridiculous schedule to finish out May.  And so, rather than sitting down for 10 to 15 minutes and updating the blog, I spent my time helping out around the house or enjoying the kids (or sleeping).  But since our return we have done the following (in no particular order):

1. Spent time with my parents who came to see Amy (and the rest of us!).

2. Bought a new John Deere self-propelled lawn mower (an exciting purchase!).

3. Gone to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg.

4. Bought a bridesmaid's dress for Sarah (she was asked to be a bridesmaid for one of the W+M students we ministered to this year).

5. Ballet lessons, baseball games, run, gone to Curves.

6. Attended a communion service at the home of one of the shut-ins at church (the pastor, assistant pastor, and a couple of elders were present).

7. Answered a back-log of 60 email messages.

8. Started Sam's Summer Reading program (he has a goal of reading 150 books...the prize - a brand new bike!).

9. Received word that Sarah was accepted into the Junior Volunteer Camp this summer at our local hospital.

10. Used the lawnmower and new weedeater to cut our lawn!

The past couple of days I have been off (in fact, I am off for another 4 days...the downside of ER work - odd work schedules!).  It has been good to be home.  The weather has been delightful and it is actually beginning to feel like summer! 

A Night and Day in New York City

We have been on vacation the past week in Cape Cod.  We still have a blessed 2 days of vacation before driving back.  On the way to Cape Cod, we decided to spend the night in NYC.  Sarah was dying to visit the Big Apple.  And since it was a reasonable stopping point on the way to Cape Cod, we added the visit. 

Unfortunately, it took longer for us to get on the road to Gotham.  We didn't leave W'burg until around 1pm...delaying our arrival into NYC to 10:30pm.  Wanting to keep my word to Sarah (I promised we could go to Times Square on the evening of our arrival), we quickly got the van unpacked, the boys, Amy, and Marti settled in the room, and Sarah and I hailed a taxi at 11:00pm. 

It was kind of weird taking my teen daughter on a date to Times Square at 11pm, but it was also a lot of fun.  Sarah had such a great time seeing the Big City lit up at that time of night.  She couldn't believe it was so busy.    She was amazed at the number of people, taxis, and policeman out after midnight.  She also couldn't believe she witnessed undercover cops bust a driver in the middle of the street!  After walking up and down Broadway, skipping over a few blocks to the Rockefeller Center, we arrived back at our starting point on Times Square, bought a couple of drinks at Starbucks, enjoyed the sights a few more minutes and then hailed another taxi to take us back to our hotel. We arrived back around 1:00am!

The next morning, despite only 6 hours of sleep, I got up and took a run along lower Manhattan.  Nothing to get the blood flowing than a fun run through one of America's best cities.  After returning, eating breakfast with the family, we quickly packed our bags so that we could tour a bit more of the city together.  The following pictures give you an idea of the fun we had in NYC.

"Amy, do you know where we are? Which way should we go?"

"Don't worry Daddy...it will still be fun even if we do get lost."

Amy and Sarah in the American Girl Shop on 49th Ave.  They had a great time choosing Amy's first American Girl...a Bitty Baby.  More on that later.

Sam makes a friend in New York City.  Unfortunately, the "friend" wanted a tip for this picture.  But what do you expect when you find Elmo on 5th Avenue in the Big Apple! 

Ben and Marti giving smiles after lunch at TGIF's.

Amy enjoying the last of her snack in Central Park.  Daddy happy to be sitting for a while...NYC is a huge city to visit on foot!

Amy in pure delight at the sight of her new "baby"...an Asian Bitty Baby. 

The night and day visit to the Big Apple was a big hit with the kids.  We truly enjoyed ourselves!  We suffered a bit that night...we didn't get into our condo in Cape Cod until midnight, but it was so worth it.  The visit was a great way to start our vacation together.

A Full Day

A bike ride around Williamsburg, breakfast with Amy on the deck, feeding the birds, and paying the bills was the way I started the day.  This all occured before lunch and the day only got better.

After lunch, we loaded up the kids and headed towards the ferry that crosses the James River and connects Williamsburg and Surry.  Happily, we arrived right before they left.  Once the ferry left shore, we got out of the car and watched the great variety of gulls, cormorants, and ospreys.  I don't know who had the most fun on the ferry, me, Sam, or Amy...we were all excited to be on the water and watching the birds.

But watching the birds was not the purpose of today's trip.  We were on a mission...to go pick strawberries. After the 15 minute ferry trip, we drove 4 miles to get to College Run Farms.  It was a great little farm.  And the weather was awesome...clear skies, warm, and no humidity.  The kids all had fun picking their own berries.  Of course they became somewhat competitive on who had the most strawberries, who had the biggest find, and who had the most RED strawberries. 

After returning home, Marti and Sarah got ready for a girl's night out with a couple of the college girls we have adopted.  While they did that, the boys and I went out to the baseball field for some batting practice.  Both boys did well getting wood (metal) on the bat.  My arm will be sore tomorrow I am sure.

Still needing to eat, Ben and I decided to try a new recipe on the grill (our new Big Green Egg).  We made an orange and chipolte marinade...with fresh orange zest, squeezed orange juice, fresh oregano (from Ben's new herb garden...more on that some other time), fresh minced garlic, basalmic vinegar, chipolte pepper and a bit of salt.  Man was it delicious.  We had grilled corn on the cob as a side and for dessert...fresh strawberries which Ben described as the best he has ever tasted.

Needless to say, I am bushed as I write this.  But I am so content...God is really good.  His plans for marriage and family bring such delight...if properly understood and cherished.  I thank Him for the great weather, the great nature and wildlife around us, and the great memories made today.

Backyard Visitors

One of the greatest surprises of the spring has been the variety of backyard visitors we have had.  Although we do not have a large yard, which is hard with active boys, we do have a wonderful wooded lot.  This in turn brings the birds (especially if you keep a couple of bird feeders full of different types of seeds).  Thus far, we have had the following bird visitors:

1. Red-bellied Woodpecker
2. Northern Mockingbird
3. Tufted Titmouse
4. Mourning Dove
5. American Crow
6. Carolina Chickadee
7. White Breasted Nuthatch
8. Eastern Bluebird
9. American Robin
10. European Starling
11. Northern Cardinal
12. Chipping Sparrow
13. Brownheaded Cowbird
14. Red Winged Blackbird
15. Common Grackle
16. House Finch
17. American Goldfinch
18. Blue Jay

As the spring turns to summer we look forward to continued visitors.

The Stadiums

The boys are still talking about our quick trip to Baltimore for the ballgame.  It got me to thinking about the parks we have already visited.  As park names tend to change over time, I will list the teams we have visited over the past 6 seasons.

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Chicago White Sox
4. New York Yankees
5. New York Mets
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
7. Atlanta Braves
8. Seattle Mariners
9. Washington Nationals
10. Baltimore Orioles

Only 20 or teams to visit.

Baseball, Hot Dogs, and Crab Cakes

Tonight we resumed our plan on watching a ballgame in every Major League park before Ben graduates from college (initially we had planned to do it before he went to college but as we spent 3 years in Kenya we have had to put this plan back a few years).  Our destination tonight was Camden Yards in Baltimore, home of the Baltimore Orioles. 

We left Williamsburg at 12:30 and had a nice 4 hour drive into Baltimore, missing most of the Beltway Rush Hour traffic (mostly because we took the back routes).  After checking into our hotel we walked to the stadium 3 blocks away.  It was a crisp clear night...a perfect way to spend a spring evening. 

As we arrived about 90 minutes before gametime, we were able to take in some batting practice.  We stood in the outfield bleachers.  Before long a stray ball came our way but landed 20 feet short.  Sam shouted out to the player picking up the ball, "Hey can I have that ball...please!"  The player hesitated, turned, then tossed the ball to Sam!  Twenty minutes later, after leaving batting practice, we were walking around the stadium looking for the hot dog stand when we came across Boog Powell, a famous Baltimore Oriole who just happens to be in the Hall of Fame.  Naturally, being in the right place at the right time for the second time tonight, Sam asked for his autograph.  Sweet!

The first place Orioles were hosting the second place Rays.  Despite the Orioles being in first place, very few people attended the game.  It was probably only at 20% capacity.  It was weird.  Being a Cardinal fan, you just assume that every stadium is always sold out and full, even on a Tuesday night in late April.  I feel bad for the Orioles...they played well and won 7-4, they extended their lead in the A.L. East, and the fans just weren't there.  What really makes it lame is that the stadium is awesome, and the food is excellent - the hot dogs were very tasty (if you can describe hot dogs as being "tasty") and you could even get crab cakes at the park (which were the best crab cakes that I had ever tasted...and yes there was plenty of crab in the cake!).

Nonetheless, we had a great time.  It is such fun to visit new stadiums, take in the best sport in America, and make memories together.  I mean, how can we forget Sam getting a ball during batting practice, having it signed by a Hall of Famer, and eating hot dogs, crab cakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, nachos, and Cracker Jacks (whoa, I won't be forgetting all that food later tonight or tomorrow) on a gorgeous Spring night!?!  None of us will, that is for sure.

I hope I brought some Prilosec and Tums...I am going to need them!

The Boys and The Turtle

The other day I was on a run with Amy (she wasn't running, she was sitting in her baby jogger), when I almost ran over a silver dollar sized turtle.  I ran back, picked it up (he was in the road after all), and looked in the grass for his mama.  Finding none, I put him in the baby jogger (in the basket, not with Amy) and continued my run.  When I returned home, I went in the house and announced to the boys that I found them a pet.

Sam of course was exhilirated.  I told him he could keep the turtle if he and Ben could figure out what kind it was and how to take care of it.  Sam blurted out, "Come on Ben, let's get on the internet and see how to take care of the turtle."  And that is what they did.

Ben googled "turtles" and spent the next couple of hours trying to determine what kind of turtle it was, how to take care of it.  He and Sam learned so much.  They learned the difference between box turtles, water turtles, and snapper turtles.  They learned the difference between a turtle and tortoise (apparently turtles have finger like toes  and tortoises have stump like feet).  It was awesome to see them learn so much. 

And that is one of the things that make the internet and homeschooling such a wonderful combination.  In the middle of the day, a situation arises, and the kids can turn it into a learning opportunity.  They learned more that afternoon using the internet to learn about something they wanted to learn about than they might if they had been given an assignment to learn about turtles.  I am not advocating a helter skelter approach to learning because children benefit from a disciplined approach to learning, but homeschooling allows margin for spontaneous learning. 

Oh, and by the way, the boys determined that the turtle was a water turtle and they have made an appropriate water and dry land living space for the turtle.  We will eventually have to take the little amphibian back to the lake, but for now, the boys are enjoying one of God's creatures.

Amy and Ice Cream

After dinner last night, I decided to have a bowl of ice cream for dessert.  Sarah was doing the dishes and the boys were off playing.  Amy was getting fussy, and as it was her bedtime, Marti was starting to take her upstairs.  Since I had to go to bed soon after dessert (I had to get up at 5 am this morning), I asked Marti to sit with me while I had my dessert. 

As I enjoyed my bowl of vanilla ice cream, Amy was starting to get a little fussy.  I dipped my spoon in my bowl, scooped a very tiny amount, and put it in Amy's mouth.  She thrust her tongue in and out (she is just learning to eat things off a spoon).  She paused, as if savoring a fine wine, and smiled. She stopped her fussing. 

Then her eyes grew large and she lunged for the bowl, grunting and begging for more.  I not sure, but I think she really liked her first taste of ice cream.  She and I are going to get along just swell! 

A Weekend With Sarah (and 200 other youths)

This past weekend, I went with Sarah and her Senior High youth group to Modgnik, a weekend retreat for most of the PCA churches in Virginia.  Modgnik (pronounced Modge-nick, why, I'm not sure), is a yearly retreat focused on God's kingdom and how it is (wonderfully) backwards compared to the way the world thinks (hence Modgnik, which is kingdom spelled backwards).  It is an awesome retreat.

The retreat was held at the Young Life Alum Springs Rockbridge Camp about three hours from here.  It is a wonderful facility with great cabins, meeting rooms, and dining area.  It even has a nicely outfitted Infirmary (more on that in a minute). Even more awesome is the location and the outdoor activities...climbing walls, ropes courses, zip lines, lake, swimming pools, and on and on.  It was an ideal place for a retreat (and summer camps). 

It was also a place with plenty of opportunity for injuries. That is why I was asked to come as the camp doctor.  At first I didn't think I would be very busy, but as the kids began enjoying their free time, I began to get to use one of my spiritual gifts!  By the end of the 48 hour retreat, I had reduced a shoulder dislocation (on the soccer field), splinted a broken ankle, and immobilized a knee that had a torn ACL.  I figured I would be tending to a few sprained ankles and coughs and colds.  I more than made my keep in saved ER visits for the kids.  That was a joy.

Sarah seemed to have a good weekend as well.  It was great to attend a retreat with her.  She is getting to be such a wonderful young lady.  It was weird seeing her with 200 other high school kids and realizing that she was growing up so fast.  It was also weird realizing that I wasn't the only male there thinking that she is a beautiful young lady.  Perish that thought!  But was I ever glad I was there.  I made sure that I hugged her and held her hand enough in public to send out the very clear signal to other males in attendance that she was spoken for.  Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind.  In fact, I rather like to think that she was glad for my presence there.

Besides just being there together it was great to hear the speakers together.  They were very on target with their Kingdom message and not only were they understandable at the high school level (whatever that is), they were also very challenging for all in attendance.  The sessions dealt with "what is the kingdom", "why it is valuable", "how to live in the kingdom", and "how to share the good news of the kingdom." 

Pray that it will be a weekend for us to remember for a long time...for our time together, for the closeness in our relationship, and for the challenges we heard.   

Sam and the Captain

Sam likes to collect autographs...from just about anyone.  His current collection includes not only Major League Baseball players, but policemen, military personnel, garbage collectors, furniture movers, and waitresses.  Yesterday, he collected another autograph...from Captain Don Little, US Army.

We were in Cheeburger-Cheeburger waiting for our meal.  Sam saw the Captain waiting for his food in the Take Out Line.  Sam went up to him and asked for his signature.  The Captain obliged and signed Sam's piece of paper with a crayon...all that Sam had with him.  Sam came back contented.  Shortly after that our food arrived and as we prayed, I thanked God for our military and asked Him to watch over the Captain in his service to our country.

A few minutes later the Captain approached our table.  He took a badge off his uniform and handed it to Sam.  The Captain was a bit choked up.  He told Sam it was a badge he received after completing his second tour in Iraq.  Sam was excited.  We were awed.  The Captain was humbled...and thanked Sam for his kind gesture of asking for his autograph.  We told the Captain we were appreciative for his service to our country...he replied that he was just doing his job. 

The whole scenario taught me a few things.  First, our soldiers are proud to serve their country.  Second, soldiers like to be recognized for their service even if they down play the notion of being a hero.  Third, soldiers are heroes who not only kids should look up to.  Last, that kids don't have the same impulse to catagorize people like grown ups do.  Thanks Captain Little for your service.  Thanks Sam for reminding me of these important lessons.

Check It Out

I have posted more pics of the kids.  Click on the link Kids and Early Spring to the right to enjoy!

Eating Dirt Part II

A picture is worth a thousand words...she found the planter again!

Booklists Updated

If you haven't noticed already, to the right of this page are my book lists for 2006, 2007, and now 2008.  I just updated and finalized my book list from 2007.  Six of the entries are for Graphic Novels (cartoon books with a deep plot and mostly without superheroes).  They were a new genre for me and I enjoyed them immensely.  Four of the books were either biographical or autobiographical and dealt with either the holocaust or Iran.  I highly commend them to you.

This years list mostly contains books by Bill Bryson, my new favorite author.  Marti purchased them all for me for Christmas.  I have enjoyed many a night reading them.  If you pay particular attention, you will also notice that they all are either about traveling abroad or the setting of the novel is somewhere abroad.  That is my goal for this year in reading...travel abroad through reading and thinking. 

He Would Have Liked That

Last Thursday I flew back to the St. Louis area for Granddad's funeral.  I was of course dreading the funeral and the sadness, but was certainly glad to be able to go.  It is one of those life events you can't miss. 

Friday was his funeral.  To start the day, I went for a run to wake up and shake out the cobwebs from a lack of sleep.  During the run I thought about what I would say at the funeral.  After a quick shower we headed over to the church.  The whole morning was bittersweet.  It was good to see the extended family and old friends I hadn't seen in years.  It was sad to see them under the circumstances.  It was sad to see Granddad laying in the coffin, but good to see him looking peaceful.  Even the service was bittersweet...there were lots of tears, but just as many smiles and laughs as we celebrated Granddad's life.  He really was a good man...humble, hard-working, frugal, kind, and most importantly a believer in Christ.

After the service and lunch, my brother Todd and I headed over to see our other grandparents.  We enjoyed our two hour visit...my Granddaddy is 92 and getting frail physically, but his mind is strong and he shared some funny stories.  He of course cried when we had to leave...he said he didn't know if he would still be around when we came back next (he has been saying that for 4 years now!).

On the way back to my parent's house, I looked at Todd and asked him if he wanted to see if there were still some tickets to the Cardinal's game that night.  It was a bit weird to think about going to a ballgame the night of my Granddad's funeral so we ran it by my folks.  They were totally in support of the idea and to my surprise, my dad pulled out his credit card and bought the tickets on line for me and Todd..."you guys need to spend some time together."  We didn't argue...especially when he gave us a $20 for food at the stadium! 

The game was of course awesome.  The Cardinals played well and won 5-4.  Todd and I had a great time.  It of course lessened the pain of the week.  Granddad was a huge Cardinal's fan...he followed them closely and watched most of their televised games.  So of course, we couldn't help but think that Granddad would have liked it that we went to a ballgame after his funeral.  Especially since the Cards won.  He really would have liked that!

Eating Dirt

Amy is not even 7 months old, but she has been crawling with ease for the past 3 weeks.  She loves her new found mobility.  And of course, she is quite excited to explore all the wonders of the house.  She moves from object to object, picking them up, evaluating them for texture and taste.  Why babies have to put everything in there mouth to investigate them I will never know.  (Imagine a world of adults who see new items or objects and to "check them out" promptly open their mouths and and taste and gnaw on them for a while to try to figure it out...wow, look at that new cell phone...I wonder what it feels like in my mouth!)

Anyway, yesterday, she found one of the potted plants in the living room.  She pulled herself up to the foot high container, jabbed her little hand into the dirt, dumped her handful on the carpet, and repeated the process.  After 3 or 4 handfuls, she decided that it looked yummy.  She shoved her little dirty paw into her drooling mouth at the exact time that Sarah spotted her in her adventure.  Not knowing that this is generally unacceptable human behavior (eating dirt), Amy looked up and smiled as if to say, "Hey Sarah, this dirt is really cool...it has an earthy flavor and has a rich texture.  Do you want some?" 

I guess I better move the steak knives from the bottom shelf in the kitchen a bit higher.

Sad Week

This past Saturday my Granddad turned 87.  Unfortunately, when the family showed up for his party he was a bit agitated.  When my aunt who is a nurse decided to check his blood pressure, it was a bit low.  She listened to his lungs and they were quite junky.  The birthday party would have to be moved to the Emergency Department.

Sadly, Granddad was very sick and was in septic shock.  He was admitted and despite his condition was awake and relatively alert.  When my mom let me know what was going on, I was very concerned. He made it through the night without much discomfort but took a turn for the worse.  By mid-morning, he had died.  It is still quite a shock.  Despite his years, he had enjoyed pretty good health.

I was obviously upset when I heard the news.  Ben, my 12 year old, always wanting to comfort and care for people hurting, encouraged me by sending a text message: "Don't think of Granddad as dead; think of him as visiting Jesus."  Ben was right of course.  And I was comforted.

And so, maybe I and the my other family members will be sad this week, but Granddad is not.  He is visiting Jesus.

Ministry in W'burg

Defining your service and ministry is much easier when you are "on the mission field."  But as I have long maintained on this blog, God calls each of us to ministry where we are...in our neighborhood or in a foreign land.  However, I must confess, that we have struggled with that truism when we returned; partly because everything was blurred in all the transition, and partly because it is "easier" quite frankly to define your ministry when you are doing it overseas.

Happily, we are beginning to see an area of service and ministry that God has prepared for us here in W'burg. Last year, as we were preparing to leave Africa, God was leading one of the rising Seniors at William and Mary (the local university) to start an outreach to international students there at the school.  He prayed about it, got one of the campus ministers to agree to help with certain logistics, and approached our elders for local church support.

Since the beginning of the school year, we as a family have gotten real involved in this outreach.  I have met with this young man (who just got accepted to seminary) on several occasions to pray with him and encourage him.  I have also met with the student leadership team (the outreach is student led...they intentionally seek ways to get involved with international students and develop relationships with them).  And we have hosted several meals at our house.

One of the international students who has consisently showed up for these meals is a Muslim.  She has shown more and more interest in our open discussions about Christianity.  Last Sunday, we invited her over for an Easter meal.  At the end of supper, I read from John 19 and 20 (the account of the crucifixion and resurrection) and then discussed why it is so essential to the Christian faith.  We then gave her a parallel English and Arabic New Testament.

We are excited about this ministry.  It is very similar to what we were doing in Kenya.  The kids love having the college students over.  Marti loves the hospitality.  Pray for us in this endeavor.  Pray for the college students who are involved in the leadership team.  And mostly pray for the international students we as a group are reaching out to.

Rollercoaster Mania!

March 21, 2008. 10:00 am. This was a very important date for all teens living here in Williamsburg. It marked the beginning of something beautiful. It marked the beginning of a summer of friends and fun( oh yeah, and that little thing called tourists). It was the beginning of something we had all missed, something we all wanted to have back.

March 21 was the opening day of our wonderful Busch Gardens Europe!!! We had been anticipating this day since Busch closed for the winter back in October. I went ahead and bought my 2008 all year pass last fall on my last trip to Busch for the 2007 season.

It felt weired all winter not hearing about who went last Friday and why don't such and such come with us this Saturday. Even though I'm new to Williamsburg, I've still been several times and cant wait to begin a summer of going. I'm a small town girl and the thought of having a major theme park 10 minuets from my house is very exciting! Its going to be even weirder to see some of my friends working  there this season! Wow, I must be growing up!

So, I'm very much looking forward to going in the next week or so. All I have to do is find some people's numbers that I've long since lost, call them up( no, texting is quicker and cheaper), OK, so text them and set a date. My pass is snugly tucked away in a pocket of my wallet all ready to use for the first time in 2008. Now all thats left is to find that perfect pair of shoes, a pair with the perfect balance of fashion and comfort....... and that stay on on all those up-side down roller coasters!

Sarah