home again home again

Andy is home from doing earthquake relief work. I think he's really glad he was able to go and hopes to go back again sometime in the future. He said the work they were doing was mostly talking with people in refugee camps, listening to their stories, comforting them and playing with the kids. The group he went through will continue sending foreigners and locals into these refugee camps-it will be a long long process of helping people get back on their feet and heal from the things they've experienced. Andy told me that the group he went with is trying to find work for the men to do around the camp so that they aren't just sitting around all day. He also told me they spent a lot of time with the kids, playing games and letting kids be kids. it seems the direction of the relief work is less and less medcial and more and more about helping people grieve and heal-it's an amazing opportunity to share the hope we have, even in the midst of unthinkable pain and sorrow. At some point they will start rebuilding and Andy hopes he can be a part of that, possibly with some local friends. Please continue to pray for this nation and for the people affected. The headlines are turning back to politics and other world issues, but people here are still hurting.

Emma Grace and I had a really good week while Andy was gone-thank you for your prayers for us. The weather has been amazing lately so we spent a good bit of time outside. She's been giggling a lot this week and we had some local friends spend the night with us one night and my great friend Marianne came and stayed another night-so all in all it was a fairly busy week. We are so glad Andy is back but also thankful he could go.

We missed two important events in America this week. Andy's brother, Alex graduated from college and Andy's youngest sister, Mary from high school. Congrats to the two of you!

Alex, Andy, me and Mary in the fall of 05' Congrats Grads!!!