Girlfriends

I had the privilege of getting together with four of the women that I used to work with. Debbie (in the middle) made us a wonderful fajita dinner. Sue (closest to me) is the only one that still works at the place that we met. There are many other friends here in Pennsylvania. I have not gotten to see as many as I would have liked, I was thankful for so many of them who supported me during difficult times this summer through cards and emails and phone calls.

Liebenzell

In March 2008, after over a year and a half of looking, Liebenzell USA finally found and appointed a director of global missions. In other words, he is my new boss. Earlier this summer, I got a chance to go to the headquarters in Schooley's Mountain to meet him and visit with Jane, Mike, and Anne Stinnette (not pictured) and others on staff. When I was in Schooley's Mountain earlier this summer, he was actually in Palau and Guam. I am looking forward to working with him in the future.

If you are from PMA (My old company - not the church in Guam), this is not Dan Hanner. As far as I know, he is still at large.

Leaping Lizards!

Ok Not really Lizards.... but Grasshoppers! Or were they Sandhoppers? When we went down to Delaware this year we only attempted to go to the beach twice. The first day, almost as soon as we got there, the lifeguards demanded that everyone get out of the water due to a pending Thunderstorm.

The second time we went the beach and the ocean were covered with grasshoppers. Not one or two but thousands. As you were sitting on the beach, they were jumping all over you. This one was perched on Lexi's beach ball. He was joined later by some friends. When we were swimming we were catching them and watching them hop away. Fortunately for them - they float. Grasshoppers are not very good swimmers.

I searched the internet and this is not a normal phenomenon. Some suggests a strong wind brought them in from some where else but no one seems to know for sure. Although creepy at first, it was kind of neat to be part of something so rare and unusual.

God's Grace

Every year for the last nine years (approx.) my family would go together for one week "down da shore" (to the beach for you non-east coasters). We started going to NJ when my Dad "won" a week at a beach house in a silent auction for charity. We were there for about five years (one week each year) and then switched to Delaware. This year we were supposed to leave on July 27th. When my Dad got sick, we debated what to do. Some were going to go and some were going to stay home with Dad. When my Dad died on July 23rd, most of us (except my brother who had just bought a new house) decided to go a day late so we could spend the week together as we were grieving my father's death. This is my niece and my nephew.
My Niece and her husband and my Mom
My Nephew brought his friend Connor.
Lexi is always one of our favorite parts of vacation. She is almost 4 and she is my niece's niece. Her joy is always medicine for the soul.

We missed my Dad often during this trip but it was good to have the time to relax and be together after the chaos of the previous 3 weeks.

Coffee House

This year my friend Jodean offered up her services to help host a coffee house to try and raise funds for my mission work. The coffee house was held in July at Crossroads Coffee House in Drexel Hill, PA. It was a relaxing night with good coffee, chatting, and great music. Here is Jodean and the Sojourners performing their first set.
The audience seems to be enjoying the tunes.
Friends from Manoa (my home church) enjoying some drinks.
Here I am waiting to greet people as they arrive.
It was a nice night and was a lot of fun.

United Presbyterian Church of Moorestown

One of the tasks that I had planned to do this summer is to visit the churches who had supported me over the last two years in Guam. I was blessed to be able to spend time with the mission's committee at the United Presbyterian Church at Moorestown, NJ. The following Sunday, I was also able to share with both services about my work in Micronesia.

I see my supporters, both churches and individuals, as being part of my team. Without their prayer, and financial committments, and the help of God, I would not be able to do anything.