Today I walked...

Today I walked where Paul walked two thousand years ago to share the Word of God with those he met and I found myself in awe.

As I walked along the cobblestones in places like Ephesus, Sardis, and Philadelphia I wondered what he saw; the shops, the merchants, the lost and lonely, the rich and the poor; those who noticed and ignored him this man from away. As he passed the shops along the way what did they have to offer this man who had so much to offer them? Were they selling figs and olives, skins and fancy cloth, idols made of wood and silver, or spices and medicinal drinks sure to heal the common woe?

I wondered about the sounds of selling and of yelling, of moving and of flow. As I looked at the ruins of sand and rock it is so very hard to tell. I found myself listening to the voices of the many silenced so many years ago.

Today I walked where Paul walked and I wondered what he felt as his steps fell before mine so many years ago. Was he anxious, nervous, or excited to journey through these lands?

To walk among the people who worshiped so many gods, to offer them the one true God in whom they all could trust. Did he feel great confidence or was he walking scared?

Was he working on what next to say or trusting it would come? Was he looking forward to the synagogue or fighting to get into the theater to share the Word he knew so well that he wanted just to share, to offer people eternal life, salvation, and grace beyond compare.

Today I walked where Paul walked and recognized the call, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with any and with all. In places that I know for sure as well as those away, to continue the journey begun so long ago as God has called me to do. To walk among the merchants, the friendly and the foe, the rich and the poor, the lonely and the lost. With fear, excitement, nervousness and awe that goes with such a call. To recognize that another will walk where I have walked and not have them wonder if I was true. To share the love of God as Paul did when he walked the path before me...

Reading scripture on Holy Ground...

Even though I am on leave it was hard to keep hidden that while not traveling through Turkey I was serving as a pastor of a local church. It took a couple of days and as a result, the others on the trip saw me first as a person and then as a pastor on renewal leave. When it came time to visit the seven cities that were mentioned in God’s Revelation to John, I offered to read from the Bible I had brought (the one that I carried while doing CPE at the UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, North Carolina) the verses that applied to each area. I wasn’t sure how folks would feel but they were more than willing. Each time that we arrived in a location, we’d get as close as we could to what would have been the church area and then I read the words that God gave to John to share with thses seven cities in Turkey. It was interesting to hear the words and to recognize that people would have been hearing similar words almost two thousand years ago. However, the most powerful reading for me came when we were in Ephesus. This is the one city that has been aggressively excavated and still there is a great deal to be done. As I read from Acts 19 beginning with verse 21 we were standing outside of the theater where the people of the town gathered in great anger because Paul was telling them that the idols that they made were no good. Demetrius the silversmith had riled other smiths with the concern that they and other businesses would soon suffer financial loss if the people of Ephesus followed Paul’s words. The crowd was reminded that Artemis was their god and this hug theater soon broke out into chants of “Great is Artemis…”. As I stood outside the theater reading the words, people were passing us (it’s estimated that between 2,000 – 7,000 people visit this site every day, especially when the cruises bring their folks!) as they moved in and out of the theater entrance. I could imagine this theater with 25,000 seats filled (about 1/10th of the population at that time) and people shouting and shouting and Paul wanting to go in but being told to stay out. The scriptures then talk of how Paul was taken to the general assembly. Because of the wisdom of our guide, we had started at the top of the hill and one of our first places had been the assembly. As I stood there reading, I remembered the long hill we had walked down, the very street that Paul had walked up to be heard and challenged. I remembered looking down from the seating area where up to 1700 people could have sat though there were around 450-500 legislators at the time, and thinking of Paul risking his life, his all to tell these folks who were strong supporters of Artemis that his God was real, that his God did not need idols, that his God would always be there for them whether or not they were able to make an offering, and how God offered eternal life through Jesus Christ. I could feel the presence of the moment; I could see the anger of the crowd, the business of the day, and the strength and commitment of Paul. It was in that reading of the many we have done that the scriptures came alive in a different way for me.

Coffee!

I will soon be 46 years old and until today figured I would never drink a cup of coffee in my life. I love the smell of fresh brewed coffee but on the few occasions when I have put it to my mouth, it has tasted horrible. I’ve gotten used to a light coffee flavor in items but I’ve never been able to swallow the flavor of coffee. Today however changed that. Our driver for the past 12 days is Erkon and though he speaks little English and I speak even less Turkish, we’ve tried to communicate on a variety of issues. Sometimes I think we understand each other and other times I realize that we were not even close to being on the same topic. This morning, as we made our usual stop at a gas station/restaurant/bathroom (have I got stories about Turkish bathrooms!) before exploring the ruins of Pergamum we all got some drinks (cold) and sat down to enjoy a few moments outside the van. As is a tradition at many of these places, out of hospitality they often offer us Turkish coffee and tea. Now the size of a Turkish coffee cup is probably no more than 2-3 oz of liquid though it has the potency of at least 16oz! You are required to stir it each time before drinking or else the coffee all goes to the bottom (sounds very appetizing, doesn’t it!). As I was sitting at the table my friend Erkon motioned to me that he was sending over a cup of coffee for me to drink. I wasn’t sure if he had paid for it (and I know he is very limited on extra money) or if it was a gesture of friendship. What was I to do? I don’t like coffee yet I didn’t want to offend his offer. There are times when what we do and don’t like need to take a back seat to what someone is offering. With a smile I said thank you and took up a toothpick to stir what was in front of me. The taste of coffee from over the years flashed into my mind as I took the first taste…
Not too bad as it didn’t have the flavor that seemed to just hang in your mouth with American coffees. I nodded to him and he responded with a smile. For about 10-15 minutes I nursed that 2oz of coffee and came very close to finishing it. I would stir, drink, swallow, and relax and then stir, drink, swallow and relax. While I never got to really like the drink – Lisa won’t even drink a cup though she tried some of mine today, I very much appreciated the offer of kindness and friendship. Could it be that sometimes we don’t want to do things we don’t like but we do them out of respect for others and the intention of their acts? If so, does that mean that we stop living for what we want but rather for what others offer to us? Is that not a step towards Christ? To stop focusing on our wants, our pleasures, our expectations and rather be open to the new and growing opportunities that God gives to us through others? Anyone care to try something that God is giving them, even if it doesn’t seem like they’ll like it? I feel this experience was an eye opener and an honored blessing…

A great man in Turkey...

On our second day we visited the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (Military Leader - Politician. Born : Salonica, Ottoman Empire (now part of Greece) - 1881. Famous for : Gallipoli campaign, Downfall of Ottoman rule, Founder of Modern Turkey. Died : Turkey - November 10, 1938) who is credited with bringing great change to Turkey. Whereas there was separation by religion, location, etc in Turkey prior to his leadership, Ataturk insisted in national pride and wanted to find a way where all people could live together and be united in one cause. He introduced a common alphabet, gave more respect to women, proclaimed that family was essential, and created a positive image for Turkey on the national scene. As we moved through this great building and area dedicated to this man we found two statutes as one end, showing the perfect Turkish man, and the perfect Turkish woman.

Each took in the traits from around the country to show unity and a strong love for their nation. At the other end of a great walkway was the burial place of the man named Ataturk by declaration as well as the 2nd president. There is a museum underneath that celebrates the Ottoman empire as well as Ataturk's life. There were many quotes and I've found a few that I'd like to share with you. Please notice that these are his words but we've heard similar words or similar ideas shared around the world, our nation, and our communities.

By that I do not intend to take away from what this man did, for his nation truly loves him, but rather to say that many people are seeking the same things and maybe it's time, as did this man, to take the lead and change the world with love and grace at the center. This man may not have been perfect, he was after all human, but there were many great leaders around the world who visited him when he was alive or have visited this site since then who have spoken to the amazing things he was able to do...
Some of these will show his national pride while others speak to a nation that is growing in ways that others might learn from.. Here are some of his quotes,

• Happy is he who says, "I am a Turk".


• As they have come, so they will go.


• One day my mortal body will turn to dust, but the Turkish Republic will stand forever.


• There are two Mustafa Kemal's. One is the flesh-and-bone Mustafa Kemal who now stands before you and who will pass away. The other is you, all of you here who will go to the far corners of our land to spread the ideals which must be defended with your lives if necessary. I stand for the nation's dreams, and my life's work is to make them come true.


• To see me does not necessarily mean to see my face. To understand my thoughts is to have seen me.


• Peace at home, peace in the world.


• Turkey's true master is the peasant.


• Do not be afraid of telling the truth.


• A healthy mind in a healthy body.


• Our great ideal is to raise our nation to the highest standard of civilization and prosperity.
  Following the military triumph we accomplished by bayonets, weapons and blood, we shall strive to win victories in such fields as culture, scholarship, science and economics.


• Every nation as the right to demand proper treatment and no country should violate the territory of any other country.


• Teachers are the one and only people who save nations.


• Teachers: the new generation will be your devotion.


• Everything we see in the world is the creative work of women.


• Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives (at Gallipoli battles).. You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours.. You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now living in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

It was quite interesting to see the love for this man, maybe we can compare it to George Washington and the others who brought us out from under the rule of another nation and gave us independence. Again, I am reminded that he was just a man but as he said, what he stands for will live forever. Turkey in moving forward in great strides because of the tiny steps that he challenged his nation to take. As leaders in our churches and communities, if we believe we've been given a direction, a calling, we must move forward recognizing that we might not see the goal realized but that we might be some of the folks who move the world, nation, community, or individual much closer...How cool is that! Here the words, speak them, live them, and plant them in others so that more fruit will grow and be harvested!

How many churches in one morning?

Day three began as promised. We’re heading to see 7 churches and the Goreme Open Air Museum. I know I’m a pastor and should love each place of worship but seeing seven churches is a lot of churches! I also couldn’t see the significance of so many in Cappadocia but I had to be open to new experiences and learning opportunities (If only I had learned that lesson while I was still in high school I think my parents would have had a whole lot less stress!). We started out from the hotel and within minutes we were there. Where were the spires, the structures, and the parking lots? There didn’t seem to be any churches in the area. I quickly read a sign and found out that we were at the Open Air Museum but I thought we were going to the churches first…it was at that moment that I realized there are times when I have an air block in my brain…I say that because our guide was talking about seven churches that had been around in the 1st and 2nd century in which the Christians who literally lived in the caves they dug out of the cliffs around this area used for worship. So of course there would be no church, as I knew church, but rather church as it was in the early years, less than 100 years after the death of Christ. Our guide said there were possibly 6,000 of these churches and once I went inside I understood why. We aren’t talking about something the size of the current Belfast UMC or even the old Belfast UMC on Miller Street but rather a space about 12x12 with no comfortable seats and the remains of other Christians buried below the ground! And each of them had been carved out of stone! It was amazing though to think of the folks who would have gathered without the benefit of an organ or hymnals or a projector and screen but rather to listen to preaching about Christ’s redeeming grace and then to respond as God led them. How powerful to listen to the voices from years and centuries past of people who gathered at the risk of their lives to worship in small groups all around these cave settlements for that was very important to their daily lives. What voices will people hear when they enter places where we worship? Will they be joyful? Will they be complaining? Will they offer hope and strength or empathy and discouragement? I myself found great strength as I gave thanks for the great cloud of witnesses who went before me…
There were paintings in some of the churches from the 6th century while others also contained pictures from the 10th – 12th century…imagine the people who had worshipped there over the years. Sometimes in fear of their lives but strong in their faith. I’ve included a couple of websites that can give better descriptions of what we saw…I’ve also attached a picture from one of the cave churches. In closing it should be noted that people continued to live in some of the caves until the 1950’s and 1960’s when the government moved them out and into apartments within the community. Later I’ll show you some pictures of such a house that remains decorated as a remembrance of days gone by…

Goreme Open Air Museum http://www.goreme.com/goreme-open-air-museum.php

Frommer's review of the GOAM http://www.frommers.com/destinations/goreme/A31172.html

More church pictures...

Here are a couple more pictures from the seven churches at the Goreme Open Air Museum. The tall mountain is where the monks would stay. Lisa is standing just in front of the door to one church and the paintings are similar to those found in many of the churches...amazing stuff indeed!

This is a day of new beginnings…

I am going to try and catch everyone up real quick with what we’ve been doing each day and then do a little reflecting as time allows. Our schedule is usually fairly laid back with breakfast around 8:15 and supper ending about 12 hours later but in between can mean a great deal of viewing, walking, stopping, going, and traveling. For instance, after flying into Ankara (pronounced by our guide as anchor-ah) on Saturday afternoon (12:15pm Turkey time) we made it to the hotel (which seemed stuck in the middle of nowhere except for a rather large football (soccer) stadium located right beside the hotel (there was a weekend tournament for teams across the area that were in the Central Bank League) and met our guide Seenay (Sha-ni) who registered us and we moved into the first of nine different hotels we’d be living in over the next 17days.
We relaxed in the afternoon by passing our for at least 3 hours (I know, we’re not supposed to sleep on the first day of a huge time change (we’re 7 hours ahead of Maine time) but when there’s not much else to do, it sure feels good!! We got up and prepared for supper with the rest of our group where we shared the dining room with Muslim men who were finishing the second day of Ramadan with a meal at 7:25 or sunset (During this holy Muslim season people each breakfast before sunrise (5:25am) and then they have nothing to eat or drink until sunset). It was an interesting meal and by the time we had finished the meal I know that I’d tried a number of foods for which I didn’t have a name though Lisa confirmed I had eaten pickled eggplant (I had an encounter with eggplant many years ago and hadn’t even wanted to look at it for the last 15 years but the color and texture was different and I got caught off guard!). It was a good meal (we are supposed to be eating a buffets each night and morning with a specific meal at lunch) but I can already tell that we are going to be eating a great deal of bread and rice as well as fresh veggies and fruits. It was time to head back upstairs after the meal where we talked about what we had accomplished in our flight and as we entered a new country and therefore a new adventure. We were both still a little nervous, anxious, and excited. What would tomorrow hold? What about the next 17 days with these other 3 people? What other wondrous foods would I eat that I had no idea what they were? And to think that as we come to this new country, there are stories here to be retold that were first written thousands and thousands of years ago? Today is certainly a day of new beginnings…

We're here!

It was a long night of flying, I saw the sunrise before 2am Maine time, and we finally got to the hotel at 6am Maine time (we left Belfast at 8am on Friday morning!). We were worried that we'd have too many people in the tour group but after talking to our guide we found out there are 5 of us...an older couple from above Syracuse, a gentleman from Brooklyn (mid-fifties) and us. It's going to be interesting! We'll update more as we can but right now I've got to get the right adapter so that I can plug into the wall...It's battery power at this point! God bless and as I write this I am aware that in just a couple of hours the folks at Belfast UMC will be having their Turkish meal with Baird Whitlock presenting an overview of our following in Paul's footsteps. Have a great time. The food we've had here so far has been good and there are lots of sweets!!! I'm trying real hard to sample only a couple at a time. Shalom!

Are you ready?

We're headed out the door to fly to NYC and then to Istanbul! We'll get to Ankara around 3 in the afternoon over there or 8am here!!! It's going to be a lot of traveling! We'll keep y'all in our prayers and we ask if you'd keep us in your prayers! If you can, go to church on Sunday as our fabulous and creative youth are working with mom (Bev Abbott) to bring the message. I wish I was going to be there because I have no doubt that it'll be a great message to carry you through the week! Check down to the left in the list of sites for the itinerary of our trip. See ya in the blogs!

Tikal…reflecting on a stop in Belize

What a place it was indeed. We left DuPlooys early in the morning and began the journey. It was just our family and our driver. We arrived at the Guatemala borer in just a few minutes and picked up our guide. As soon as we crossed the border, which involved walking into one building in Belize and then walking 500 feet in mud (from the rain) into Guatemala and then getting properly stamped (after paying the fees along the way), we headed into a large town. The road was dirt but I figured it was temporary. Wrong! We cleared the town and came to realize that a large portion of our journey was going to be on bumpy dirt roads. Imagine if you will a dirt road that has potholes and other issues and that is what we traveled on. Slow and fast, stop and go, bump and smooth, we felt it all. Along the way we passed through various communities and saw some interesting sights. I believe that every structure, telephone pole, and rock were either stamped, painted, or postered with the names and faces of various people running for the office of president of Guatemala. It was amazing! Those cute little signs that decorate or desecrate the places along the road where we stop, turn, and pass by are absolutely beautiful compared to what I was seeing.as we moved closer to the sacred grounds of Tikal. Eventually we did encounter paved roads but we still had to deal with potholes (this is one of the major roads in the nation) and speed bumps, just like in Belize that allow for people to cross the road safely and to keep the drivers from going too fast along the roads.
We finally arrived at the Tikal national park (not the official name) after over 2 hours of bouncing and bumping. Our guide had been giving us information along the way and now we stepped out of the air-conditioned car and into the heat of the day. It was cloudy but still humid. We saw the overall design of the “community” of Tikal that included homes, temples, places of gathering for selling, talking, and other things. It is huge! What’s even more amazing is to think how this jungle covered area was once very clear, much like in a city. The infrastructure of roads, buildings, and the like were absolutely amazing and caused me to realize that when Columbus talked about the natives not being civilized, he didn’t have a clue at what civilizations had done in that area of the world hundreds of years before he arrived. It helped me to realize that we should always get to understand and know the people and the place we are going before determining just who is and isn’t in need.
We began our journey around the park with the many others who followed their own guides. We saw the Cebu (sp) Tree which is considered sacred and the tree of life for the Mayans. We say the gum tree from which gum originally came before what we have now which is created in factories. We saw our share of Spider Monkeys and Toucans. One of the highlights for the boys and I was being able to hold a large Tarantula as it crawled over our arms. Yes I have pictures!


As we moved through the parks the temples, with many, many, stairs were impressive. We saw some of the places where families could have lived and the courtyards where nightly entertainment would have taken place. These types of settings were available in many different places around the city. It was also noted that while they are uncovering some of the ruins, there are many that will be left under the dirt (though they know the location) so that the air and weather does not destroy that which has been in place for 900-1500 years. One of the greatest contrasts for me was to grab a coke or sprite in the midst of this ancient and sacred ground. There was very little of the commercialism and each day new ice was brought in to keep the drinks cold, but it did provide a light moment and great relief as well. We partook of at least 4-6 bottles of Gatorade and that made a difference as the sun came out and we began to lose a great deal of fluid.
The highlight of course was climbing to the top, or as high as they would allow, of Temple 4 and to see the “Star Wars” view. It was amazing and even more amazing that they had all kinds of staging set up around the area as they try to restore the area, and they had no problem with us walking in and among it. The earlier picture on the blog of our picture was actually taken less than two feet from the edge of a stone that if we had fallen we’d have traveled a great distance before landing. And there were no safety rails at all! Nothing like that would have happened in the US. We are far more safety conscious at this time.
There is the story of a woman who fell down the small steps from the top of one of the temples about a month prior to our arrival. She died but I think it was a rare accident though I do believe more people find themselves dehydrated because of the climbing, walking, and lack of planning for the intake of fluids. Our day came to an end as we headed back into our van. The guide slept in the front seat, Chris laid down in the second seat (a couch type seat) and Matt rested his eyes as well. Lisa and I sat scrunched in the back seat, awake and aware of the bumps and holes but also very aware that we had been walking on sacred ground. This was a city of great accomplishments from waterways to the way of resolving issues, and road system. They were a powerful kingdom in their time and if we took the time we could learn from them. Their religion is not something with which I agree (blood sacrifices, human sacrifices, and the like) but I have no doubt that they were a spiritual people.
We arrived back at DuPlooys exhausted but far richer for what we had been allowed to see and experience.

Has it really been two weeks!

My goodness...I can't believe how quickly these past two weeks have flown by. Sitting on the beach in Belize seemed to last a whole lot longer than these past 12 days! It's not like I've been napping though as Lisa and I have been on the road for many of the days...Let me explain...

As I talked about in an earlier post, we got Matt off to Boston on Monday, the first day of our return. We then spent Tuesday and Wednesday trying to catch up on things as well as helping Chris get ready to go back to school at Middlebury (it's hard to believe that Chris is entering his last semester in college...we're waiting to hear about his MCAT scores as he wants to go to Med School next year). We left very early on Thursday morning (ok...when you're on renewal leave 9:30am can be considered early!! LOL) for VT with a full vehicle and a goal of making it to Middlebury by 4:45 in order to rent a trailer to move some of Chris and Courtney's stuff from Hynesburg (a family member lives there). We got to the U-Haul place around 4:30 (we made a few stops along the way...).

I want to mention that last spring it was Brad at this U-Haul center who saved us when a U-Haul center closer to Burlington didn't have the traveler we ordered and on one of the busiest days for moving in Middlebury Brad was able to rent us just what we needed. Talk about customer service! What's even cooler is that he knew the U-Haul man from Belfast and we exchanged a few stories. As Brad was helping us in our time of need he pointed to a very roughed in area of construction and mentioned how he hoped to be out of the small trailer he had been in for the last few years and be into his new place by the end of the summer. What was even cooler was that when the building was finished, his wife would be opening a candy, stamping, and scrap booking store in the other half of the facility. As we left, I prayed a quiet prayer of success for the entire family.
With that thought in mind, I was very excited to arrive at Brad's place to see the building still in process but his new office opened and his wife's store about to celebrate her grand opening in two days. We quickly got the trailer attached and then went to check out the candy store. For those of you who don't know me, I love sweets!!!! Walking into this store that was still in the process of being organized was like a dream come true. There was a huge display case filled with homemade bon-bons of all flavors - I got to sample one and we quickly bought some to share with folks we'd be visiting. In another case were all kinds of Jelly-Belly jelly beans with amazing flavors. She also had the candy fruits, swedish fish and squirmy worms, bridge mix and then I saw them - Boston Baked Beans! I'd not had them in years and quickly made my appeal to Lisa...She was busy picking out some candy for our nieces and nephew and I didn't even have to shed a tear. As we left, I felt like a kid in a candy store - oops I was! - but I also had reminisced about my childhood and I was grateful that it brought smiles to my face. Laughter, trips to get penny candy, surprise gifts from visiting friends, and so much more. I also gave thanks that Brad and his family had seen their dream realized even though it had not been cheap.
One of the things that I've realized as we drove way is that as I've had the honor of serving God through ministry is that not all people have pleasant memories of their childhood. Adults and other youth have stolen what should be times of love and exploring and replaced them with times of hate, insecurity, pain, and rejection. Many folks are able to find counseling or other ways in which to find healing as they move forward but their past can never be given back. For those people I give thanks that you've either independently or with friends made the journey to where you now can go forward and enjoy each day, or at least most of each one. For those of us who've never lived such a horror, we can't even begin to grasp the victory that these folks have achieved or are working on. As one who has listened to such stories, I am honored to be in the presence of such strong, faith-filled people who despite starting without the love that so many know have come to the point where they can share that love and live it in their lives. How powerful a statement to those of us who have it tough. I've heard more than once these folks say that what had been taken away from them by another would never be lost again.
From another angle, we need to make sure that we fight for those young people in similar situations right now so that their journey of love and acceptance can start much earlier and the damage to be healed can be much less. We've got to focus and offer to each other, especially those who are beaten down or have had their voices silenced, the love, grace, and justice that God calls us to give as we walk humbly with our Lord. (Micah 6:8)

Wow! That went serious real quick. It's not what I intended when I began this writing but it reminds me that in each moment are lessons and calls by God to be disciples through our words, actions, and attitudes. May each of us accept the blessings that God gives to us and see how they can be used to enrich the lives of others with whom we come in contact. What would the world be like if instead of beating people down we lifted them up, if instead of silencing them we gave them permission to speak? I don't mean just in a world-wide plan but in our towns, churches, and homes. Let's give it a try and see what happens...

Talk with you soon. We're getting ready for Turkey today as we've got to be to the airport by 9:30am tomorrow morning. The posts in Turkey should be every other day or so...It's so unreal to think that we'll be walking where Paul walked and shared the good news of Christ with folks who had so many gods to worship that how much of a big deal could one more be. Paul then said there was need for only one, the true God. And all of our journeys have changed as a result!

We're back in Belfast!!!

We arrived at Portland International Jetport at 12:10am on Monday morning and spent the night in Brunswick. Some really, really, good friends brought down a trailer full of Matt's stuff for college and at 9am we headed down to Boston to help Matt move into his new apartment where he will live as he continues the co-op phase of his schooling this fall. It is sooooooo much better than where he lived last year! We finally arrived back in Belfast around 8:30pm on Monday night and were created with a great welcome from our two dogs... We don't leave for Turkey for a few days so I'll try and catch up with some posts concerning Belize and a little theological reflection as well. I'll try and put them in the order of the events so you might go back and see what I've added according to the correct dateline. I'll put the word "new" beside anything that I add in among the stuff I've already written and bored you with.

We give thanks that our friends in Belize missed Felix but we ask for prayers for those who felt the brunt of the storm. Knowing the geography of the area as we traveled around a little I am sure there will be much flooding, mountains of moving mud, and many people left homeless. May God continue to watch over them.

Some of our diving friends!

We've had many great experiences under the water these past 10 days. Here's a picture of some of them coming to the boat for lunch after swimming with the group. Yesterday on another dive I had a couple come right up and nudge me as I knelt on the bottom of the reef at about 40 feet...No pictures of those two though I doubt I'll forget them! They were only 3-4 feet long...maybe a little longer...