Dear Friends and Relatives,
It is nearing the end of September, and the first month of the school year. We are also feeling a definite change in the weather which tells us summer is really over. My morning glories in the front yard aren’t near as glorious. Actually, they are mostly dead with only a few brave souls blooming on yellowed vines. The air is cool and our electric blanket is looking quite inviting.
There are 80 school children this year. Greg has six 11th and 12th graders in his shop class. They’ve worked on small engines, done some welding and body work. That seems to be going well and the guys kept interested. None of these young men have strong Christian father *role-models, and our prayer is that as Greg represents a man who loves God and is devoted to Him, a lasting impression will be made in these lives.
Kathy continues to talk with kids in a counseling setting. It didn’t take long to once again encounter the very real temptations kids face today. There is such a deep need to know someone cares for them. When they don’t feel that, they often turn to alcohol abuse and other destructive behavior. We staff here tell…and tell…..and tell of God’s love for them, but only He can make it real. I’m so glad He wants to and will. I just pray they will be spared painful consequences from poor choices as they try to find their way. The Bible usually speaks of yeast in a negative way, as in a little sin affecting everything it touches, but I like thinking of our influence here with the Navajos as spreading yeast in a positive way. Yeast makes wonderful breads. What would in its absence be flat and heavy, with the yeast becomes full and rich and delicious. There is encouragement in knowing that today we sprinkled a little yeast into lives and that yeast will do what it is intended to do. God’s got His hands on some lumps of dough and plump loaves are coming.
*[I just reread this letter and had to change my spelling of role-model. I had it as "roll" model. Maybe that fits better with this yeasty theme though]
Greg has been training HARD in order to run the Grand Canyon with our son Matthew. The run is Oct 10, so there aren’t many more days to get in shape. While miles and endurance and keeping himself from injury fills his head, Kathy’s (my) head is filled with gathering the proper clothing, deciding what to take and what to leave, and reading everything I can get my hands on that relates to the places we will be going in Israel and Jordan. Oh, and did I mention, slimming down so I don’t look like a dead whale floating on the Dead Sea? The trip is Oct 16.
The next time I write I hope to get help in inserting pictures (of Israel) so the letter is more attractive. Thanks for bearing with me on this one.
It’s all about God,
Greg and Kathy