November!!!!

What a month!!!  I thought it would take me a while to top the greatness of October, but it didn't take long. Spending my birthday in Costa Rica with Jonesi, the EDCM board meeting, the National Missionary Convention  (now International Conference on Missions), Thanksgiving in Cincinnati with my family, it has been a great month!!!! Thanks for all the prayers and comments about one of my previous posts, God has certainly heard you and has been ministering to my heart!!!!

It's always strange to go back to the states. I know I have only been here in the DR for about 3 months now, but it didn't take me long to feel like this is home. Of course some of what is strange about going back to the states is the physical differences. Organized driving rules and regulations that everyone follows,  being able to flush your toilet paper, clean water out of the tap, free refills at restaurants, Sportscenter in English, that sort of thing. But the things that stick with me are more nebulous. Coming from living a simple life to staying in a hotel, and the difference in social interaction, this is when I see the changes in myself. How it is becoming more important to me to actually talk and listen to people about their lives and worries. (you might already do that...I never did. I know, I'm a terrible Christian) The overwhelming feeling of how GOOD we have it as Americans, and how all of us take it for granted, and expect things to continually improve. Just some observations that I made while I was there last. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the states. I ate a lot. Caught up with friends and family, and tried my best to stay warm while doing both.

With the EDCM board meeting in November as well we were able to spend a good amount of time focusing our mission and plans for the future. This board meeting was by far the best/most productive board meeting I have ever been apart of. Now the search for land to build a camp/retreat center starts in earnest. I have been given parameters on what we are looking for more exactly. So I am now investigating our options so that we can start planning more specifically for this project. Exciting stuff!!!!!!!!!!