I crossed the Mekong River today

Five years ago, that was the thought that was running through my "child of the 70s" mind as I ... yes ... crossed the Mekong River in Cambodia on a ferry with the locals. That was a sentence I never thought I could claim.


But this was not a vision out of the 70s, but a trip with a small team from Bent Tree as we started our partnership with World Relief Cambodia. I love the work of World Relief - spiritually and holistically, all done through the local church. And the majority of work is done by volunteers. We are so happy to partner with them.


The team with Tim Amstutz, Director of World Relief Cambodia (third from the right) and his family. We had a great meal and a fun night at their home in Phnom Penh.


Joke Van Opstal is the Director of the Hope Program. A formidable (and truly funny) woman who has adopted 6 children and considers all the children in the program her own.



The Hope Program for children uses puppets and songs to teach children and then their parents about hygiene/health and leads them into a local body of believers.


The Hope Program for teens has small group meetings for both boys and girls that meet in their villages.


From the connection with people ...


in Phnom Penh ...


and small villages ...


plus laughter with friends on the team.

These are just some of the fond memories I have and these are only a few of the pictures that played in my mind this week as we had our first meeting for a trip to Cambodia later this year. I'm excited to be a part of a team that will be allowed to minister to the wonderful people of World Relief and re-connect with friends.

You can go home again

I spent some time with my parents in beautiful Ohio last week. It's always good to be with them as well as see old, dear family friends that have been a part of our lives for 40+ years. At one point (on the way to family night at "the club") I thought, "I'm riding in the car with 4 other people whose combined age is well over 320 years ... and the oldest one is driving!!" I wanted to enter this on facebook right then (in order not to look out the window?) but ... to be absent from facebook is to be present with my parents.


The home where I grew up and my parents still live. It was built 80 years ago ... same age as my parents.


Marty & I met at Elyria High School. Built in 1830, EHS was the first school west of the Allegheny River and the only high school in our town of 40,000.


The first house Marty & I owned (without wheels). We moved in the day after Brian was born. Thinking this was our forever, dream house, we dreamed of adding on ... until we made the move to Texas.


Thomas Wolfe wrote the famous novel, "You Can't Go Home Again" in which the protagonist, George Webber (after trashing his own home town in a novel) was driven from his home by the outrage of family and friends.

Not so here. Marty and I have been married for 35 years, so I don't visit my parents and feel like a child again. And I don't feel like the parent. Things may change, relationships transition and we're all getting older, but I always know that I am met with love when I "go home."

The Wilds of Plano, Texas

Sunday 2pm:

We found an adult hawk hopping in the shrub bed of our backyard as we were heading out Saturday evening. He didn't seem to be hurt, but wasn't making any attempt to fly away from us. We couldn't find him late that night.

This morning he was still here and his wing is noticeably ruffled and limp. To keep him strong till animal rescue can come, we threw some meat out there. What did I have on hand? A beef filet in the freezer. Who wouldn't like that?! He didn't even wait till we left to dig in.

Sunday 7pm: Sorry to report that the hawk didn't make it. Found him in the pool.