2 1/2 Weeks Left!

Greetings! Our whirlwind tour of Italy came to a close on Aug. 7th (nearly the 8th by the time we arrived at Sea-Tac). Shortly after, we left for Camp Side-by-Side (Aug. 12th). For those that are unfamiliar, SBS is a ministry through our church that supports families that have a child with a critical illness that is being treated at Children's Hospital here in Seattle. Camp, is a week long adventure where we invite families (16 this year) to come cost free and experience a break from the hospital and their [ab]normal lives. It is a very special week where God's grace and mercy abound, lives are changed and all involved experience a renewal of spirit gifted by the God who redeems all circumstances and who boundaries all things.

We're now in the throes of preparing our lives to embark on this great adventure. With that, we'd love your prayer on a few things.

1. Please pray that God continues to bless our finances. We currently have raised 82% of the money that we need upfront and about 62% of our monthly costs have been pledged. So, we are greatly encouraged but are asking that we see how to be proactive and participate in God's timing for the rest of these funds.

2. Please pray for our emotions as we are saying goodbye to our dear friends. We love you all so much and our hearts are breaking as we are parting. Please know that we are praying for you that God would show his favor in your lives and that he will bless us with a closeness to you despite the distance.

3. Please pray for our list of things that need to get done. Each day it grows longer even as we check things off. Yikes! Pray that we would continue to just take it one thing at a time and not get overwhelmed by the amount of detail.

4. Please pray for my sister and Brandon as they are preparing their own lives to join us in the DR in early February. There is much to do and we ask that God strengthen and support them.

5. Please pray for the Dominican Republic. Hurricane Dean's closest contact to the Dominican was very near to our new home, Barahona, and they experienced quite a bit of flooding and some debris. As well, in the capital, Santo Domingo, there was quite a bit of rock and debris thrown up from the sea that did cause some damage to roadways, etc. Please pray for the DR and the rest of the Caribbean as they begin to reorder life after this tremendous storm.

6. Please continue to pray for COTN as they participate in the work that God has called them to.