Today's news

As our departure quickly approaches, we find ourselves more and more overwhelmed -- by the love and generosity of everyone with whom we have shared this dream of ours, and by our own feelings as the dream gets closer to becoming reality. Tomorrow St. Andrew's will commission us for our year in Bolivia. We feel very humbled by the caring and prayerful support of our faith community, and though we will miss them while we are gone, we know that they will continue to pray for us and think of us while we are away.

We are making progress on finishing renovations on the house before we leave, and hope to get the kitchen floor put in by the end of the week. This will be my (Susan's) last week at work, an occasion I find bittersweet because I am very much looking forward to our stay at the UAC-CP, but I will miss the co-workers I have come to know as friends. I am so thankful for my friend Bonnie for giving me the opportunity to work with such a great bunch of people, even though she knew there was a good possibility I would leave only a year later. What a year it has been...

We have our temporary visas now, all our shots except one Delaney will get at a last checkup with her doctor this week, all our luggage. Delaney is all registered for her classes and everything seems to be ready there. Many thanks to Sue Ann Raymond for donating her laptop so that Delaney can have her own computer to do her schoolwork.

Jeff and I both have a couple more rounds of volunteering to do before we go. He will pick up and deliver the bread donation one more time this week, plus help with distribution at Faux Farms' CSA program at least once. I will do Share Iowa distribution next Saturday. I want to give a shout-out to Carrie DeVries, who will be taking over that program when I leave. Thanks so much for doing that!

Delaney is busy mowing lawns today for spending cash to take with her next weekend, when she will go with her boyfriend and his family to Valleyfair. She views that mini-trip with great anticipation, and hopes that Quade doesn't make her ride too many rollercoasters, since she REALLY hates them! I am sure they will have lots of fun together, and I hope it doesn't rain the whole weekend.