wild melody

{far more gorgeous than the photos show.} { j outside the church with tea. } { the j's. my fantabulous host fam } Joe and I are home. We were welcomed by warm, steamy, fl rain. How appropiate. The whole team is back, without any "international incidents." Some are sick and A's foot is still healing, but we'd do it again in a heartbeat. The church in Merthyr is amazing . I was affected by them in so many ways. Cheesy as it sounds, I have to admit I fell in love with the entire church of 90. (how's that for an un-dams statement) My host fam, the J's, were especially precious. They displayed such humility, service, generosity, and hospitality. All with spectacular accents, of course. ;) Aside from seeing my wonderful family, I'm struggling with jumping back into life. Culture shock hits most when you're home. Everything is strange. The cars are huge, the roads are wide, the land is unbelievably flat, we drive on the wrong side, billboa...

4 days . Joe and I depart for London Gatwick Airport Thursday afternoon and arrive 8am Friday morning. A few hours later we end up in Wales . Where we will be with our host fams until July 23. It hasn't quite sunk in...it doesn't seem real that we're actually flying across the Atlantic ocean...to the UK...wow!!! (maybe it's not that big of a deal. as one prone to wanderlust, it is pretty amazing.) We're helping the church with their "Family Fun Day in the Park". {And going to a pub. yes i could order a 'pint'; but i won't. we don't know what would happen ;)} If you think about it : Pray that we share the gospel most effectively. Pray for the lost in Wales, that God would soften their hearts. Pray that God would encourage His church there. And please pray that most of all, He would be glorified and we would proclaim that most wonderful of stories before and after our trip; that'd we view life as a mission field. Thanks ya'll. (...

please, please lift up the haughery family in your prayers. little alivia went home yesterday afternoon. it would seem the lymphoma was victorious. but we know otherwise--she is being held in the arms of her Savior.

{the 1st photo isn't spectacular, but it's one of the most wonderful pieces of paper ever written. the 2nd is kids playing soccer on the mall in DC. --captain obvious.} O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream: 'T...