So a month after meeting the girls at the airport in Minneapolis, I'm finally sitting down to fill you all in on that day....Phil and I drove to the cities on Friday, sadly the air conditioning stopped working, the sun shone enthusiastically in through the windows, and we just about melted. But other than that, we had a nice visit, and I was able to get a little knitting done in the car.Their plane arrived Saturday morning, and we arrived at the airport about an hour early. I just hated to take the chance that we might miss them or that they might end up waiting for us. It was okay; Starbucks and a crossword puzzle took care of us nicely while they waited. As the minutes ticked down, I found it harder and harder to concentrate on the clues and ended up just getting myself covered in newsprint and not ever solving the silly thing.But then they were there. Hurrah!!!We hugged, we cheered, we all talked at once, and then we gathered their bags up from the luggage carousel and wandered over to the car. Donna was there too since Talia had decided she would go nanny for Donna for a few months while she decides what she wants to do next. And since we weren't going to take both girls home with us, we all went over to the Mall of America for lunch and a visit. Stories, laughing, talking, and good food filled a couple of lovely hours; and all too soon it was time to hit the road if we were all going to make it home before it got too late.The girls hugged one last time. There were a few tears and another hug or two, and we separated the girls. It was hard. For them and for us. Now, a month later, Talia's been home for her first visit. The girls stayed up late every night for a week catching up, and then we put Talia back on the bus to head back to Iowa. Life feels very different this year. However, just so you all know that they really did make it home all in one piece, here they are:
Aren't they beautiful?Later,
b
Another day, another phone call. Hurrah.Talia called from Thailand. It was so good to talk to her. I knew she was going to call; she had called this morning while we were at church and said she'd try again this evening. I'll admit I didn't wander too far from the phone as the afternoon wore on and the evening began.First she called asking permission to be baptized. They're having a special service at one of the rivers there, and she'll be baptized by one of the team leaders she's grown to admire. Of course I said that would be fine. I know she was baptized just before she was confirmed, but I think this has a little more personal meaning for her. She told me she would come home with a picture and a certificate, so you'll all get to see the picture here.And she said her time in Thailand is almost over. She's spent her weeks there planting rice (which was very fun she said), teaching English, working with orphans and with old folks and doing lots of shopping. What size shirt do you wear Loren? Tomorrow (today in Thailand) is their free day and after the baptismal service; they'll be riding elephants, watching an elephant show and going bamboo rafting. Then I think they have one last day in Thailand before they board their plane for Texas, and a few days later for home. The newest news? She's hoping to live with Donna and Loren in Iowa for a bit, working and saving her pennies, and then she's considering art school or Bible school. She's so much like I was when I was her age -- she changes her plans about every 10 minutes :)Anyway, same as last post, there probably won't be any more entries until I've actually squeezed her to pieces. I'll give both girls hugs from all of you until you can see them yourselves.Later,b
This morning (a lovely, warm, sunny North Dakota morning) as I was drinking my coffee, the phone rang. It was - surprise - Kate in South Africa. It was so lovely to talk to her. She sounded healthy and happy and like she's having the time of her life.Since they finished teaching school, they came back into the slums around Johannesburg and starting doing "hut-to-hut" ministry. I think it's been an enormous eye-opener for Kate. They basically spend their time as part of a small team (usually 4 kids) going from hut to hut in the slums doing whatever needs to be done. They clean. They wash clothes. They take care of small children. In small, electricity-free huts. Kate tells me she's gotten very good at washing clothes by hand. They are also doing VBS part of the time, but mostly they're just helping people and talking with them and trying to form relationships. The only time Kate hasn't been 100% healthy was when they were teaching school. Then she says she had a terrible cold and couldn't even talk. Luckily they were team teaching so she either drew illustrations on the chalk board or had someone repeat what she said in an audible voice. They also did a lot of individual tutoring, trying to slide the gospel in when it was appropriate.Next week will actually be her last week in Africa. Monday they're going hut to hut in the morning and packing their bags in the afternoon. Tuesday they're going on safari. Wednesday they're flying back to Texas. And on Saturday they'll be coming HOME!!!Hurrah.I'll post pictures when Kate gets home with her camera. And hopefully a few stories of some of her adventures.Next time you see me, I'll have my girls home again.Later,bP.S. A couple of quick notes: She said it was REALLY cold when they were out in the bush. Like 20 degrees at night and 40 to 50 during the day. Luckily it's warmer near Jo-berg, about 70 degrees during the day; and, sadly, she did manage to get sunburned.She also said that one of Talia's leaders in Cambodia had come to South Africa and was leading one of her group's smaller teams. Cool, eh?P.P. S. I am posting one picture of the area where they're working that I borrowed from the Global Expeditions website. Yikes.
Still no new news. But a couple of pictures.
Can you find TJ in this picture:
How about here:
Doesn't she look good?More later,b
Although there's not much news about what the kids are doing in South Africa, the Global Ex website has published a couple of new pictures. Here it's easy to see Kate. (And doesn't that landscape look desolate?)Once you see her in the above picture, you'll find it easier to find her below. 
See what I mean?
More later,
b
Last night, as Donna and I were sitting around visiting with Mom and Dad, the phone rang. It was Kate calling from Texas. It was about 10 (I think) and she was hanging around waiting to drive to Dallas to start her trip to Africa. They were leaving the GE site at 1:30 a.m., driving to Dallas, flying to New York, then some mystery city in Africa and finally onto Johannesburg. They expected to arrive in Jo-berg at about 5:30 this afternoon.Kate was so excited. They've spent most of the last few days learning curriculum because they're going to be teaching school to teenagers who belong to the Zulu tribe for their first week in S. Africa. Then they'll be going back to the city to run VBS and do other kinds of ministry things. Too exciting for words,bJust a quick update....I had a phone call from Kate Friday afternoon at 3:30. She had arrived in Johannesburg about an hour before and was finally making her call home. It was 11:30 at night and she was tired and looking forward to being horizontal for a while. More news when I know more :)
Today's news? Kate's arrived safe and sound in Texas. After spending a few days with her auntie and uncle in Iowa, she boarded her plane this morning and just landed in Dallas. Now she'll spend a few days getting to know her teammates and learning the songs and skits they'll do in South Africa. Then, on Thursday I think, they'll all get on another plane and fly to Johannesburg. She was happy to tell me that she even met another GE missionary in the airport in Minneapolis. He was on his way to Argentina; I think he was meeting his team there since he wasn't going to Dallas first. By the time I talked to her in Dallas, she had already met up with three more GE travelers. After days and days of being a little nervous, Kate sounded happy and excited on the phone. I let her go before I got all teary and made her sad too.More later,b
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