• Boy had a week off (8th-14th) which was great! We were able to go to this great resort on the border of Laos, overlooking the Mae Khong River, for 2 nights. And, we stayed in a villa! It was a gorgeous break from reality for both of us.


• Boy is back full-force at the Air Force now. His emotions and feelings toward the place go back and forth at least once a day. But he's there. He's made some great friends who have supported him against the beat-up/death threats.


• I am getting ready to start real work. Classes start at the beginning of next month. We still don't know what we're teaching but somehow, the students do! One of the other foreign teachers had a student come to him all excited because he was going to be teaching one of her classes. All he could do was stare and say "Really??" I have cut back on my private teaching because school at non-university levels has started. I am going to start teaching an adult student now as well.


• Macchiato is getting so big. He's getting his shots weekly. He's not much of a complainer and is very much like his daddy and the culture around him -- "whatever" is his favorite word. He's learned how to sit on command and is now working on understanding the difference between that and 'lay down'. He's still coming with me to the office and he really loves sitting quietly on my lap or helping me type. Right now, he's opting for the quiet, peaceful life.

Macchi's new favorite position to sleep when I'm teaching. How could this possibly be comfortable?!?!?!Boy, working on the yard at home.

Once again . . .

Please Pray! Boy and I are both finding our current lives to be very oppressive spiritually. Boy is the only Christian in a camp full of Buddhists. Every night (except Wednesday), they all worship Buddha. He doesn't participate but he is required to be there. The church has not been supportive of either of us so I am without Christian support as well. The only Christian contact we have is with each other and I talk with my mom (sometimes my dad) every night. Boy talks with some DTS friends every once in a while as well.

It is also hard to understand (and remember) why God has us apart for another year and a half. Most of the time, it doesn't make sense and the yearning takes over rather quickly. In our minds, it sure would make sense to spend our first years of marriage being together, living like married people, not like singles. But God doesn't have the same opinion. That's been a problem, too. We've both struggled with anger towards God and depression.

Every once in a while, we are reminded of the great opportunity Boy has to share Jesus with Air Force soldiers. After all, not many people get to do that.

I have started listening to messages online for some feeding but Boy doesn't have that luxury -- both with time and with language and culture. So, we both ask for prayer for our relationships with God. And, that we will be able to trust God for this path that He has chosen for the next 18 months. Pray that we will be able to be lights in this very dark place!