When it rains it pours... but He is there for us.

Sometimes you just want to give up.

Kids screaming at each other, loud noises,

sickness, tiredness, breaks in sleep,

loneliness, depression, hopelessness...

these are all weapons of our enemy.

And they all seemed to be used on us just days after

leaving the country for refreshment and encouragement.

But God knows all things and does allow them all for our good.

We felt like we could not go on...

But then we got away and had time with friends

of encouragement and set out together on this road

with faith, hope, and love in our hearts...

now nothing can stop us...

because Jesus promised to leave us His peace...

he never said we would always feel it.

Sometimes the devil showers us with hardships...

and he is disappointed to see that just like the brief summer 

rainstorms here....

they dry up and we dry off...

get up clean and refreshed...

and go back harder and stronger.

You can't stop what God puts in motion... bring it.

Reflections from Ramadaan

With another Ramadaan behind us there are some discoveries that 

came that we did not know before...

First, Ramadaan is a time when many Muslims fast for 30 days from 

sun up to sundown in the middle of the summer!

They must get up at 3 AM to eat and then pray at 4 before the sun comes up at 5 AM.

If you think you took your religion seriously, you might want to rethink saying that

when these people are working on hunger and no drink for 14 hours+ then

eating like crazy and only getting 2-3 hours of sleep!

It will make you stop complaining and start praying more.

May we all learn from these hard working people.

Finally I found that there are few good conversations that happen when

someone is fasting all day...

but it sure is fun to go out to the bar-b-que and eat tasty 

grilled meats right outside the mosque in the fair-of-food at night!

God help us increase our love for these people!

Our little salesman

Elijah has become quite the little Indian salesman...

there are few shops he has not tried unsuccessfully to go behind the counter 

and begin the position of salesman

Here he is selling electronics to the electronics salesman...

His uncle would be very proud! 

It seems he will thrive in a country with no true juvenile laws!