Hello to all!

We had a very full day yesterday seeing many people of all different ages. As the others have said, people such as Joanna and Pastor Nicholas were a huge challenge to all of us with their love of the Lord and of people. One of the things that impacted me the most yesterday was sitting around the campfire last night listening to Pastor Nicholas talk about South African culture. I learned enough to write a book, but what really stood out to me was the lack of jealousy and greed among most of the people here. In America it’s so common to see others with big houses, nice cars, etc. and want those things. In America, the mindset is that if we aren’t the best, we do everything we can to be the best. In South Africa, the people are content with where they are at, and if they see someone next door with a nicer house, they accept the fact that their neighbor has a nicer house and just focus on their own lives. It made me long for that kind of mentality in our culture. One other thing that happened yesterday was when we were at Joanna’s house with the AIDS babies, there was one little boy who cried and screamed when I put him down and had to leave! I nearly started crying. Please continue to pray for us, especially as the 9 days in Mozambique loom. Mom, Dad, and Casey, I love you and wish you were here to see some of these incredible people! Oh yeah, Mom, I ended up being the only one on the team WITH a watch :)

Eric