I'm getting generally depressed looking at flight prices to get out to Ethiopia in January. I hope I can make it work without stopping in Amsterdam, Munich, AND Khartoom and paying $5,000!!

Plus working out my schedule seems nuts. How long do I stay in Langano? How much "looking around time" do I need, and how much free time in Addis will I want? Sure hope to make good use of the time I spend over there... and make it across the way to Uganda, too!

SIMCO

Why do I feel the need to write only when I am away? Actually I am feeling nice and reflective this week being out in North Carolina, at SIM Candidate Orientation (again). This session is for the long-termers.

All these people out here are intertwined with lots of other people that I know- you just start to get connected to the mission world, I guess. I saw Obed and Juanita Cruz this week, wow, their little boy Christian is so cute, great to see them.

I remember he taught us the song, "somos el pueblo de dios" at our first Candidate Orientation when I was getting ready to go to Ethiopia the first time.

Gee, am I ready to go? Very hard to know. I feel better this week than ever, yet. Being among all these "witnesses" helps give me the momentum to go. Mostly, actually, I can't wait.