Well our new home is much more projecy than I ever anticipated it would be.  Here we are, 40 and almost 40 anxious to raise our own chickens, start a mini CSA (Community supported Agricultural Farm), have a dairy cow or two, and horses - dogs - and cats, for fun!  Yet we just moved into an urban project!  Something must be wrong with this picture.  But is it? 

I have always thought about missions, probably short term, but where would we go? and how could we raise the necessary support?  etc.? etc.?  So now that our "Sustainable Housing Initiative Project" (chosen via the internet from 2500 miles away) turns out to be more project than sustainable, maybe this is our chance to be short term missionaries.

There are a lot of struggling, hurting families (of various compositions) living here.  There are many children left to wander all day with little to no supervision.  These are 1-10 year olds taking care of each other and looking for attention wherever they can find it.  They wander into our apartment when we are not paying attention, and help themselves to toys, drinks, and the computer... Benjamin (12) and Hannah (10) draw these children to us like magnets.  Hannah has taught the girls to braid ankle bracletts and they sit outside our door for hours braiding many color combinations.  Benjamin makes many different awesome paper planes for the boys and teaches them how to use them.  Next he will teach them how to make their own.  Then we are going to host an airplane competition.  Yesterday we "hosted" a trash competition.  The boys, who constantly compete, had a competition to see who could pick up the most trash. 

Well, it sure isn't the country!  But I pray that God will use us to bless these children and maybe their parents in the time that we are here --We have already taught one family how to make their own yogurt!  And I have started a Faith based Storytime after the "subsidized Free Lunch Program" each day.  We read a picture book for the young kids and then a good chapter book to the older ones.  They are enjoying that too.  Right now its all about building relationships!

Good Night.