Well, I don't know much more information at this point. I will say I am amazed and thankful for all the support I have received. I just continually pray that some good will be done, even if I don't know what it will be. As my brother reminded me ...

Once a man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf's edge and and the beach. Back and forth this person went. As the man approached he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide.

The man was stuck by the the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the person he said, "You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can't possibly make a difference." The person looked at the man. He then stooped down and pick up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said, "It sure made a difference to that one!"

It can be so easy to sit in our churches and say prayers, but I believe we are called to do much more than that. Will I save all of Africa in one short trip?? No, but I will do what I can and there is no way for me to know what possible impact it may have.

To make a difference in even one life is... well, a blessing. I know that there are people who make a difference in my life... and I wonder how I would get along without them. Sometimes it is the smallest thing that can encourage you.


As many of you know, one of my daughters had a disability, which has brought many struggles and sometimes even conflict. But then come along people to make a difference... someone who offers to teach her tennis, the caring people at gymnastics, the friends that learn to sign, and so many more. So maybe if nothing else, our trip will encourage the people we meet ... remind them they are loved and there are people who want to help... as my kids pray every night (speaking of which, I suppose we will have to have a talk about this...)

"Dear God, please help the people of Sudan to just hold on for a little while. Help them to stay alive a few more weeks. My mom is coming to help them. She is bringing them food and water and will tell people to be nice and stop killing other people. Please help them to just wait until my mom can get there to help them."

I'm afraid my children will be terribly disappointed in me when I return and they find out there are still people starving in Sudan... but I hope they will understand that I did what I could to make a difference.... if each of us would reach out a make a difference for others... what a world this could be.