Catch up Photos...

My photos on this blog tend to run a few weeks late. Keeping in the theme of things, here is a photo of Nora Grace and her good friend (sahali) Zoya, who have both lost their front teeth at the same time. The photo is circa Christmas 2007.

Thailand Comings and Goings...

We had a delightful and restful time in Thailand, thanks to the Amazing Masts.

They have two little girls also. Thus, the "screetchiness factor" (as Lileks calls it) got a bit high at times, but what to do.

We got nine injections between us, and Miriam was quite impressed that Daddy did not cry for his injections. Several Dentists visits also, as well as an othodox OB visit for Amy.

"Auntie" Anita took the girls to the "Fish Museum", (aka Aquarium), and we all went swimming one day.

We ate a large variety of animals that are not available in Our Fair City, including but not limited to, cow, fish, shrimp, and pig.

Between all that and two days of meetings with Dan, a good time was had by all.

Sam slept through the night from his first night there, but has on return returned to the pattern of waking up crying a few times throughout the night. Hmmmm, what TO do?

I am back at work.

On Being Known, Whether I Want to be or Not...

We came into Varanasi the other day, coming through Customs in the usual lines of tourists coming from around the world. I assumed I looked like everybody else. Amy and the kids had grabbed a seat nearby while I stood in the long lines.

One of the tourists in the other line asked the Customs Official in front of her, "Whose are those lovely children?"

Without looking up from his forms, the Customs Official simply said, "Doctor Sahab has three children, they are his," while giving a nod of his head in my direction.

Hmmm, they know who I am in Customs? I hope that is good news and not bad. :)

A Sort of Ethical Issue for a Mennonite Man

Choice Books is a group that sells books across the USA. They set up simple displays in Truck Stops, Supermarkets and other places of business. They sell mostly Christian and Inspirational literature, but also include "Local Color" titles, a few cookbooks, and a few about the Amish and Mennonites (who are also the people who run Choice Books).

They have displays in almost 10,000 locations across America, and sell millions of titles per year.

Recently, one of the guys who works for them received an invitation to set up a display in one of America's largest Army bases.

"Huh," he thought, as he looked at the email, "Wasn't my Amish grandfather imprisoned there for refusing to bear arms in World War I?"

What to do? Does the Army Base even know that we are Concientious Objectors? (Turns out they did :) )

So now they are selling dozens of books each week at the Base.

Whadayouknow?

PS: We are staying with the Masts in Thailand, having meetings and getting all the kids in for shots and medical care, besides eating a little pig, cow and fish on the side. Sam has, with minimal bloodshed, successfully learned to crawl up and down stairs, and our girls are having a blast playing with the Mast girls.

Lowell's Answer to any possible World wide Recession that may or may not happen

I am not sure what the state of the world's economy, but I do now know a solution to any possible slowdown in productivity.

Brazilian coffee.

We have new neighbors who are from Brazil, and they gave Amy a bag of coffee beans from their fair land last week.

Whoo, boy. Export that stuff to the world, and we will all be working a mile a minute.

I am getting so much done this week!

Course, I gotta get a bunch done, as there are a bunch of things I have to finish up before we head to Thailand for a visa run next week.

Staying Busy

I think most of us around the world are saying something similar. December Holidays are over, and it is time to settle down to the real world and get some work done.

We have nothing to exciting to report here. I am working at the various clinics, studying the Bible in Urdu, studying Urdu, and parenting. Most of the winter's colds and flu's seem to be over. I preached on Matthew 5 on Sunday, title was: "Christ and the Law".

Oh, we are pregnant. That being the royal "we", of course. Not sure if many know that yet or not. Probably will not be an official announcement. "We" are due the end of June sometime. Suggestions for names? (Perhaps we have already used up the good ones? :) )

Uh oh

I think my hard drive has died on our home computer (I am writing from an internet cafe).

I have most of the stuff backed up, except about 250 emails. Hmmmmm. Not sure how to fix this. Will keep you posted as the adventure continues.

We did have some excellent meat yesterday at a friends house, including some of the forbidden kind.... wow was that good.

The Urdu word for "Journey" is pronounced "Suffer"

Sometimes you come across these funny little things about language. I have no idea if there is an actual linguistic connection or not, I just think it is amusing.

I was reminded of this as our landlord was packing up to visit his brother in Bihar. He has about 150 miles to drive, and expects it to take 10 or more hours (Bihar is a failed state within India fameous for its utter lack of infrastructure).