Back Where I Belong (Ja Rurat)

First - a medical update. The injection last week did no good, so I met with my doctor again Friday and we scheduled disc surgery for this week. I will go in for some simple tests tomorrow and then check in Wednesday morning and have the surgery that afternoon. Some of you are familiar with this kind of thing, but they will remove a small piece of bone from the vertebrae to get access to the disc and then they will cut away the portion of the disc that is compressing the nerve. I'll be released one to three days afterward and will be able to return to work (at least part days) pretty quickly afterward. I do appreciate your continued prayers.

#### Now, on to Ja Rurat. After missing last week, I was extremely eager to get back to Ja Rurat. Today, I talked about Joseph and his caring for Mary. Nok taught the kids the character trait of 'thoughtfulness,' and we sang a couple of songs and then colored a sheet with Mary, Joseph and Jesus on it, along with teaching the youngest kids to write the letters A and B.

My biggest burden with Ja Rurat is to reach the parents and to start somehow connecting with the adults. Today, I was shocked and thrilled when two mothers joined us in helping the kids do their coloring. May not sound like much, but I believe it was a BIG step!

Nok talks about thoughtfulness.

My buddy Fern. She didn't show up originally, but toward the end, she wandered by, and when she did, I was ready. I had made a screen print of this blog and the entry with her photo on it, to show her that she really was on the Internet. There is a feature with this blog that allows me to see where visitors to the blog are from (home country.) Don't worry, it doesn't reveal identities or anything, just where in the world you are. I was able to tell Fern that people from England, Spain, the US, and Thailand had all seen her photo on line. She tried to act casual, but you could tell she was blown away by the thought, and she took this paper to every adult nearby and showed it to them. I told her she was a real star now!

Oh, please pray for Fern. I so much want to see her give her heart to Christ, and find hope and a future in Him. Unless something dramatic happens to her, she faces a rough, difficult life, and it just tears me up to think of that.

Sometimes, it's more day care than teaching.

Ohm, sporting his new summer haircut.

Me and Ice.

Good times.