I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. I didn't realize I hadn't wished you all a happy Thanksgiving in my last e-mail until I was back in my room getting ready for bed. It was not celebrated here, but I did spend some time thanking God for His blessings.

Thank you to any who prayed for Mom's trip home. Corina and I took her to the airport Saturday morning and got her checked in and her airport tax paid without a problem. Then we went to a seating area and chatted together for about an hour before saying goodbye and sending her through customs and security for international flights. I have not heard from her yet, but she wouldn't have arrived home until about 3-4:00 this morning (Sun 11/30). I won't expect an e-mail until at least tomorrow.

Saturday was very relaxing. After taking Mom to the airport, we returned to El Jordán and I helped a little with a small crisis when an order of crafts made at El Jordán was not going to be ready to be picked up on time. Many hands make light work and the order was completed and ready to go in about 30 minutes. Actually, I didn't even get in on all of it because when I took some things up to the apartment upon my arrival I found Heidi, Sinder, and Norman searching the apartment for ticks. They had found several crawling across the floor. I pitched in and before it was over we had found and flushed over 45 of the little buggers. Heidi removed a carpet for vacuuming and washed her curtains and sprayed all the baseboards and even the window screens with a bug spray. We haven't found any attached to us yet, but I know they are not quite gone. I found one crawling across the shower wall tonight and disposed of it.

Well, back to my relaxing day... I spent the rest of the morning just sitting and chatting with the girls here at El Jordán (Jenny, Julie, and Heidi). Leftovers from the volunteer lunch were heated up for lunch and we had a relaxing meal together with Corina, Marco, and all of us who are currently living at El Jordán. After lunch I made up and wrapped a few small plates of cookies and then Corina took me to the feria to buy a few ingredients that were getting low. We gave small plates of cookies to four of the vendors there who sell things to Corina for El Jordán frequently and give her a good deal. I didn't do any baking until we got back to El Jordán around 5:00pm. By then it was cooler and I was feeling refreshed and ready to get back to work. I baked about 250 more cookies and made up several large trays of cookies for a church and two children's homes.

Today, Sunday, Corina picked me up for church just before 10:00 and we loaded up the cookie trays for the boys homes and headed to Iglesia Bautista Antioquía (Antioch Baptist Church). I enjoyed going back to this church were I have usually attended while here in Bolivia. I enjoyed the praise music in Spanish (although I don't think I knew even one of the songs this time) and the message from the senior pastor's father, who preached the sermon.

After church Corina took me out to two boys homes so we could deliver the cookies. I enjoyed seeing the homes again and some of the boys were still there from previous years and remembered me. At the larger boy's home (Hogar Nacer, for those who know from previous trips) most of the boys were watching a video, but Corina and I helped some boys in the kitchen cut up the potatoes for supper and then a 7-year-old boy gave us a tour. He showed off all the pigs they are raising and picked fruit from many different trees for us to try (I tasted my first fresh fig and some other fruit - I have no idea what it was.) After our tour we went back to shake hands and say good-bye to all the boys. Corina wanted to get home before dark because much of the road between here and there was under construction and there were several detours and a long stretch with two opposing lanes of traffic and a 5 foot straight drop off on each side of the road with no cones or barriers of any sort.

When we got back to Santa Cruz (about an hour of driving), Corina took me to her place and I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and playing a couple of games of "Ticket to Ride" with Corina and Marco.

That's all the news I can take the time to write for now. My neck and shoulder muscles are still not behaving and I want another good night's rest. Saturday morning when I woke up my neck was so stiff it hurt just to hold my head upright. Stretching and massaging helped enough that about an hour later I could hold my head up without pain, as long as I didn't tip it back or turn too far to one side. My ability to move without pain improved throughout the day, I slept well, and woke feeling better than when I had fallen asleep. The knots in the muscles, however, are still there and they were aggravated enough today that I was rubbing them frequently and I still feel much like I did yesterday when I went to bed. The pain is manageable and hasn't interfered much with my work or other activities here so far, but please continue to pray that my muscles will relax so I will have more energy to serve the others here.

God bless!
Medin