Update on My Dad

Hello everyone..Just wanted to give you a quick update on dad. He is actually better. Has been eating and drinking and is more coherent. When we go to visit, he knows who we are and seems to understand most of what we are saying. Sometimes he will try to answer us. This is encouraging to us, however, we do know that he will not get better.. My prayer is that he will not suffer when it is time for him to go...

This is my first time posting on a blog so "GREETINGS" I'll be sharing from the Hague side of things because that is what I have Knowledge about. We have been living in sedalia for about 5 months now and everyone seems to be enjoying it,. Elizabeth still works in Marshall, so she is still able to visit her Dad and Christy's family at lunch times and after work, so she is staying well connected. She still is required to make the drive but she doesn't complain....but you already knew that!
Eric is going to be 16 in Feb. WOW is he big! Eric is home schooling and will continue tofollow this course through High School. He is very musicaly inclined and currently concentrating on playing the drums as an alternate in our church Praise team. He loves watching movies, hanging with his friends and being one of the "older guys" in his youth group.
As for me I'm the associate Pastor of missions and education at Cornerstone Church in Sedalia. It is such a joy to have been called by God to serve Him in this capacity but also to be able to provide for my family at te same time.....see:" best job in the world".A really cool thing that is coming up in my life is an opportunity to travel to Chandagarh, India. I will be going with a group called "Global Encounters" and we will be contacting and preaching in villages that have never heard the name of Jeus Christ and His plan of eternal salvation, how awesome is that opportunity, I am truly blessed!
We will be leaving the U.S.A on Dec.27th and will be in country for 2 weeks. We will be helping to plant 5 churches with native pastors as well as other tasks "as required" I would ask you to keep me in your prayers,as well as my fellow missionaries as there has been some violence directed towards Christians in India recently, also pray that we would preach His word boldly, fully confident that whatever happens it will all be for the glory of God.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot earn" Jim Elliot

Feeling Sad

I don't know if anyone is looking at this blog...if they are no one has posted a blog. So I will go ahead. Since the purpose of this is to keep up on each other, I wanted to let everyone know that my dad is not doing well. We believe he has probably had another stroke. The MarSaline Manor (where he lives) called on Sunday and said he had not eaten or drank anything for 3 days. So we went out and were able to get him to drink a little. We are taking turns going out at lunch and supper and feeding him. While he is not eating much at all, at least he will drink some milk and water and juice. He does not talk at all. Once in a great while, he will shake his head yes or no. Most of the time it is just a blank stare. At first, we weren't sure he even knew who we were, but I think sometimes he does. It is tough when he just stares through you as if he has no clue who you are. We think he is probably tired and worn out.
I am so glad we got him to the family reunion in August.. I feel it was his last one.
Please pray for our family.

Getting Started

Hello...At the Hammer Family reunion in August 2008, Ben Jones mentioned to me about someone starting a blog so we can keep up to date on each other. I thought this was a great idea, but I had never done a blog. But....just last week I got an email forwarded to me by Tina (Sharp) Briggs and it had the address of a blog that her sister Bobbi Jo (Sharp) Hanson has done about their adoption of a beautiful boy from Haiti. I checked it out and asked Bobbi about it and she says it is fairly easy so here I go...
I will be trying to compile an email list of all interested parties to let them know we are doing this. I am looking forward to hearing and seeing about everyone. Please pass on to me any email addresses you have.
I'll be looking forward to hearing from everyone.
Elizabeth