I have been doing a lot of
traveling lately.  At the end of October
I went to Mexico
for a few days to spend time with the First Year Missionaries (FYM) and staff
there.  It was a good trip where I had
the opportunity to teach some on character. 
Also, one day I went to the prison there in Matamoros with one of our staff and an FYM
who is doing an internship there.  It was
an amazing experience to meet two inmates who run a Christian library and
disciple several of the men they have built relationships with.
   
        Then that weekend I went to Portland, Oregon
to visit my brother Jeff and his family. 
I had never been there to visit them and it was great to just spend a
couple days living life with him and his family.  I even got to go to work with him one day and
I was impressed with the uniqueness of that opportunity - how many of us have
gone to work with a sibling?

Next I went to Baltimore
to retrieve a school bus AIM bought for our base in Mexico.  I was only able to commit to driving it back
to Gainesville rather than all the way to Mexico, but it
was a long ride at 57 mph none the less. 
I drove through the Shenandoah Valley
at peak leaf season and the sunset that night as I drove was breathtaking.

 After that I went to Colorado Springs to spend
2 days with a great friend Steve Forister. 
Hiking together at 10,000 feet was a beautiful experience.  We were able to process some deep subjects in
our lives as well as some really good pizza at Chicago's
Best in Estes Park.

 Now I am about to embark on another
trip to Africa.  This time I will not be able to get to Swaziland, but will be spending about 9 days in South Africa
with a leadership conference we are holding with about 50 of our First Year
Missionaries.

 This weekend we've been home
together with all our children and their spouses.  What a blessing to be able to enjoy relaxed
time together.  Today everyone is heading
off to their homes to reengage with the lives they live there.  I am really so proud of each of them and feel
so blessed to see them grown up and pursing the best things life has for them.