We see at least 2-3 rainbows a week...

Well, life here continues, and it is still getting colder and wetter (if that is possible) each day. This past week, we did assemblies at two schools, and we did one today (our only one for this week). They all went really well and it is cool to see how excited the kids can get about us coming, and then to see some of them listening so closely to the message of Life we bring to them. It struck me this past week that many of these kids have never heard the Gospel before and many never will, except for our short little time at their school. We may never get a chance to follow up with most of them, or explain more fully the Gospel, beyond the story we tell and the songs we sing. And so the Lord really just showed me how important it is that they see something different in us, something that they want in their lives. Even if it is just the smile on my face that represents and reveals the deep, abiding joy that I have in my heart and life, I want to show them that joy and hope. As the Lord showed me how easily my heart can become hardened and apathetic by routine and familiar grace, he gave me his heart for these kids, and it changed the way I approach the simple, normal things like this.

We start our after-school tutoring this week, so pray for us to have wisdom on how to best meet the needs of these kids, and that relationships will develop and deepen, leading to opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus.

That's mostly all that has been going on this past week, as we still try to make time to see the kids after school through football or visiting houses, etc. We did get to do some really cool activities this past week that I've gotta brag about. Well, last week, we all 4 went climbing on an indoor wall with Mark, one of the HOPE directors, who is an avid and experienced climber. On Saturday, he took John and I to the Northern Coast and we climbed all morning on the cliffs there. It was so cool and the most hard-core climbing I have ever done, up to heights of about 120ft. Yesterday, on our day off, Alan (one of the elders at Hillside, the church we all go to) took us to a place called Glenariff. It is a beatiful wooded area in the mountains with tons of waterfalls. It was great hiking and cold swimming (just kidding). Well, thats about it for now. I leave tomorrow morning for York, England until Monday to go be the best man in my best friend, Jonathan Doub's wedding. Pray for safety in travel for me and that the other 3 here don't cry themselves to sleep every night with me gone. We love you all and hope to hear encouragement from you!

Here are some tight pics (don't be jealous):













Notice how small the people down below are!



Like the tongue sticking out?