Hello everyone,

Well, today is pretty much the last official day of the 1st semester FYM '07. It has been really terrific. My family is heading in today and I am super excited about getting to see them for the first time in months! So much has been happening and I cant imagine where I need to begin.

One of the first and hardest things that happened was that Fransisco died this Wednesday. He was a friend of ours at the nursing home and had lung cancer. There was nothing the doctors could do and like typical cancer it affected him differently on different days. One day he would be bouncing and happy and the next bedridden. It was hard to watch him waste away to nothing until he died. I can tell you honestly that I don't know where Fransiscos went or what he believed. He never told me. Also our friend Cleorpha is intensely sick so keep her in your prayers. The opinion generally is that she is depressed and it has become hard to think about leaving with her in that condition. She has refused food and water and will die soon if she continues. Isabel and I sat with her and prayed, chastised, joked, loved and sang. I got a chance to go through the gospel with her and it was awesome. So pray for our friends at the nursing home as we prepared to take this time off.

Our friends at church planting are not taking our leaving easily either and saying good bye yesterday was difficult. I am so proud of how we have watched that neighborhood change. Neighbors are beginning to be kind, kids don't fight (as much). It's been a good change and life is continuing as usual. So please pray for our disciples and friends that they will be protected and watched over during our time away.

All right well, I must get going. My family arrives on the 1:00 bus and I don't want to miss them.

Much love, Emily