Happy belated Independence Day to everyone.  We were able to enjoy some holiday fellowship with fellow patriotic expatriates.  At lunch we had a cookout with Sheri and our MET intern Nate and narrowly escaped a good-food coma during afternoon worship services.  After church, during the cold rain, we enjoyed another cookout with some of the local missionaries in the area.  It was good to sit and share memories and American food and fireworks.  We thanked God for the liberties and opportunities given us through our U.S. citizenship, for the uniformed men and women that defend us every day,  and also the freedom He gave us through life in Christ.

Today we are catching up on laundry, yard and house work and last minute details before our medical/dental team arrive this week. We'll have some folks working clinics, including well-child checks on our ABC program kids; and also a work team that will be busy helping some of the local churches and doing some painting at Clinica Caris.  It's been a good, relaxing weekend and we are ready hit the trail running!