Halfway done!! Ok, First to address those wanting pictures. Do you remember the days of dial-up before DSL? How things take FOREVER to load? Got the picture, we were falling asleep before the pics would download, SORRY. You'll just have to wait untill we get back and see the hundreds we've taken. Ha Ha (unless we can try it earlier in the day when we're not so tired.)

Since we didn't get a chance to update yesterday here's a short run-down. We arrived at the youth center bright and early at 8a.m. Bryan very securely stapled fabric to VERY large, make that HUGE, wooden frame. Then we took turns tracing a cabin scene for 'The Arctic', the theme for this year's VBS, while the kids played pool. (building those relationships you know) We also traced polar bears on large cardboard boxes, cut them out and Michelle gave them a few coats of white paint. We left Bryan and Caleb working on the mural while the girls went to a youth girls bible study at Pia's house (Pia is a missionary from Germany who works here with the youth)

Meanwhile, Sylvia took Michelle and I (lori) to the House of Beauty for an hour-long 'foot spa'. (Which only cost $10.00. Ha Ha) Following this we were taken to Joy Restaurant and had our first encounter with Sashimi. Everyone, kids included, loved it (except me, I couldn't get past the 'raw fish' part. But the fried tuna was to die for.) Kayla is earnestly pleading for one more trip back before we leave!

Now for Today.

Our morning started again at 8:00 (well, 7:30 for Bryan) at the Youth center. We were still decorating for 'The Artic' when Bryan had the bright idea to make paper snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. After teaching 'snowflakes 101' to every person present we all silently flaked out on him as the morning went on (no pun intended) and so he became the 'snowflake MASTER' Big or small, he could do them all, only he has about 500 more to do. The rest of us did our time with the scissors also, cutting memory verses and different craft shapes. However we were repaid for all our labor (and cramped hands) by a trip to the local beach/lagoon. About 20 adults and students piled onto the PMA bus, along with all our paraphenalia for 2 and a half hours of sun, swimming and kayaking in the most gorgeous setting you could imagine. (see us later for those pictures) For dinner, we were again treated to 'homemade goodness' in the words of Caleb, at Nob and Sylvia's house while the men were doing a Bible study. Bryan gave his testimony there for the men, while the rest of us feasted on 'Alex-caught' tuna tacos.

We are extremely tired and Lori can't believe how hot it is here. But we're happy to be here, especially to help with the tremendous amount of preparation that goes into VBS. Please pray for the team as several of us have been having bad dreams, and we're all all fighting extreme fatigue, not to mention multiple scrape and blisters.

more to come...

-lori and michelle

(thanks to all of you who left comments, we are SO excited to hear from our loved ones back home!!!)