Change

I am at my grandparents' in Chambersburg with Eli. Today we drove a long hour and a half on the turnpike (during most of which I worried he was in danger of bursting a lung with the hunger cries, or screams, he put forth) to Roxbury- camp of my childhood, camp of today, and camp of the future. And I think it is ever more becoming camp of the future. Before I left today I was thinking about tradition- because "it is the way it is" and it's tradition. People come to Roxbury every year because of tradition just as much as to meet with old, familiar friends. Older ladies wear skirts and head bonnets and talk away the hours, embracing tradition. Young children look forward to Roxbury's bread and peanut butter (maybe apple butter too) as a familiar tradition. I was thinking how Roxbury has always been the same, and it's comfortable that way, even if it's a little old(er). But as I first pushed Elisha in his stroller across the grounds today, I could tell that something new and different has come to Roxbury. I believe it could be something called change. A new age, a new building/bookstore, new dress, new people, new color (skin), new music! To move forward we must cherish the past and embrace the future. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but I believe He is always and forever using new ways to reach and speak to our ever-changing world.

So Elisha and I made the trek to Roxbury for a sort of reunion ourselves. All the past STEPers currently available and in PA were invited to a reunion by none other than the great Mike Holland. :) It turned out to be a rather small crowd, consisting of most of the team from '04-'05, but it was so fun to connect, hear about changes coming to the STEP program, and pray for each other, Honduras and STEP. We figured about 30 people have come through STEP now, including this year's team. Wow! And God has taken those participants all over in work and language opportunities. I was truly blessd. I was blessed to hear the highlights from each person of their time in Honduras and blessed to hear what God has done/where He has taken them in each STEPer's life (and I mean even the ones not present, as Mike did a run-through of every one!) Praise God for family.

Which brings me to my second topic. Tonight we called my parents via SKYPE. Grandma and Grandpa have a webcam here, so they were able to see Elisha almost like in person! It was good to hear from them. They reported that they feel pretty safe in spite of all the political chaos the media reports- and said the media really makes it out to be worse than it is, in hopes of arising support for ousted ex-president Zalaya. It will be so good to see Dad and Darin at the end of August. Hard to believe Darin will already be a senior this year and checking out colleges!

It's getting late quickly, and we have a long but exciting Missions Day ahead of us tomorrow!