Thank you...

You get the overview of the day from reading Joanne's post below, so I will just add one or two specific details.

When we met with the choir children this afternoon, we had the opportunity to share the pictures and letters that some of our UniLu (University Lutheran) children sent along with us. I asked the children here if they had any message they'd like us to bring to the children back home and one boy said, "Thank you for writing to us, and for thinking of us, and we hope that maybe we will be able to meet you someday." I pray that we will all, always, keep thinking of the children in Haiti, and of their families and friends. I pray that we might allow such thoughts to continually work in our minds and hearts, and shape right relationships of all kinds in our world, with the help of God the Holy Spirit.

Today we also broke from our Lenten fast and sang the 'A' (or actually 'Ha') word. In the music exchange with the choir children, we could think of no better song for playful mixing than 'Ha-la-la-la'. Indeed, many broad smiles (and handshakes, high fives, fist bumps, etc.) were shared between and among us! It was a most holy, human way to participate in the first week of Lent; to draw nearer to our neighbors, and hence to the life God intends for us.

I am so grateful for the hospitality we enjoy here, for the support and prayers of those at home, and for the privilege of bearing your greetings and mindfulness for the people here.

-Kari