September 16, 2009

Dear Family and friends, 

      As many of you know we were in the states this summer not only to take vacation time to be with our family but also to have medical tests and for treatment of a “frozen shoulder” or adhesive capsulitis for Nancy.  We are so thankful for good results of breast biopsy and colonoscopy as well as other tests.  After a shoulder injection, and intensive physical therapy and exercises my shoulder has improved immensely.  I will need to be faithful in continuing these exercises in the months to come. 

       It was also wonderful to connect with our Encourager Church at First Baptist in Burnsville, NC.  The last service we attended there before our return the church family encircled the sanctuary with hands held together to pray for us.  The church continues to be a wonderful support of love and prayer.

        Another highlight for us was to spend a few days with my sisters and their family and Steve’s 90 y.o. dad Lloyd and brother in Pennsylvania. Then, Lloyd, (Mom Eileen passed away 12/08) Micah, Steve and I headed to The Stony Brook School on Long Island to apply to the same school some of our older kids graduated from. (For the possibility of Micah attending his 11th and 12th grade years there). We were hosted there by dear friends, Thom and Barbara Brownworth who have been an integral part of the school for many years.

         That same day we drove up to Ulster Park, New York to meet with the Bruderhof Community, (an intentional community with Anabaptist roots) and meet the Wiser family who will host Micah this year. Micah was invited to attend 10th grade at Maple Ridge School. They made us feel so welcome and even had a special wooden plaque with Micah’s name on the door. Dana and Maureen Wiser have 5 children still living at home.  He is sharing a room with their son Ralph who is 14. Although he has a full academic schedule, he has an apprenticeship after school where he learns maintenance shop skills with one of the brothers.  Micah loves it.  It will be a year without TV, internet or videos!  How refreshing. Although we miss him here in Haiti with us this year, we are thrilled for this opportunity for him.  We have had the privilege of having three young men from the Bruderhof communities living with us here in Haiti over the years helping us out in clinic visits, Rocket Stove project, carpentry, mechanics, etc. They always bring more than just their skills. We’ve had a long standing relationship with the communities dating back to 1987.

        After spending a few more days with our kids and precious grandkids (Skyah 5 1/2 yrs, Eily June 2 yrs and Jericho Rudi 5 months) we packed up and drove to Florida to spend a few more days with Mom June ( Dad passed away 1/09) and friends at Penney Farms Retirement Community and returned to Haiti. Thankfully there were no active hurricanes although our Missionary Flights International flight was pretty bumpy. It was a joy to see Roy and Miler waiting with our truck to meet us at the Cap Haitian airport full of stories to tell us of their summer.  The weather has been pretty intense and often our thermometer/humidity gauge registers 103 degree heat index in our home. We had been spoiled by the lovely cool weather in the north. Nevertheless it is great to be back in Haiti and return into our routine of visiting the clinics, seeing patients and connecting with our neighbors and friends here on the UCNH campus.

      Thank you all for your continued love, support and prayers,

                                            Steve & Nancy James