Chinese Boys; Scooter; Kim

Ricky and Alex are Gone. Our Chinese boys, Ricky Martin and Alex are gone. Last night we had a potluck for other host families at the home of Sid and Marj Boudreaux. The boys wrote us a letter, which was very touching:

David and Rose:
Me and Alex haven't stay here long time, but nearly two weeks, so really has a little unwilling, everything in here, specially you!
Thank you very much for your to cook after all the time. At the same time, and thank you very much for your to take us to play. For instance--amusement park, go shopping, go to chapel, birthday party, play bowling, go to another city, and watched movie . . . and very thank you for your present, I really love it.
In Joplin, I felt all people are very friendly and funnly. In your house, I felt very well and you cooked food and ice cream are very delicious! In here, I eat very fully every day, and learned knew lots of things, so is very happy, interesting day, I very love everything in here. If I have opportunity, I must can come back here again.
When I will go back to China, I can miss you, and don't forget your kindness to us. I return the hope and often keep in touch with you at QQ. And hope if you have opportunity, also come China, OK?
Last, it's forever happy to bless you!

From Ricky & Alex 7-19-06 evening

Wesena Jordan got bilingual Bibles (NIV and Chinese). We consulted the Chinese teacher if it would be all right to give the students Bibles, and were told that they should be gifts from the host families. We got two of the Bibles on Monday. On Tuesday, I had their Chinese names engraved in gold letters on the front, and wrote a note to them on the presentation page. That was the gift mentione in the letter above. I also went to Good News Productions International, and got each of them a Source of Love Deluxe Pack for each of them. I think they came to the U.S. with the idea that Jesus is the "American God". The Source of Love could show them that He is every bit as much as He is Chinese as He is American. For an independent review of the film, click here.

On Monday night, we took the boys bowling. I was completely out of form! Normally I break 100. The last time I bowled was last summer in Tulsa, and I rolled a pathetic 89 or something like that. I rolled a 224!

1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10
7	/	X		9	/	9	/	7	/	X		X		X		X		9	/	9
20		40		59		76		96		126		156		185		205		224

Since the boys wanted to play more than one, they kept going, but the second game, they wanted to play just the two of them. Then they wanted a third game, so I played again. I didn't do as well, but still did much better than I normally do, 177!

Scooter Licensed. The Roketa Catalina is now an officially licensed vehicle in the state of Missouri. It has been dreadfully hot here. I did not ride on Wednesday, but will probably ride most days now. Since Kim and I will be sharing the Hyundai, I'm going to go ahead and change the timing belt on it next week. The husband of one of my former students, from Honduras (he will be a student in the fall) is a cracker jack mechanic, and will do the work for me. Taking it to a dealer would cost hundreds of dollars, so I can help him out, and he can help me out. He hasn't enrolled yet (August 21), but I imagine I will have him in OT History. I've had just about all of the most recent hispanic students in my OT class.
Here you can see a photo of my scooter illegally parked (on the sidewalk but in the shade) in front of OCC's library.


Kim Ready to Return. Kim will leave Thailand on Sunday. They will have a de-briefing in Florida. When she gets there, she will be able to call us, as she has a cell phone there. I think they should hit Joplin on the 28th. Hooray! They've had a great two months. You can read about it here, if you haven't already been reading her updates.

I hope that you and yours are doing well. May our Great God smile on you!

DGF