Sadness and Surprises

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Thank you for continuing to lift me up in prayer.

July 13 is always the most sorrowful day on the calendar for me. My beloved grandmother Momma Nell died on that date 2005. Also, my cousin who died in Germany as a result of wounds he sustained in Iraq passed away on that exact date one year later.


I like to take a retreat at that time if I can. This year I went to the Franciscan Life Process Center in Lowell (http://www.lifeprocesscenter.org/) for one day. There is a wonderful nature trail there. I could relax while watching the butterflies, and I even got to see a mother turkey in the blackberry bushes! It was very funny, actually.


The momma turkey saw me and with a lot of noise and wing-flapping ran off into the trees. She anxiously looked back to see if I would follow. I just watched her though. Then to my surprise, her little chick came out of the bushes onto the path to stare at me. It wasn't really afraid, however it did decide it would be a good idea to hide. However, it was too young to know what it was doing.


It walked directly into the path, sat down with its backside showing, then buried its face in some leaves. Um, everybody can still see you there, silly little turkey! Hee hee.

The following day, the Japanese Ambassador visited town and I was able to give him a copy of my self-published poetry book. (Yes, I write haiku and sometimes longer poems every now and then).


On Friday, I had a college friend visit town all the way from Denver, Colorado because she was attending a family reunion. I suppose this has been a week of unexpected blessings. God has really managed to distract me from the normal sadness and stress of this time.


July 25 I am planning a visit to speak at a Detroit church. Also there is a prospective African-American recruit who I hope to meet there who may also be interested in becoming a missionary.

Well, I am continuing to do all I can to raise the needed support. My deadline to raise the support was supposed to be July 31, however I have been given a grace period to at least August. Please continue to pray for an increase in my monthly support. If you have any suggestions for me, let me know.


May everyone who reads this be greatly blessed!


God's peace,


Neesy E.