{Not all those that wander are lost - Tolkien}

Yep!  That's me, practicing injections on the one and only Mona Sloan over at Mi Casa es Su Casa!

Wow!  It's been a long while since, I posted!  However, there is a very good reason.  The end of October and first part of November I had the opportunity to attend the Medical Mission Intensive at Equip International in North Carolina.  What an amazing unique class they are providing for those serving in developing countries.  Whether you want to make medical care part of your ministry, you just want to be able to help the occasional neighbor that knocks on your door (yes, that happens here), or you need to be able to care for your own family this course gives you a lot of tools.  I can't express how pleased I was with the course, how much more equipped I now feel and how thankful I am for the opportunity to go.  I probably know more about world diseases then I even wanted to and less than I need to, but it's a very good start.

It is called intensive for a reason, all day is spent absorbing information and all evenings were spent working on the case studies they gave us.  So, that explains the radio silence, I did not have much time to post or very good internet out in the hills of North Carolina.  The case studies gave us real to life examples of how to use the diagnostic skills they were teaching.  So interesting and sad to see how our fallen world effects people all around the world.  And you'll all be relieved to know I didn't "kill" any of my "patients". 

Our time here in La Chona will be drawing to an end before we know it.  The missionary family whose work this is, will be returning and it will be time for the Means family to stretch our wings and step out on our own.  The only problem is we have no idea where God wants us to go next.  We've had a vague thought since the beginning of this adventure that whatever our final destination, it would involve reaching out to some of the unreached indigenous groups in Mexico.  God providing and making a clear way for me to attend this course has been a small confirmation that we are thinking in the right direction.  

During the time I was in North Carolina, Sam and the kids stayed in Texas and took care of some business.  Sam sold our Toyota and completed his annual VA physical.  The next week they spent at Calvary Baptist Bible Ranch relaxing and shooting guns.  Few thing rival stress relief like gun shooin'.  Sam spent a lot of time that week talking to God about where we should go next, since it really is time to start thinking about it.  From my understanding the conversation went something like this.  Sam, "God, I really need to know where you want us to go next, Mexico is a very big country and I can't drive around and see all of it, but you know where the need is." God, "Uh-uh."  Sam, "Umm, God I would love to do whatever you want us to, could you just let me know where that is?" God, "Mmm."  Sam, "Hey God, me again, thank you for all that you do in our lives and allowing us to serve you in Mexico, but the time is getting a little close, so I would really like to know...." God, "Finish reading your Bible and go shoot guns with your kids, I'll get back to you later, it's all under control(said gently, of course)."  :)

Sam wasn't discouraged when he picked me up from the airport.  He was sure he had gotten an answer loud and clear - "sit tight!".  

I can't go into all the details, it's just too hard to understand how God works sometimes, but during all the commotion of getting packed and driving back down to Mexico, an extra day on the border to get some paperwork in order, God began to open our eyes to an area we knew about, but had never considered before.  Vamos a ver!  We shall see!

And just between you and me, I kinda think all the hollerin' was really unnecessary! ;)