The flight to South Africa was great.  If you were one who prayed for us - thank you!  Both Karen and I were able to sleep on the plane and we arrived in Joburg in reasonable shape, breezing thru immigration and customs.  Let me just enumerate the things I'm thankful for:

• I thank God for a relatively empty plane that afforded me the chance to grab three seats together to lay down on in row 42.
• We stayed overnight at a delightful bed and breakfast called the Lilly Pad, We had some delicious fish at a nearby restaurant (at half the price it would cost in America),
  We slept like rocks and woke up refreshed!
• We have enjoyed the beautiful South African weather,
• I went on a nine mile run this morning - felt great in the cool air,
• We enjoyed a liesurely breakfast,
• We lunched with our old friend Bert Watson,
• and now are getting ready to board our short flight to Nelspruitt where we'll rendezvous with our team at a retreat center on the banks of the Crocodile River.

There was an hour or so on the flight when I had a headache and couldn't think straight.  I began to think, "I'm too old to do this. I'm dehydrated and uncomfortable." But that dark moment passed as I drifted to sleep and awoke clear-headed and in my right mind.

To all of you who wrote a prayer for us to pass on to the widows and orphans of Swaziland in Friday's post about going through pain - THANK YOU.  What a wonderful outpouring of hope and love. I asked God for 100 prayers, and I see that there are well over 100! If you need a lift today, I invite you to go back and read them. I'll be sure to report back to you about how it goes when we pass them out and read them out loud in Nsoko, Swaziland.