Heading to Iraq!

Hi everyone,

Well, it's official now and the plane tickets are being ordered as I write.
I depart Monday the 18th for two weeks in Toronto to watch the CPT office
there and be the support person for the Grassy Narrows project while the
Canada director is away, then I depart to Iraq on Sept. 2nd. I'll be in
Iraq until Christmas, when I'll travel to Palestine and try to visit as many
of my friends there as possible. That puts me back here in the US around
January 2.

So, I get to do a final week's worth of packing, sewing some last-minute
Iraq-suitable summer clothes (long-sleeved, dressy, and lightweight),
contacting media friends, wrapping up things here and saying good-byes. I'm
glad I'll make it to the family reunion the day before I ship out. I am
glad to be heading to Toronto first--it makes packing easier and Toronto is
a fun city as well as home to several good friends.

I started writing a longer reflection on some of the amazing and inspiring
things I saw happening within churches I visited this summer. While in
Michigan last week, for example, I got to see what a real "mission-minded"
congregation and synod looked like. Wow! So I'm working on that to send to
you all later. A large part of me wants to stay here and get more things
organized, but after three months away, I really miss the field. Next year,
in seminary, some of those big ideas will evolve into reality. I've got a
heck of a long 'wish list' these days...

peace,

Le Anne