Our team witnessed extreme devastation and yet experienced immense joy as we took part in the great work that the Lord is doing through the NC Baptist Men who have had 10,000+ volunteers to join them in Gulfport, MS since the hurricane in the restoration of homes and hearts. We marvel at the great organization they had in hosting volunteers--providing not only housing and incredible southern cooking, but also healthcare, laundry, and even child care!! The Baptist Men will be there for about 2 more years to rebuild so contact them for opportunities to serve @ 1800-395-5102 or http://www.ncmissions.org/Index.aspx?pg=Projects/Project%20Details&id=1070

Below are some excerpts from emails i sent home from Sri Lanka ... the word serendipity was coined from this island and rightfully so--with its discovery, Marco Polo described Ceylon as 'undoubtedly the finest island of its size in all the world'. the island's beauty, with endless white sandy beaches and coral reefs to the hill country with spectacular lush green mountains and breathtaking waterfalls everywhere your eyes set, allures tourists from Europe, Australia, the Far East, and occasionally from the distant U.S. But what the tourists often miss is even a greater beauty, that of the people here; the chance to interact with them and catch glimpses of their hearts' beauty and become completely captured...So when it comes to leaving Sri Lanka, I am not really sure what my heart is saying...i am glad there is One who knows my heart better than me. ..I anticipate the day of reuniting with family and friends at home and yet a longing for the days to pass slower intensifies; i catch myself finding ways to seize the moment and to somehow lengthen my time in this land. And when i realize that time stubbornly refuses to slow down and soon I have to leave this land and the precious people I've come to know and love in just a matter of months, a deep and seemingly indelible ache rises within me...

For various reasons, over a million of Vietnamese were forced to find refuge in Cambodia within the past few decades. Poverty-stricken in a foreign land and yet unable to return to their homes in Vietnam, many struggle to find hope as they settle in Cambodia. Though pale in comparison, these photos somewhat depict the realities of life for the Vietnamese refugees. For more information or ways to minister to these Vietnamese refugees or serve in other countries on this site, contact the International Mission Board at 1-800-999-3113 or visit www.imb.org