Sunset on Torch Lake

Every summer the Hanson crew heads up toTorch Lake in Central Lake, MI for a week of family camp at Hayo-Went-Ha YMCA camp.  It's fun to hang with the fam and enjoy a lake that a) looks aqua blue like the carribean b) has no seaweed c) no humidity and d) best of all, no mosquitoes!

I realize that I probably won't be home for the next two years of family camp because I'll be in Congo, so I particularly enjoyed sailing, swimming and hanging out with everyone this year.

One of the best parts of camp is watching the sunset out on the point.  I remembered my camera one of these beautiful nights.

Honduras

I've had a rather wild itinerary this summer, and a last minute trip to Honduras was part of my most recent adventures.  My Aunt Pamela has been a missionary in the capital city, Tegucigalpa for the past 6 years, and this was my first oppotunity to see her second home and meet many of her friends and ministry partners.



This is one of the churches that Pamela's ministry partner helped to plant in a rough neighborhood of Tegucigalpa.  Their church walls are made of tarp and old metal sheeting.  A beautiful house of God.



I'm sorry that this picture is sideways, but I had to include a picture of Pam and her namesake, Pamelita.  This little girl was named after Pamela because of her witness to this community of people.  Pretty sweet if you ask me.

And this is the church with Pastor Francisco standing to the far left in a white shirt.  These are the people that have adopted Pam into their church family.  It really was a blessing to see this authentic community worshipping with what they had and investing time and care into one another.

The preschool that Pam is on the board for.  Single moms often don't have affordable and decent daycare and schooling options for their little ones, but Casa de Luz is meeting that need.

Dancing with the kiddos to some kind of cowboy song!  Of course, I had to join in.

Learned to crochet this week too! Here is Patricia showing off my first hat and one that Pamela did.  Can you tell which one is mine?  Don't answer that.

Pam teaching in Spanish at the deaf school in Tegucigalpa.  I was so impressed by her teaching abilities, and it was clear that God was present in her teaching.  She had some great response from this material, and has been asked back to continue this seminar on understanding the impact of God harnessing our thoughts before they turn into emotions and reactions.  This was a great time of learning about life and ministry in Honduras, and a great time to hang out with my Auntie!  I am so thankful for the time we were able to share together.

Vancouver, BC

I had a wonderful time in beautiful Vancouver for my CHE (Community Health Evangelism) Training.  BC is just as beautiful as everyone says, plus there is much more British culture than I expected! It was sort like travelling to Europe without having to leave the continent.  This was my training group - we had representatives from Canada, the States, Indonesia, Cambodia, South Korea and Wales.  It is always a blessing to learn and grow with others who share my heart for justice and international work.  I am very excited about the CHE model of community development and look forward to implementing the tools I learned in the not-too-distant future.  The model is centered on partnership, empowerment and sustainability in developing world communities.



This is the longest wooden tressel in the British Commonwealth, and was just recently built.  This was right down the road from our training, so we went to the opening ceremony.  We were a very international group, and some locals thought that we had travelled there because we were avid tressel lovers.  I never knew bridges could be such a big deal.  Sorry to disappoint, Vancouverites.



Our training was on Vancouver Island, so I had take a ferry from the city.  It was stunning! I couldn't believe that people sat below deck and missed the awesome view!  Some days you can see orca whales on this ride, but I didn't have that privelege.  Pictures don't do this scenery justice, you have to experience it in person.

It was great to see Keela,  my dear friend and former roommate in Kenya while I was in Vancouver.  We visited this fishing village with a modern art sculpture on the ocean front, and also took a cruise on Indian Arm, and hiked the Grouse Grind (it was tougher than I thought!).  It was a great week of learning, good friends and beautiful creation everywhere I looked.