Surely the Sailboat

Well after Irene she was a problem: torn jib, destroyed selffurling, halyards and shrouds broken or loosened. Yesterday Sept 28, 2011 I gave her to Eugene at Tidewater Marine; I enjoyed piddling on her but took her out just maybe 12 times over the 13 years. Try to put in a pic or 2.
Well about a year later, mid October 2012, I could not believe it: she lay at Tide Water, moored at a broken down doc, had 6-8 inches of water in the cabin, and was a mess. So maybe the saga continues--

My PTSD 1985-1995

I will just introduce this topic. My friend JJ has suffered from PTSD ever since his days in Vietnam and has written 2 books about it. Mine cannot compare with his and did not occurr in a war torn country but in the medical arena.

2 weeks ago I shredded 6 large full boxes of all that crap, the hearings, the proceedings, the horrible suspensions, the unbelievable loss of constitutional rights, the humiliation, the stress, the terrible toll on my mind, body and soul. and yet it was so bad that I cannot believe that I lived through it. A person of less strenght and faith could not have made it I think now. The problem has been that it was so bad that no one could, would or will believe what happened between 1985 to 1995. But you know what: it has made me a stronger person knowing that I did live through it; that fact in itself gives me strength; if I dwell on the dark side that leads to depression and regret; knowing that my efforts did bring changes for the well being of children in this community gives me the upside; the suffering I endured makes it-- for lack of a better word--worthwhile. Jesus suffered so much more, that I cannot imagine. I can always look to Him for comfort and what He holds for me at the end here and the beginning in His Kingdom.

Missions: Thank you, Lord

Here's a list of the missions over the years; thot I'd better go ahead w these b4 the memory goes--unless designated they are with NCBaptist Men

Haiti: 1964 Limbe with Hodge's, 1966 Limbe with Shirley, with Hodge's;
2010, Feb Earthquake

Truk/Micronesia: 1971-73 work and mission with Shirley; 1987 Hurricane relief with son, Jonathan; 2003 brief visit mission way back from Vietnam

Byloruss: June 1994 w Sam Owen, Joyce, Nancy, and several others from New South River Assoc

Vietnam: 1997, 98, 99, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 with Cambodia, all with ECR Bruce Harless; Jay Currin 99, 2003, and John Fox 2001, 2007 accompanied

Honduras, Albaren, few weeks after Hurricane Mitch: Nov 1998

Macedonia: June 1999 with son, Chris; Albanian Moslem refugees

South Africa, Mebapana, building church: June 2000

Iraq, Basra: May, 2003 with Operation Blessing 700 Club w Steve Logue, Mark Miller

Lebanon: Sept-Oct 2006; after Israeli/Hazballa War, working w Christians and Moslems

Samoa (Western): March 2010 with Aloha Medical Mission, after Tsunami

Disaster responses in country, all w NCBaptistMen: Hurricane Andrew 1992 with Jimmy Grant, Hurricane Floyd/Dennis 1999, Hurricane Isabel 2002?, Hurricane Katrina 2005, Tornado Mayodan 1996, Tornado Riggelwood 2007?, Tornado Lee/Cumberland April 2011, Hurricane Irene August 2011 New Bern, NC, Huricane Sandy New Jersy Nov 2012-see new blog/email Nov 14/2012

Other: Miami with Love 2006?,
London Innercity with 2002 with Operation IAM, then Coventry, England International Choir Festival led by Larry Dickens;
Czech Republic Bruno Gloria Ginn 2005,  then Internat Choir Fest Bern, Switz, all with Shirley;

Kauai, Hawaii: June 2008 VBS w Snyder group

Israel: May 2011 with Shirley and Campbell Div School

Mexico, Colonia with Mission Ministries with Hawaii/Colorado group-April 2012

Africa, Kenya with MOHI (Mission of Hope International) w Lisa Orr, then South Africa with Becky Young, Raleigh w Mebapana Orphanage all August 213

Philippines, Taclaban, Tyhoon Ylonda Dec 11-26, 2013 w NCBaptist Men&Women, led by Paul Langston