On to things with more value

So I did enjoy watching the preliminaries and about 2 hours of the Daytona 500 yesterday. But I didn't watch the finish (and considering where Jeff Gordon ended up I am glad I didn't). I would have had to be up until after midnight to see the whole thing and there is just too much going on this week to do that. It is just entertainment after all and there are things of eternal significance that need attention. It was a nice little break though.

Next week we are hosting a conference for our partners around the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. We also have several colleagues joining us from the US. One couple arrived this past Friday for their first visit to Africa. They came early to get in some sight seeing before the conference. There is so much to do here that even in the two weeks they will be here they have really had to prioritize what they want to see and do. We will do the "usual" visitor things which include going to Kakum National Park to do the canopy walk, see Elmina slave castle and get at least a few hours at the beach. Then they have a few specific things that they want to do. In the middle of this we are trying to finish organizing the rest of the accommodations, visas and flight schedules for those attending the meeting. I don't anticipate that I will be doing any sight seeing with Kevin and Dayna as there is still plenty to do and I expect many last minute things to come up. In the midst of the work though there is an excitement as so far we have confirmation of attending the conference from every partner in SSA except one. And it will be neat to spend time with our friends and co-workers from HCJB who are coming in for the meetings.

I am happy to say that Eva is doing better. Although she has a slow road of gaining her strength back, the infection and fever are gone. It was determined that she did not have typhoid fever but instead had malaria and also a severe infection. Actually the doctor said that she was very close to septic shock and that is not good at all. We thank the Lord for protecting her in Liberia and for her not getting really sick until she was home where she could receive good care and attention.