Well, it's surprising to realize that we've passed our halfway point here. New experiences always seem to move quickly. We have kept busy; there are always needs to be met and small tasks to accomplish, and the pace of Kurdish culture makes it challenging to attain the efficiency we're accustomed to in the West. Those of you who have traveled to warm-climate cultures can relate, I'm sure! Since I wrote last, our team has visited the third camp, which is comprised of Yazidi families. The ladies hosted a medical clinic while the guys had tea with the elders of the village. When a previous team from our church was here in April, one of the elders had asked for a Bible. He had obviously been reading it, and we had a great time following up with him and learning more about the Yazidi religion. Like many Muslim men we've interacted with here, this man has a great deal of respect for Jesus as a holy man but is not yet convinced he is anything more. As I watch Tim and others with World Orphans interact with the refugees, however, I am struck by their balance between engaging them with gentleness and compassion in light of their circumstances, and displaying transparency that they are here because of Jesus. There is much more that I could say on this point but won't now in the interest of time. I know, though, that Tim and others will continue these conversations with this Yazidi man and others like him, and we pray that God will continue to reveal himself here in Soran. Saturdays are typically the day of rest here, and we were invited out to have a picnic in a country village. It was a very different atmosphere from the bustle of city life. If I'm able to get some pictures to you, you might be as surprised as I was at the beauty of the rugged landscapes we've found in Kurdistan. We arrived to an incredible spread of food and hospitality, as we have come to expect from the generous people here. Some of you have asked about the food here - we've eaten better than I could have imagined, and I've always found plenty that is safe for me. I'll close with a few prayer requests for the next few days. Thanks so much for your support in this way! - A couple of (unnamed) individuals who do not know Jesus and work closely with our hosts heard some very personal testimonies this week. Please pray that these seeds will find fertile ground in their lives. - Our team has passed the 1-week mark and, as often happens, had started to fight illness. I've come down with a pretty good head cold, as have a couple of others. I would be thankful for your prayers for strength and healing. - Continued cohesiveness and unity for our team as we serve together through tiredness in these last few days. Again, I'll try to get some pictures out from the last few days!