great story. wow August already. It has been an awesome summer but I was just thinking about being back in cs at the end of this month. I am so excited about getting back into the Word and fellowship with you guys.

Selfless

Gentlemen,

I am sorry that I have not kept you more updated this summer. I have less than a week left here in DC. I can hardly believe that I will be coming back to Texas soon! I have missed my boys, I truly have. I have been possibly the most reluctant intern the Pentagon has ever had, but the Lord has taught me much in my time here.

There is a story that I would like to share with you. It was a story that I walked past daily, paying little attention to it until just recently. You see, on the third floor on the 4th corridor there are several displays of winners of the medal of honor. There was a picture of one of the men, I saw him all time, everytime I went to the restroom, everytime I went to get the mail, get a drink, whatever. I saw his picture and imagined that I might know what kind of guy he was just by how he looked in his picture. One day, I read his citation. This is what I found, and I urge you, read this all the way through:

Medal of Honor citation

Michael A. Monsoor's Medal of Honor pictured with the Navy Special Warfare (SEAL) Trident.

"The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

MASTER AT ARMS SECOND CLASS, SEA, AIR and LAND
MICHAEL A. MONSOOR
UNITED STATES NAVY

For service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Automatic Weapons Gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM on 29 September 2006. As a member of a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army sniper overwatch element, tasked with providing early warning and stand-off protection from a rooftop in an insurgent-held sector of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Petty Officer Monsoor distinguished himself by his exceptional bravery in the face of grave danger. In the early morning, insurgents prepared to execute a coordinated attack by reconnoitering the area around the element's position. Element snipers thwarted the enemy's initial attempt by eliminating two insurgents. The enemy continued to assault the element, engaging them with a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. As enemy activity increased, Petty Officer Monsoor took position with his machine gun between two teammates on an outcropping of the roof. While the SEALs vigilantly watched for enemy activity, an insurgent threw a hand grenade from an unseen location, which bounced off Petty Officer Monsoor's chest and landed in front of him. Although only he could have escaped the blast, Petty Officer Monsoor chose instead to protect his teammates. Instantly and without regard for his own safety, he threw himself onto the grenade to absorb the force of the explosion with his body, saving the lives of his two teammates. By his undaunted courage, fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of certain death, Petty Officer Monsoor gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."^[9][10]

Phillipians 2:3. I hope I make this a habit, so that I am ready, in that moment. You cannot hesitate.

Sky Sky Sky Ranch Yo

David those verses are pro. I am inspired by just reading them. I really miss you guys in my life. I feel like you guys are a constant in my life in College Station. Never fail, every time I see you guys or hear from you, I am so encouraged.

Another camp story:

So one of our campers is absolutely and completely set on going into the military and being a translator at the age of 15. He has some kind of syndrome where he is really smart but can't communicate normally. He was my favorite kid in the cabin by far and I got really close to him. But for example:

I was in the cabin getting ready for the campers when he walked in with his all black military bdu gear, black berret, cut off gloves, and sunglasses. I was terrified and wondered why these awesome parents let their kid walk around like this. With in the first 30 minutes he convinced campers he brought grenades and would kill them in their sleep... yeah

His nick name is wookie because he is a big kid who lifts everyone off the ground when he hugs them. He did this to me average 12 times a day.

So one day, he signed up for the skeet shooting elective and we were suspose to take him there but miscommunicated on who had him. Apparently, he heard the shotguns shooting and decided he could find out where they were. He took off through the woods towards the gun shots. If you can imagine a 6'2 240 lb kid running through the forest in the same apparel as earlier. A girl counselor saw him tearing through the woods running towards the gun shots and thought we were being invaded navy seal style. She frantically calls a "Code I (intruder)" over the radio. "There is a big man dressed in all black camo running through the woods and I hear gun shots!!!"

Haha, everyone was like what???

The Sky Ranch Calvary jumped on their golf carts and zipped to the last sighting. Only to find my camper wandering through the woods looking for his activity.

Miss you boys.
My thoughts and prayers fall upon you often.

Lessons From Bolivia

Final Lessons and Thoughts from the Lord

Today is the 31st day I have been back from Bolivia. Each day I encounter a new challenge. Each day I am reminded of lessons taught by the Lord. Each day I struggle with being away from Cochabamba, Bolivia.

I cannot express how difficult the past month has been for me emotionally, mentally, and spititually. Constantly, I think of all the blessings from the Lord that went into the trip...Prayer, Donations, Monetary Support, Prayer, Love, Protection, Peace, Prayer just to name a few. I am humbled and in awe of the love of my brothers and the love of other family and friends, but most of all I am humbled by the Lord. No one else can provide like He can. No one else can love like He can. No one else can create like He can.

In this entry, I wanted to submit some of the lessons the Lord taught me while in Bolivia. I hope these will be as eye opening and life changing to you just as they were to me.

- The verse for our trip was 1 Peter 4:11. We started the trip thinking this verse would be the theme of our trip, and we would bring this verse to the people and children of Bolivia. Well, the process was the complete opposite. David and I learned more about the verse from the staff and children at the Bolivian Children's Mission than we could ever imagine. Funny how the Lord works.

- The people of Bolivia live life in the here and now. Yes, it is great to dream and I am a dreamer myself, but they don't fail to live in the present. It is all they have at the moment. They live life not wondering about tomorrow.

- Joyful Spirit. The Lord taught me so much about having the spirit and heart of a child. Though we may mature and grow older, it is important to maintain the joy and energy of a child. The children were amazing.

- Everyone in the mission served each other constantly. Of course, there was a fair share of orphan rivalry in the mission, but a servant's heart and love always won at the end of the day. Through dishes, chores, love, rides the Bolivian people served each other without fail.

- God will take care of you if you place FULL faith and hope in Him. This was so evident in many areas. The Moorhouses possessed a faith so deeply rooted in the Lord that they had no doubt He would provide for each of their NEEDS (not wants). The Lord took care of all our travel plans through the trip. The Lord took care of each need we possessed. The Lord knew what was going to happen before it ever did. Awesome thought of safety and provision!

- If all we have is the present, why not do all you can to live in a way that brings honor to the Lord.

- There are believers all over the world. Many live totally different walks of life, but they are all walking through life together. God has instruments for His glory everywhere.

- With creation as it is, the world has no excuse. God's majestic hand is glorious and never more obvious than at the peak of a 17,000 ft mountain.

- Don't seek more days in you life. Seek more life in your days.

- Peter (the father of the mission) said multiple comments throughout the trip that hit me pretty hard and taught me alot about faith and love and life. He said, "You know the story about the mustard seed in the Bible and how if you have the faith of a mustard seed, then you can move mountains. Now I am not moving any mountains, yet, but I am getting pretty close."

One afternoon, after as frustrating day of not really getting anything done with projects, Peter said, "If you get three things done in one day in Bolivia, it is a beautiful day. But, if you don't get three things done in one day in Bolivia, it is still a beautiful day." This just shows how they live their lives. Simple and without worry. We are so attached to our "to-do" lists in America.

- While David and I worked at the mission, the kids always wanted to watch what we were doing. It was like we had our own fan club for manual labor. Not only did they watch, but they took it to another level. Example...we were digging trenches for the septic field, and I was shoveling dirt out of the trench and dumping it in an adjacent pile. Well, Rene (9 year old boy) wanted to always help. He was literally holding the right side of the shovel while I held on the left side. Each time I dug, he dug with me...holding the same shovel. What a servant. A 9 year old boy helping dig trenches. That blew me away in itself. But, when any dirt dropped off the shovel as we made the movement from the trench to the pile, Rene would bend down and pick the dirt up with his hands! He never wanted me to fail. He never wanted me to be disappointed in my effort. How different would our lives look if we could adopt that mentality?? I love that kid. He taught me alot.

- I miss my 3 year old baby girl, Lily, alot. It has been very tough to look at pictures and think back on the experiences and time I spent with her. She is still the love of my life (besides my mom), and I hope I get to see her soon.

- Working at an orphanage was rough. We lived life with these kids for two straight weeks. All day. Everyday. We heard their horrible stories of abandonment, abuse, and torture. Please keep these children in your prayers.

Currently, I am in College Station waiting tables at Fish Daddys. It has been tough to go from a third world country to waiting tables, but the Lord has purpose every where. I need your prayers on the transition from Bolivia.

While I am not at work, I have alot of time to myself to be praying for my brothers. Know that I am praying for each of you all the time. I pray you continue to grow and fall deeper in love with Christ everday.

Update this thing whenever you get the chance. It is awesome to hear the stories and experiences of everyone.

May He be Glorified,

Carson

Gentleman...

I love and miss you all. I cannot say thank you enough for the blessings you are to me. I anxiously await the day I will see you all again soon. Praying for you guys as you traverse the world, the country, and our state. May the Lord be with you all.

"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: ²Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ⁵But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5.

-David "too old to be in the bible study anymore" Marvin

I love you all, may the Lord keep you and bring us back to one another if it be his will. You are in my prayers

This aint your grandmas ratpack

Not much to report from the rv estero llano grande state park. I second the request for situation updates from the travelers domestic and abroad. I do not have any crazy stories to tell. I am just having an awesome time enjoying God's creations. Besides around 40 different species of birds i see daily i also run into gators and bobcats fequently. The only problem is sleeping because i have monstrous rats that live in the walls and roof of my rv. can't wait to hear more stories.

I want to know how my boys are doing...

So I will be honest, I am cool with not writing on the blog. BUT I am not cool with YOU not writing on the blog... I want to know how Camp Ozark is, did you guys find jobs in Jackson Hole? How is the trailer in the middle of no where? How are my boys doing back in C-Stat?

Write on this Blog... it is essential to my summer.

Story...

So I'm walking down the road to my cabin and Chase Jones (going to be a sophomore at A&M), looking very flustered and out of breath, stops me and asks: "Uh, do you remember where they told us in staff training to find the red bag for uh... accidents?"
I didn't really know what he was getting at, he had a 15 year old or so camper with him with a sheepish grin on his face. I told him I had no idea. So he asked if I could radio the health center and ask.
I said sure. "Health center are you on the radio?"
"This is the heath center go ahead"
"Uh do you know where we can find the red bags for uh, accidents?"
"They should be in your cabin in the check in box"
" 10 4"
Chase thanked me and ran off with his camper.

Later I heard the full story.

Cheese crispitos were for dinner that night along with rice and beans (another one of the sky ranch delicacies). His camper decided he needed a full plate of those sky ranch beans. Not too long later at lodge (the formal worship and talk time), his tummy was a rumbling. This brilliant 15 year old couldn't hold it so he ran over to canoe beach just out of sight and squatted behind a canoe.

It went everywhere... grass... canoe... pants

The camper gets Chase's attention and shows him the destruction. Chase couldn't believe it, and just like all of us over trained counselors he remembered the hazardous human waste bag they talked about in staff training. This is where I came into the story.

After he got the crucial information from me, he took his camper back to the cabin, apparently it wasn't all over yet... Chase had to help this overweight 15 year old take his poopy pants off and he hopped back on the toilet somehow managing to get it all over the toilet... stall... and himself.

Chase said the smell was almost unbearable, and if that wasn't bad enough... he had to srub it all up!

Later that night Chase's cabin was having a deck party with their sister cabin. He suddenly smelled that horrible stench and began to wonder if he had somehow missed cleaning some of it... or even worse, was it on him??? Searching frantically, Chase looked up into the same 15 year campers eyes... He had farted on Chase.