Peope, people, everywhere

I'm thankful that God has arranged a little time for reflection before we fly to Ethiopia. As Becca mentioned below, we are currently in Washington DC and will be departing for Addis Ababa tomorrow evening. We arrived at the hotel via shuttle with our quarter ton of luggage so we aren't going anywhere except back to the airport tomorrow afternoon. Perfect!

It has been a long time of goodbye's. God has blessed us with so many wonderful people that it takes a long time to say goodbye to only a fraction of them! Wonderful parents who raised us and taught us to be the people we are today (Mom, JD, Dad, Kim, Patty and Steve, I'm going to miss you all big-time). Amazing grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Close and endearing friends (today I talked with a very dear friend, Chad, a surgeon in Dallas). They are all over the world. Due to our layover here we had the opportunity to spend an evening with one of my long-lost and much-admired uncles, Uncle Dan. He lives here in Washington and works for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He's a brilliant lawyer, one of the smartest people I know. The congressmen may talk about their laws, but Dan is the one who writes them. I haven't seen him in over 10 years and, thanks to this trip, we had a great dinner and I got to show off my wife and son.

It makes me think of all the places God is putting people. I recently talked with an old roommate and friend from college who is leaving for the mission field in Angola as a church leader and pastoral educator. As we talked, we realized that three of the seven of us guys who shared a suite in college will be living in Africa! In addition to the two of us, our other friend is working for the US government in Nairobi, Kenya. One of my best friends from medical school is living and working at a mission hospital in Cameroon as a family practice and obstetrics doctor. My sister-in-law and her husband, two people dear to my heart, will be leaving for the mission field around December this year to work with Wycliffe Bible translators, likely in west Asia.

For an introvert who has often struggled with people skills, God has put a lot of awesome people in my life! I realize I'm kind of rambling, but it's late and I've had about seven hours of sleep in the last 72 hours. I say all that to say this: it's people that really matter. I thank God for the people I've met and known. I'm going to miss all you people, but it's for people that we're going. I'm also excited about the new people we will meet and befriend. Looking forward to sharing them with you.

Paul

Half Way There...

Well, we are in Washington DC and although it is not technically half way to Ethiopia, we are very thankful we have made it this far without any hassles. In fact, at 4am this morning in the Houston airport we had the nicest ticket agent. She was such a hidden blessing. We were afraid they would give us a hard time about having 7 huge bags, but she was so friendly and helpful and even let us board early with Nathan. Now we just have one more flight from DC, USA to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is a direct flight with just a stop in Rome to refuel, but we won't get off the plane.

We leave DC at 8:30 eastern time Monday and should arrive in Addis in the evening on Tuesday. Which will be around midday central time. We hope to be able to blog from Ethiopia in a few days, to let you know we made it safe and sound...

to 4 years of Marriage!

Happy Anniversary! It has been a great 4 years of marriage. Before we left Dallas we took a few pictures at some of the places where we have great memories in Dallas. Unfortunatly, 2 of our favorite Dallas restaraunts have burned down and the place we went for our first date is closed down. (You can see pictures of the hole-in-the-wall "Ben's Half Yard House" above.) Also, featured is the place we got married and our first apartment, (which is also where we first met on a blind date...at that exact door step). "Awwww, how romantic..."

After 4 years, we have a son and a new country and now we finally feel like we can "settle down."

Some cute pictures

We won't be able to download large pictures once we get to Ethiopia due to having dial-up internet connection. So we thought we would upload these recent pictures. My dad took these pictures of our little cutie.

Recent Newsletter

Below is an informational about us that was featured in the recent PAACS newsletter:

PAUL AND REBECCA GRAY JOIN THE PAACS TEAM AT SODDO

Next month, Paul and Becca Gray will leave their home in Texas to travel to Soddo, Ethiopia, where Paul will become the new Program Director.

Paul wrote recently: “I first felt God's tug into medical missions during a college mission trip to a hospital in central India. Over the next several years God confirmed this as I finished college and attended medical school at the University of Louisville.

“I first learned of PAACS in a lecture given by Dr. Dave Thompson at the Global Missions Health Conference at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville during my second year of medical school. I was drawn to the idea of training others to multiply what a single missionary surgeon could do during his entire career. Furthermore, this was in keeping with Christ's example. While He ministered to a tremendous number of people in His lifetime, He mainly poured Himself into twelve men who carried on after He left.

“Following medical school, I attended a general surgical residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. There I met and married my wife, Rebecca. During my third year of residency, I contacted PAACS by email and subsequently spent the month of May, 2007 at Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, working with Dave Thompson and his residents. This was a definite confirmation of God's plan to us. After asking where we might best contribute, Dave and Bruce Steffes suggested that we prayerfully consider Soddo Christian Hospital in Ethiopia.

“During our prayer and research about Ethiopia, we were visited by both the Andersons and the Adolphs. Once again, we felt confirmed in our decision. God directed to Global Outreach International as a sending agency, and after being accepted as missionaries we set about raising support.

“After graduating from residency in June, 2007, I worked for one year as a trauma/critical care surgeon at Baylor while raising support. At this point, we have liquidated life here in the USA and are excitedly anticipating the transition to a missionary life that is ten years in the making.

“We feel like we’re now on that part on a roller coaster ride where you are strapped in and chunking up the slope to the first drop. You have a dry mouth as you eyeball the height, but there's no turning back! We are confident in the Lord, though, and ready to trust in His grace and provision. The challenges that await us at Soddo are more than daunting, but we’re eager to get at it. May God be praised!”

Who loves Baby?

We have a book called "Who loves Baby" and several people have tried to read it to Nathan only to find the sad conclusion that no one is in the book. It is a book you have to put pictures into, so we have been taking pictures of Nathan with family and friends to be able to fill his book, with people who love him.

to Andrew Wayne, "In the palm of His hand"

"Today is a day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

I always hear this phrase in the morning, when I don't yet know what that day holds. But what about yesterday? Yesterday, was a day the Lord had made as well, even when yesterday was blanketed with pain.

Yesterday was a day the Lord had made... Let me tell you about a few things that happened yesterday, July 22, 2008. Three of our close friends had babies yesterday. But July 22nd was not only filled with the joy of our friends and their families.

Yesterday...
Mary Margaret was born to Mary Evelyn and Dan Fore in Memphis, Tennessee
Caden was born to Jen and Jeff Richardson in Austin, Texas
and
Andrew Wayne was born to Brooke and Scott Holliday in Houston, Texas.

Shortly after Andrew was born, he died. I do not know all of the details, but I do know that there are many family members and friends who are grieving for this small life. Many people who are feeling the pain of losing such an innocent soul. We don't always know why the Lord chooses such painful situations and I don't pretend to know here. I am just a mother grieving for another mother.

to Andrew Wayne Holliday: I know you were such a special blessing to your parents and your sister. Although you knew this world for a short time, the love and prayers that surrounded you were abundant. The way your mom and dad prayed for you even before you were created was so gracious. You have traveled to so many places and have been to parts of the world that other American children will only hear about. You have a bond with your mother that only a mother can know. You brought so much joy to your parents as you grew and as you kicked around. You are such a special boy and although I never knew you, you have made me remember how big our God is. How God is so powerful and so mighty that he can love us and forgive us. That He can grant us the kind of grace and love that is even more powerful than a parents love. Andrew, in the midst of the pain and longing I feel, you have made me reflect on how God has all of us in the palm of His hand. And there is no other place I would rather be.

As we rejoice in the Lord for these new lives we rejoice Him for our own. As Paul and I are 12 days from moving to Ethiopia with Nathan, we have to realize that no matter where we go we are not in control, but we are in the palm of God's hand.

Please pray for my friends Brooke and Scott during this time. And may we pray for all parents who have dealt with the loss of a child. Earlier this week I was reading a mother's blog who recently lost a daughter after 2 short hours of life. Please pray for her as well (Her blog is here).

Lord, my prayers to you are such a small offering of love for those who are hurting. I pray tonight for Brooke and for Scott and how they must be on their knees, filled with sorrow. I pray that you would give them glimpses of your peace and comfort. And that you would help them through this day and then through tomorrow and then the next. Amen.

love, Becca