What an afternoon yesterday was around the Thornton house! Our oldest daughter, Rosie, was doing her final packing for her mission trip to Haiti and we were preparing to get in the car to drive to Baltimore for her to join her mission team. Meanwhile my wife was online looking for information from an airline and searching for some Creole phrases, the language in Haiti, that Rosie could know for simple conversation.

In the process, my wife came across news of a Travel Warning issued April 30, 2008, that had been issued by the United States Department of State. It advised Americans to defer non-essential travel to Haiti until further notice because the conditions that led to civil unrest a month ago had not been entirely resolved. She showed me the information online and I read it all several times. Fourteen kidnappings of Americans so far this year marked by deaths, brutal physical and sexual assault, and shooting of Americans. It read that there is a limited capability of local law enforcement to resolve kidnapping cases and the operations of emergency services by the United States embassy in Haiti are occasionally limited by demonstrations and violence.

So there we were ready to send our daughter off to Haiti with high expectations of a great time of ministry and we find out this information.

It was pretty scary stuff so after reading it over several times I called the U.S. State Department about it. They told me that the Travel Warning was definitely in effect. So I gave Rosie the information and after she read it and we talked I said that it was her decision to make as to whether to go or not. She is an adult, 20 years old, and had decided to take the trip so it was her decision to cancel or not. Inside I was definitely wanting to tell her "DON'T GO!" but I tried to stay calm as she thought about it. Finally I said something like, "If you can't decide I'll tell you what to do" and she immediately said, "I'm not going." I was glad she decided on her own and that she had decided to listen to the warning of the U.S. Government.

A lot of tears were shed around the house (mine seemed to stay inside but I was just as fearful) and we were all glad she was staying home. We know that there are times when God calls you into a dangerous situation but Rosie prayed and decided this was a time to stay home. Lots of prayers this next week for the group that went, as far as we know, and we wish them the best. We just had to deal with the information we had even if it was at the last moment.

So even though money had been raised for the trip it was deemed best to think about safety first. It's a decision we can live with.

This past weekend Spirit Force, a drama ministry from Messiah College, shared a musical drama at all three of our worship services at Friendship Community Church. It was something to not only watch it but to see and hear the responses of people who were in the audience.

The drama was all about grace. Of course grace only means something if you have lived without it, as the husband/father/alcoholic did. The stresses he put on his family were so real that the rawness of it was felt by many, and had been experienced by at least some present. To say the least, the presentation was a grabber that reached in and pulled out emotion from the viewer even if you hadn't experienced all that family trauma yourself. I'm thinking that's because all of us have experienced some distance from God and difficulties with people at some time in our lives, or at least known others who would admit to that.

At each of the performaces I put visual images from the computer onto the screen and ran the lights for the various blackouts for scene changes. But even though I was "busy," I was still moved by the drama. It drew me in.

Still, it was nice tonight to hook the camcorder up to the TV and watch the complete presentation and just be able to concentrate on it. Once again I saw how meaningful drama and music can touch me in a way that a sermon cannot. Sermons are important, there is much to learn, but story and song get past our defenses and make us feel even when we weren't planning on it. Of course a total worship service usually involves story, song, and message...but sometimes it is good to be touched by a different method.

I'm thankful for the wonderful college students who make up Spirit Force (and yes I am a proud parent of one of them, my daughter Rosie) and most of all the grace of God that gives us a reason to live even if life takes a difficult turn.

So many of us want to help others, do help some, but want to do more. Sometimes the cost seems to be too high. Watch this clip to be reminded of how what we do can make a difference, and yet there is more to do, more people to help.

This week I had the opportunity to see someone that I have been mentoring for five years achieve quite an accomplishment. Tracey Utermahlen--busy wife, mom, grandmother, full-time employee, volunteer...and now ordained Pastor (and really so much busier than even all of this). What a joy to see her stand in front of the hundreds attending the ordination service and receive her ordination certificate and her new Bible, her authority for ministry.

For five years she has taken classes through Winebrenner Seminary and served faithfully as a volunteer at Friendship Community Church. Just last year she became a licensed Pastor and came on board the church staff officially. Tracey is quite the fun person and is so gifted and caring.

Congratulations Tracey! And to all the rest of us, let's join Tracey in serving God and sharing Jesus in exceptional and ordinary ways.

The picture is of Tracey and her husband Greg on their wedding day a little over four years ago. Blessings on you both as you step out in new ways serving Jesus.