Sabbath at Rialto and afternoon hike

Forest Falls Sabbath Hike

Adopt a Kid Christmas Party

Off to Bangladesh

I would like to request prayer for a Mission Trip that I'm departing on tomorrow. We will be gone through the 23rd of September. Included in our group, we have a medical team, dental team, and a message therapist. We will be working in the city of Dinajpur, in Northern Bangladesh, near Rangpur, at the Seventh Day Adventist Church. We will be working intense hours: 8-10 hours of health care along with nightly health meetings for the locals. Our leader told us that our "leisure time" on the trip is our 6 hour layover in Hong Kong. We will be without luxuries such as toilets, showers, and risk being without power. Pray that our generator doesn't die so that we can complete the work that needs to be done. A lot of our dental equipment requires power to run.

Bangladesh is an extremely poor country. I was recently told that it is the poorest country in the world. There is a lot of need there. It is primarily a Muslim country. We have been instructed to hold off on talking openly to people about Jesus - at least for the first couple days. Then we are allowed to pray with them, without use of the name Jesus. Please pray that we can share the love and message of Christ to those around us, even if only by our actions.

Our contact in Bangladesh requested that we collect children's stories to give to the people there (not fairy tales...Bible stories or Christian Values stories). If you have a good story please send it to me and I will do my best to get it to them. E-mail: eabston@llu.edu (send stories here). I want to request prayers for the safety and success of our team. Disease is at a higher risk due to the recent flooding and there has been some political unrest in the country as of late (this has died down a little fortunately). Thank you for your support and I look forward to letting you know about the trip. I know that it would be ideal for me to make a video, but I will be very busy working and don't know if I will be able to get very much video. I will see what can be done though.

New Blog: Hold On To Christ

While this blog is dedicated to my fun times and adventures, I started a new blog dedicated to my spiritual journey and discoveries. If you are interested in that, I added a link on my page. Or you can get to it by clicking here:

http://holdontochrist.blogspot.com

Enjoy! I need to go now...late for getting ready for school! So much for that last minute homework!

Birthday Blessings

I have been blessed with many wonderful people in my life. I don't think about my blessings as often as I should. However, we discussed the blessings in our lives Friday night for vespers. When asked to say how I've been blessed this past week, I couldn't come up with only one! I'm blessed with a plethora of blessings.

First of all, to God, my loving Savior, who has given my all that I am about to say (and more). To my loving parents who care about how I am doing, who raised me in a Christian home to love and have a relationship with Christ and depend on Him for all my needs, a sister and brother in law who love me dearly, an incredible extended family who supports me in my decisions and loves me even when I miss family events for my many traveling adventures (sorry fam!). Thanks Auntie Maws and Uncle Bob for the birthday money. Money is something that is hard to come by these days (you probably know that from Kelly being here at school). Grandpa and Grandma Kanen: Thank you also for the birthday money. It was the perfect amount for me to be able to sign up for a spiritual retreat at Pine Springs Ranch that I was wanting to go to. Lindsey and Jimmy: I know you sent something my way that I haven't received, but thank you for it! I'm sure it's wonderful. Mom and Dad: Thank you for whatever you mailed as well. I'm sure I'll get it Monday!

I'm blessed with my old friends who have stuck by me for years and years, through thick and thin. Thanks for the call and birthday song on my voice mail Billy. I still need to call you back, but just know it meant a lot to me. You're an awesome friend. Lelle, I haven't forgotten the gift you gave me for my birthday, even though it was early. Thanks for helping treat me to the colours experience. I still need you though! I'm not all that good at it! Thank you for the love you sent over from you and the rest of your family. I love all of you and feel so blessed to know each one of you. You truly feel like family to me. Stephanie: I know you were out of town and unable to celebrate with me. I'm planning on cashing in on that free burger at Red Robin with you. The problem is that I never signed up, so it's more like a free burger for you and I'll just hold my own. :) But that doesn't matter because I'll have your company. I miss you and can't wait for you to come home. Don't leave for Portland ok? Just stay at LLU!!!

I've been richly blessed with an abundance of new friends at Loma Linda. I came hardly knowing anyone and have come out with some friendships that have potential to be lifelong. Valerie: you were the first to call me on my birthday! It was the perfect start to a great day. I miss you being at Loma Linda. Kim and Tori: Breakfast in bed was awesome. I didn't expect such a wonderful and incredible surprise! I miss being your neighbor and I have every intention to visit often. The two of you have been incredible friends. You have been the kind of friend I can have a ton of fun with, but can also talk with when I've had a rough day. I love both of you very much. I want to thank you for the globe. Kim, you never had a dull moment wrapping a gift. The map wrapping was amazing-and perfect-considering the gifts. Tori-I nearly squealed with childish excitement when I opened my door to see my room filled with balloons and a gift. I love the lantern and will put it up as soon as I get to target to get the appropriate hooks, etc to do so! Sarah-Jane: You are a positive and fun-loving friend. You have already impacted my life in many ways (impact in a positive sense, not the dental sense which usually requires a lot of pain and surgery). You truly are a beacon shining Christs light to others. I want to thank you for the beautiful flowers you gave me for my birthday, the sugar-free Trader Joe's fruit things (don't know the official name, but they were good!), and for my birthday lunch. You have gone way beyond any expectations in my mind and I hope I can do the same for you someday! Charis: Thank you for the card. You are a good friend. I'm really excited that you were able to join our trip to Bangladesh! Chelsea: Thank you for the card and JAMBA gift certificate. I LOVE JAMBA! And what you said in the card was very special. Thank you.

To everyone else who wished me a happy birthday: I haven't forgotten you and have each of you imprinted in my mind. You all are very dear to me.



In case you're wondering what Tori and I are doing, I will explain. Since I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast in bed, I was a little behind on getting ready for class. Not only that, but Kim and Tori insisted that I dress cute for class since it was my birthday. So they helped me get ready. Tori did my hair for me while I put on my makeup. Thanks girls!

Birthday Lunch

Sarah-Jane invited me to have lunch with her. After she got home from class I picked her and one of her friends, Dale, up from her house. Upon arrival to the Indian Buffet I was greeted by many of my beloved friends. Sitting at a table in the back room was Ryan Waring, Carah, Jenelle, Aaron Marson, and John (a new friend that I met at the lunch who is a friend of SJ). It was awesome!

Golden Spoon

Sarah-Jane had the privaledge of experiencing Golden Spoon for the first time. Her life will never be the same. I know mine isn't. I love Golden Spoon!

Camping at Big Bear

I had the opportunity to go camping at Big Bear. It was amazing to get away from the hot Loma Linda air and into God's nature. It was a lot of fun and I made some great new friends. Details later...if I have time. Enjoy the pics.

My new room!

Steph's Birthday

Stephanie had a birthday dinner before she left for Oregon and Canada. We ate at a delicious Italian Restaurant with her family. Good times.