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Juanita has given me permission to use part of her Christmas Letter.
International experiences and responsibilities have again been added this year. January '98 brought my International Federation for Home Economics Executive Committee Meeting in Paris that included a wonderful side trip with cousin Helen (from Alabama) to my sister Lois and Jan's house in Ederveen, the Netherlands. Three years of work with the IFHE Structure Committee to establish an IFHE-US organization has been approved and is awaiting final details. The outcome of the first election of the organization will give me the challenge of being the first president of the IFHE-US. We will have a great deal to accomplish but I'll have some wonderful helpers! In July, the IFHE Council and pre and post conferences were held in (and around) Puerto Rico. The post conference included a cruise to five Caribbean Island and included meeting with a number of island home economists. George joined the group for the cruise. The BIG international event this year was to travel to CHINA in October, leading the People to People Citizen Ambassador Delegation of nineteen Family and Consumer Science professionals from across the US. We met with counterpart professionals in Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing, Suzliou, and Shanghai as well as seeing many great and historic sights in and around the huge cities. The 1.2 billion population and the "vastness" of China are almost incomprehensible. It was obvious to all of us that we hold some stereotypes about China that just aren't true. We were impressed by the rapid change and modernization in so many areas: super highways, businesses recognizable worldwide, many tall and some grand buildings, mammoth apartments, parks, monuments and green areas. Technology in some schools was amazing. The paramount value of education was evident. Of course there are many challenges yet to be met but what country doesn't have them? Occupying another segment of my time and effort is the Kenbaw County Teen Health Promotion Coalition. We are gearing up to make a much more concerted effort to reduce the risky choices adolescents take. As Executive Director, it will be necessary to put the final touches on a grant application. We expect that it will give us funds to train area teachers and do a lot more programming in the Community. I've spent a lot of time doing programs in the school and community this year. We could use a prayer or two for this effort as the challenges are truly great! IBSS (Integrated Business Systems and Services) has become a "public" company this year. George is finishing the software development and beginning the first install of the complete product. Several other large companies are waiting to see how this install goes before making major commitments. The new year will show how the product sells. In the meantime, he is spending a lot of his time out of town at the plant site about 250 miles form Serenity Cottage. New challenges for all three of our grown "kids" and their families have required a lot of work and adjustments for everyone. Beccie planned and had built her first new home. It is on ten beautiful wooded acres in Ohio. She and Kris moved in last November and by Thanksgiving she hosted her first big "family gathering". While there, we watched Kris win Reserve Champion is a horse show. She was also given the top academic award for her grade level for this grading period. We were all excited this fall that Ronda was hired by Ft. Wayne Community Schools full time. She teaches Spanish and other foreign languages as well as other related arts. It is an interesting and somewhat unusual position. Over time it should be a really good opportunity for her and the children. Andrew is taking bagpipe lessons, Janessa dance and swimming, and both are in scouts for the first time. Daughter-in-law Paula was transferred by Exxon to Baton Rouge in June and they had no more than settled in, with Grady commuting back to Dallas for his American Airlines route, when he became eligible for his long awaited upgrade to Captain. This meant going to school back in Dallas for several weeks. We visited their new home in Nov. and especially enjoyed seeing Allison and Aaron again. Allison had to show us the Mississippi River, quite impressive to a four-year-old. Our church is an important part of our life here. I'm enjoying being the moderator of the women's fellowship this year. We've learned to know many wonderful new friends from quite diverse backgrounds. Undoubtedly you're tired of reading by now, if you've been able to hang in this long. We enjoy the letters we get from all those who write. Face to face visits with each of you would be preferable, of course. Until then, God's Peace and Blessings be with you and those close to you. Let's all help expand the circle of LOVE and PEACE. If we don't, who will? **************************** Update, March 1, 1999 - I just got back from a week in Paris on Feb. 17, with my International Federation For Home Economics Executive Committee meeting where we were planning for our next Congress in July 2000 in Accra, Ghana, West Africa. In March, George and I are going to St. Lucia in the West Indies for a week for the Caribbean Home Economics Association meeting. Juanita Juanita also added that if we put "this kind of stuff" on the Web, people For a variety of reasons, I'm deviating from the musical styles found elsewhere on our site. The background music is "Arabesque" by Claude Debussy. Background design |