Hello, all –

I am sorry for taking so long to be able to send anything.  Have been incredibly busy here and with not a combination of access and time to enable me to do it.  Was in Tuscaloosa earlier in the week.  Incredible destruction there, entire neighborhoods virtually stripped bare.  Other areas with lesser but substantial damage.  Talked with people, heard stories, accompanying the vehicle taking out meals.  Have been transitioning to take leadership of the chaplains group here, which I assume fully today, till my return which will be 5/21.  It was hard for me to not be out in the direct service, but the need was there and I have a group of about ten good chaplains and keeping them properly plugged in is what I am trying to do now.  Most are in Integrated Service Teams consisting of a nurse, a Mental Health worker, a Caseworker and a Chaplain.  They go out into the counties and follow up on deaths, which sometimes have been only recently confirmed.  The weather was hot but has cooled.  Red Cross is now of course also dealing with the flooding, and some focus is shifting there.  Miss you all, please keep me/us in prayer, hope to see you soon.

Jim