This is Gwen Boulton - Steve and Merilee's awesome daughter. I met Gwen when she was about 10, when I began working at University Street Christian Church. Gwen is one smart, determined gal ... she always wanted to grow up and be a veterinarian, and now she is, in west Eugene.

Last fall (2008), Gwen went on a mission trip to Kenya and Tanzania, Africa. She fell in love with the children (no surprise there) and is looking for others to help sponsor Maasai girls so that they can go to school through Precious Life International. Precious Life International is a based out of Spokane, Washington. Please click on the link of the little African girl on the sidebar to find out more about how to help Gwen with this.

Thank you Gwen, for the difference
you make, and for your world service.

Received 2/25/09 from Jody Johnson:

"Cascade Medial Team of Helps International will be leaving for Solola, Guatemala from Portland the morning of February 28, 2009. We fly into Dallas/Fort Worth and then to Guatemala City. We spend the night, then board the buses for our site at Solola. This will be our 6th mission in the area, the 4th at this site. The area is now a school. It was originally an army base. The people ran the army off the base near the end of the war and it has been difficult for some people to come onto the grounds as they have terrible memories of the area. The school and medical teams have made this somewhat easier.

We are one of the largest teams of Helps International, based in Dallas/Fort Worth. This team is the largest team ever. We are 104 members strong. The majority of us are from Oregon, with other members from Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Washington D.C.

We are a full service team. This includes medical care, dental care, eye care, surgical care and kitchen crew. Our team also has a full construction team. This team installs O'Neal stoves, called ONIL stoves by the Guatemalan people. The stove was designed by Don O'Neal from another Helps Team. The people use the three stone fires in their homes. This contributes to smoke in the homes and increased respiratory distress. Also, many children have been burned severely by falling into the fires. The new stoves take much less wood, which save the women about 2 days a week to have an efficient stove that will burn hot but not have heat on the outside of the stove. Stove pipes are also part of the process. There is an outside stove which is used for large pots of cooking.

Helps International also has started a cement floor project. Many of the illnesses are from parasites. The people have mostly taken over this project with assistance. Helps International has also started a water purification project.

Lois O'Neal, wife of Don O'Neal, started a school in the village of Santa Avalina. This school continues to grow. The people of the area are a large part of the planning and growth of the school. They wanted their children to learn their own dialect/language and then learn Spanish, which as been done.

My grandson, Ethan, is returning for his second trip. He will tell you it has changed his life. He has been asked to volunteer longer term for Helps, which he is considering. My granddaughter, Kristin, will be with us for her first tip. We will return March, 11, 2009.

Please keep us in your prayers.

Jody Johnson"

We will keep you guys in our prayers, Mom. You guys have a great trip. Stay safe and well!