Hello from South Korea!

We have had a busy September! We enjoyed a week off for the Chusok Holiday in Korea. (Liisa thought we had the week off in honor of her 40th!) This holiday is "Thanksgiving" in Korea, where families get together and give thanks for the harvest season that will soon begin. We spent a few days in the beach city of Busan (Liisa spent her entire B-Day on the beach - I think she smiled once that day!) and then took the train up to Gyeongju, the ancient capital city of the Silla Kingdom. In Busan, we swam in the East Sea, went to a Lotte Giants baseball game, and hiked/explored in the mountains above Busan. It was wonderful to relax and catch some last rays of summer. We then took the train to Gyeongju and explored some historical areas and temples in the mountains. This past weekend, our church sponsored a trip to the DMZ, the border between North and South Korea. It was an unforgettable experience to be in place where you feel the division and tension. We stayed overnight in a village peace retreat center just outside the DMZ, that is used for programs designed for people to reflect and pray for peace between the countries. School is keeping Liisa and I very busy. The kids are doing great. Lukas is now on the middle school soccer team and Ailsa joined the cross-country running team along with keeping her gymnastics schedule. Anja starts soccer next week and Lonne "plays" dad in baseball behind our apartment every night. Lonne is undefeated! The fall weather is great and the colors will soon spread across the mountains. Take care! Andrew