Home in West Virginia

Dear Friends and Family,

Tuesday one week ago I felt the jet's wheels bump gently to a
touchdown in Charleston, West Virginia beating a violent thunderstorm
by just 15 minutes! As I un-boarded the plane I saw a solid bank of
black clouds just west of the airport. Soon there was lightning,
thunder and torrents of rain. I love thunderstorms, so this was a fit
welcome home! Soon my Mom, Janelle, Julie and Kevin found me in the
airport and we ran towards each other squealing with happines and had
a big hug. Kevin is so much taller than a year and a half ago!

Driving home from Charleston afforded an opportunity to talk and we
had a great time driving back! That evening I excitedly ran out the
door as my Dad arrived home from teaching class! It is good to be
home!

Even though home is great, it is hard to not let my mind wander back
to Palawan. I miss the fellow missionaries that I served and
sacrificed and struggled alongside of. I miss the Palawano lay people
who had begun visiting Emrang every Sabbath to conduct Bible studies
and continue to do so in my absence. I think of how Emrang is left
without a school teacher as Allie and Shama are needed as nurses in
Kemantian, the main clinic. So, although I am here, my mind and heart
still lies largely in Palawan. But my heart does not lie only in
Palawan, it goes out to the billions in this world whose lives are
steeped in the same darkness as the Palawano people. While I may live
in the United States, my heart will always be longing to go and to
love my brothers and sisters in the greater part of this world. I
want to see them in Heaven.

So, as I am back with friends and family, I will enjoy the fellowship
and soak up the blessing of spending time with others who are focused
on God's service. But my goal is to be better prepared to love and to
serve my brothers and sisters around the world wherever God may call
me. In August I will begin to finish my Bachelor's in Nursing and to
gain nursing experience as an ICU nurse.

It is my sincere desire that each of you continue in the joy of
serving God where He has called you. And to each of you who may not
have made that committment, I will tell you that it is the most
rewarding journey you could ever take. Commit to serving God and
others. Laying yourself aside as Christ did for us, and you will soon
begin to understand the joy of the Lord!

Thank you to all of you who have made my years in Palawan financially
possible. There are over 44 of you! I hope to be able to visit each
of you and share stories, but only in Heaven will you realize the full
impact of your contributions. There you can meet your friends from
Palawan like Meniwang, Dading, Narlin, Mabin, Nini`, Maliling, and
Muri. Many of them are aware that it is your gifts that make it
possible for me to be there and they will be so excited to see you!
As you have been giving to me, please give to another missionary as
God impresses you. Or maybe God is leading you also to go where the
Gospel has not yet been preached. People are waiting, and when they
realize that we have had this good news for thousands of years, they
wonder why it took us so long to tell them! Will you go?

Thank you to all of you who I know prayed regularly for me. There
have been many times when I am sure that God worked in my life because
of your prayers. Even though I was alone much of the time, I felt
like part of a team, because you were praying. Thank you.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible soon!

In His service,

Brian Glass

Isaiah 58:11 "The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your
soul in drought, And strengthen your boes;
You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose
waters do not fail."