Another Update From Kuwait & Iraq

Dallas is doing well. He has been very, very busy and continues to travel between Kuwait and Iraq. We speak to him an average of once a week and he emails regularly. Here are some photos he has shared:

Looking good.


















Still looking good (with guns).

Dallas and his office posing in front of the Persian Gulf.

When Dallas visits Iraq he always brings toys and treats for the kids.



















We are sending Dallas much needed shoes and school supplies for the kids.

This is a photo of Abraham's house also known as Ur. Ur is said to be the birthplace of Abraham.
















In Genesis the name Ur is found in 11:28, 11:31 and 15:7. In Nehemiah 9:7, a single passage mentioning Ur is a paraphrase of Genesis.

This is the Ziggurat of Ur.

Here is some information on ziggurats courtesy of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Ziggurats (zĭg'ə-rāts') were important to the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians of ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest examples of the ziggurat were simple raised platforms that date from the Ubaid period during the fourth millennium BC, and the latest date from the 6th century BC. The top of the ziggurat was flat, unlike many pyramids. The step pyramid style began near the end of the Early Dynastic Period. Built in receding tiers upon a rectangular, oval, or square platform, the ziggurat was a pyramidal structure. Sun-baked bricks made up the core of the ziggurat with facings of fired bricks on the outside. The facings were often glazed in different colors and may have had astrological significance. The number of tiers ranged from two to seven, with a shrine or temple at the summit. Access to the shrine was provided by a series of ramps on one side of the ziggurat or by a spiral ramp from base to summit. Notable examples of this structure include the Great Ziggurat of Ur and Khorsabad in Mesopotamia.
The ziggurats had no internal chambers. they were almost always square or rectangular, where one side was upwards of 170 feet (50 meters) long.
The Mesopotamian ziggurats were not places for public worship or ceremonies. They were believed to be dwelling places for the gods. Through the ziggurat, the gods could be close to mankind, and each city had its own patron god. Only priests were permitted on the ziggurat or in the rooms at its base, and it was their responsibility to care for the gods and attend to their needs. The priests were very powerful members of Sumerian society.
There are 32 ziggurats known at, and near, Mesopotamia. Twenty-eight of them are in Iraq, and four of them are in Iran. The most recent to be discovered was Sialk, in central Iran.

Piggy finally makes another appearance. Here he is with his friends. Apparently he is not the only family mascot who made the trip.



















We heard a rumor that Piggy has not always been very nice to his friends. There has been some mischief going on over there. I wonder who could be influencing Piggy. Hmmm.. who could it be? Let's hope these two can stay out of trouble for a few more months!