Dear Grandchildren

As I have prayed for you the past six weeks I have included Ann and Larry Norton. Carol and I have known them since l955 when they were just married and came for Interning at the Denver Hospitals.

They were expecting their first baby which I dedicated in our Church. Two other baby girls were dedicated before they left for Gahahte Hospital in Assam. After a significant ministry there and other hospitals Larry became one of the chief surgeons in Colorado, also teaching and sharing his expertise throughout America and the world. Ann shared their itinerary with us for this past six weeks,asking for our prayers and sharing their "E" mail at various cities. Both our prayers and "E" reached them in Gahahati.

When Carol and I spent a week with them on our world tour, we dedicated their fourth girl in the local church. We also saw the great need for a Blood Bank. In a surgery when a woman was dying, Larry had the nurses take blood from his arm to save her life. When I shared the story of this sacrificial service and compassion on Larry's part, Elaine Miller, in a Business Women's group, asked me how much money it would take to put a Blood Bank in our Missionary Hospital. She said "Do it in memory of your mother." So, it was established and a tape of the ceremony, with the nurses choir singing was sent to me. It was the first Blood Bank in Assam. In Ann's phone call last week she said, "Not only is the Blood Bank still flourishing, but now is enlarged and is the outstanding Blood Bank for Northeast Assam." In this I rejoice and realize that any Christlike concern has a meaningful result.

Blessings on each of you as you celebrate the Millennium, Granddad Shikles.