Last blog, I posted about how I was going up North to jump in a river
in Siberia. I did that. And my trip was actually a really good
adventure, hitting quite a few northern spots along the way.

Unfortunately, just after I had left Taraz, one of my close friends
was in a really bad car accident on the way back to her town. She was
medivac-ed to Washington, DC and is still at the hospital in a coma.
Her family is keeping us all updated on a blog at
http://lailahrafik.blogspot.com/. All of us here are thinking of her,
and praying for her and her family.

Her accident has really opened my eyes to the dangers of traveling
here in Kazakhstan. We've always been scared, and all of us down here
would joke about it. But behind the humor, we knew that at times the
risks these drivers take are just stupid and dangerous. I have already
promised one of my old friends that I wouldn't take the taxis at night
until the spring time. And I plan on taking the train anywhere over
long distances here in the South. Unfortunately, accidents have
happened far too often to people we are close to in our oblast.

Please keep Jamie and her family in your prayers as she recovers.