Hi Ya'll! I wanted to thank you all for reading my blogs and for all your support. =)

Brogan is back on US soil! She looks amazing, and is her usual spunky, happy self. When we met her at the airport, it was quite a surprise! She had her hair corn-rowed, and was completely decked out in African attire. She looked amazing! We have had so much fun all day looking at her amazing photos and videos, and talking about her experiences. I am pleased with how much Ahmeric she has learned, she speaks it quite well! Another interesting change is her diet......for those of you who know B well, you will know that she is like her a mom, a junk-food junky. Today I took her to WalMart, and told her to get some snacks she would like. Guess what she bought? A papaya, a lime, bananas and some granola bars. Is this my daughter????????? My prayers have been completely answered, she is not letting the negative episodes of the last few weeks affect her spirit, or take away from the positive experiences she had overall. She is very happy, and we are very thrilled to see and hear about what she was involved with in Ethiopia.
Over the next few days, I will work on posting some of her new pics and videos. They are really cool! Thanks so much for all of your prayers through these past few stressful weeks.
Brogan fully plans on returning to Ethiopia in the future, but perhaps with a different ministry, or even on her own. She has made many life-long friends there! :)
Blessings,
ann

Hello everyone. Some of you may have heard already. Brogan is leaving Ethiopia. Things have gone from bad to worse this past weekend. There are many serious issues between Brogan and the ministry she is serving. The ministry feels she is endangering herself the longer she stays. She is wounded and hurting, but also angry and feeling very lost. Dale and I have offered to seek out another ministry for her to serve in her area, but she has declined. She will be flying out of Ethiopia on Wednesday, and we will pick her up in St. Louis on Thursday. Wow....this is really hard for me, I can only imagine how hard this is for Brogan. This has been her dream for so long.........................
Please pray for her. This is so big.....I am so worried it will make her bitter. I am glad our God is bigger.........and I am glad He carries us when we cannot make a move ourselves.
Blessings,
ann

Jer 29:11 (NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you, Brogan, " declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ...

Hi friends,
Brogan is having a very rough week. Every time we have talked throughout this past week, she has been quite upset. There are some leadership issues going on with BCI, as well as some new rules and regulations that Dale and I are not quite sure we are in agreement with. Brogan is questioning her role with BCI, and has spent a lot of time in prayer this week, and I told her we would pray for her. She is very tender right now, and is very upset. It is very hard for me, as a mom, to not be able to hold her or comfort her. My words just don't seem like enough. I guess this is one of those time where I have to trust the Lord to care for her, because I cannot. Would you please say a prayer for her? I would certainly appreciate it. She needs to feel some love from us right now! Thank you, and I will update again soon.

Hello!
OK....I freaked you out with that title, didn't I!!! I better explain! Brogan's internet is STILL down, but we were able to talk with her both Friday and Sunday by telephone. She informed me on Sunday that she has a wedding ring. YES, I panicked, but it is OK! She bought it herself! Seems she kept having many marriage proposals, and too many Ethiopians asking her out, so she solved the problem by buying and wearing a wedding ring! I am not sure I would have thought of that, but if it works, it works! As far as the chick peas and strong coffee, that is what is currently making her sick! Every house they visit, to check on the children in foster care, they are offered a small snack. At each house, it is usually chick peas and coffee....of which Brogan like neither! She said they make and brew the coffee themselves, and it is VERY strong! She has tried to drink it, but it makes her sick. So, her partner Anna likes it, so when the host is not looking, they simply switch cups!
Their current mission team has left, and they do not have another team coming until April, so Brogan, Miriam, and Anna have a pretty heavy work load for the next month. Brogan also said she misses having teams there, as they make the days shorter. So, we should keep her in prayer this month, as with not as much socializing. she may get more homesick.
If you haven't already, please consider sending Brogan a card for her birthday! I sent her a package on Satuday, and I am praying it gets there on time. It was VERY expensive to send, as it weighed 21#! But, the Lord provided, as several of you gave financial gifts at the exact time I was figuring out how to pay the shipping on her are package! THANK YOU!
Thanks also to those of you who dropped gifts by! Brogan is very blessed to have so many friends that care!
One more thing, for those of you who have been asking about MengYan, I started a blog, if you would like to follow her story and see current pics of her. You can see it at
http://emilymengyanmckinney.blogspot.com/

Thanks for checking in!!!!!!!!!!
Blessings,
ann

Hi everyone! No news from Brogan so far this week, although we did get to talk with her on the phone breifly Sunday am. She was washing dishes..............one of her least fave
jobs at home! LOL
I cannot believe I forgot this, but on the last post, I forgot to mention that Brogan DID get her Valentines Day package! It was unopened, and everything we packed made it safely! So, we are working on getting a birthday box out to her. If anyone has items they would like to send (small items please!), please try to get them to me by Saturday, so I can mail them soon. I would love for her to get it in time for her birthday, but the mail there is so unpredictable who knows! No one else there has ever received a package, although many have been shipped, but I am willing to try it again! We prayed over that last box as we took it to the Post Office, and we will do the same again!
Ok, one more thing is that Patrick out together another photo video of some more of Brogan's photos. There are some duplicates from the last video on it, but most are new. These are ALL pictures of the children Brogan has met, and has been working with. Hope you enjoy it!

Excerpts from the latest email from Brogan!

Sorry to everyone for the limited contact, my internet time is limited to every three days or so, and even then I do not have much time!

Ok NOW ON TO YOUR QUESTIONS!!

1) HOW IS THE NEW TEAM? The new team's great. I"m really gonna miss them when they leave.

2)WE HAVE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT YOU AFTER THE INCIDENT AT THE MARKET, ARE YOU OK NOW? I am totally fine now, Miriam's been really great about encouragement. =)

3) HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANT MORE PACKAGES OR LETTERS? No more packages, but I did get 2 letters. One from Rita, (she signed it from John McCain and Sarah Palin) LOL I laughed. And another from Grandma Betty. She sent 10 dollars, which actually did make it through the mail....

4) YOUR BDAY IS COMING SOON! IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED OR WANT?

Ok you asked what I wanted for my bday, so me and Anna were talking. I love getting mail, so mail would be good! Things I need....Ok, I need, Socks, maybe a zip up jacket, I get really cold around here. Index cards, trail mix, granola bars, beanie babies to give to the kids. The book Holes and the movie. We are going to read that to Misgana and Sisay, and they want to watch the movie. Maybe Fireproof the movie too. Hair ties and bobby pins. Um. Muffin Mixes.

That's it I think. Thanks mom and everyone, for listening and helping.
love, me

Just got this email from Brogan!
I am sorry I scared you, but I promise, I can handle myself. All the guys here are tiny, and I can totally take them. I only carry the money I need, and I am never by myself. The guards have to stay at the house. They guard the house only.
Dian, one of our missionaries who is no longer with BCI, fell and hurt her femir joint (?!?) and is having surgery in Addis. I think she is crazy. But she has no insurance, and its cheaper here then in the USA. SO she is having a pin put in joint to hold it in place. Please keep her in prayer.
I want you to pray for Abayneh as well, I am pressing to get him to the USA, and am going to start tutoring him 3 days a week.
Love,
Me

From Ann: Please help us pray about Abayneh's situation. For those of you who do not know him, Abayneh is an 11 year old Ethiopian boy, who lost both of his arms when he was hit by a train last year. We are trying to either get a medical visa for him to come to the US to be fitted for artificial arms, or to get the government to release him for adoption, so he could be adopted, and therefore get the care he needs. Doors keep closing, and we are getting frustrated. He is destined to become a beggar in his country. He deserves better!

Hello and Happy Valentines Day!
We have had several emails and Instant Message conversations with Brogan over the past few days, and I wanted to share! She's doing well!
One important thing to share is that Brogan has finally gotten her mail! She got 13 letters this week. Thank you all for writing to her, it really meant a lot for her to hear from home. For those of you who would like to write, it costs just .93 to send her a first class letter or card. I am really hoping (ok kinda begging) that many of you will send her a card or letter for her birthday. On March the 19th she will turn 18, and it is killing me because I cannot send her a gift, or celebrate with her in any way! So, if we all send her cards, maybe that will ensure her a great birthday! It is taking about 2-3 weeks for her to get her mail, so please keep that in mind for cards. Her address in Ethiopia is
Brogan McKinney
PO Box 1465
Debre Zeit
East Shoa
Ethiopia, Africa
Ok, now onto something a little more serious. In Brogan's email to Dale this morning, she mentions that twice she has been attacked in a robbery attempt. Both times she has fought back, and managed to keep her belongings, and not get injured, but I am really coveting your prayers for her safety and protection. She is a scrapper, and I know her well enough to know she would not let anyone steal from her, if she could stop it. But I do not want her to go too far, and get hurt, all to keep from losing her money or purchases. The people in Ethiopia are so poor, and many of them starving, so when they see an American, they automatically think money. The temptation is just too great for some. Will you please help me pray for Brogan, and the others on her team? I know stealing is part of the reality of life, but I just ask that God's hand of protection AND wisdom would be on Brogan.
I would sure feel better if others were praying with me!
Thanks for checking in! We are working on putting up some more of Brogan's photos, and hope to have those done by Monday. We'll let you know! Thanks everyone...........
Love and blessings,
ann

This is a video of pictures that Brogan sent from Ethiopia. The video was Produced by Patrick McKinney, B's 16 year old brother (amazing, isn't he