Mark and Lindsay Hoots ('02)

Mark writes "an update of how our family is doing. Alana Grace was born this past February. Carson just turned 3 years this month and Gabrielle will be 5 in February. Lindsay is doing a great job as a stay-at-home Mom. She arranges the music for church and plays the piano there, as well as helping me teach the Teen department at church.

"I was promoted to a Senior Buyer at my company (CB&I) in May, and again to Project Procurement Manager (PPM) in September.

"Our church is growing well, we are in the middle of building our first church building, we teach the teens with another couple, and was asked to serve as a deacon earlier this year."

Ken Barbic ('02)

Ken Barbic's work has put him in middle of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement negotiations in his assignment under Ambassador Susan Schwab, US Trade Representative. Ken was in Medellin, Colombia the weekend of April 5 and 6 with USTR. "Very cool opportunity" he says.

Ken took some photos. First, at the top of a mountain in a formerly violent/deprived neighborhood and then next to a Columbian helicopter.

Mark Hoots ('02)

Mark and his wife Lindsay (Morris--also a MBBC graduate in 2001) have 2 children. Mark says, "Gabbie is 4, Carson is 2, and another girl is on the way in mid-February. They make life so much fun.

"Our church had an opportunity to buy 30 acres in a developing area about 3 years ago, and last March, we left my home church to start the new church plant about 15 miles away...the Green Garden Baptist Church in Green Garden (Frankfort), Illinois. We are leading and teaching the teen group with another couple, and Lindsay is playing the piano and choosing and arranging all the music for the services. We averaged 95 in Sunday Morning Attendance last year...and have already seen a lot of new families join and 3 salvations in our services. It has been great to see God work so far."