We are doing well in Taormina. I will pick up with our regular blogs tomorrow, but haven’t felt right about writing about sights we are seeing with all that is going on back at home. I actually wasn’t sure what to write, so am just writing what we feel.

We woke up Thursday to shocking news about the shootings at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. It took a little while of trying to find news reports for everything to register. It was the middle of the night in South Carolina, with lots of facts still unknown. We were horrified and sad and just sat down, held hands, and said a prayer. It was all we knew to do.

I have since learned that several of my friends had connections with those killed or the Emanuel AME Church – either through their own churches in Charleston, their work at the State House, or just growing up. South Carolina is a small state, so you can almost always find someone you both know in common down the line. I have been so sad to read their tributes to their friends and colleagues and have felt a greater loss when hearing about what wonderful people they were.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the Emanuel AME Church, the Charleston community, and all of South Carolina.