We will be going to trial this Thursday, April 27th at 9:30 am. We have read depositions, met with the child advocate lawyer, had a new judge assigned and all is in order. We are confident of the outcome of the trial, though today we were told the judge may not release a verdict for 45 days.
I can say it was pleasing to hear the child advocate say something today along the lines of "you can see how much Saiyeh's younger sisters look up to her, and the love she has for them. It is obvious this is her family and he will advocate for you". His role is to be independent and advocate for Saiyeh's best interests.

For those who want to know how we are doing, we are drained and grieving, but not over the court case. On Sunday a young man from our church, Omar, was shot and killed. He was 15 and what I would describe as a "nice kid". Three weeks previous young Manny was also murdered. He was 22 and the nephew of Pastor Lou (our senior pastor). I sat with Omar's family today, sharing stories about him, then dealing with funeral stuff.
I think what has been hardest about this is watching the toll on Joyce. For some reason I expect that I will see this stuff. I have worked so much with youth on the edge that it has become a part of life, never easy, but part of things. Joyce had worked with both these boys, taking Manny to Michigan, Omar to football camp. Because she has worked so much with children she has seen the sweeter side, the innocence, the child.
We know God brings good from all things, and Manny's father and the mother of his son (yes, he had a young son) are both now coming to church and have committed their lives to Christ, as did a number of others at the funeral or on Easter Sunday, when we had 250 people come out. We pray that out of the grief over Omar, God will bring others to him, and we will rejoice.

Sorry this has turned into more than a court update. Please email if you would like more details about anything. Depending on how court goes we will send out an update soon after.