Oh! thus be it ever...

Oh! thus be it ever when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation,

Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n-rescued land

Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto, "In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Standing in front of a table decorated with Red, White and Blue, and looking into the faces of our Uruguayan campers, our family along with the Perez children had the great honor to sing the first verse of the Star Spangled banner at camp yesterday. Of all the Indepence day celebrations this certainly ranks high. There was a certain specialness (if that's a word) in being able to sing our countries national anthem in the country which we have adopted as a home. God has called us to Uruguay and it is here that we live and serve with joy and a deep satisfaction. Yet we are, and will always be, Americans! Oh! thus be it ever....