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Most will never understand why woodworkers get so excited about raw wood, and the choosing of it. No doubt it has to do with the anticipation of what that raw wood could become. I'm sure it also has to do with an inner childish desire to get filthy dirty playing with machinery, tools and dust. But if you go a bit deeper, here is what I believe, and what I share with our students when I'm teaching. Our God is a Creator, and in creating humanity He imprinted a bit of Himself into all of creation, including us. It is obvious that He enjoys creating - just look around and start to take notice of the beauty that surrounds you, even in the strangest of places - so if He enjoys creating, then it follows that we enjoy creating so much because He imprinted that upon humanity. Yesterday I got a call straight from Cochin, India from a friend, Dave Murray of Dehradun Guitars. Dave was in Cochin, after travelling 2400 Km (49 hours on the train!) to pick out rosewood for his shop in Northern India, but also for ours in East Africa. I love that DA and Dehradun are partners in a sense - we are both doing a very similar thing, and we have similar customers, but we choose to work together instead of in competition, for the good of the poor whom we serve. These pics are of the rosewood in Cochin as well as the Mugavu we've just processed in Uganda. It's a beautiful day. Looking forward to your comments! jd