Masks, face paint, and bracelets galore!

Oh my how long it has been, and please accept my apologies. There has been a lot going on this past week and there is much to tell you. I am going to try to condense it all into less than book form, but I must warn you, a LOT has gone on since I wrote you last.

This past week we have been doing kids camps in the villages. We did a lot of fun things like face painting, paper airplane making, bracelet making, some impromptu sing-a-longs, and just over-all loving on the children we encountered. It was great fun using the language I already know and learning a few new helpful phrases. Understanding what the children are asking is quite exciting, it's the little things, right? These places are definitely places that need the love of Jesus shown to them rather than told to them. We tried to do this to the best of our abilities. We know we are doing something good when the director of the school commends us on our efforts and asks us to come back again because it is the greatest day of the year for the kids. They have an understanding that we are Christian simply because we are American and in these Muslim dominated places, they ask us back. It is humbling.

Everyday I am here it becomes more and more apparent that nothing is about me, or the missionaries, it's not about me becoming a missionary. It is simply about those who are poor, in need, spiritually distressed, callous, hated, shunned, scared, scarred, unloved, and so on. How beautiful are the eyes that see th Gospel lived out and receive it, how beautiful are the feet that find the footpath to everlasting life and tread it. It never comes back void.

So it has been an interesting couple of weeks here in this beautiful Balkan country. Yesterday (Saturday) we had an engagement party for the missionary's daughter Becky and her fiancée Tony both of whom wish to come back here to be missionaries. Talk about a cultural experience. All the girls in the house really helped to make things run as smooth as they could. Serving everyone and decorating things is not as easy as it sounds in another culture, but it went beautifully. Everyone had a good time, even some traditional dancing which was fun to watch.

Well I promised not to write a book, hopefully this is not to long to lose interest. Thank you all so much for your ongoing prayers. Sincerely, I have felt them working on my behalf, God is good and he knows the needs of us all. You have been a significant part of why I am able to be here like I am. So thank you, thank you, thank you. There is no end to how much you are blessing me, and I am extremely humbled and encouraged by you.

All to God