Reni received this fantastic dart set for Christmas. Nathan installed it in the kids' room -- though we may not have thought through the placement. It's best to announce your arrival before entering lest any darts might be sailing through the air!
New Years means home visits to dear friends!
New years = establishing new habits! Like more reading time! This makes my heart happy!
When your place is where all the kids hang out and play hard, they get thirsty. We've tried many solutions to reduce plastic cup waste... but lugging these boxes of bottles from place to place has been a bit cumbersome, so we replaced these boxes with a trolley cart. Below, Nathan assembles it with a little help from a friend. I love that he's always teaching!
Long winter nights showed our need for lights around the new center. We have been pleased with the extra sense of safety and security they provide!
On January 13, Bonnie and Peder arrived for 2.5 months to give us a hand in the village!
Below, Bonnie assists with crafts at Kids' Club.
They even helped us move a friend into a new home!
Below, playing games at the Hope Center
Bonnie has helped us get the store room in ship shape!
A few days later we were happy to celebrate the birthday of a dear friend!
The kalceto has been such a blessing, especially in the winter months when it can be rainy and cold. It's so nice to have a place for the kids to play, regardless of the weather!
The local public school honored us at a special conference discussing the issue of bullying. It was in appreciation for our long-standing work with the kids of the community to provide healthy activities and teaching.
(below) Just because they matched. :-)
(below) ... just because he looked 'cool' in his long scarf and carefully coordinated sporty ensemble.
Thanks to the generosity of God's people, with the year-end giving we were able to install the safety railing on the rooftop terrace of the new center. The view is amazing but the low wall height meant we haven't had it open for general use yet. Thanks to the railing, we can now open the terrace for visitors of all ages!
It's so exciting to see the Albanian translation of The Chosen series start to spread. I received this text from a friend in Tirana...
I posted this photo below on Instagram, but I'm sharing it here again because it's funny how one gets unexpected reminders of lost loved one. In this case, the rubber rat below was found in a box of things in our store room. I'm 99% sure that my Dad brought it here to use as a prank (once in my childhood he infamously placed a furry mouse cat toy in between the sheets of my mom's side of the bed to scare her). He would love to know that this little rubber rat has been making the rounds of the center, appearing in cabinets and drawers to startle unsuspecting visitors.
Rainy days mean no line drying outside and that our living room turns into a jeans drying station!
One Sunday in January we were so happy that our friends refuging in Albania could take a bus to Tirana to join us for a day.
Bonnie and Peder joined us and we took everyone up the cable car on Mt. Dajti for a special experience.
We couldn't have asked for better weather to enjoy the view!
This friendship has been a special surprise and blessing. It's unbelievable that God crossed our paths through one of my former college roommates and we have the opportunity to hear their story. Please keep them and all the people from Afghanistan in your prayers.
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