Brentley Update

I forgot in my last post: Brentley made it home! He is slowly recovering and is still in lots of pain. Keep him in your prayers...he's not being a good patient. He's already trying to go back to work- he owns a landscaping company...Pray for patience and a willingness to be still!

And yes, I do hope he reads this! :P

Ho Hum

So, it has been a very long time since I blogged- sorry to all you avid readers out there...right! But the winter has given me the blues and I haven't been in the mood to write about anything. But that isn't to say that things haven't kept happening at a rapid fire pace. So, since I am still not in the right mindset to blog, I am going to just put it all up as bullets (pictures later, hopefully).

-> Took a day trip with 3 friends to Macedonia (yes, that is still a country). It is about 3 hours from here. The highlights were McDonalds (reminder of home), finding M&M's, and going to see Madagascar 2 in a real movie theater!
-> Delivering more Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes in some schools in a village near here for a few days with a local church. It was fun to work alongside the local believers, and see how God was at work in their lives- creating life and cultivating His heart of love.
-> Ministry started up again full force (on our side of things) after a week off for the holidays, but the kids didn't show up for a few weeks due to the terrible weather conditions and a long break from school. Thankfully they are returning- I had about 15 children in my English class today (max. before had been about 8).
-> I got to chat with my amazing Home Group from church on Skype! I was able to see all their faces and hear their voices...technology is amazing. It was very encouraging and uplifting (thanks, y'all!).
-> Our girl's meeting has taken on a new structure. The three people that run it (my Albanina roommate, my Korean team leader's wife, and myself) are now taking turns leading it each week. We decided to do a study on the different women of the Bible and how God's character is seen through their lives and their stories. I led it last week and it was really fun. Pray for this if you would.
-> And lastly...the weather, since it is such an important topic of conversation here, I will include you. I had prayed that God would give some relief from the utterly frigid temps, even if just for a bit (I know, I am a crazy Texas girl who likes the up and down temperatures). So, in answer to that, for about a week it went back up the 40's (funny that we say back home: "it went down to the 40's...). But this week it is back down to being icy (that is in regards to what happens to my blood) and I believe snow shall soon grace the city once again...stay tuned for pictures if I can bear to take any more...haha!

Thanks for bearing with my lack of enthusiasm in regards to updating- I promise, come Spring, things will return to normal!
Love y'all!

Prayer Request

One of my dear brothers, Brentley, from my Home Group at church was in a terrible four-wheeling accident this past Saturday. He is now in the trauma ICU at a Tyler hospital. He was flying at about 50 mph through a field when he hit a hole. He flew off the vehicle and landed on a barbed wire fence. He lost all his bottom teeth and a few of his upper ones as well- the damage to his mouth is extensive! He also has some facial lacerations that have been stitched up now. He has a basal skull fracture and the doctors are watching for his brain to swell. His left scapula (shoulder) is broken as well. He says he is ready to go home right now, so pray he would have all the patience necessary to fully heal before he tries to attempt doing physically exerting things again. Pray also for his spirit to stay positive during the difficult road ahead. May God provide ample people to love on him and minister to him in the days and months ahead! Thanks for joining with me in lifting him up to our Mighty God!

AHHHHHH....

This week it is supposed to stay at -20 degrees Celsius! I believe that translates to be about 0 degrees Farenhiet (not positive though, and I am too lazy to Google!). I have never been so cold in my life- pray that I live through this week! *Thanks*

B r r r r r r r ! ! !

Happy New Year!

(photo by Curt Sharp)

Goodbye party for the girl I am hugging in the back.

She moved to Albania.

At a fun resturant here in Peja- looks like winter wonderland!




Reminds me of those Christmas villages people put in their houses.


My favorite!

I wish I could give you some of the beauty of the snow and ice here...mostly I wish I could pass on some of the freezing-ness of it all! It is c-o-l-d! ! !