renovations under way

There is a lot to do for us to be ready to return to Kyrgyzstan this spring.  The biggest thing is that Julie gave her notice a few weeks ago and will be finished on Friday March 2nd.  We are still not certain how this is going to work out financially.   It is a natural feeling that we should change our focus to raising personal support,  but more and more, I feel that we are just to stay the coarse.   I believe that we are to continue to focus on the needs at hand, and have our time in the West about bringing updates and sharing the first hand accounts of what is happening , and not make it all about fund raising..   That is confirmed daily as I converse with our friends in Kyrgyzstan.  Like the email I just got from Vera at the rehab center.  She tells me that the winter has been very cold, and that she only has enough coal left for one more week.  She asks if I can help them to keep the fires going... that is only about $250 , but it all adds up.. It is difficult to turn your focus from a dozen people in care,  that are desperate for heat, and focus on personal support.    

    Jengish will be here with us for about a month , both in the US and Canada, and again , we have decided to focus on the needs and trust God for the support.   He is booked to speak at several different churches, service clubs, schools , and with individuals and businesses.   We do have one event planed that will be a fundraiser for our support  and that will be a coffee house night in Norwood... We will have it on Julie's last day of work...March 2nd.. We are going to call it a rehirement party, because that's the day they she will retire from her job as a mental health worker, and be rehired into full time missions with LAMb. If you are in the area and would like to attend, we would love to see you.  Jengish will be sharing at that event as well. 

I was talking to Ed, and discussing our plans, and the long term use of his apartment ,  to which he responded ,  "Well then we better renovate the washroom before you get there" ... Ed know how to treat you right !    Seriously,  Ed you are such a blessing to us , in your actions, in your words of encouragement , and most of all, in your example to us of what missions is all about ... 

We love our apartment in Kyrgyzstan.  It is comfortable and is a nice place to wind down at the end of a hard day.  It is not fancy by any means, but has everything that we need, and those that visit us feel at home as well... But having your guests relaxed and comfortable does have one big drawback for us.... here it is, if I dare say.......   We can't throw up when we have company..  Nothing worse then rushing to the toilet, then having company come to the door.  That's because the toilet room is so small that your knees bang on the door, and when you are sick you have to open the door and kneel down in the hall.. not conducive to company.. , but with renovations under way, that will be different now.  

They are now taking out the hall closet, and opening up the two room bathroom into one big bathroom.  We will also move the laundry from the kitchen to the new bathroom.  This will give more cupboard space in the kitchen .  So as we are preparing things on this side of the globe for more and longer travel, it's exciting to think that they are busy preparing for us to come more often and to stay longer .