The next 10 days

After saying good buy to a fun and enthusiastic team from Minnesota, we had a few days to get ready for a friend coming for a week from Slovakia.   

The plants we had started in the green house were ready to start moving out into the fields .

This year there is a water shortage so knowing that we have set up a drip irrigation system so that we can bring in water from the river .  

Across the road at Sergey's house,  they are working on bees down by the farm as well as the mountains.   Over in the shop the guys wold work in the evening building bee frames and setting up houses . 

It was exciting when Paul arrived .  Paul has been an active missionary for over 40 years, and he is not done yet.  We have many of the same sponsors in common so we were thrilled when he said he would like to come and bless those that we work with .  When we heard he was an avid bird watcher , we know it was time we invited the eagle hunter and had an excuse for a picnic .  we invited many of the refugee families we know to join in the days fun . 

As much as we know Paul was there to encourage those we work with, It was such a blessing for Julie and I to get time of sharing with him every day. It was a special gift to us. 

When not sharing with others , Paul came with us for some of the outreach we do , like to the hospital to bring funds for a needed operation , and to the dump to bring food hampers and seeds to many of the families living there. 

Up at the kashar we had "parties" with 4 different groups of 12 - 15 people  to encourage them as well.  We had Ruslan join us there to help with preparing lunch and snacks each day .  We even fit in a little fishing with the guys on the farm . 

One of the most memorable meals was when he had a hotdog roast when they all got a chance to roast their own hotdogs .. just like they see in the movies ... its funny the things that we take for granted.

And what picnic would be complete with out a game of volley ball ... I think Paul even taught them a thing or two on the court as well 

This was such a blessing to us to have this time of sharing and reconnecting with so many.  The next 10 days after Paul left we had a time to get ourselves organized and ready for a large team coming  from Petrolia Ontario .  Stay tunes to see what a week of down time looked like .