Life just doesn’t hold still!

So much seems to have happened in the last several weeks! In slow moments we pinch ourselves and wonder how we got to be so involved in a country worlds away from home. Yes, the anticipated 6-month period of culture stress arrived, but we have always remained grateful to be here! (Photo: overnight snowfall)

Our Thanksgiving was great, complete with two turkey feasts and American friends! E. Coli apparently hit us for the next week, though. The long hours in bed put us behind on several plans but also gave us a needed reminder that we are finite and depend on an infinite God.

Landon’s Grandpa Hochstetler passed away on Dec 4. His health was in decline and he was due to start dialysis soon. Thankfully we spent some quality time together this spring before we moved. His passing brought a mix of peace, pride and nostalgia. We're so grateful for Skype!

Kokërr e Ëmbël (Sweet Bean), our bakery, is progressing toward the target opening date of January 4. We have hired 6 students from 25 applicants. A visit to IKEA in Greece earlier this month gave us a huge boost in equipment/supplies/furnishings. Please remember our staff training next week in prayer. Challenging and enabling the employees is the whole point of this shop. We’ve already met disappointments preparing for that, but it’s one “hill” we’re willing to “die on”.


Amidst all the above, our Leadership Club conducted an anti-smoking campaign at the high school this week. This project was selected, planned and executed by club members (with coaching from us). The centerpiece of their effort is a 9-minute documentary that we showed several times every day. A little over 600 students have viewed it so far.

Considering the kind of shortages/challenges in their lives, we're all proud as our students look with satisfaction on project that they ran from conception to execution. The process has brought us lots of “teachable moments” about leadership, character and faith. And non-smoking is a great cause in a country where one in three smoke!

Highlight: after one showing in the high school, the first guy to stand up during Q&A muttered an expletive and lit his pack of Marlboro's on fire so everyone could see he was serious about quitting! Afterward he stayed behind to tell us he appreciated the help meant what he said.
A. B. C.
D. E.
A. Introducing a showing at the Qiriazi Center to students off the street. B. Inviting passers-by to come in to the Qiriazi Center and watch the show. C. Club members on duty between showings at high school. D. The documentary projected on the wall of a classroom. E.The guy who was so persuaded he spontaneously burned his pack of cigarettes.

Landon spends time almost every evening practicing his hobby of fire-tending. The wood stove may be dirty, but it’s sure warm and a great way to unwind me after a long day!