Bagels - Very Dangerous!

Hello All,
Well, we are finished with week #2 of a 4 week break!  Survived again - these kids think they can beat us!

We had some board members from Bethany Kids come to visit this past week.  It was so nice to have them here and have them actually see what is going on.  It was also wonderful to be encouraged by them.  Sometimes, a little feedback is a good thing!

Gary and Jerry - thanks so much for your encouragement (and Chocolate helps!)

Encouragement received (notice that the Reese's eggs are almost gone!)

The Art Center at RVA seems to be at a standstill.  It has been lifeless for the past 2 1/2 weeks, but we are really moving forward.  We have numbers now for what is still left to be done and will have some new bids this coming week.  Hopefully, we can sit down with all the players late this week and figure out who will do it and when they can start.  Can't wait to get going again.

We toured Crescent Island last Sunday with the Bethany Kids guys.  It was a nice relaxing walk.  It was the first time I had been there and it was actually cool.  Here are some pictures that Trevor took:

Talking about Trevor - he had a run in with a bagel last week!  He was trying to cut a halfway frozen bagel and got his finger instead!  It did not cut the tendon nor the nerves but it was pretty deep.  Good thing we have doctors near by that have a stash of superglue on hand!  Turns out that bagels are very dangerous.  I read that on Saturday and Sunday mornings many emergency rooms have visiting patients that have had run ins with bagels!  Who would have known?

There is a conference going on up at RVA for teachers.  I was invited to go and have enjoyed it.  The keynote speaker was reminding us about cultural differences.  All cultures have "what goes without being said."  The part that you see and hear in another culture is just the tip of the iceberg.  These are things like clothing, food, houses.  The things like virtues, beliefs, and vices are all the things below the water line and can take a lifetime to understand.  When you are with your own culture, you don't have to say anything to know what to do and how to act.  In the west, we are problem solvers.  We take a problem and just go and solve it whether or not it needs solving!  I see Leland's water issue in this light.  Jim has been working for 3 years on and off trying to get them consistent hot and cold water without having water pour through the roof (not completely successful)!  But, when he talks to the plumbers, they go look at it or do something but it is still not fixed.  One of the reasons is that they don't see it as a huge problem.  So what?  Someone does not have water.  There are many people here without water.  It is not an urgent item for them.  We see it differently.  So, it is more of a matter of underlying differences, not really inability.  Our plumbers are very good at what they do.  We have learned so much since living here, but there really is so much more to learn!

The hospital should have a new 600m3 water tank in a few months.  This is very exciting as it will give them about 3 days worth of supply.  Here is the base being built:

Patrick has been with us for a few days.  His blog address is www.inhisfootprint.blogspot.com
He was able to get his paypal account set up and what a blessing.  My sister-in-law and her office friends were the first to use it and donate to his ministry.  He was so excited to see it actually working and connecting with people overseas!  What an amazing thing!  He also set up 2 fundraisers on fundrazr.com.  One is for the 2 girls we spoke about before that were in danger of  undergoing female genital mutilation if they stayed with their families.  They are now in school and have new uniforms (Patrick said they were so happy to receive these as it made things much easier to be like everyone else - and they had essentials).  He is trying to raise enough money now to keep them in school for the next 3 years.  He also has a campaign going to raise funds for a vehicle.  You can go to the links below to see them (and also a picture of the girls with cool new uniforms)!

https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6fwT8

https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/2jsV6

Please pray for us as we continue to travel the road to a college for Trevor.  He has applied to 4 new schools and we are waiting to hear from them.
Also pray for Jim and I as we gather our wits (and other tangible things) to leave here well.  Also, that we will "see things about Kenyans that are still under that water."
Please pray for Timothy and Sallie so that they don't kill each other over the remainder of the break!
In His Hands,
Jullie T.