LMT - South

On Thursday afternoon, together with Alida, we took one of the team cars and drove to the tiny village of Paicu in the south of Moldova. For a while I have been promising to pay a visit here and the opportunity has finally come. We have a Local Ministry Team of five women who are serving the Lord here and in the surrounding villages. The stories from this village are stories of broken lives and tragic situations as well as stories of God's grace at work bringing new life, reconciliation and hope for the future.

(l to r - Tamara, Alida, Kate, Denise, Rita, Stefanie)

As we worshipped that evening with the small church in their new building I was especially touched by the testimony of one young man who stood up and shared just a few brief words. I knew that a couple of years back, one of our team members had spent time with him regularly teaching him to read. As he stood before the church, he gave thanks to God for the courage and the voice to stand up and testify. Then he did an amazing thing - he lifted up his Bible and read a verse from John 14 - 'Nu va voi lasa orfani, Ma voi intoarce la voi.' (I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.) He read the verse. Just a couple of years ago he couldn't even read. Living in a home with alcholic parents, he had not gone to school as he had to stay home and help around the house while just one of his siblings attended school. Even now, I was told, alcoholism continues to play havoc in their home, where he is trying to live as a Christian. For all intents and purposes these children had been abandoned by their own parents, not given the love and nurture and encouragement that every child should have. But one day he had discovered that his heavenly Father had NOT abandoned him. Though he might have felt like an orphan, he was not an orphan.

His is just one of many lives that have been transformed in this community over the years since the beginning of the church there. Now there is a church, a community centre/church building, a Day Centre for children, a meal program for the elderly, food packets being delivered to the poor. Our team serving there alongside the fledgling church is reaching out to the community itself as well as several other communities in the area. Among many other things, each week a few of our team members go to the local kindergarten to conduct a brief program for the children there. It was my privilege to go with the team to the kindergarten to observe their involvement and even to help out a little by playing the guitar. It was a joy to see the darling children and to meet their teachers and be able to invite them to the upcoming women's event for the International women's Day on March 8. The event will actually be on the 7th. How do I know that? I know that because I have been invited to share my story on that day. I pray, and I ask you to pray for me, that the words I share will help to convince others that they are also not abandoned or forgotten or forsaken by the Lord, but rather loved, cherished, and precious in His sight, just like the children are.

Walking down the muddy street in Paicu, I gave thanks to the Lord for all the ways He is bringing hope and new life to this village.

Slipper Project

My dear friend Inga has initiated a project. I can't tell you all the details as I don't want to spoil the surprise for women who may be on the receiving end of this effort at the Baptist World Alliance Women's Leadership Conference this July. Anyway, the project is one of partnership with Moldovan and Canadian women and it began with a believing widow in the small village of Milestii Noi in Moldova. Sister (sora) Sofia lives all alone in a typical Moldovan home at the top of a hill near the edge of her village. Today, Viorica and I went to visit her. Viorica is helping me with this project because in the past she has worked with women's groups in Moldova and she knows more about wool and yarn and crafts and patterns and such, than I do. This week she bought the yarn so we could deliver it to Sora Sofia.

I had been to visit Sofia once before with a group of people (see my blog of November 21, 2009 - 'Blessed') but I wasn't driving and didn't pay attention to where it was. So today the pastor, Yuri, met us in the village to take us up to her house. Although the road was incredibly muddy I was amazed at how, following Moldovans, they were able to find a fairly firm path through and around the muddy road and me and my boots arrived at the house relatively unmuddy. We stepped into her home and immediately felt the lovely warmth of the fire in the woodstove in the corner, as well as the warmth of her smiling hospitality.

We sat down as I explained to her the project that we are asking her to help with. She went and got a bag of slippers that she has been making since last I visited and once more I have come home with a new pair of slippers, and so did Viorica. We discussed the details of styles and sizes and quality and quantity and cost of yarn and she was more than willing to help. With few visitors and not a lot of outdoor activity in the winter months, she can make a pair of slippers a day with no problem. We have another sister in the city, whose help we will also be enlisting.

This was my second village visit this week and as in the previous village, gas is being piped into the community for the first time and homes there will have access to gas heat. Sora Sofia was enthused about her new gas hook-up and she was pleased that we came at a mealtime. After we had discussed the project and given her the yarn, she quickly sat us around her table for a delicious meal of homemade pelmeni (similar to ravioli) and rich, thick smintina (sour cream). All the time she was thrilled to have someone to talk with and chatted away happily as she rarely gets visitors. Her two sons live in Europe and her daughters in Russia and her best company seems to be the assembly of dogs and pups in her yard, who are obviously all related. I was sure to get her phone number before I left so that we can keep up on progress - and develop our new friendship - and next time I visit I won't need Pastor Yuri to play the middleman.

Mind you, today I was glad he was there, along with brother Elie because on the way to the village in Corinne's car we drove over a pretty muddy road that was much too close to the underbelly of the car. A part of the front fender had come unattached en route (whoops! sorry, Corinne!!) and would need to be repaired before I could drive back over that road. Yuri and Elie left the house before we did. Sofia walked with Viorica and me, as we chatted and sauntered at a leisurely pace down the muddy incline back to where the cars were parked. By the time we got there the men had repaired the damage and assured me that there was nothing more I would need to do to fix it once I got back to town. One of my favourite things about Christian brothers in Moldova is that they are always ready to serve and they all know how to do "stuff" that I don't know how to do!

Proud sister(me)/missionary sister (mine)

I'm not the only missionary in my family. My sister Beverly (you'll remember her from my January blog of my trip to England as well as the photos of the beautiful quilt she made for me) is getting ready this week to take a short-term mission team from her church in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada) to the country of Belize. This is Bev's third time taking a team to Belize, including a group of puppeteers that she directs. It's exciting to see how God is using her gifts to help organize and plan and motivate not just the team, but the whole church to be involved in this mission outreach. They are a wonderful model of how God intends churches to unite in mission with a vision of sharing Christ's love in the world. If you want to follow their journey, check out their blog at www.2010belizemission.blogspot.com. If you or your church are thinking of being involved in a short-term mission, this blog is worth checking out if you want to get some ideas how it should be done!
Cu Domnul, Bev. (That means, the Lord be with you.) And with the Belize teams, both home and away!

Extra Hats

My life has been non-stop recently as I try to fill more shoes than just my own; or wear extra hats, if you will. It's been challenging and exhilirating and frustrating and humbling but definitely not boring. Good thing, because I simply don't do boring. So, I haven't been bored. But I have been learning more about what it means to depend on the Lord and to draw from the strength that only He can give. And I have been growing in my appreciation of the awesome team I work with, especially some of the people who work side by side with me in leadership and who are such an incredible encouragement. One of the exciting things on our team at this point in time is that we are rapidly developing national leadership and watching our Moldovan brothers and sisters assume major responsibilities is a wonderful answer to prayer.

So although I am acting Team Leader right now (hat #1), I am not alone in that, with Eugen right by my side helping in every challenge that arises and bringing a wisdom and maturity beyond his years. And although I lead the Personnel Department (hat #2), each member of my team shoulder their responsibilities competently and willingly accept whatever I delegate to them. Next week we begin to run a marriage preparation course for the suddenly many couples on our team who could benefit from some input, especially related to cross-cultural romances. My personnel department stepped right up to the plate to help with this program, planning to prepare a meal for each of 5 evenings to facilitate the 'date nights' for these couples.

And although I have been assigned oversight of the Training Department (hat #3) due to the recent unexpected departure of their leader, again there is a team who are familiar with their responsibilities and open to share and to work together in the way that will best accomplish the goals of this department. They're prepared to handle the training course that will begin next month and are already presenting and recruiting for it through this month. All I have to do is help to coordinate things and approve what needs to be approved.

For the past two weeks since I returned from Germany my days have been filled to the brim. But I am so grateful for what God is doing. The other day while helping our head of Relief to put together a project report about the Day Centres that we help the churches to run for poor children, I discovered that through this project 27 Moldovans are being employed full-time! In a country where so much of the employable population has left to work in other countries, this is a huge blessing for these families. And as I hear stories and reports from our ministry teams I realize that all the leadership and coordination of various departments is simply the background fabric of what God is accomplishing here in Moldova through His people who have chosen to dedicate their lives to serving Him by serving the poor. I am humbled to be part of such a team . The picture on the left was taken during Christmas outreach programs by our local ministry team in the north of Moldova. You can see that even though there is a woodstove in the back of the church, everyone still has their coats on. This has been and still is a very cold winter and when you are living and working in the villages you are just ALWAYS cold!

My life in the city of Chisinau is easier than those who live in the villages. My apartment is not especially warm but it is warm enough and can be quite cozy at times, especially when friends come to visit. The other evening I had some friends over for supper. Melanie has just arrived from the US for three months to serve with our team here, hoping to find some ongoing direction for God's call in her life as she serves in the villages of the north with our team there. Cristina is a Moldovan woman who used to be on our team and will soon be heading off to Costa Rica to marry a man there and settle in a new country. She is full of excitement and nervous anticipation of the new life that lays before her. Alida is from Holland and serves on our team in communication and in relief ministries. Alida has been in Moldova for about 2 years now and always has good stories to tell and an enthusiam that is contagious in her youthful forthrightness. She is helping out in our department right now while Claudia is on furlough and it's great to have her nearby to share moments of laughter and to ask for help with this or that from time to time. We had a great evening together and I just thought it was an interesting assortment of people - one coming, one going and one staying - all with hearts open to know and serve the Lord. I really really am ever so blessed.

Human Trafficking

http://www.rferl.org/content/A_Crime_That_Should_Shame_Us_All/1499349.html

My Quilt

My sister not only flew across the ocean to visit with me but before she left she had made me an incredibly beautiful quilt. It is lovingly handstitched with butterflies and flowers and a blue that I love. And of course with the very cold weather we have been experiencing, such a blanket is cosy to bundle up in on those chilly evenings. Thanks, darling sister!

More travels with my sister

Not that we're doing that much travelling - mostly back and forth in between Bromley South and London and all over London. So we're becoming familiar with the trains and the tubes and today we progressed to buses so we could stay aboveground a bit more. The London transportation system is fantastic! And everything is communicated so clearly - we have been very impressed.

So yesterday we went on a boat cruise on the Thames in the morning and then in the afternoon we met up with Naomi and Ben at Trafalgar Square. They drove in from another part of England to spend time with us and given the snowy conditions, unfamiliar to the Brits, we were very honoured that they made the effort. We had a great time together, poking around the National Gallery a bit before we went looking for a place to have supper.

Eventually we ended up at the Anchor Pub, near the replica of the Golden Hind and not far from the Globe Theatre, and had a great meal of fish and chips. But even better than the meal was the wonderful time that we had together and good conversation with this young couple, who we really appreciated. They were good sports, in spite of the bitter cold weather.

Today (Saturday) we met up with my good friends, Kathleen and Said, who I haven't seen in 4 years. They are now living and working in London and we had a very happy reunion. It was wonderful to be together with them and they showed us a fantastic time! First we had coffee, then wandered a bit around Covent Garden, then headed to another part of town to find a Lebanese restaurant. It was super having Said take us there, order for us and explain all the different dishes to us. The meal was really delicious - baba ghanouj, falafel, pita, chicken, vegies, mint tea, baklava and great company. I don't know how long we were there but we talked for hours and hours before we finally headed back out into the cold.

We took a walk through an Arab neighbourhood and were very interested in the different shops that Said led us to. I ate rose petals. My sister tried on perfume that cost 10,000 pounds a bottle. We sampled Lebanese ice cream, smelled frankincense, and we learned about how a hookah works. Then it was off for a quick peak at Fortnum and Mason before seeking warmth once more in a British tea place.

There is still lots of fuss about snow and cold here in Britain and much uncertainty about whether trains are running on schedule or at all. In fact, we're beginning to wonder how our flights will be on Monday and whether, in fact, we will be able to fly out!

Travels with my sister

I didn't know I would have such a gift but right around Christmas I received an e-mail from my sister to say that she would be joining me in England. I had a week of vacation time which I had decided to spend visiting friends in London. To have my sister fly across from Canada to be with me was a wonderful Christmas present. Both of us are now big fans of air miles!!








So here we are in jolly old England and wouldn't you know it, Bev brought Canadian winter weather with her! But how were we to know that the Brits would not welcome it with the delight and pleasure that a Canadian does a significant winter snowfall? Let this be a warning to any Canadians thinking of bringing our delightful winter weather to any country unfamiliar with the beauties of snow, that they must also bring along snow tires, boots, winter clothing, salt (GRIT), and snow plows or people will be overwhelmed for days with the 'adverse weather conditions' that assail them!



Anyway, we are having a delightful week in London, in spite of the "weather problems", only sorry that one of my friends was unable to get into London for a visit because of the snow. And I was really looking forward to seeing her. :-(




Nevertheless, we have got around quite a bit, which my feet can testify. My sister, though older and shorter of memory, is in far better physical condition than I and so at the end of each day I am dragging myself behind her trying to keep up and wanting only to be home with my feet up. If I have lost any of my generous build next time you see me, you will know it is Bev's fault! She never stops and especially not when we are passing any kind of shop that wafts the delightful aroma of a sweet delicious dessert. sigh.


So on Tuesday afternoon we visited a friend of Bev's who works at St. Mark's church in Clapham Junction (http://www.stmarks-battersea.org.uk/). He showed us around this very alive Church of England church which is incredibly active and involved in the community and it was exciting to hear about what God is doing there and what God has done in Dave's life. I really like the sign that you see in the windows behind Dave and Bev in this photo.



That evening we had a wonderful time attending the musical 'Oliver' at London's Royal Drury Lane Theatre.











The next day we had a real treat, as it gave us the opportunity to meet cousins whom we never knew before. Their grandmother and our grandmother were sisters (making us second cousins) and they still live in the area Grandma grew up in. One of my cousins lives in a very interesting building that used to be the water pumping station but looks like a castle! The turret is part of her apartment - very cool. The four of us braved the winter weather and spent the day talking and talking and getting to know each other and learning more about each other's culture and backgrounds. How amazing it is to have family halfway around the globe and to share a common history with people you have never met before!












Thursday we started to do more touristy stuff, like the city bus tour. The highlight of that day was seeing St. Paul's Cathedral. What a beautiful and incredible place! Now I want to read up more on Christopher Wren, who was the very gifted architect of St. Paul's and other significant buildings in London.

New Year greeting

Merry Christmas!

Nothing special this year. I mean, last year I was in Poland for Christmas - that was very special. The year before that I was in Canada - that was extremely special. But this year I'm in my own apartment in Chisinau having a very low-key Christmas. We had our team Christmas party last night - went out to a restaurant and then back to our base for dessert and some fun together. It was nice just to all get together - there were lots of laughs. By the end of the evening, though, I was exhausted and so glad I got to sleep in this morning.

Tomorrow I will go to church in the morning and then have some friends over for a meal late in the afternoon. I spent most of this evening preparing food for that - and more to do tomorrow. After Christmas I will relax.

The main thing, though , is that this is Jesus' birthday. I'm going to take advantage of the 'low-key' aspect of this Christmas to do some personal reflection on and nurturing of my relationship with Jesus. Ever since I went to Israel my time in the Scriptures has taken on a new depth. I love it when God seems to speak to me very clearly through His word, opening up new insights and drawing me closer. On this Christmas eve as I think of the Babe of Bethlehem, I also think of all my dear friends, for whom Jesus also came as a child, lived a sinless life going about doing good, and then died on the cross. His death brought forgiveness for our sins and His resurrection from death gave us victory over the grave. Truly, Joy to the World!!

Moving towards Christmas

The gray has turned to white. No, not my hair - in fact today a nice man at the salon helped me to turn that in the other direction. :-) No, I am speaking about the weather here in Moldova. The mild gray days have turned to bitterly cold white days.

It takes more energy to do everything, but each day the roads are more passable and the taxi and rutiera drivers a little bit less grumpy. Today, even with -17 C. temperatures, the sky was blue and so somehow things weren't so bad.

However, yesterday was another matter. We had teams going out to the villages to conduct children's Christmas programs. But the snow was falling like crazy and even with our monstrous new "tank" (as it is affectionately dubbed) the snow was a bit much to handle. The team got there and back safely, praise the Lord, but had a bit of an adventure through the snowstorm. Look how deep the snow was!

Alida reminded us how difficult it is for folks in the village who, even in this weather and in -20C temperatures still have to make their way outside to the toilet facilities. Need to keep a shovel handy if you want to get there in time!! Next time you take a few steps in your slippers to your warm bathroom and turn on hot running water, please pray for the folk in Moldova who are living in the villages with only an outhouse. They need to go to the well to get water which they heat using a woodstove in the house.

Gray

The sky is gray. The days are short. The air is cold. The trees are bare. And reflecting the grayness around, people begin to feel low. I felt it the other day, that creeping depression. And I know that others are beginning to feel it. Life is hard. Sometimes one just feels so lonely - no matter how many people are around or how busy your life may appear. Gray. Depressed. And I can't help thinking that if those of us who have faith, who have come to this poor country to serve, who have a hope and a degree of financial security, who are part of a community of faith... if this creeping grayness affects us, how do they manage who have no hope? What of the elderly in the villages who are all alone with no one to visit them or care for their needs? What of the children whose parent or parents have gone to another country, leaving them with friends or relatives or sometimes an abusive or alcoholic parent? What of them? What of the unemployed whose efforts to find work have led only to discouragement and despair and maybe a couple more drinks each day? Into what inner resources do we reach to be able to offer encouragement to those living in the shadow when we ourselves feel that we too are succumbing?

People are living in the land of the shadow. Living in grayness...and many in darkness. We long for light; even the brightness and whiteness of newfallen snow would be a help to break the grayness. But the reality is that grayness in our souls goes deeper than that. Each of us have places in our soul that are vulnerable to the darkness. Though we may rise and protect those tender vulnerabilities with the light that comes in our relationships and our work and the things we do that feel significant, even still there are times when the creeping grayness enwraps and intensifies those soft spots, leaving us feeling that we ourselves are insignificant and will easily fade into the darkness.

When I begin to succumb I don't always know what to do. Sometimes I withdraw into that inner loneliness, allow the tears to flow and don't tell anyone what I'm going through. Wiser are those, I think, who reach out and ask for help and prayer and someone to help them rise out of the darkness.

When I read the Bible I see that God is very much aware of the darkness we battle, the darkness all people have battled over the course of time. And so He sent prophets. I think the prophets more than any found themselves in that cosmic struggle for light in dark places. In their darkness people were looking in all the wrong places for light - consulting mediums and spiritists and not seeking God. And the prophet Isaiah said of them, "Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness." When we look in the wrong direction and focus on the grayness and darkness it does increase and Isaiah recognized that and so continued on with words of hope.

"Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress...

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

Centuries later another prophetic word would be spoken by Zechariah as he held his newborn son John in his arms and spoke of his mission in life:

'And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.'

Zechariah, an old man who surely had experienced times of discouragement and despair, spoke of a new dawn with words like forgiveness and mercy and peace. In our times of darkness, we long for such realities.

And Isaiah spoke into his times with words of encouragement and hope:

'You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy...

you have shattered the yoke that burdens them,

the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor.'

In times when his country and countrymen were facing crisis and disaster greater than they had ever before faced in their history, Isaiah continued to speak words of hope and called them to trust in the God who alone could save them. "His role was ever that of inspiring and challenging the drooping spirits of the men of Judah at times when hope seemed dead." (www.theobamber.co.uk/prophetic/sermons/Isaiah)

Isaiah was a prophet, a seer and maybe that's what we need in the times of creeping grayness. We need to be able to see another reality, to see what God is doing beyond the darkness, or to have someone stand with us and tell us when we can't see it for ourselves. How reassuring is the verse in Psalm 139 when the psalmist too felt himself being enveloped in darkness:

"If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."

In the gray of winter and the days of loneliness and the slide into depression we need prophets - people who will play the role of inspiring and challenging drooping spirits; we need to be prophets for one another; speaking of the Kingdom realities that lie beyond the darkness and greater than the darkness. In the most difficult times of his country's history, Isaiah rose up and brought words of hope that have inspired generations - not for the words themselves but for the truth they pointed to. The truth and hope that there is One who knows our darkness and who has the power to overcome it, to bring peace, and to establish and uphold justice and righteousness.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace

there will be no end.

It is gray now. But true Light has come. And the more we look to the Light of the world, the more we will be able to reflect His light. We need not fear that the darkness will overcome us because it is when the darkness is most profound that the light shines brightest. Wherever you find yourself, even if in grayness or darkness, may the Light of the world, the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ guide your feet into the path of peace. And then may you be a prophet for another, helping them to see the Kingdom reality beyond their darkness.

Have a very blessed Christmas!

** Scripture references: Isaiah 8:22; 9:1,2-4, 6-7; Luke 1:76-79; Psalm 139:11,12

On the Road again

Just because my car died doesn't mean I never get around anywhere. In fact this week I've been on the road almost more than I was in the office! A group of us drove to a little village in the north of Moldova to discuss a new project proposal for that village with the church leaders. It was an interesting time together and always exciting to move ahead in the new things that God wants to do through us. We need lots of wisdom to hear His voice and follow His leading. These are some of the key leaders on our team, standing in front of our new vehicle. The pastor of Mateuti church is on the far left.
Coming back into the city that evening, I suddenly realized that it was December. For the first time that I can remember, Moldova is starting to pretty up for Christmas long before the end of the month. With "Old Christmas" (the Orthodox celebration) being on January 7, in the past little has happened early in December. But now that politics is moving Moldova westward, Christmas is starting earlier too. The Christmas tree is up downtown and the lights are shining over Stefan cel Mare and I need to spruce up my apartment for Christmas now, don't I?





Just the next day, I was again travelling, this time with Matthew and Claudia and Tanea, to the village of Razeni. We had been invited to help the pastor celebrate his birthday by joining him for a 'shashlik' (barbecue). I was a bit surprised to discover that it was fish - great big ones!- that were being barbecued on the grill. We stood close to it to stay warm - it's not freezing cold yet but when you stand outside for a while you do get chilled. We also were able to visit with the Challenge into Missions student team who were working with the church that week, helping to build their new building. Matthew took lots of pictures of the walkway and park that his church group had worked on when they were here in the summer for a short term mission. He will be going to England on furlough soon and be able to show the church how great everything looks now.





On Sunday I was on the road again, this time travelling with two of our team members who were going to their home church to give their tri-monthly report. This is one of the fun things I get to do that gives me the opportunity to see different churches in Moldova, to meet the leaders and people in the church and to meet the families of the team members I am helping to care for. Visiting Vadul lui Isaac with Aurica and Slavic was a very pleasant time. They attend quite a large Baptist church and afterwards we had lunch at the home of Aurica's sister, whose husband is an elder in the church. I also discovered he is the Youth leader for the Baptist Convention and I had conversed with him on the phone before - nice to put a face to the name! One of the other things we do on these church visits is to sell books. Recently we have re-vitalized our literature ministry and are getting more shipments of Romanian books to sell to Christians in the villages who rarely have access to Christian books that will help to build their faith and encourage them. We buy the books and distribute them at hugely discounted prices that make them affordable to the average Moldovan. This is a really significant ministry and it was very satisfying to see the excitement with which people swarmed around the booktable after the service. We went back with very few books left in the full box we had taken.
On the way to Vadul lui Isaac on Sunday, Lilian was our driver. We travelled in the new vehicle that OM Moldova recently bought. It's quite the car...um..truck... um...vehicle! It is a Defender LandRover and the only one of its kind and size in Moldova. People stare as we go by - and that's quite something when you consider some of the other vehicles you see around here!
On the way home, I had my first opportunity to drive "the tank" or "the monster" (we still need to find a good name for it!). So don't feel sorry for me that my car is no longer. During the week I ride public transport and sometimes on weekends you will see me cruising in the Defender - missionary vehicle par excellence!

Grandma's Brag

My daughter sent me some pictures that made me very proud. She and her husband, Daniel, had completed a 'little project' for their son (my grandson) Alejandro. They built him a bed!! And it's beautiful! I am really really impressed and I can't help telling everyone how proud I am. I'm sure that Alejandro will enjoy this great bed!

And of course, I also want to take the opportunity to show you how beautiful my grandchildren are - and how much they are growing!! Alejandro is now 3 years old and Eliana is 1 1/2 and looks just like her big brother. Aren't they just the cutest? And, that's not all! There's going to be another little one joining their family in May. Grandma gets to keep on bragging! :-)