Return from Macedonia,Kosovo,Serbia, and Bosnia

Dear All,
The Saturday before we left for a week, we spent at the Chritmas Market in Nurenberg. We are standing near the Albrecht Duerer house. He may be Nurenberg's most famous painter, he painted the famous "praying Hands". We had a wonderful day in Nurenberg, but the most special time for us was the time we spent with 2 humanitarian mission couples working in Macedonia, Kosovo; and Serbia, Bosnia. The good they do, and the love the receive from the people they help is amazing. They are having experiences money can not buy.




While in Nurenberg we thought we would have our picture taken with Santa


















This church is in the Market square and everyday at 12;00 the bells toll and the music plays and the figures go around the king sitting on his throne. The church is not ornate on the inside, but the outside is very beautiful. This is a Luthern church.










Here is Susan with Sister Juncker ( the Junckers serve in Macedonia and Kosovo), they volunteer every Monday morning in this soup Kitchen run by the Sister's of Charity. This is the same order of nuns to which Mother Theresa belonged. These nuns are kind and very loving people and really do a lot of good for the local poor. When the soup is completed this kettle will be completely full. For some who come here this bowl of soup and bread will be the only meal of the day. The nuns really love and appreciate the Junckers, and the church has a great relationship with the nuns.


This picture shows Susan with Br. and Sister Juncker and Sister Angela, she is the nun in charge. When she was young she work directly with Mother Theresa. She has run this soup kitchen aand a shelter for abused woman and their children for some years now. Every day except Thursday and Sunday the nuns provide soup and bread to the poor and hungry. When we were done this whole kettle on the stove was full of potato soup. About 150 people are feed each day. Not all can fit into the small room so many bring containers and take the soup home to their families.




In this picture Susan is in a village up on a hill in Bosnia where the church is funding a "clean water project" Because of an inadequate water line some of these people in the summer may go 2-3 days without running water to their home. Others have no running water in their home at all. The church is funding a project to lay an additional water line from a spring to 2 holding tanks. With full tanks the people will have water every day during the summer. This project will also bring water into home that haven't had running water, and the inhabitants had to carry water every day to their home. The Lady with her hand on Susan's arm and her husband are the missionary couple in Bosnia and Serbia, they have directed this project and oversaw that the work was done. The village people here have a tremendous appreciation and love for this couple as you can imagine. The local TV station and newspaper covered the symbolic event of turning on the water. The ceremony was MC ed by the local Muslim cleric. A representative of the regional vice premier spoke and well as the mayor's representative. The national director of the Red Cross was there and spoke extremely highly of the church and all the different projects the church has funded to help the people of Bosnia. Bosnia is 95% Muslim, and the church is reaching across religious borders to improve the quality of life for these people. An amazing amount of good is being done by the missionaries and the church, and the people all know it and appreciate it. This was a tiring but very rewarding week.
As Christmas quickly approaches we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy new year. Our wish is for more of the world to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, and that you may feel the comfort of His love in your life.
We love you all,
Oma und Opa

The First Week of Advent

Dear Ones,
The last two weeks have been so very busy. We have been training new missionary couples, So I have included a few pictures of places we have taken them. This is the Romer Platz were the Christmas market is being set up. Here we are for a Christmas card Shoot. We thought this might be a good remembrance. This is front of the Christmas store around the corner from the Romer Platz.




Here is the Christmas Market being assembled two days before it opens. Tuesday, November 22, The Mcgoverns had flown in that morning and we were trying to keep them up so they would sleep well that night. They are another great couple we will enjoy getting to know and working with. They are from Texas. There is a Picture of them near the bottom of the page.
Wednesday we trained and tried to catch a little of the Zone Conference. I hear it was excellent. The area President and his wife spoke all day and it was very powerful Centered on Inviting others to Christ and encouraging the answer to questions through out the meeting through the Spirit. Thursday was Thanksgiving. We trained in the morning then had dinner with the Senior Missionaries. At about 4pm we drove to Rudeshiem to take the McGoverns to the Christmas Market there. We really had a good time. Friday morning we put them on the plane to Romania to meet their mission President. Then on to Moldova. They are getting settled in and doing well. Friday, Evening we went to the Temple. Saturday morning we cleaned and got ready for the next week. Then we picked up our Couple coming from England. We spent the Afternoon with them, dropped them off at the Hotel and drove to The Blacoes for a dinner with the Ruth and her family. They are doing so well. I should have taken a picture. I am not doing so well in that department.

Sunday, we spent with our couple. WE had them and the Asplunds for dinner We had a nice time together. We trained Monday through Thursday. On Wednesday Evening we went to the

Christmas market with a group of the senior missionaries and our couple. Here is a picture of the same scene but lit up at night. We heard the brass band play christmas carols from the top of one of the buildings. I took a video of it but it was so dark it did not come out to well. It was beautful at the market with all the lights, the smell of bratwurst and roasted nuts and all the vendors. They even had a Kate Wolfarhts. We had a great time.




Here is the group of us. A kind gentleman took the picture for us. These sure are a great group of missionaries.
The lady to my right is Sister Willis and Elder Willis is be hind her. In this picture we have the Dearings, the Paxtons, the Jarretts, the Peterson's the Bradleys. and the Asplunds

Friday, we took the Willis to airport and then in the afternoon we had a Christmas devotional by the Area Presidency and a lovely dinner in the cultural hall.
We came home early went grocery shopping in the evening because we had a car.
Saturday we cleaned and prepared for the week. Then went to Blacoes for an evening at the Rodenbach Christmas market. It was fun but I did not take any pictures.


Here is a picture of the McGoverns. this Accordion player really wanted to be helpful . This was taken on the bridge by the Rommer Platz.







Here is the Zumm KocKKock We enjoy the food here and usually take our couples here. It is not far from our apartment.


We hope you are all doing well and having a good week

Love,
Oma and Opa