Travel and Some Randomness ...

August is a generally slow month in all of Europe as most of the people flee the cities for vacation.  The shop across the street from us that sells food, drinks etc. has shuttered it doors for two weeks with a sign saying the have gone to the beach.  This is typical and in the smaller cities and villages even more typical.  So with that in mind I thought I would just let you in on some randomness and Jen's travel saga of returning to us.

Jen's Travel:
As you know Jen got the joy of spending 10 days in the U.S. visiting family and letting Wilson step on U.S. soil for the first time.  She had a great trip but we thought she may not get back to us in Belgrade.  Her original itinerary was; Little Rock to Atlanta to Paris To Belgrade total hours about 16.  Not bad for international travel.  Will there seemed to be some rain in Atalanta so Jen and Wilson were delayed for about 5 hours throwing off the whole schedule.  New itinerary; Little Rock to Atlanta to London to Belgrade.  Not bad just a little longer.  Well the flight to London was a little late meaning she missed her connection to Belgrade meaning she got to add an additional flight to Frankfurt then to Belgrade.  Her 16 hour travel day ended up being 36.  And she did it all with Wilson as her companion.  Needless to say she was exhausted, but to happy to be home. 

Some Random Stuff:
This year K will be full time home schooling, they started Tuesday and so far all is well.   Miki will go to full time Serbian 1st Grade and do part time home school with Jen.  Serbian school is still two weeks away so Miki has started home schooling  too.

Wilson has become obsessed with walking and cars.  This means we walk to the corner and sit on the curb and watch the cars go by.  He could do this all day if we let him.  He also talks in his sleep and says "shoes on, shoes on"  I think this is when he is dreaming of walking.

Insanity:  I started the insanity workout 3 weeks ago and let me tell you they are not playing.  It's the toughest thing I have ever done, but the results have been outstanding.  I have lost an inch on my waist!   I have about 5 weeks to go so I'll keep you updated.

Tomorrow Grady and Linda return to Belgrade and I have a house fool of excited people.

What happens when momma is gone?

Jen and Wilson have been in the States the past ten days, they get back on Friday.  That has left the girls and I on our own, which brings up the question; What happens when momma is gone?  I know most people that have contacted us in Jen's absence have been concerned about food, like are the girls eating, am I preparing meals or did I just sit food on the counter and tell them to fend for themselves  (full confession I totally did that for breakfast, they were on their own... cereal or granola bar its on the counter.  I know its terrible but with no Wilson waking me up I was sleeping in and Miki tends to wake up far earlier then I want to.  Plus it builds character, right?).  Despite everyone's concern we did eat, and not McDonald's every night (only twice out of a possible 30 meals).  About 90 percent of our meals were built on one basic food group, the tortilla (we are fancy here and call everything a wrap). Our meals consisted of hot dog wraps, PB&J wraps, pepperoni wraps, breakfast wraps (bacon and egg for dinner not breakfast see above rant on that) and quesadillas (technically not a wrap but it is on a tortilla).  So to answer your question the girls have not starved, although they get really excited to go eat at the Israels now that I think about it.
The other big concern people have is are the girls having fun (there is some bad publicity out there about my ability to have fun, I have even been called the "murderer of fun" so I am puzzled as to why people are concerned about the girls having fun).  But they are having fun, and lots of it!  Out of a possible 8 days that Jen has been gone we have been to McDonald's twice, seen Ice Age 4 (terrible by the way if your over like 12 years old), had two sleep overs at our house and one at the Israel's, and friends have to come to play during the day.  We went bike riding (trying to teach Miki to ride).  We have rented three movies from the video store and I took the girls to the WATER PARK!!!!  I think that is a ton of fun and I now declare myself #1 fun dad in all of Serbia. 
Despite the culinary excitement I have brought to the house this week, and all the fun we have had mostly we talk about what we would be eating/doing if mom and Wilson were here.  For all the sleeping in I have done, I have missed the morning time with Wilson and Barney (yes that purple dinosaur).  I stay up way to late, not because I am doing  anything but because I rest much better when Jen is here.  So for all the good eating we have done and the fun things we have done, we are ready for Mom and Wilson to be home.

Kristina, the worlds greatest Summer Intern

Kritina with our friend Boris and our J-Girl Amy

This summer we hosted our first summer intern, Kristina Chambers.  She had served in Serbia last summer but this was her first experience in the big city of Belgrade.  Much of the credit for her summer service need to go to our J-Girl, Amy because she rocked the summer program.  Amy and Kristina worked and lived so well together we started calling them Kristamy.
Kristina was amazing.  She was flexible (extremely important when working in Eastern Europe).  She worked hard, she was full of ideas and suggestions and not afraid to share them.  She spent most of her summer teaching English.  She hosted American movie nights with college students, she did more then we could have imagined.  She furthered our work here and connections in ways we just cant.  She has a passion for our work here and around the world and we hope she joins our company long term when she finishes school.  She had a tremendous impact on my family and we really consider her apart of the family.   My favorite summer memory may be Wilson wondering around the house saying "nina, nina".  When the boy speaks your name its a big deal.
Kristina,
we are grateful for your service and blessed to have spent the summer with you .  You have set the bar high for future interns and we look forward to watching you grow and seeing how God directs your life.  You always have a place in Serbia.
Kyle, Jen, Miki, K and Wilson

Summit In Their Own Words

For two weeks in July we had a team of volunteers from North Carolina join us here in Belgrade.  They were amazing and I do not have the words to describe the work they did here and the impact that they had. They gave out over 300 lunches to Roma kids.  They spent time pouring into the lives of college students, they played basketball, they explored, they taught Englsih, they got lost and then found again.  They experineced a wonderful city and gave themselves to it.   So I thought it best to share their own words with you and let them express their thoughts to you.  At the beginning of their trip we gave then a card to fill out so all of these thoughts start the same, 



It was a God thing when.....

-I was so encouraged to watch Miki willingly and joyfully serve the Roma children.  I have learned much from your girls

- a student we met came to fellowship! She loved it and took  home the NT.

- God gave me the courage to start just one more conversation with a student after being rejected several times

- We met a student on the street who introduced herself... and then found out she used to live in Chapel Hill

-We connected with a serb guy who lives in Chapel Hill, he wants to stay in contact and even maybe come to the Sumitt

- over 30 students showed up at our Cafe party towards the end of the trip

- Boris introduced us to two young ladies who were interested in hearing the Story and wanted to know more

- when a man tried to speak to us in Serbia at lunch and realized we did not speak Serbian.  He then asked if he could join us to practice his English.  Amazing how God opens the door for conversation.

- To be encouraged by the brothers and sisters here, so few but so amazing.

- when our second morning with the Roma kids, my group ran to me for a big group hug!  That was God telling me that his love was being translated

- when God always turned the conversation to himself. 

We were so blessed to have you all here and look forward to you coming back and joining us again.  To all of you a heartfelt thanks
Kyle, Jen, Miki, K and Wilson

Adventures in Greece Part 3: Vacation

If you missed part 1 or 2 click here or here.
After a harrowing bus ride and a great conference with our company we took a few days for vacation in Athens.  We were fortunate to share a great space with our friends W and M and their kids, as well as spend time with our friends R and K.  As a history buff I was really excited to be in Athens and the great historical sights but the best thing was seeing Mars Hill, where Paul preached in Acts 17.  Kyleigh and I were able to make a quick trip to Corinth and see some amazing sights and walk the streets that Paul had walked.  To quote Miki:  "Athens is nice, mostly old rocks, when are we going to the beach!"  So we spent one day at a great beach with all our friends and their kids.  It was sandcastle building time.  My most favorite thing of all was the great Gyros, the food was amazing and I will have to suffer through Gyros here in Belgrade that are not nearly as good.    It was a great vacation, the trip home was much smoother and alot less messy (although we did take a prop plane home, not the best way to fly but still better then an 18 hour drive).

This story is best told in pictures:

Headed up to the Parthenon, this particular spot is known as last place for shade

In front of the 'Old" Temple

The "new" Temple

All this sight seeing wore Wilson out

In front of Mars Hill (Acts 17 Plaque)

Sprinting in front of 1896 Olympic Stadium

At the Jewish Synagogue in Ancient Corinth

Building Sand Castles

ocean Trampoline

Kids waiting on their Gyros

Great friends, Great Gyros

Adventures in Greece: Part 2 AGM

If you missed part one click here.  Part one is not for the weak stomach, just saying.
So we were in Greece for 10 days, the first part for a company conference.  We do these conferences every summer but this summer was different.  It was for all our European personnel, over 800 people (we usually do a much smaller group, like a 100) so this was a big deal.  Our conference broke down into four parts:

Worship/Teaching:  We were blessed to get to worship every morning in English as a big group and then lead in some teaching by J. D. Greear from North Carolina.  His teaching was amazing and although we can podcast and do things on the internet to be there live with hundreds of people, it was filling to the soul.

Business/Breakouts:  We had the opportunity to hear the changes and vision of our company from the highest levels of leadership and it was inspiring.  To see the focus on bringing others in to walk alongside us, to see the focus on the city, it was very exciting.  We also go to attend breakout sessions that were very helpful and specific to our work, as well as learn form great teachers that have been doing what we want to do and have seen proven results. 

Family/Fellowship Time:  We were so grateful to our leadership for making our first full day at the conference, only a half day and after lunch being family time.  It gave us a great opportunity to get in the pool with the kids.  We also had so much time to hang out with friends we had not seen in years.  To share with these people is one of the most uplifting and encouraging things that happens for us.  We love all of you and can't wait to do it again.  It was great to reconnect and to support and encourage one another.

Kids VBS:  While we meet 100's of volunteers from all over the states came to spend time with our children.  They put on a full scale VBS.  Shower our kids with yummy american snacks and generally love on our kids for a week.  The quality of our meeting is usually based on the quality of the volunteers with our kids.  This was a great week.

A big thanks to all of you out there that support our organization making it possible to have these types of events.  It is like a well in the desert and a great time for the refreshing of our soul.

Here are some pics (mostly from the pool)

View from our Room

Wilson ready to swim

Jumping to daddy

I LOVE THE POOL

Swimming with friends

ICE CREAM!!!!

Wilsons new friend

J.D. Greear and our New friend DAVE!!!!

Morning we left!!!

Happy Kid