Heading North!

Bright and early Tuesday morning, Rodja and I headed north. First stop, pick Jim up at the airport in Belgrade.

Mission accomplished! Bright and perky after almost 24 hours travel, everyone we see remarks on how he looks younger than ever! 

Next flying stop - we touch base with our colleagues at Bread of Life in Belgrade. It is always good to meet with Jasmina and Slavica, as our areas of service overlap. We have worked together on several projects, and they are a blessing to so many! Bread of Life focuses on three areas: Roma children and education, the elderly, and drug rehabilitation. They are also the central coordination point for the distribution of Christmas boxes which are collected by Samaritan's Purse. Even before we were involved with work in Serbia, many of us made the Christmas boxes a yearly tradition.

Next stop, Dane and Melita. In addition to pastoring First Baptist Church of Belgrade, they have a printing business. We catch up on their work -- home groups bringing new closeness and vitality to their church, and a home church for the Roma in urban Belgrade! We also purchase books for the upcoming conference, pick up more of the illustrated gospel for use with Roma children, and see a new illustrated book -- Pilgram's Progress -- that we buy for Marijan and Slavica to try out with their children.

And then it is on to Novi Sad, where I was first introduced to Serbia. We look forward to seeing old friends and making new! I have a treat in store. On Wednesday, I will meet with the only La Leche League Leader in Serbia -- a connection from my "real job." Later in the week, I look forward to time spent with Olivera and Biljana, who became friends during our first ESL classes in Novi Sad!

 

 

Natasha, Teodora and Jovana meet us -- oh, and Molly, the new puppy! Natasha has one of our favorite treats -- pancakes with Nutella! In the USA, we would think of them more as crepes -- and as extremely delicious. It was great to be able to reconnect with friends who have become family. We visit a while, then settle in for a good night's sleep before conference preparations tomorrow.