October

I have not written in some time, but here are some pictures to try to catch all of you up to date as to what I have been doing...hopefully later this week I can get a real typed update out. 

First week of school we went over school rules, how to behave
 in class, and how to take care of the school. 

One of the teachers in the youngest class is teaching about
good behavior.

Recess! We put wheels on the bottom of wooden pallets
for the kids to play on, but unfortunately it only lasted
about a week before they started falling apart.

Another new addition to the recess play are
 basket ball hoops! The kids love them :).

Our art teacher couldn't make it one day and I was given
 an art class to teach...we made "finger puppet" snakes.

For Eid al Ahada this year I went with some of Alexis's
friends on a camping trip...I had never had such sophisticated
 food while camping. :)

First time eating pancakes on a camping trip.

While searching for a good camp site we stopped along
the road by an apple orchard and were given a whole
bag of freshly picked apples...the best apples I have had in Lebanon yet!

We stopped by a memorial for Mikhail Naimy who was a famous
 Lebanese author and poet. 

We did some hiking around our camp site and found some pretty
beautiful views of Lebanon. 

This picture was taken from the same location but in the
opposite direction...in a few weeks those mountains in the back
will be covered in snow.

Alexis and I went to the beach by bus one Sabbath (there is no where
else we know how to get to without a car that is relatively
close) and enjoyed being in nature. Suzanne used to take us
all over the place in the mountains and other places on the
weekends, but without a car, we are a bit more limited in where we
 can and can't go. 

One Sunday, I was taken with one of my families on a
family outing to the sea. The littlest girl doesn't know how
to swim but she begged her daddy to at least let her get her lets wet :). 

Two of my kids had a birthday two weeks ago. The one was
born the day after his sister's birthday so they celebrate their
birthdays together. 

Some of those present at the birthday party. 

Waiting for the birthday kids to come home from school. 

My Syrian mom gave me the skirt I am wearing and I had fun
dressing up with my Syrian sisters.

  

I have been very scarce on the MEU (Middle East University)
campus this year...but when I was there last month I enjoyed
 finding relatives of Cub.

Sorina, the new SM has taken over my violin classes since she
is more qualified to teach them...Ahmad is doing tremendously
well! :) I am very proud of him. 

I have been teaching the youngest kids how to sound out letters
and have a few who have a harder time understanding than
others...I found that having one kid teach the other works out
beautifully! :) Let me tell you, this was one of the most beautiful
things I have seen! The girl teaching was towards the bottom of the
class last year, and is towards the top this year :).

For Eid al Ahda I made muffins for some of our families (there
is another layer of muffins below the one you see). Let me tell
you, they didn't last very long! A group of boys from the school
were enjoying their freedom for a few days and were riding
 rented bikes around and decided to come check on the school.
They all went home with a bag of muffins and one or two in their mouths :). 

            So you have a little picture of what is going on here at the Center. It has been a lot more busy this year than last year and I feel like time is going by even faster this year than last :(. I have been blessed by all the things my kids have been teaching me :). 

            As a quick update on the last blog I posted, we were able to help three families with rent. This month we have about five more families that are facing financial crisis's and we are trying to find the right balance of giving and saving for future crisis's. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we try to know how best we can help those around us. And pray for our families that they will be able find the courage to continue trusting GOD to provide for their needs. Also pray that those who are out of work will find work SOON!