On the Move

It's been one of those months. Communicating in a language that is sometimes difficult to understand. At the beginning of last month when Bill went to go pay the rent, the bank teller said something to him that ended with "I have an apartment we'd like you to see". Now why would the bank want us to see an apartment. We tried to make arrangement several times, but never connected with the guy at the right time.

Well I took on a new English student and wouldn't you know her Aunt works in that Bank. The New student also speaks pretty decent English, so when the Teller saw her with me, he came out of the bank and talked to her in Arabic. So this is the story " our apartment is being sold and the bank needs us to move the sooner the better". Now we understand why the bank wanted us to look at another apartment.

We are currently looking for a new place to live. Smaller and cheaper than what we have but yet big enough to still enjoy hosting those coming through our town. We don't have a place yet but we are packing up the house, got most of the books packed. We are trusting the Lord in finding us the right place, we did find one place we like, but are waiting for an answer from the landlord.

Pray with us that we can get moved before it gets to hot and that our funds will hold out for the move. We are looking this as a challenge to begin anew in a new location, a chance to meet new people and make new contacts.

Take care, come see us soon.
Betty

Good morning from North Africa

I just posted and it's in vertual space.

I was updating face book and decided to update the blog.

We currently have a group of 7 this week, I got up and made them fresh granola and set out some yogurt. They are enjoying it. For the first time we have more guys in this group than girls. That doesn't happen a lot. They spent the week in Berber land and had a great time.

I've been trying to catch up on some project before I start any more. Any quilter or crafter knows how impossible that is. I finished a wall quilt for a friend with hand prints and foot prints of her children. (thanks Annette for the fabric it was perfect). I also finished two quilt tops, almost finished a quillo ( pillow quilt) and 12 skirt, 14 shorts.

We get to move this month, so wanted to get stuff done.

I've also been working on spinning, I find wheel spinning is easier than hand spinning but I'm getting better at the hand spinning.

Thanks to those who are sending money in for Faith's school. It's coming in slow but sure. She goes to Germany Sept 26th.

Well need to go and look at a house in a couple of hours, (good subject for the next time).

Faith Update

Hi This is Faith,

The Lord has been doing real good things in my life over here in North Africa, He has opened up good opportunities to work with families just moving into the country, helping them with their children. Not only has he opened opportunities in the city I and my parents live in but also in other cities as well.

I am learning that when I follow His path, even when I am reluctant or scared or think that I don't really want to go there, that His rewards are over and above anything I could ever dream.

One of the opportunities that has opened up for me is being accepted into a Bible school in Southern Germany, My Uncle Mark (from Vancouver Wa), My Father (Bill) and my Cousin (Nancy) have all gone to this school and have come away with life altering experiences. I am real excited to be able to go. But I need your help.

The cost of the school is in Euros and because of the drop in the dollar the price of the school has almost doubled. I had raised over half the money. Now I'm finding that I need about $7000 more by the end of September. Because this is a private school outside of the United States, there isn't any financial aid available. My parents and I asked the Global committee for permission to ask you for your help.

Cost of School: 7000 Euro
Transportation: $1500
Personal: $1000
Total Needed $11,000
Already have: $4000
Still need: $7000

Here is the link to the school in case you would like more information about the school.
http://www.bodenseehof.de/view.php

Contributions can be sent to NWYM. Don't write my name on any checks, but indicate on a sticky note or paper that the money is for Faith Kelley for Bible school or enclose the bottom portion of this letter with you contribution.

Thank you so much for your help.
Faith Kelley

For Faith Kelley, Bible school fund
contribution of $200___, $100_____, Other $_______ .
Send to NWYM of Friends
200 N Meridian Street
Newberg, OR 97132

Back in town

We arrived back from a conference on the Mediterranean coast, the picture is a view from our window. We learned some new stuff and old stuff. Mainly how to work better in the country we are living in.

I took my spindle with me and enjoyed spinning without the cat pouncing on it. I got quite a bit done. I took some sewing, but didn't feel up to that. Faith and I walked every afternoon and attended worship in the mornings and 1 session in the evenings.

I helped a friend at the beginning of the week with her family, because her son had a serious bike accident and split his head open and fractured a head bone. I stayed with her till Wed and then came home to get the house ready to host 5 men who will be attending some meetings in our town. The first morning I made baked french toast. This morning I made coffee cake and fruit soup and tomorrow we (I hope) will be serving cinnamon rolls.

I taught me first English class at the association. the books I worked on didn't get printed in time so I put a picture book together of my family and we did a lesson on family. I had 4 students. They still seemed confused about the change of teachers, but hope they get used to me. We had a fun time.

update

The holidays are pretty much over American and North African. Life is getting back to normal. We have lots of teens at our house especially on weekends.

Bill is teaching two evenings a week and He and his partner are trying to get two or three more jobs for firm foundations. The prospects look good. But pray for a bite.

I went and helped a friend out with a womens class, she was suppose to have a group of ladies come from Spain, but they couldn't at last minute so I went and taught a class of crochet for her. There were alot of women so I hoped they learned something.

I'm also tutoring a teacher at the American school in English two nights a week and looks like I'll be teaching English on Fridays at a women's association in one of our new communities.

So life is starting to pick up. The challenge is not to let it get to full. Projects we are still looking to do is more quilting classes and spinning classes. Will keep you posted.

December Pics.

No the tree's not real, we bought it when we first moved into our house. It doesn't meet American standard, but hey it works.





Look at all that food








first year for Caroling They all came to our house for hot cocoa Christmas goodies.





I'm at a place where there is fast internet and thought I might catch up with some pictures. December was a busy month with teaching English, making costumes for the Christmas play, having friends and youth over for Christmas and New years.

O where o where have the kelleys gone...........

Yes I know we need to do better on keeping this blog up. I wait for Bill to blog so I can blog or the other way around and it doesn't get done.

We had a great Thanksgiving, Bill was determined that we were going to have turkey, so I told him if he wanted turkey than he would need to find one. To make a long story short, he left the house at about 11 in the morning and didn't return till about 3 in the afternoon. He had gone to 2 to 3 different parts of town and then ended up traveling 30 kilometers out of town where his tutor found his brother in law who happened to have two turkeys to sell. So Bill got them, traveled back into town, got them butchered and brought them home. Unfortunately for me he forgot to tell them to cut off the head and gut the things. It was a messy job to get them ready to cook, I cooked one of them the night before thanksgiving just to see how long it would take. People told me they were good turkeys, but I didn't have the heart to eat something that still had eyes looking at me before I cooked it.

We had 40 some people for Thanksgiving. 1/2 of them were kids and half the kids where under the age of 10. We had a great time.

Other activities we have been up too.

We hosted 3 children 6 and under so their parents could have a special anniversary out go visit some special places. Faith said it gave her an all new appreciation for young moms over here. We had a lot of fun.

We hosted a get together for the English School Amacitia. The secretary is leaving to go the Spain to get married and live, she had been with the school since it began, we had a mix of North Africans, French, Americans, British and Spanish people in our home. It was a lot of hard work, but Bill and I enjoyed serving our friends in the Lord.

We have been to the old city many times to visit our friends there. We will be going again tonight. They are wanting to send some things back to their family in the Oregon and so Marissa and Jessica will be delivering those gifts for them.

The international church is getting ready for it's annual Christmas program. I was put in charge of making 38 to 40 angel costumes. You can be proud of me mom, I delegated instead of doing it all myself.

Well need to go.

As soon as we have pictures ready to down load for these events and the internet is working correctly, we will update this email