Back to work!

Sorry our posting has been a little off schedule the past couple of weeks. Hopefully, we will be back on track for our weekly posts now. As you know from Denny's post earlier in the week, we spent this past week traveling through Croatia to Slovenia for a Senior Missionary Conference. We enjoyed meeting all the couples serving in the Adriatic North Mission and putting faces to the names on our lists! We received uplifting messages, learned more about what other couples are doing in the mission field and had the opportunity to share what we do as welfare/humanitarian missionaries. Senior couples are given specific assignments within the mission. Some offer member and leadership support, some work specifically with the young single adults while others help build self-reliance or establish religious classes (known as seminary and institute) for the communities. There is great diversity in our assignments, yet we are all united in helping to bring the joy of Christ to others while we are here.

Sister Bradford and her husband are serving in Banja Luka,
which is also part of the Bonsia zone so we will get to spend time
together at monthly zone conferences. They just arrive last week!

We took a chair lift up to the top of a mountain
with the Porters and then walked down.

A view from the first landing of the gondola
over looking the cloud covered valley.

The valley was completely covered by the clouds
 in the morning but by the time we headed
back down the view was amazing!

544 steps later...

The conference was a nice break after an extremely busy couple of weeks and a good balance of inspirational presentations and time for socializing and getting to know the other couples while maybe unexpectedly getting a little exercise at the same time! Like the 544 steps up the mountain to the waterfall... we only saw the sign that said "20 minute walk". Apparently there is also a sign indicating the number of steps, but we missed that one. It's probably a good thing because I'm positive I would have declined the opportunity. Between bad knees, being extremely out of shape and high altitude I almost gave up. Denny and the other couple went up ahead while I waited on a bench only to return quickly and informed me it was "only a few more steps" to the waterfall. After 500 steps, what's a few more.... ugh! But I'm glad I did it and enjoyed the splendor of the waterfall atop of the mountain.

This is from the middle of a high wood bridge...
I actually walked across it just to take yet
another picture of the stunning scenery.

The conference ended around noon so Denny and I decide to do a scenic drive around the Julian Alps on our way home. I've already shared several of those pictures on Facebook so I won't repost them, except for this panorama of one of the many magnificent vistas. It was truly breathtaking! As I contemplate the beauty of the earth I can not deny that God lives!

Sarajevo and a long to-do list awaited us upon our return late Friday night. We have meetings scheduled this week with Muslim Aid to discuss possible projects as well as a small rural school in BiH that is experiencing major difficulties in supplying water to the students. Scheduling a meeting with a Drop in Center that serves and supports street involved children in BiH is also on that long to-do list for this week. Language study is also high on the priority list so we will be better able to communicate with the local residents as we move forward with projects. My current list includes things I need to be able to say in order to teach riders at Riders of Hope... at least it's motivation! I can say "up" and "down", "left" and "right" and "super"!  I also know most parts of the body needed to ride, just don't know how to tell them what to do with those body parts yet! LOL!

Our journey continues as we pray for opportunities to serve others and make their burdens lighter with help from a loving Heavenly Father who knows their struggles. I'd like to express my gratitude to all that have made it possible for us to be here. From our amazing family to the wonderful people taking care of my precious horses, I am forever grateful for their support. We love you all! Until next week...