Another Year and the Race Through Italy

Happy Cinco de Mayo to all in this time of transition for many. College graduations are taking progress and it is interesting to think that it has been a year since our own walk across the stage. Around this time last year is when the girls heard the idea about starting this school in Albania and began to embrace this crazy idea as their own. I was trying to enjoy the end of my senior year while sifting through different possibilities for the future. I will be entering this summer as a changed person with a different perspective and situation than last year. This experience has been the most challenging and richest year of my life and, after feeling nudged, I have decided to come back for another year of this adventure.

Coming into this experience as a last minute addition and after going through a whirlwind of new possibilities, discernment, and efforts to gain support for this mission, I could not get my head around potential of staying another year. Part of my discernment suggested that Albania would be a time of growth and formation but it would not be a long-term call to service. I was also encouraged to let go of all pre-conceptions of how God would be using me and to fill the need where I would be placed. Gathering my perspectives, my approach to service here is that I would return home to pursue other possibilities unless I felt God leading me to stay. A couple months ago, the time to make a decision about whether we would be staying or not was approaching and I had yet to feel such leading, so I was getting excited about coming home.

One weekend, Jessica called me and asked if she could come over to share something with me. She talked about the feelings and words that had been stirring in their apartment and how she believed she had received a sort of vision for the ministry she would be called to in the future. At first, she viewed this as an invitation to return to the US next year to pursue this mission, but Kristi had been receiving feelings for weeks about Jessica as well. Kristi was able to confirm the things Jess had seen as affirmation, but Kristi also felt that she was supposed to tell Jess that it was not time for her to return yet because she was needed here for another year. Following this experience, Jess told me that she felt comfortable and thought that she would be staying in Albania.

I was very happy that God had been moving but I could tell that she had more to say. Like Kristi, she told me that she had been receiving thoughts about my situation for some time and felt led to tell me that I was supposed to stay as well. The weight of this conversation fell on me as I realized my perspective on the coming year was changed by these few words. I was excited to return home and enjoy the freedom of post-college/pre-marriage life in the US, but I recognized that this was the leading I was waiting for. She described how she had been observing me in the way I work and interact with the students and felt that I could not be replaced next year. Continuing to take in the vastness of these words, I thought to myself “Owned!” The meaning here was twofold: whatever ideas I had been entertaining about the near future had been swiped from me and, as a follower of Christ, I had sacrificed my life to the Creator meaning that I was in a sense owned and compelled to follow what I sensed to be His guidance.

It so happened that my situation was closely parallel with Jessica’s. During my time of reflection in the morning, I had received a sort of revelation from the Lord about a message that I could bring back to the church community in the US. Without yet receiving any guidance to overturn my default stance of returning, I felt that this experience suggested that I return to the States to begin discovering my life and ministry where I believe I am called in the long-term. However, shortly after receiving this eye-opener, I got a call from Jessica and the conversation that I described earlier seemed to overwrite my leanings in the short-term. I may be called to ministry in the States, but it was not time to return because I was still needed in Albania.

I knew that I would need some time to process and pray about what had happened, but over the weeks I grew more comfortable with the decision to stay. Now, with no new leadings to counter this direct experience, I have embraced this decision and have become excited for the possibilities of further growth, learning, and opportunity here at this school. Our last day of school is on June 15 and we will be staying a few days to wrap things up, but I will have about 10 days (yet to be planned) before I will meet my parents and younger sister in Frankfurt as she completes the same choir tour that I went on with the amazing Christopher Dock Touring Choir six years ago. The plan is to travel in Switzerland, Italy, and Germany for about three weeks before returning to the States in the second half of July. I will be remaining in the States for about 1½ months before returning to Lezha around September 10th.

I have not made many plans for this time but I hope to visit friends and family, re-charge from a stretching year, prepare for my classes and responsibilities at LAC next year, sell my car, and find some work to make money. I would appreciate any help that could be provided for achieving the last two. If you know someone who could be interested in a 97’ Honda Civic EX with less than 100,000 miles, all the typical long-term maintenance parts taken care of, a manual transmission, and in beautiful condition then let me know because I will be looking to sell it in August or September. I am also open to hearing about any kind of temporary work opportunities that would allow me to do something different and make some money while I am home. Please continue to pray for me during this time of transition as I attempt to take advantage of my short time at home before returning for another year service in Lezha.

After Easter Sunday, we had one day to rest, write a blog post, and pack before leaving early in the morning for the Tirana airport to catch a plane to Italy. This 5-day race through Italy was planned as the school’s Spring Break trip and we had a group of seven students come along with the Shahini’s and us teachers. It was exciting to be visiting the beautiful and historically rich Italy, getting a break from school, and to interact with a group of our students in a different context. Unfortunately, it was forecasted to rain at every one of our destinations and I got quite sick for the span of the trip. However, since we were traveling in a pre-planned tour with a bus and we did not have a large group of students to be responsible for, I was able to take advantage of and enjoy all of our visits while resting on the bus and in the hotels. Our fears of heavy showers ruining our vacation were never realized as the rain held off until the last day in Rome and we were able to follow through on all of our plans with some surprisingly beautiful days.

The trip began by flying into Venice, which was exciting for most of the students because it was their first time on a plane. We connected with our tour group, bus, and guide and made our way into the historic city. The only public transportation within Venice is by boat so we hopped on a water taxi to head to the Rialto Bride before walking through the heart of the city to the beautiful Piazza de San Marco. The basilica was gorgeous and represented Venice well as a collision point of east and west. During the late middle ages, Venice emerged as a naval power and served as the entry point for eastern goods into Europe. In fact, the face of the basilica is covered by rich mosaics depicting the acquisition and transportation of the body of Saint Mark from Ottoman lands to be buried in the basilica because Mark is the patron Saint and protector of the sea. Inside the basilica, the architecture reminded me of the Aya Sofia in Istanbul with the same structure seen in the dome with the walls and ceiling covered by golden mosaics. The artwork, floor, and aura had an eastern flavor while maintaining its identity in the Renaissance and western Catholicism. As with every gorgeous basilica that I entered during this trip, I felt rushed by our rapid schedule in an atmosphere where I would have loved to reflect and relax.

While walking the square, I began to have a virtual sort of déjà vu as I realized I had been here before in a way that has been made possible only recently in our 21st century world. One of my favorite video game series in college was Assassin’s Creed, which has games set in the Holy Land and Renaissance Italy. Having visited the Holy Land I had been struck by this indirect identity with a historic site before, but it was much stronger in Italy because the sites were well-preserved and were depicted in the game based on programmer’s observations of the modern cities. As I looked around the city my mind flashed back to the more epic and violent traversing of the city I had done in the game. I had climbed the basilica and that tower; I had jumped from this bridge to commandeer a gondola; I had struck down many who resisted my discovery of the mysteries driving the storyline in the very streets I was walking. This virtual déjà vu certainly has its limits but it was very interesting to actually visit places I had explored and seen through a personal perspective before.

Most of the group took a break to eat lunch in a nearby restaurant, while I satisfied my need to experience and explore when given the chance. I walked over the bridges of the promenade and looked across the channel to view another grand part of the city isolated on its own island. The magnificent winged lion, the symbol of Venice, was seen in prominent positions throughout the city reminding me of the historical imperialistic dominance and vast wealth procured by the city of Venice. Eventually, I ventured down an alley to look for something cheaper than $20 dollars to eat and I encountered a maze of obtuse angle turns, channels, and alleyways that was very difficult to navigate. Without any sort of familiar street organization it was hard to keep a point of reference and I found myself stumbling across the same locations I had already been. After re-aligning myself by asking a shopkeeper the correct direction of San Marco I was able to find my way back to the basilica where the group was going to gather.

Soon we boarded another water taxi back to the bus and we headed inland to Padua. We walked through the cobblestone streets of the city to the Basilica of Saint Antonio. With its brick façade, this church was not very impressive on the outside, but it uniquely redeemed itself inside. The central nave was quite simple, but the view of the central altar and apse was very striking with its delicately tall appearance intricately decorated with dark hues of blue and red and supported by intense groin vaulting. There were several richly decorated side chapels offering a more intimate feel and the side aisles continued around the back of the apse to the gold gilded mausoleum of Saint Antonio. After departing the basilica we walked a short distance to the Prato della Valle, which is one of the largest squares in Europe. We relaxed in the central lawn that is surrounded by a channel with rows of statues on either side before heading back to the bus late in the afternoon and heading to our hotel for the night which included eating at a McDonalds.

The next morning we left the hotel around 9:30 and headed into the heart of Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. Near the bus stop there was an open square with a Roman amphitheater and some dress-up Roman soldiers who enjoyed drawing attention to themselves by grabbing women. Then we strolled down a street of expensive fashion shops and came to the entry to the Capulet house which was covered in gum and graffiti put there by people hoping to receive blessings in their relationship. Inside was a small courtyard with a bronze statue of Juliet that the superstitious suggest gives good luck in love, but certain areas were noticeably more worn and shiny than others leading to the conclusion that many think this is the way to get extra good fortune. Next, we walked through the main square with a clock tower and continued through the streets and strolled along the river. There was an imposing brick fortress with a barricaded bridge that used to provide the only entrance into the city.

We then drove southwest and arrived at Pisa. The leaning tower of Pisa served as the bell tower for the religious complex that also consists of an impressive monastery, basilica, and baptistery. These buildings were huge masses of marble built separately among the grass of the open square standing as the only landmarks within the city. Since you had to pay to go inside all the buildings none of us did and much of our time was spent trying to figure out a way to take a good picture with the leaning tower. I decided to make a scene and try something different by holding up the tower with my feet, but due largely to my lack of physical ability along with the camera angle, it was a failed attempt so the girls and I settled for a more conventional pushing battle. One thing I discovered was that if you stood close to the tower and looked to the top, the clouds were moving in such a way that it made the tower look like it was constantly falling on top of you which can be fairly trippy. That night we drove to a large mall outside or Firenze where we found some dinner and spent the evening before returning to the hotel.

The third day we spent in the heart of Tuscany starting in Siena. It was a beautiful morning, which was crucial for enjoying the beauty of this hilltop city that offered our first views over the Tuscan countryside. We walked through the streets of the city and I noticed a much different feel. There were fewer tourists and local life was more evident with carpenters, road workers, and artisans going about their business and having discussions in Italian. The city was full of motorbikes navigating the narrow stone streets. The architecture also had a more down to earth feel as simply constructed earth-toned houses lined the streets with green shutters and flowers on the windowsill. The pace of life was noticeably more relaxed as the morning sun began to seep onto the streets.

After sauntering through the tight streets, the city opened up into a large square sloping down to the bell tower at the Piazza del Campo. We were given some free time so I quick glanced at a landmark map and headed across the city. After a good walk I found a church situated at the top of the hill with a spectacular view across the valley to the other side of the city crowned by the gorgeous Cathedral shining at the top. I spent some time taking in the sights and the moment and then walked through the church before rushing back to meet the group on time. We then visited the Cathedral that I had seen, and although I was the only one who paid to go inside, it was well worth it. The outside was gray marble with green marble stripes and the front was covered in intricate statues. Walking inside I had to pause near the entrance to take in the dynamic appearance of the place. The interior was constructed with an alternating white and blue marble while the walls and ceiling were decorated with beautiful paintings and sculptures. There were some beautiful side chapels and a library full of old books and vivid bright colors. The entire duomo was very ornate but the great variety of tones and textures made it feel more natural and my senses were not overly bombarded by too much of one thing. The balanced lighting, sense of space, and the judicious use of gold made this one of my favorite churches.

Dini was outside waiting for me and since the rest of the group had not gone inside they had already left. We wondered around the city slopes for a while and Dini pretended to steal a camera from a group of girl tourists before we located the rest of the group. We then traveled to the famous towered village of San Gimignano. The town was full of tourists and shops near the entrance, but during our free time I walked to the top and found this vineyard surrounded by old walls and a small tower. From here you could see both over part of the city with its towers rising to see who will be the tallest and into the surrounding Tuscan countryside. The earth-toned buildings with red tile roofs reflecting the sun stood in contrast to the patchwork of farms and trees and the mountains loomed off in the distance. I would have loved to relax on the hillside with some local cuisine and wine while the sun set to watch the landscape slowly fall under the cover of night in true romantic Tuscan style. However, at the request of some others in the tour group, we returned to the mall and spent a couple hours shopping which was very exhausting for me at the climax of my sickness.

The next morning we drove to the top of a hill that provided a wonderful view of the city of Florence below. This city was the birthplace of all the greatest Renaissance artists and it remains the cultural center of Italy today. The skyline of the city is dominated by the Basilica of Saint Mary di Firenze (of the flower) and that was our first walking stop in the city. The huge red tile domes and the patterns of green marble give the basilica a distinctive exterior, but the bland interior was very disappointing. Next stop was the Piazza della Signoria that was full of statues depicting various stories of mythology and history including the kidnapping of the Sabine women and the copy of the David. We then made our way through the streets that were lined with statues until we reached the river and the bridge with houses built on the sides.

Soon we were given a big chunk of free time so Kristi, Jessica, and I decided to locate the museum where the original David by Michelangelo was located. We were told that the group would not go to see it because it would take too long, but we were surprised when within a half hour we were gazing up at the statue. David is holding his sling with a rock inside and is supposed to be looking with anxiety at Goliath. Due to how famous the statue is, we took a long time to study and analyze the figure and it was nice to accomplish something that was on many other people’s bucket list. There was many other works of art in the museum but the most interesting find was a bowl designed as a replica of something described in a historical account from Ming China. When you rubbed the handles the whole bowl vibrated emitting a loud hum while the water rippled or even danced. For some reason my fingers were very adept in bringing out the full potential of this bowl which caused people to wander away from other exhibits and into the small room out of curiosity. We wandered around the city some more before returning to the bus.

That evening we made an unexpected stop during our drive to Rome at the hilltop town of Orvieto. We rode a cable car up the slope and arrived at another gorgeous cathedral that looked like a smaller version of the one in Siena. Although we only remained here for about 45 minutes, I ran through the streets exploring and discovered that I really liked the feel of this town. There were not many tourists and most sections of the town were for locals. The streets I explored were scarcely populated, picturesque, and contained many curious places to eat, hangout, or shop. This was the first time we had been out as night fell and I enjoyed the different atmosphere although again I was rushed to return to the group.

The final day of the trip it finally began to rain and it was time for Rome. Our first destination was Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. We waited in a very long line outside in the light rain in order to enter the church, but it was certainly worth the wait. This basilica boasts the largest interior of any church in the world. Upon entering, it was difficult to gauge the massive scale. Eventually, the size began to sink in as I found that it took remarkably longer than expected to walk to a given location and that people seemed to disappear as they walked away from you. The nave of the church was huge in itself, but the apse and the wings of the church were large enough to be their own cathedrals. In fact, each part had its own seating like a separate church and there was a mass being celebrated in the left wing as if there were not thousands of tourists to distract the parishioners. Inside were several famous works of art including: Michelangelo’s Pieta, Rafael’s Transfiguration of Christ, the baldachin Papal Altar, and the Chair of Saint Peter both by Bernini. I believe this is the most richly decorated church I have experienced, but it was not overwhelming at all because of the vast size and variety of styles, which produced an otherworldly and transcendent feel. The church was so huge that I felt like I rushed through to see the whole thing and take pictures but I was still the last of the group to leave the church after a half hour.

After gathering the group, we walked to the Trevi Fountain, which is apparently one of the most famous fountains in the world. The allure of the water and art of the fountain was dampened by the steady rain, which made pondering and picture taking difficult. The teachers and most of the students went to grab a 30-minute lunch at a small Chinese restaurant which was the first taste of Chinese for many of them. The next site was certainly one that I recognized, the Pantheon. This circular structure toped by a dome with a large open hole in the center featured the largest dome in the world for over a millennium until it was bested by the basilica in Florence, though still it remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world today. Having virtually climbed through the whole in the top and descended to the floor, I had felt scale of this dome before. Since the Roman acceptance of Christianity, the Pantheon has functioned as a church, but the main attraction was certainly its unique construction.

Upon departing, we soon found ourselves standing in a large square with another fountain that contained an Egyptian obelisk and a separate fountain stream for the main rivers of the four major continents: Nile (Africa), Ganges (Asia), Danube (Europe), and the Amazon (the Americas). We were given a curious amount of free time, so I bolted off again in the direction that seemed to have the most potential and I found picturesque streets as well as an important intersection in the city with a bridge that offered a great view of the Tiber, Saint Peter’s Basilica, and the Castel Sant’Angelo. I also noticed that Romulus and Remus myth remained such a part of the identity of the city that they have a bronze plate of the brothers being nursed by the she-wolf along with the famous S.P.Q.R (Senatus Populus que Romanus = Senate and the People of Rome) featured on every public trash container.

As the rain subsided we headed into the anticipated heart of the ancient city of Rome. We first visited the Italian National Museum and, since we were given unclear instructions about time limit and the group always gathered late, I decided to not worry about taking some extra time to see if I could find a view. I climbed hundreds of steps and ran through an exhibit to uncover a wrap-around balcony that offered an amazing panorama of the old city. The Roman Forum was on the hill near the museum while the old central street was lined with partially preserved structures culminating in the Coliseum. I spent some time trying to imagine the bustle of life on this street in Ancient Rome and the noise that would periodically rise from the Coliseum as 50,000 spectators reacted to the bloody spectacle before them. However, I knew I would be late so I found the group waiting and we walked along the street to the Coliseum.

To be honest the Coliseum was not as tall or grand as I had been expecting. It was a massive accomplishment considering it was built over 2,000 years ago, but with all the other things we had seen, this structure did not surmount its predecessors in the way I anticipated. It was still awesome to be able to visit this site that is very well preserved, but we did not have enough time to go inside which was a letdown. I walked all around the structure to take in the design and ended at the Arch of Constantine. This triumphal arch was the situated next to a road that still contained the original Roman stones. I lingered between the Forum, arch, and Coliseum for a minute to take in the heart of the ancient city from the slopes of Palatine Hill on which the city was founded before being summoned to the bus for our departure. We drove to the airport and made our stand in the crowded security lines to take off and watched as the lights of Rome grew faint marking the end of our 5-day race through Italy.

This trip was a great opportunity to see so many wonderful things in Italy. There are certainly disadvantages to traveling in a big tour group, but having everything provided and planned for you and being able to move quickly and cheaply from one place to another in a tour bus was crucial to being able to see what we did with the size of group we had. Although I am usually a person who likes to visit new places, the fact that I rarely had the opportunity to explore or take in the feeling of a place and the overwhelming historical richness and natural beauty of Italy makes me very excited to return this summer during the trip planned with my parents. I now have a better understanding of what to expect and what to look for and it will be great to be able to move at our own pace.

Back at LAC things are moving along and we are trying to keep up. Our long schedules are beginning to wear a little on all of us and I feel that my productivity has been slashed. Fortunately, I now have less deadline work because most of my resources are coming from last semester and I am simply improving little things here and there while trying to work ahead to prepare for the mass of new content that will be mine to teach next year. However, there are a lot of side projects to take care of in preparing for the end of the year and to begin transitioning for next year. With only six weeks left of school, I am hoping to recommit myself to spending as much quality time with the students, in the community, and with the Lord as I can. My busy schedule has made me feel holed up in school without having the ability to focus on doing a few things well and I want to lean on Christ to allow Him to take control of my time and prioritize what needs to be done before summer.

This quarter so far has been more of a normal schedule, so we have had Bible club three more times. After moving the time to be earlier we have gotten a larger turnout, but this has also meant that students are often distracted during discussion. We have had some fun times with them playing a variety of games and have discussed the spiritual world/the soul, why there is so much suffering in our world, and the relationship between science and religion. Discussion is give and take because the students are often very interested, but they are very easily sidetracked and it can be difficult to keep them attentive long enough to give a cohesive explanation.

In history class, I just finished my unit on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which I am easily excited about. Like in bible club, the students were usually very interested, but they are easily distracted by things that are different from what they thought. Because they know so little about the religions that are ingrained into their own culture, I think it is incredibly important for them to understand the basic historical formation and main beliefs of these faiths. The unique differences and views of salvation can play a huge role in the way people view the world. I hope that the combination of this instruction and bible club will help the students become more aware of the importance of religion in our world and encourage them to ask critical questions about our faith and their own spiritual formation. Please pray for progress in this slow process and that God would open their hearts and begin to work his way into this community.

After Easter, we had a few rainy weeks in Lezha, but the past 10 days has been beautiful with the warm sun making its return. There has not been any notable change in the food situation, but I have had some opportunities to eat some good food. One of these times I was invited by of one of my students who used to live in Greece to come to his house along with Elvis (the other Greek) in order to try some Greek food. Both of his parents were cooks in Greece so the food was amazing and there was so much variety including: two types of rice, some greens, potatoes, ground beef patties, chicken, pork, salads, Tzatziki, a special sauce recipe from Crete, bread and more. We spent some watching motorbike videos and they told me how every boy in Greece has one that they would race and how when they left their motorbikes in Greece it was like losing a part of themselves. The students who have lived somewhere else have shared that it has been difficult for them to come back to Lezha because there is not much to do besides go out for coffee or play soccer at a calceto.  They have also suggested that the local culture is not fond of new or foreign ideas, so it can be stifling to those who have experienced another style of life and had part of their identity changed.

This past Tuesday, we had off school for Albanian worker’s day so I went to the beach in Shengjin with the two Greeks. After only a couple hours of swimming in the dirty water and getting some sun, Elvis invited me to come to visit with his family at their house on a mountainside. Despite being unusually exhausted, we climbed the path up to his property where I was introduced to his family and had a feast placed in front of me. His grandfather was happy that I was visiting his house because I was the first American he had ever seen. It began to get a little emotional when he talked about how I reminded him of his one son who had left to live in the States. He said that I honored this place because of my appreciative attitude and he wanted an American to experience something uniquely good about Albanian culture to go along with the bad. I was very honored to be so welcomed by this family and privileged to have had such a meaningful interaction with a group of people that I had never met before and could communicate with only with limited words and gestures through Elvis.

My time on the mountain with this family gave me a wonderful picture of a rustic lifestyle that had mostly disappeared from the industrialized world and stood in strong contrast to the packed living conditions in Lezha. The homes there were built in the 19th century and were simple single-story houses built with wood and stone covered in plaster. There was only three rooms and the ceiling was so low I had to duck down, which would get old very quickly if you lived there. Elvis told me how he lived there when he was young and how as many as 20 people had somehow squeezed in that small house to live together back in the good old days.

What luxuries the house did not supply, the natural surroundings made up for. There was a mountain stream that provided a non-stop supply of fresh water. There were patches of gardens, trees, and pasture all worked into the green slopes of the mountain. We ate cherries, climbed a tree, chased after sheep, laid in the shade, drank directly from the mountain stream, sat on a donkey, sipped the local wine, threw sticks, and ate some more cherries. I thoroughly enjoyed this time because it allowed me to get away from all the noise and concrete in the small radius where I live my life here to experience God’s creation and have a genuine interaction with the Albanian culture. As I sat in the shade to escape the heat and heard traditional Albanian music being played through a stereo, my mind wandered back to my time with the Bedouin in the desert of Jordan. Although the landscape was quite different, the combination of hard work and a slower pace of life in the wild harmonized with the simple eastern-style melodies to provide a similar experience of simpler times. I am very thankful to Elvis and his family for their hospitality and I hope to have the privilege of returning to that special place again.

The return of warmer weather has beckoned a renewed interest in soccer. Last week we I played for the first time since the advent of winter and it felt good to run around. Although I had only watched two soccer games the whole year prior to a few weeks ago, I watched a significant part of four games within the span of several days. This is because the Champion’s League finals have been taking place and all the men are glued to the television screen as the best clubs in Europe battle for dominance. There are so many things that frustrate me about soccer and I cannot believe that some of the procedures have not been adapted, but I still find myself getting excited when there is so much hype surrounding a game and I understand who is playing. Ken Horst came to visit for a couple days to go over the details of our budget and stay, and one night he went out with Dini and I to watch one of the games. I have found myself shouting sometimes during intense parts of a big game when a goal is scored or big opportunity missed, but Ken (as a long time resident of Italy) was very excitable and it made the experience more amusing. It is amazing how all of Europe can be so enthralled by this game, but in the US we remain largely unacquainted with these contests. The final will be a Spanish-free bout between Chelsea and Bayern Munchen on May 19.

Things may be coming down to the end for this year, but there is still much to be done. Please keep each of the staff members in your prayers as we encounter whatever stressors will fly at us toward the end of the year. Pray that we are able to maintain order in the school and our classrooms as summer approaches, that we have clarity to see the big picture, and that we can effectively make the adjustments that are needed for an expanding school next year. Pray that we would find our strength and drive in the Lord and that our tired bodies will be invigorated to take advantage of the rest of our time this year. Pray particularly for VMM and the school boards efforts to locate and recruit more teachers for next year. We are going to need many staff additions to be able to adequately handle the increasing responsibilities while still retaining the time to be a purposeful mission presence in and outside of school. There are a lot of plans that have yet to be made and tasks that have yet to be accomplished, so please keep us particularly in your thoughts during the next month and a half. Thank you for all of your support and may God bless your efforts wherever you are.

Kalofsh Mire – “Have a good one.”