So, it feels like this just happened...
August 11 - we flew from Los Angeles to back to Cairo
August 12 - we arrive in Cairo
August 13 - the kids are back in school, I (Ken) am on a plane to Beirut
August 14-18 - in Lebanon, mostly for Ana Terzo Camp
August 31-Sept 7 - back to Lebanon, mostly for Heart for Lebanon retreat/meetings
Sept 13 - resume weekly CCF Kids program
Sept 18-19 - in the hospital with Titus for surgery to reset severely dislocated thumb, resulting in weekly doctor follow-up visits
Oct 13-16 - in Germany for meetings with colleagues and national leadership
Nov 6-10 - in Budapest for the Lectures
Nov 20 - car's clutch breakdown
Nov 21-23 - back to Beirut for the Teen Discipleship launch
Nov 26-30 - in Athens for 3W Staff meeting
Dec 4-5 - Grace battles kidney "granules"
Dec 12 - CCF's annual Christmas bazaar
Dec 13 - car accident
and, Dec 13 - CCF Kids last program of the calendar year
I had to go back through all of those events, trips, and surprises over the past few months because each seemed to keep us hopping at an incredible pace. I didn't include most of the daily or weekly routine. Nor did I include 4 birthdays, a musical, a band concert, a Christmas pageant, and all the prep/practices that went into those events. We had a busy summer, it has remained busy ever since--and, as Keli likes to remind me, it was busy before we left for summer!
So, what's now:
Christmas Break - with the exception of the few Christmas events that follow in the next section of this post, we will take it "easy" with the kids. We have had some garden work begin; each year there is a lot of garden work that has to take place at this time to get it ready to be green and wonderful for the rest of the year. Trees were trimmed, flowers and bushes will be removed or relocated, and either sod or new grass seed has to be sown. In addition to the garden, another big villa project will begin this break to renovate the lower level of one villa; the changes will better host the children's program each week, and get us one step closer to having the other villa's overhaul complete.
But the best part of Christmas break, what we enjoy most, is taking a break with the kids. We catch up on television shows (currently, Once Upon A Time), play games, stay up late, sleep late, and go shopping--Christmas Eve shopping trips are a breeze because usually no one is in the malls at this time here in Egypt, with most of the emphasis on January 7 (Orthodox Christmas). And we clean up rooms or cars or other living spaces that have just gathered a semester's worth of clutter.
So, what's next:
Dec 21 - CCF annual Christmas Candlelight service - the Cairo Christian Fellowship share this
annual tradition with their host church, the St. Andrew United Church of Cairo, where they have worshipped since the late 1950's! This is always a special service and we are so thankful to be included in the CCF family.
Dec 24 - Maadi Community Church's annual Christmas Eve Candlelight - the local international
church also has an annual candlelight service, and it's nice to go over and share this moment as a family, and to be led rather than doing the leading. And the kids will get their annual Christmas Eve present - new PJ's :)
Dec 25 - Christmas at home - cinnamon rolls & bacon are served after stockings and gifts--but all of that waits (as it had for all Oldham's before me) until the parents get their coffee ;)
Dec 28 - CCF Christmas Choir presentation - the CCF have a member who directs the Heliopolis Evangelical Church choir, and some who sing within the group, too. Actually, many CCF used to sing in this choir until the last few years. Having a Christmas choral presentation between the western and eastern Christmas dates is a great way to tie the season together.
One note, this last quarter has had the highest attendance in the weekly CCF worship since our arrival in 2012. There has not only been renewed interest, but also a bit of renewed confidence in moving about the city each Sunday night. In addition, during the weekend we were in Greece, the CCF held a retreat with nearly 50 participants--they were unable to hold this last year due to security and lack of interest! The two services mentioned above (Dec 21 and 28) are usually two of the highest attendances each year, so we're ending 2014 with a lot of momentum for the future.
So, what's next year:
January 1 - our 21st wedding anniversary, and couldn't be happier :)
January 7 - in addition to Coptic Christmas, it is also our 3rd Anniversary in Cairo
And after that, it just gets busier--seriously. We'll resume the CCF Kids program, weekly CCF Worship, and the kids will go back to school--but in addition to the norm in Cairo, the travel picks up! As a family, there are already 12 trips scheduled in the next 5 months!
We will also have 2 or 3 visits from friends and family all before next summer. Wow!
It has been quite a year, and there's quite a lot to look forward to in 2015, but for now, we'll take a breath and try to take in as much of the Christmas holiday with our children and the CCF. This is such a wonderful and special time and we are reminded of just how blessed we are to be able to share the holiday together and in service to the Church internationally.
Thank you for your continuing interest, thoughts, prayers, encouragement and support--all that has been done, all that is planning to be done, and all that we are still yet imagining is possible only through God's grace and provision through your partnership.
Here's a jpg of our Christmas letter...if it's not real clear, you can contact us for a better copy :)
 |
| This was right after we landed in Seattle on July 12 - where did the time go?!?!? |
August 11 - we flew from Los Angeles to back to Cairo
August 12 - we arrive in Cairo
August 13 - the kids are back in school, I (Ken) am on a plane to Beirut
August 14-18 - in Lebanon, mostly for Ana Terzo Camp
August 31-Sept 7 - back to Lebanon, mostly for Heart for Lebanon retreat/meetings
Sept 13 - resume weekly CCF Kids program
Sept 18-19 - in the hospital with Titus for surgery to reset severely dislocated thumb, resulting in weekly doctor follow-up visits
Oct 13-16 - in Germany for meetings with colleagues and national leadership
Nov 6-10 - in Budapest for the Lectures
Nov 20 - car's clutch breakdown
Nov 21-23 - back to Beirut for the Teen Discipleship launch
Nov 26-30 - in Athens for 3W Staff meeting
Dec 4-5 - Grace battles kidney "granules"
Dec 12 - CCF's annual Christmas bazaar
Dec 13 - car accident
and, Dec 13 - CCF Kids last program of the calendar year
I had to go back through all of those events, trips, and surprises over the past few months because each seemed to keep us hopping at an incredible pace. I didn't include most of the daily or weekly routine. Nor did I include 4 birthdays, a musical, a band concert, a Christmas pageant, and all the prep/practices that went into those events. We had a busy summer, it has remained busy ever since--and, as Keli likes to remind me, it was busy before we left for summer!
So, what's now:
 |
| hot chocolate before the annual MCC Christmas Pageant |
But the best part of Christmas break, what we enjoy most, is taking a break with the kids. We catch up on television shows (currently, Once Upon A Time), play games, stay up late, sleep late, and go shopping--Christmas Eve shopping trips are a breeze because usually no one is in the malls at this time here in Egypt, with most of the emphasis on January 7 (Orthodox Christmas). And we clean up rooms or cars or other living spaces that have just gathered a semester's worth of clutter.
So, what's next:
Dec 21 - CCF annual Christmas Candlelight service - the Cairo Christian Fellowship share this
 |
| an old Candlelight service pic from 2012 |
Dec 24 - Maadi Community Church's annual Christmas Eve Candlelight - the local international
 |
| the annual Christmas PJ pic is a favorite tradition in our home |
Dec 25 - Christmas at home - cinnamon rolls & bacon are served after stockings and gifts--but all of that waits (as it had for all Oldham's before me) until the parents get their coffee ;)
Dec 28 - CCF Christmas Choir presentation - the CCF have a member who directs the Heliopolis Evangelical Church choir, and some who sing within the group, too. Actually, many CCF used to sing in this choir until the last few years. Having a Christmas choral presentation between the western and eastern Christmas dates is a great way to tie the season together.
One note, this last quarter has had the highest attendance in the weekly CCF worship since our arrival in 2012. There has not only been renewed interest, but also a bit of renewed confidence in moving about the city each Sunday night. In addition, during the weekend we were in Greece, the CCF held a retreat with nearly 50 participants--they were unable to hold this last year due to security and lack of interest! The two services mentioned above (Dec 21 and 28) are usually two of the highest attendances each year, so we're ending 2014 with a lot of momentum for the future.
So, what's next year:
January 1 - our 21st wedding anniversary, and couldn't be happier :)
 |
| 21 years! But we're only 25! |
January 7 - in addition to Coptic Christmas, it is also our 3rd Anniversary in Cairo
And after that, it just gets busier--seriously. We'll resume the CCF Kids program, weekly CCF Worship, and the kids will go back to school--but in addition to the norm in Cairo, the travel picks up! As a family, there are already 12 trips scheduled in the next 5 months!
We will also have 2 or 3 visits from friends and family all before next summer. Wow!
It has been quite a year, and there's quite a lot to look forward to in 2015, but for now, we'll take a breath and try to take in as much of the Christmas holiday with our children and the CCF. This is such a wonderful and special time and we are reminded of just how blessed we are to be able to share the holiday together and in service to the Church internationally.
Thank you for your continuing interest, thoughts, prayers, encouragement and support--all that has been done, all that is planning to be done, and all that we are still yet imagining is possible only through God's grace and provision through your partnership.
Here's a jpg of our Christmas letter...if it's not real clear, you can contact us for a better copy :)
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