To Betel and Jabuka

On Monday Marty went along for the ride as Pastor Janko took a couple of youth out to a camp at Bethel, where Susie was the week before for a UMW retreat.  On the return trip they brought Branislav, who had been a worker at the children's camp, and his young son.  It became our job to take Branislav and his son on home to their village of Jabuka (about a 30 minute trip from Padina), since Janko had to meet with the contractor.  We learned the Serbian words for left and right, and Branislav learned the English equivalents . . . and that was about the extent of our verbal communication . . . pointing works in all languages.   When we arrived in Jabuka we stopped at Pastor Lila's house and picked up her teenage daughter Miriam, who served as our translator.  The next stop was Branislav's place of work, a stable/farm where he helps take care of 40 Lipizzaner horses.   The doctor who owns the stable was there;  he said he is very happy to have Branislav as an employee -- he is a very good Christian man.  Branislav is a Roma (gypsy) and is poor financially but rich with happiness and talent!  He uses his musical abilities in singing and playing the accordion at the Jabuka UMC.   A few doors from the stable is his small but love-filled home, for which he was praising God as he told us the story of how he was able to acquire it.  He is building a bigger house but progress is slow due to limited funds.  We were so blessed by his joyful spirit.

Doctor/owner, Branislav, Miriam

Harnessing up the horses

owner's banner

ready to go

carriages and wagon

Branislav's wife and youngest son

His house and beginnings of new house

Next we went to the Jabuka UMC to see the newly redone sanctuary (now almost double in size). It really looks nice!

God is Love

a quick game of ping pong

front of church

an ice cream before we go

Flowers . . . plus cat, corn and a computer in a tree

 

So that's how they do it!

We've wondered for a long time (decades, actually: since we were in Spain in the '70s) how the floors in multi-story buildings in Europe keep from collapsing.  Looking up at them from below in an unfinished building, all you can see is red tiles/"bricks" with no visible means of support or even attachment to the adjoining tiles.

But we watched this week as the "secret" was revealed.  Those red tiles have notched bottoms;  the notches rest on "beams" that also have red tile under sides and are made to exactly the right length.  

The "beams" are held up by temporary wooden cross beams and a forest of metal poles.

After metal reinforcing mesh is laid across the top, the cement mixer arrives and the whole thing is covered with cement.  And, after the cement hardens/cures, it's done.  All that remains to be added is a cosmetic ceiling of plaster (or whatever) on the under side and a floor of wood (or whatever) on the upper side.

This part I can do!

We are now keeping the cement wet so it cures properly and awaiting the arrival of the insulating cinder blocks so that the ground floor walls can be built.  Work should begin on that after this weekend. 

So, mystery solved!  That's how all those unfinished ceilings and tiles in sheds and barns and mechanics' shops manage to stay up there.    The whole thing reminds us a little of Colossians 1:16,17 which explains how the earth and the universe hold together, and are kept from flying apart.

Serbia United Methodist Women's Retreat

August 13 - 16 at Betel Retreat Center -
The theme of this year's retreat was "Seeking treasure" as found in Luke 12:31 "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you."

Joyful singing

group leaders

retreat speakers from Switzerland

Regula & Lorna

resting after a pleasant walk

Pastor Maria's discussion group

making necklaces

pretty beads

can you read this program?

I certainly found great treasure in fellowship with these wonderful women! Seven different language groups were represented at this retreat - Serbian, Slovak, Hungarian, Macedonian, German, Spanish and English!

Most songs were sung in Serbian but on this video

you will hear singing in Spanish by Lorna playing the guitar whose homeland is Chile, and she is joined by a woman singing in Macedonian and a few in the crowd singing Serbian!

"

Monday -- Gone with friends

Monday morning Susie left with some United Methodist women for a 4 day women's retreat/seminar at Bethel retreat center, an hour and  half bus ride from here.  The bus was rented by the ladies for the trip.  None of the other ladies on the bus speaks English (there will be one or two English speakers at the retreat.), but all are fluent in smiles, laughter and gestures.

Sunday --- Happy Things

                                                 O, jak mňa blaží 

O, jak mňa blaží tá rozkošná zvesť, / Boh že mi Otcom je, chvála Mu, česť!  / O jak to slovo mnou už pohýna: / Ježiš, Syn Boží, On miluje mňa.  / Počujte: Ježiš miluje mňa, / miluje mňa, miluje mňa!  / Počujte: Ježiš miluje  mňa, miluje mňa, mňa, mňa.

We sang this song in church Sunday;  the tune gave it away as Jesus loves even me.  Isn't that a happy thought?  Jesus loves me! (Ježiš miluje  mňa!)  How wonderful . . . and how awful if that weren't true.  The Scripture for the morning was taken from Philippians 3.  Verses 1-11 remind us that God has done for us what we could never do for ourselves -- he has provided a way, the way, to heaven.  Verses 12 - 21 tell us that we are not "already as God wants [us] to be," but that we are to continue progressing toward this goal.  We are not to be like those who "think only about earthly things.  But our homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting for . . . Jesus . . . to come from heaven."  More happy thoughts.

On a more whimsical note, here is a picture of flower power, Serbian style:

This car is parked in a yard a few blocks from "our" house.

Sunday evening we attended for a little while the birthday (200+ years) festival for "our" Slovak town of Padina.  Happy people, cheerful polka-type music, dancing.  I commented, not completely in jest, that our church would have bigger crowds if we had music like that.

Scenes in Serbia

Miscellaneous Sights -----

Prosim!  (Please!)

Outdoor Office

I know you're in there!

Roof tiles

An old mill (now an appliance warehouse)

The gazebo -- a place to relax and discuss in the cool of the evening

Myotherapy in Serbia

Sunflowers are an important crop in this agricultural area

Hmmm -- This can't be good.  The muffler has parted company with the rest of the car.

Apple crisp coming up -- in a little while.                     

Homemade pasta, which will probably end up in soup.

Flue tiles for the church addition.