August 6-10, 2012 Work on the addition actually begins!

Actual, physical work on the addition to the church is underway!  Monday we helped tear down the wall between the church yard and the sidewalk/street.  One wall of the addition will be where this wall stood.  Also, the removal of the wall permitted access to the site for the equipment to dig the hole for the basement. 

One last walk on the wall

Small beginnings (above & below)

The tractor and the wall (before)

                                                                        

The tractor and the wall (after)

Olympic brick throwing

Stacking the used bricks

Tuesday the basement hole was dug.  Work on both days started at 5:00 - 5:30 a.m. due to the high temperatures (near 100 degrees)

Hey! Whoa! That was just a comment, not a criticism!

Wednesday the basement/building foundation was poured.

Looking down at the far end of the basement are Pastor Janko and Susie,
acting supervisors of the hole/whole thing. 

Thursday morning involved considerable discussion of how to compensate for a few errors in the architect's measurements/addition, then construction of the block walls began, and was continued on Friday.

The wall beyond the basement hole is the end of the church building to which the addition will be joined.

The contractor and all the workers have a very good work ethic and have put in some long and hot hours.  Work is moving right along.

July 29 - Aug. 5 - a summary

This was a week of different tasks -mainly those involved with preparing for the addition.

arriving for worship in the renovated sanctuary

Pastor Janko trying out the trampoline

(here for a week - will go to a preschool)

Grandpa Sjanta cracking walnuts while watching children on the trampoline 

preparing meals

working on a replacement glass cross

consulting with the contractor

adding up the costs

peeling apples as children wait their turn to jump

Moving a fruit tree that is where the temporary shed needs to be

volunteers working on the shed

finished shed with 'TV'

running cable for the live outdoor cameras

testing....are we online?

to see live what this camera sees go to (computer needs to have java) -

https://www.alarm.com/login

your user name is 

serbiaumc

your password is 

abcd1234

lunch with Suzana

we always look forward to her great cooking and joyous personality

her home is typical of those built in the 50's & 60's

Sunday is spent in worship and rest before the work on the addition begins on Monday

More about our first few days in Serbia 2012

 Friday July 27 was a quite day, a walk in Padina, a trip into Kovacica to the Art Museum, talking and sharing ideas, a visit from friends.....

checking for messages

Pastor Janko, Marty, Martin, Suzana

Debra and Nick 'skype' their children

3 UMC pastors

Early Saturday morning John, Loletuth, Nick and Debra head to the airport for their flight back to Kentucky.

Our first Thursday (market day) in Padina was spent this way -

Visiting the English/Sports Camp sponsored by the Padina Baptist Church and a group from the USA. We were invited by the director (whose Christian growth was greatly impacted by Pastor Janko) to bring a group of 6-8 persons to help next year with the camp.

In the afternoon we toured the Ethno House and one of the deep wells that used to provide water for Padina

In the evening we attended Bible study at the Kovacica UMC -

                                        John leading the study, Daniel translating

                                        Looking at the English classroom/youth room
                                           
                                    We had a good time of sharing after the Bible study

Susie & Marty are in Serbia again!

We arrived Wed. July 25 in the evening from Spain, just minutes before John, Loletuth, Nick and Debra arrived from Macedonia. Check out their trip at  www.mkcall.blogspot.com    Pastors Janko and Daniel Sjanta met us at the airport with their station wagons for the ride to Padina - a 1+ hour drive. Liljana had supper waiting for us when we arrived.

We feel so blessed and privileged to be back in Serbia to continue friendships and to worship together again. We will be watching the progress of the fellowship hall addition to the Padina UMC and hopefully lending a hand too.

This is our fourth year in a row to be in Serbia yet we must go thru 'the change' again!  From our comfort zone of normal American life to Serbian/Slovak, Eastern European life where few speak English.  We always feel so welcome by all.  The Sjanta's really make us feel loved and at home.

We are standing near the large Lutheran Church - the Slovaks who moved here 200 years ago brought with the their Lutheran faith.


In the next few days we hope to fill in the missing 'days of our lives' here in Padina.