Happy New Year

Hi All,

January has been a fast paced and fairly uneventful month in some regards.

We have been adjusting to communal life here at the Culley's, and apart from Kevin eating all the 'Life' Cereal that Ernie brought for himself, we have been quite the model of harmonious community living!

Working hard has been the priority for both of us. Kevin has been working full-time and also picked up two side jobs for us in construction. The latter was a demolition of a fireplace at Tenth church which proved quite laborious for Amy, who got to haul big-ass pieces of rock and debris out to the dumpster. But I don't have a gym membership and well, my triceps and biceps will thank me later! Financially these extra jobs have been a blessing toward our school fees as well.

Three highlights of this month have been:

1) Seeing Wayne and Marilyn mid-month for a RTF seminar and going out to dinner.

2) Celebrating Ernie's Birthday with him at Minoas Greek Restaurant - great great food!

3) Spending the weekend at Bernie and Rusty's and chilling out excessively - so needed.

Oh, and I guess number 4) Missions Fest film Festival - A bunch of us went to see the film Freedom Fighter - oh it was brilliantly eye-opening and informative. We really have it too good here in Canada and other western nations. The film focuses on one man who is risking his life to help persecuted people and minority groups around the world. Here's the link if yo wanted to check it out: http://www.theonemillionvoices.org/videos/

PODAH Update

As it stands, Greg, Kevin and myself have been plugging away at our documentary filmed in 2007 Mozambique. We are closer to being finished which as I speak is soooo exciting, yet with the pressure to try and do it all before Kevin and I leave - it seems still a lot of work is left.

However we are faithfully continuing and with hope that it may be very close to completion before we leave. One of the exciting things Amy has been working on is the score, with surprising results coming out of the Mac application Garage Band - the music is part of new inspiration the three of us are working with to finish Paths of Dust and Hope.

Until Feb...

Love and hugs,

K and A

Christmas Cheer and Tears

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

With 2011 underway, Kevin and I are just that bit closer to the starting date of school - March 7th 2011. Coming into a new year always brings things into simplicity, as you can justifiably leave the old in the year just past and deliberate on the new things that will come to pass. It's a fresh start - which in all truth can often be more psychological than actual!

As the year began we relocated to other quarters in the Vancouver district. We officially moved in with the Culley's, our Pastor's and spiritual parents, and have had the foreboding task of saying goodbye to Rax and our first home. I swear Rax knew exactly what was happening, as he turned remarkably quiet and sported an ill disposition leading up to and on the day of our leaving. I was perturbed yet grateful for his kitty-cat smarts that were helping him let go of two wonderful owners, after all, the cat owns you - not the other way around as we wish to think! But regardless of all three of us creatures knowing that we were never to be a little family again, it was difficult. I admit to a week of tears leading up to my leaving and packing things, and even in the warm and cozy abode we now have with Ernie and Merrilyn, I miss the presence of Rax and his meows and ridiculous cleaning procedures - legs flung high as he meticulously licks him self into further vanity....sigh.

Ok, moving on. Let's talk about Christmas! A wonderful time of cheer! kevin and I spent Christmas in the State of Washington and embraced a relaxing, rejuvenating and simple Christmas. We stayed with Wayne and Marilyn and experienced cornish hens for the first time. I proudly ate the whole hen along with my husband. Where it goes - I don't know! Check out the pix on the left for a delicious visual of Christmas dinner cooked by Marilyn. It was yum! We decided to go homemade and simple on gift giving this year. Jesus is the reason for the season, and we thought to avoid the blanket of commercialism this season, we would get into the spirit of gift giving by making things for each other. A treat indeed.

Mid-month we performed in the Christmas Production, which was a huge success. And extremely fun. Everyone banded together to create a very unique and entertaining two nights, well worth the effort put in by our backstage and on stage crew. Well done Suseh for writing and directing a great performance!

That's the most of it for December. I imagine as we move into January there will be an increased buzz of excitement as school nears and leaving Vancouver approaches.

Love to all and have a splendid New Year!

Love,

Kev and Ames