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July 31, 2007
Dear Friends,
Today is the last day of the month. I have just thought that I should sit down few minutes before I sleep to greet you once again with an update of the two months that have passed.
The last day in school was June 29. It was the same day that I had to go to Germany to respond to Bierstadst Church`s invitation to atttend to their jubilee feast, marking the 21 years of the church partnership with the children`s project in my home island. I was happy I could get the permission to be free from school, paid for by my extra hours of work.
The visit at Bierstadt Church enabled me to exhibit my paintings, to preach during that Sunday worship, and to teach Filipino songs to the children in the Kindergarten School of the church where the opening celebration was held.There the children had their paintings sold under aunction for the support of the DMI project in my home island. I was very much impressed by the labour that the great friends, Erna and Hans Peltzer, had done to have my paintings hanged up inside the church and made available to public víew at certain hours of the day. After the worship, there was arranged a community meal where some old friends and acquiantances I had known within 20 years in the life of the church were also present. It was a very wonderful celebration. I had 9 of my paintings sold and the sale goes into the support for the DMI project in my home island.
I have put in my website the sermon I delivered during that visit, and some of the poems I wrote on the train on the way to Germany and on the way home.
Just a few days after Germany, I had to go to Mariager to attend the Christian Inter-cultural Summer Camp at a Skødsrup School. I have written a report about this camp which appears in a Christian newspaper this week. There in the camp I was responsible for the music every morning and evening. It was great organizing orchestra for the evening feast. The camp was attended by 95 participants--both Christians and Muslims. It was amazing to experience the coming together of people of different faiths, the possibility of fostering friendship, tolerance and understanding.
Then a week after Mariager, my family and I attended the summercamp of OASE at Rudehøj Efterskole in Odder. It was a very great experience which I hope I can experience next year. I think my family and I felt renewed. I want to put into my website some of the main tenets of the lectures I received and heard. The theme was God`s Grace. The camp gave me more time for silence and reflection in a tent called Dybere Liv. It was giving me time also to know more of the members of the church congregation of Kolding, KOVA. They were very supportive in making the celebration of Jens` birthday during the camp very memorable. I had also a good time with some good friends in Christiansfeld.
At present, my two older daughters, Anna and Jenny, are still in the Philippines. They left Denmark the same day I left for Germany. They come home the 6th of August. They have posted more than 157 photos of their travel at their own website, which I have cited in my website. See linksamling. Seeing these photos make more appreciate the beauty and grace of my home country. I am also very happy that they have the guts and joy to be with my friends and family in the island. Even though they are Danes, these kids affirm that they also are Filipinos.
Last Saturday we attended the birthday of AC, his 5oth birthday. AC and Else are the former owner of the house where we are living now. The couple are angel friends. It was great seeing, how they could gather more than 100 people to that celebration of good food, singing, games, dance and talks....
This week we are going to attend the gathering of the family clan of my husband`s mother. The family used to gather every year to common activities. It has been always a very good encounter with sisters and brothers, cousins, uncles, aunts, grandchildren which at times can total to be 100 people.
Then I have to finish writing yearly plans for my classes. The first meeting in school is the 10th of August and the formal classes begin on the 13th of the month. I would like to say the vacation has been great and I thank the great Lord for the chance to be renewed and filled. I have painted more than 30 pieces of paintings on canvass. And I don´t complain. The summer vacation has been very relaxing. I hope that is the same thing for you and for your loved ones.
This is all for now. I am very sleepy, it is now late past midnight. Summer time continues and we continue to wish for the bright rays of the sun. I wish you and all your loved ones joy and peace in your heart.
Take care.
Elizabeth
Waterfall in Sijuijor, the island in Negros Province, Philippines which Anna and Jenny visited.
Waterfall in Sijuijor, the island in Negros Province, Philippines which Anna and Jenny visited.
Part of Chocolate Hills, an area of 1000 hills in my home province, Bohol, Philippines
Part of Chocolate Hills, an area of 1000 hills in my home province, Bohol, Philippines
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