Morley Update 2013 #32

Everyone -



Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in America. This was always a day when we gathered as a family. Sometimes it was just the family in our area. Sometimes we traveled to be with family who lived away and sometime people came to us but always there was family. There was food. LOTS of food. I always cooked a turkey of at least 20 pounds, often getting up at 5am to get in in the oven to be ready at 1:00. People made their signature dishes and Kent always sculpted the mashed potatoes into something amazing. The kitchen was a busy place and "too many cooks" only made it more fun. There was laughter and reminiscing - my mother always managing to say to me "don't drop the turkey" bringing back to mind the year this actually happened. I miss my family. But God has also given me a family here. On Saturday, 22 of us gathered at a friend's house to have Thanksgiving dinner together. I cooked one of the turkeys (we had two). I didn't need to get up early to put this bird in the oven in fact it was done in only 3 hours. The largest turkey you can find here is 3400g or about 7 pounds. People made their signature dishes, Tasha's grandma's potatoes, Lisa's rolls and even though McCracken's have moved back to the USA their broccoli casserole still appeared on the menu. The kitchen was busy, there was laughter and reminiscing and it was good to be together. I'm thankful.



This week we are gearing up for our Christmas Parties. On Monday we decorated the ARC. It was fun to see the kids excitement as they entered for family meal day yesterday. Next week we will be closed for our regular programs and we are having 3 parties with 150 guests at each. That's 450 meals, 450 gift bags and 450 smiles. We will also have a 4th party for believers with about 50 guests. There is still much to be done. I need to get the puppets out and costumed. Kent needs to prepare his object lesson. We are practicing our Christmas songs in Farsi and we will have a long day setting up for the parties, packing bags etc. In the midst of this there has been a sore throat/ cold bug going around and Lisa our Christmas Coordinator has been hit with it. Please pray that she and all the members of the team will be able to stay well these next weeks and that everything will fall into place. I have also been feeling a bit "under the weather" for a few weeks. When you have a compromised immune system it is sometimes tricky to know what to be concerned about and what is just "the way it is". Please pray that I will get back to feeling 100%. Several of our staff are leaving following the Christmas parties so we will be a bit short handed in the two weeks before Christmas, pray for God to send those who will "stand in the gap".



It is still not too late if you would like to donate toward our Christmas parties. You can do so by following the instruction at the bottom of this letter on How to join our support team. Only INSTEAD of designating For the Ministry of Kent and Myrna Morley designate Helping Hands Athens - Christmas. Thank you all for your faithful support and prayers - have a wonderful Thanksgiving whether it is filled with family or a time to reflect on your own. Our daughter wrote that our grandson (7 years old) made a list of the things he was thankful for. #1 A head. She asked him about it and he said "Well if I didn't have a head I would be dead!" No matter what our circumstances we can find something to be thankful for!





Serving Him Together,

Kent and Myrna Morley
Tripoleos 76
Elliniko 16777
Athens Greece
011 30 210 96 38 625
backhoeboy1@gmail.com
http://kent-uniquelymorley.blogspot.com
To join our Support Team:
Online go to: www.iteams.org select: US, Select: What do you want to do, Select: Give
Or Send to:
International Teams
411 W. River Rd.
Elgin IL 60123
Please designate for the ministry of Kent and Myrna Morley and indicate whether this is a one time gift or monthly support. Thanks :)