Home Again (for a while)

Well, I'm home again in Atlanta, for a week at least. Then back to London, either on Sunday evening, or whenever I get a work permit. It's nice to be back here, to see friends, to meet our new roommate, Andy, to go to my church, to be able to play my keyboard and guitar - just everything. (Well, except constantly being on the verge of a sore throat because of the air quality - but I think Sarajevo and hours on airplanes may have been partly responsible for that!)

Here are some more pictures - a completely random selection, dictated mostly by which ones came out the best

Sutka and Dani, playing with fruit.


Dado and Jenny. How lucky - Dado and Jenny happened to visit from Canada while I was in Sarajevo. They are doing very well. It was a real joy to spend time with them, catching up, hearing how God's been teaching them all kinds of stuff. Maybe I can go visit them in Victoria, Canada, sometime when I have more vacation.


Mostar, from a hill above the city. Even in Winter, Mostar is still very beautiful. Although actually warmer than Sarajevo (it hardly ever snows), the city feels freezing, because of the strong wind that seems to cut right through your clothing. I spent a day in Mostar, visiting Dado Zarak, and had the pleasure of meeting Corey from the 'States (instead of just hearing about him), and Naomi from England (who I'd met before, but just in passing). We went to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and then hung out in a couple of coffee bars, one of which is called Stolica ("stoleetsa" - "chair" - doesn't quite translate in English!)


Here's my friend Ibro, at their new house, with chickens, a vegetable garden, bee hives, and mountains in the background. Ibro is more photogenic than I will ever hope to be. I guess that's fitting, since he's a cool art student, and I'm a corporate drone!


While we're on photogenic, here's a shot of Neil Arner. This was taken on the train from Sarajevo to Zagreb, an eight or ten hour affair. Luckily, it turned out that the Nada i Zivot (Hope and Life) team from Sarajevo was taking the train up the same day I needed to, so I had good company, and a place to stay the night. The conductor even had them stop the train longer than usual at lunchtime so we could jump off and buy food and drinks!


Another of the highlights of my trip was getting to spend time with Drew again, after not seeing him for just over three years. He's planning on heading to seminary, and - as much as I'm usually disappointed when hearing that everyone and their brother feels the need to go to seminary - with him it feels like a good thing! I think he'd make a good pastor and preacher. The young woman in Drew's thoughts (actually it's just a reflection in the window) is Rachel.


Alas, all holidays end, and almost always too soon. This is England from the plane. It doesn't quite come out in this picture, but snow and Winter reduce the landscape almost to a black-and-white, or brown-and-white. I'll be back in England in a week or so.