Walking Path to Monastery

We had sun today!

More of the same

Today we finished hanging the drywall in the staff housing and getting it ready to tape and paint. The rest of the maintenance team worked on planting some sort of flowers that will blume in the winter. Did not catch the name of them. Later in the day I caulked the tile in one of the newly constructed student housing bathrooms in the horse barn. I don't get to see what the kitchen crew is doing very much but the food is great, the students seem to enjoy it also.

Getting to spend more time talking with different students at meals and finding out where they are from and their background.

We got together as a team and are doing a few sections out of "My utmost for his highest" devotionals when we have free nights.

It is nice to complete some meaningful tasks everyday, and I never know what tomorrow will bring.

Sent from Jeff's iPhone

Bring your A game

Today was the first full day with students starting classes and everyone on campus for meals. Breakfast is done as self-serve with the kitchen staff keeping the buffet fully stocked for the breakfast hour. It was Sandy's turn to keep the breakfast line going, so she has to report 15 minutes early to the kitchen. We had so many great meals today, I am not sure I could remember all of them, but Sandy, Jody and Faye are doing a fantastic job.

The maintenance crew had a wide variety of tasks today. I started out getting some old woodpile pieces ready to send to the wood recycling site. Jeff Z. and Ron worked on cleaning leaves out of gutters to make sure the rain we have been getting doesn't backup. I spent the rest of my day getting a new wall insulated separating two staff living areas that will have new occupants in the spring. Moved the drywall into place so that tomorrow we should be able to hang the drywall and put the fixtures in.

After dinner and dish cleanup, we had a time together with the TCM leadership and the professors to ask questions and find out new opportunities that are emerging. We also had a chance to taste some of the local desert tortes and chocolates.

Things are really in full swing for the next few days and everyone is working really hard and it shows.

Sent from Jeff's iPhone

Jeff in front of maintenance shop

Jody cleaning up Patio classroom

Chestnuts or Buckeyes, you decide

Along with the leaves, there are several trees that drop large pods with nuts inside. These have to be picked up before the mowers run over them, or there are nice roots growing next year. They call them chestnuts, but to me they look like buckeyes where I am from.

We spent the rest of the day trimming and mowing the grass on all the properties. It has been awhile since I have mowed any farther than an electrical cord could reach. Jeff Z. was on the gas trimmer, Terry ran the riding mower and I took care of the trimming work the big mower can't reach with the push mower. It pretty much took 5 or 6 hours to cover everything on the grounds and across the street.

I was able to spend some time with students from Uzbekistan, Romania, and Russia at lunch time today. One is a former student that is here as a Russian translator.

Tonight was the first night with almost a full count of students for dinner, so the dish room is running at full-speed and there is a noticeable increase in the amount of tubs filled with dishes.

After dinner, we had a time of introductions and prayer with all of the students and staff in the downstairs classroom that is used for meetings and worship. After the meeting we converted it into a classroom with tables for the students, professor and translator.

One full day down, many more to come.

Yard Day

It's not rocket science, but Jeff Z. is all over it.

Today was yard work day to get everything looking its best as the students arrive throughout the day. Lots of raking, trimming and mowing.