Last Days in Ella Before The Team Heads Home

We had a great last day in Ella as a team and debriefed on the whole trip. What a great team that HDC sent out. They were all smiles and all helping and willing hands. Thanks team HDC for being a blessing to our family and our oikos! 

Paul thoroughly enjoying his icecream as George and Cody watch

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!!!

We started Mom's birthday out at Whiskey Point. Took our HDC Team and some local boys to surf. What a blast! Then lunch at one of Mom's faves- Galaxy. Then home to prep and cook and a fun Family Night at our house! Hope you had a great birthday mom!

Janie and Kenai on the same wave

George catching a wave

Paul on a wave

Go Janie! 

Grandma and her grand babies

Lunch at Galaxy

 Birthday girl lounging

Girls prepping for Family Night

Girls cooking for Family Night 

Happy Birthday Ama!!!!! 

Volleyball at Family Night

More HDC Team Fun and Help

I took the girls on the team to one of my oikos families. The girls did Henna on Janie and Michaela. So thankful for just another way to interact, bless and love on these girls. 

The HDC team offered to paint our 3 years of rainy season moldy walls. We were completely blessed to have their help. And what a beautiful job they did. This is the before picture. 

This is the after shot- YAY!

Koda and Kenai were just stoked to paint their names on the walls until Uncle Paul painted over them :) 

Kids hanging out outside 

Because of some nice gifts given to us, we were able to clean out some clothing and I handed it out on the patio. There were lots of chonies to give out and they soon became hats ;) Too funny!!

Team HDC Here!!!!!!!!

Sunday School Games - to go along with the Good Samaritan Story 

Uncle Paul and Koda playing blocks together

Janie helping the kids do crafts 

Rebecca, Michaela and Mom helping the kids with their crafts

Dinner at Hangloose and Auntie Janie and Michaela reading the kids new books (that HDC with the help of Cassie Beardsley provided- TONS of new school books- SO THANKFUL!!!!!!)

Siam's opening day for his new surf repair shop. He is using a corner of STN's property to have a business. What a great young man he is turning into, with the help of Andy's discipleship.

Friday Night Movie Night at our house. Paul and Babu eating Fun Dips that Janie brought for the kids. The kids loved them!!!!!! 

Rebecca and Machaela loving on our kiddos playing leggos together.

Date Night - the HDC team watched our kids and gave us money for a date night dinner out. Such a blessing, especially because we don't get to do it very often. Thanks Mom and Grandma/Grandpa Mortimore for our new clothes to wear out that night :) 

It was a true blessing having a nurse on our team! She got to doctor up one of our neighbors that cut her finger open. She also taught all of the teachers at the Muslim school I work at, how to do CPR, first aid, and explained the large First aid box that the HDC team brought to bless the school with. All of the girls helped teach at the school and Rebecca also taught the children the importance of cleanliness and washing your hands diligently with soap. It was a great day at the school and HDC team helped tremendously. 

Praying for a Miracle.... Watching it Happen.

After two years of praying for Siri's release from prison, having been falsely accused of murder, this month he was indeed released. He had missed the last two years of his daughter Hashani's life and what  a beautiful reunion it was! I loved seeing all of my Ladies Tea girls giving all of the credit to Papa answering their prayers. Blessed. 

Happy 1st Birthday Stephanie!

Our precious little niece Stephanie turned one!!!!! Johnson and Lathika gave her a huge party at their home. So much fun! Food, dancing, fellowship!

He Is Risen!

Sunday School At Our House

Easter story in tamil, decorating and hunting eggs, songs, coloring, snacks and fun!

Happy 4th Birthday Kenai!

Kenai started his morning off with a couple of funs skypes, his best friends Addie and Colbie in California....

 and his cousins and Uncle Trav & Aunt Janelle 

We then headed to school where Kenai handed out candies to all the kids in the school to celebrate his birthday (Sri Lankan system on birthdays)

 Snack time together... gave all the kids in his class chocolate cookies

 Us teachers having breakfast together.... rotti, dhal curry and coconut sambol

On the way home from school, we stopped to pick up the cake at the bakery. Kenai being a monkey and one of the shop workers helping him. Its amazing the relationships that you build just having weekly interaction at local shops. 

WATER FUN

When we got home, it was so hot, I asked Kenai if he wanted to swim. Cody came up with a great idea to take Kenai and other kids on the inner tube behind the boat. He was stoked to hear that! We had a great couple of hours playing in the water and tubing. We took out the new boat for the first time. Its amazing how much lighter it really is, then the old repaired one. It only took 2 people to push it off the beach, versus 10 people with the old boat. And it's way faster on the water. We kept the same engine; the boat is just so much lighter. What fun!

BIRTHDAY PARTY TIME! 

We ran home with a couple hours to clean up and decorate/get ready for the party. At 4:00 the party began with all the neighbor kids and our adult friends. We had great times eating snacks, birthday cake, playing musical chairs, volleyball, and a water balloon toss. We asked that no one brought gifts, as Kenai has enough (and we know they have very little). But they are such giving people; it was neat to see their creativity in blessing him...

with homemade cards and flowers

cakes, chocolates and candies

Kenai's "bubba" got him a water gun, the one he had told us that he liked at the market. He was so blessed by all the love! 

After the party was finished, Kenai got to Skype with his grandparents to show them his new toys and to tell them all about his day.

Kenai's one request was to have a campout in a tent with smores over the fire. Kenai and his daddy did just that......

....until our patio roof leaked in the midst of a huge rain storm

Happy Birthday Kenai!!!!! What a precious boy- getting so big!!!!