POGRADEC, URAT MEETING AND CHRISTMAS!

POGRADEC, URAT MEETING AND CHRISTMAS! 22 DECEMBER 2011
Sunday last was very free as Mass had been celebrated on Saturday. We went, with the young people, to visit the small children in care. There were 10, aged 4-6 years, and they really enjoyed the music, dance and especially a visit from our Santa Claus. There were also 10 younger children, right down to one little one that arrived in the past month. She was aged just five days on admission! The staff was grateful to us for visiting.

In the afternoon, Lalini and I went to Pogradec by furgon. We were delighted that we left Korce very promptly and we completed our little project very easily. In fact, we met the people we needed to contact, right on the street! Our return was easy too - there is a good service to Korce!

On Monday, Ana, my teacher, and I went out for lunch. We went to the bar at the new Five Star - Life Gallery Hotel!!! While we enjoyed our simple lunch, Ana got a call to employment. This followed training she had undertaken with Vodafone in Tirana. In fact, however, she decided to remain with her present work and part-time receptionist at Life Gallery.

We had a very good meeting in Tirana on Tuesday and Korce is included as a meeting venue around Easter. We have a lot of work, following on the Krakow Conference. It is most helpful that there can be a co-ordinated working strategy. This will enable even language development, where needed, in the future.

We had planned a Community Day for today. However, a really heavy snowfall, that was still continuing, led to us abandoning the idea of travel. Here in Korce, people never grumble about the weather!! They just shrug their shoulders and say - "Dimer" which is Winter. Then they add - "Bukur" which I find usually means, plenty of slush and packed ice!! Life continues as normal in the city.

We are busy preparing for the Christmas Mass and, also, for visitors over the festive days, as I am sure you are too. We start with a procession scheduled for Christmas Eve that is due to finish in our house! Let us be united at the crib - Happy Christmas. Hopefully, we will meet again before the New Year.