Meet the newest member of the Wittenberg family....Niya...a Shi Tzu we got for Jacob from the Montgomery County SPCA...she is fitting in very well! Due to her deadly bark we call her Niya lator!! 

Jacob has lived outside the last two days, enjoying the snow...and there was no school today in Abington!! 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! This is our new house in Philadelpha the morning after we had about 18 inches of snow! A winter wonderland. 

The Mercy Seat

In our reading of the One Year Bible, in Exodus, it says that the Mercy Seat is the same size as the Altar, the place of the presence of God....So wherever the presence of God is, so is His mercy! You cannot be in the presence of God without His mercy being there! We should be destroyed by being in His presence, instead we find mercy! Wow! We are all doing well, everone is in school and adjusting. The International School of Estonia had 110 kids, grades k-12. Sarahs Junior High has 2000 students, Meaghans High School almost the same and Jacobs and Emma Elementary School has about 650, so its quite an adjustment! Of course we are still in grief over leaving Tallinn, the process of grieving our loss bears a strong resemblance to other forms of grieving.....but we are also feeling very welcome in our new city and Church, excited about how God, through His Holy Spirit very much at work there. "But where we cannot see, we'll trust, for then we know He surely must, be still, our all in all. Christ is all, yes all in all, our Christ is all in all"

We are back!

Well, we having been living in Philadelphia for almost two weeks...so much change in all of our lives we cannot begin to grasp it all....things have been moving so fast! We have felt so welcome here in Philly...everyone has been so warm and good to us....yet we still so miss everyone in Tallinn...If you are reading this...you are thought of and prayed for EVERYDAY and are never forgotten. Keep in touch. God enlarges our hearts to love the people He has given us here in our new home and those we left behind in a land that captured our hearts.

Precious few days

It seems impossible, but we are in our last days of ministry here in Tallinn. Really, all we can ask for, pray for, believe God for is FRUIT THAT REMAINS. In our weakness, trembling and inadequacy, seed was planted..and we ask the Holy Spirit for watering, roots, weeding, protection and growth, FRUIT THAT REMAINS. The great thing about His vineyard...the need for seed...is that it is needed just as much in Philadelphia as it is Tallinn. Different soil, different soil conditions, maybe a variance of tools, but still His vineyard. Enjoy the pictures below....we have loved working with the children...and thank God for those who worked and labored beside us. We will continue to be bloggers, can you blog for His Glory and His Glory alone....lets try.

This is a picture of our Social Work Gospel Party...the day after the picture below....January 5...32 new kids...maybe the fields are white unto harvest?! 

The church, each Thursday, visit the Armys Lasnamae Youth Center (Russian sector, east of Tallinn) for ministry and fellowhip. We thought we should have the kids and leadership to the Corps for a Gospel Party...I great time! 

On the coldest day (so far) on the way into work Jacob and I stopped for this picture. Susan loves it so I decided to post it....Every season has its own form of unique beauty. 

OK....who is the 41 year old in this picture...I honestly cant tell!...Please take note of Whitney and Meaghans red faces...they spent 8 minutes in the solarium instead of the recommended 8!!....Can you say aloe!! 

Living in two worlds.

These are unique days for us....a roller coaster really, of emotions, feelings, nostalgia, memories, anticipation, hope, faith, heartache, thankfulness, certainty, uncertainty.....etc. To the beloved here in Tallinn...how we miss you already...these days we know we are doing and experiencing many things with you for maybe the last time...but how we will ALWAYS remember you...love you and miss you...treasure the season God, by His great grace gave us together...And if you are ever visiting Philadelphia you will always have welcome in our home....To our new Church family in Philadephia...for many reasons that we will explain..we know that Gods hand is all over this move! To come back to Philadelphia after all these years (Phil went to training from Philly in 1983) is "beyond all we could ask or think"...an inner city appointment... and so much more give us a deep assurance that this is ALL of HIM. Living in two worlds...glad it doesnt happen too often..But actually, that is the call of Scripture isnt it! To be in but not of the world...strangers and aliens...to pitch our tents for a season. Grace and peace in fullest measure....Phil and Susan

A sight we have become very familiar with...and a sight we will come to miss very much...The Salvation Army Kopli Corps (Paastearmee) in Tallinn. That is Krystal on the front porch! 

Our Emma with her "My Size" Barbie!.....This "doll" has been dragged into our bedroom at four am when Emma had a bad dream! Imagine that picture! Phil, Susan, Emma and a three foot barbie! 

Christmas dinner at the Wittenbergs....our guests? Whitney on the right front and Pia left rear....Susan did another great job with our feast...and we found Sweedish turkeys this year!! 

Over Christas Whitney from Sidney Ohio was our guest...Megs best friend from our last church.....That is Meg on the left and Whitney on the right. 

The lovely and beautiful Susan.....see below! 

OK. We confess, these are two of the Wittenbergs favorite eating places in Tallinn...Tiina Pizza (Tiina actually serves us when we go!) and the Coffee Shop right next door! The next picture up was taken during our last visit to Tiinas....Can anyone identify the UFO? 

Just before Christmas we went to Maire and Toivos house for a delicious Christmas Dinner!....And guess who showed up? Joulu Mees (Santa Claus)...He bears a strange resemblance to.....no, it cant be.....Mario?? Note, in keeping with Estonian culture how....skinny...Santa is..... 

Party Evangelism...and some very sad news

Not sure if anything has been written about this...but we have found something that works here in Tallinn...lets call it Party Evangelsim.....Big celebrations, incorporating your regular programs, but with a special emphasis in a party atmosphere...We had a watermellon party which was a big success, and now is the time of year for the Corps Christmas Parties. The really great thing is that the Gospel is preached and kids are given the opportunity to respond! A special thanks to Mailis for all her work on these parties and the creative ways in which she has presented the Word! We will be having our Lines party, Lasnamae party and Social Work Party the first week in January...keep looking.

The very sad news we had to announce this week is that the Wittenberg family is being transferred back to the States in January. We love you...all of you...our Church here, what God has done here, we will never be the same..you have touched us is deep and profound ways..we are forever different and better people for having served Him here....Our approach to ministry will never be the same...

Some of our Pensioners enjoy the meal at the Church Christmas Party! Delicious food!