Happy Birthday Aliyah!

Yesterday Aliyah turned TWO years old, and we celebrated in style with a birthday party at Negeen and Victor's. It's an EXTRA happy birthday this year because Aliyah's aunt and uncle and two cousins are also here to celebrate! Negeen and Victor organized a wonderful party with delicious food and a GREAT birthdaycake!! Bravo Negeen!! Here are some impressions of the event :)

Aliyah's 'Year in Review', hanging on the living-room wall! Negeen, we really admire your creativity!
Need we say more?? How would you like your own handbag for a cake as a two-year old!? Family picture of Nadia, Iman, Omeed, Jamilah, Negeen, Aliyah and Victor.
Another 'Dad's with baby's' in this picture :)
At the end of the evening with May, Martijn, Nadia, Omeed, Negeen, Victor, Aliyah and Enna-Marie!

Camel Beach Outing

Last weekend we went for lunch at the beach with Evelin, Santana and Rocco! Since the weather is now really warming up - but not too warm yet - it was perfect for a stroll along the new promenade stretching all the way from the Camel restaurant to Le Meridien, the grand hotel on the beach.

Restaurant was great, simple, Israeli food: Humous with tehina, pita, salads, burgers, and some fries. Delicioso!! Afterwards ice-cream and a nice walk along the promenade. We took some shots with Enna-Marie and the Medditeranean in the background...

Enjoy!

Special Photo...

One sunny afternoon at the Visitor's Centre in Bahji last month, we were blessed to have a picture taken with Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Varqa...yes that is why this is a special photo! Also with us here are baby Rocco and mommy Evelin.

Happy Independence Day!

On the occassion of 58 years of the State of Israel, we watched the fireworks from our balcony...Enjoy!

Fourth Month Vaccination

Yesterday we took Enna-Marie for her fourth-month vaccination at the Tipat Halav (which is Hebrew for the Bureau of Immunization). She was very brave, and when nurse Adima injected the needle in her leg, she only let out a short cry, and afterwards continued playing with her rattle as if nothing had happened! What a good girl!! :)

Her length was measured at 66 cm this time, and her weight is now 7.45 kg! Both are above average, but the ratio between the two is just good! Here are some pictures of her:

Before...

After...

Wedding of Farzana & Neil...

Our friends Farzana (India) and Neil (Philippines) got married on 22 April here at the World Centre. The wedding was simple yet sweet and nice. Here are some photos:

Happy Ridvan ... !

Here are some pictures of Enna-Marie with some friends on the First day of Ridvan:

An Evening in Jo'burg

On the way back from Zambia I spent the night in Johannesburg, and had a great time catching up with some old friends from the World Centre. Gloria and Nooshin picked me up from the airport, and we were joined by Semere, Gloria's cousin, and later Naysan, Gloria's brother. We drove to Johannesburg and had a delicious spicy dinner in an Ethiopian restaurant! Afterwards we had coffee in one of the shopping malls in Johannesburg, and enjoyed the time together. Next day I was on my way to Haifa again!

Thanks guys for a wonderful evening! And Gloria, I look forward to seeing some pictures of you cruising around in that red Audi A3 sometime soon :)

During dinner in the Ethiopian restaurant... Look at those dirty hands!!
With Mr. South Africa Nelson Mandela himself, towering high over us...
Having a coffee in the bookstore...
Casually waiting for the bus...

Another Africa Experience...

From 9 to 17 April I had the bounty of making another trip to Africa, this time to Zambia. I spent my time there at the Banani International School / William Masethla Foundation, which is located some 80 kilometers north of Lusaka, on the road to Kabwe. I stayed with dear friends Chuungu and Mushota Malitonga, and their son Mwape.

It was a time of renewing old friendships and making new ones. I got to meet Jennifer, from the Philippines, and Akamunwa, the Zambian Chief, who both served at the World Centre a few years ago, and their eleven month old son Jamar (Jen taught me how to use a malong cloth for a baby sling, which will come in handy with Enna-Marie growing bigger); Febbie Mzungu from Malawi, who also used to serve at the World Centre; Derek Sithole from Zimbabwe, an old friend from the time I was in Haifa in 1992/1993 (see the link to his blog somewhere on this page...); Selaam Ahderom from Uganda, who used to serve in OSED before; and Karen, who used to serve at the World Centre before she became Mrs. Pollock.

Here are some pictures that were taken during these wonderful days!

With Jen and Jamar...
Ryan, Garth and Karen's eldest son...
Mushota, Mwape and Chuungu, whom I stayed with...
Selaam facilitating the study of the 27 December 2005 message...
Febbie looking at pictures of Enna-Marie :)
Mushota outside one of the 'studyhuts' close to the Foundation...
Banani Primary School...
The Institutional Meeting...
Old friend Derek... :)

It's Spring time...

We have started adding more plants in our balcony, thanks to our friend Kurt who gave us some extra plants recently. Some of these are from the ones Maarten planted last year, so they are back to beautify our house!




















Last weekend, we have visited the Shrine of Baha'u'llah in Bahji and have taken some photos of the garden...here are some of the shots...