A TREASURED FRIEND
…is what I have in you.

A treasured friend you will always be.
A friend that is rare and helps me to see,
How much God loves both you and me.
And teaches me what it is to be free.
…is what I have in you.

You know me well and yet you stay,
Close beside me in the heat of the day.
Through the good times and even the bad,
Your hand in mine makes me feel glad.
 …is what I have in you.

I will sing of your love in the darkest night.
When troubles come or in the morning light.
Your laughter takes me to a place that is higher.
And gives me such joy and a life-giving fire.
…is what I have in you.

Your friendship is more beautiful than the rarest jewel.
You refresh my spirit like a life-giving pool.
With your hand in mine, I can face my tomorrow,
I can go through every joy and the deepest sorrow.
…is what I have in you.

I am lifted up with the sound of your name.
For you give me hope, never ridicule nor blame.
I’ll always thank God for you, dearest friend of mine.
You’re the best and I know it, for you help me to shine.
…is what I have in you.

7/15/2010    JT

Gene Therapy

Earl and I got the news last evening that the “Phase 2 Trial of Gene Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease” announced success with the study.

“We are extremely pleased that years of  research by our group with AAV vector gene transfer technology has led to the unprecedented milestone of a statistically significant improvement in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of gene therapy…”  “We now have solid scientific evidence to support NLX-P101 as an important, potential treatment for this devastating disease.”

As you may know, I was part of this study and had brain surgery October 8, 2009.  I did not think that I had gotten the gene, however, as I still had to take a lot of medicine to keep going.  Both Earl and I surmised that I was in the “sham group”. Last evening we were informed, through email, that I did indeed get the gene and that much of my symptoms may have been caused by over-medicating. We are extremely grateful that I do not have to go through the brain surgery again.

The report sent to me states:

“The trial also showed that NLX-P101 was well-tolerated with no serious adverse events related to the drug or procedure reported.  All treated subjects will continue to be monitored for safety for a 12-month period following their surgical procedure.”

We want to thank you for your prayers and concern for us. Hope is renewed as we press on.

Teacher Training

We will have our last day of our Spring Teacher Training tomorrow.  It has been well-attended and the staff is open, attentive, and communicative throughout our time together.  Many teachers helped us in translating the material into Georgian and countless other ways.  We are truly blessed to have such a great staff at The School of Tomorrow.

During the service at The Sameba Cathedral on Sunday, I felt that we should ask one of our lovely teachers who sings so beautifully to sing for us our opening song. She was quick to agree to do it.  What a delight to begin our time together with our Nino singing, “Ava Maria”.

Our theme for the training was “Get Set!”  The following poem was used to illustrate our theme and as I read it, Earl demonstrated what “get set” means in a foot race:

Get On Your Mark To “Get Set”
Let us run the race set before us.
God calls each of us today.
He has asked us all to be ready.
To be prepared to follow and obey.

If we keep our eyes upon Jesus.
If we look to see His dear face.
And remember what He has done for us.
We’ll not fear to run in this race.

If we are ready to go, we should get on our mark.
We must lay aside every weight.
We have been training to run with endurance.
We are on time; we’ll not be late.

Today, we cannot linger longer.
We must get on our mark; hear His call.
It’s time to throw aside all that would hinder.
Or cause us to stumble and fall.

If you’re ready, Earli Babe, line up quickly.
Show them all how you run to win.
If you get set right and hit it at the whistle.
Don’t jump the gun for that’s like a sin.

The race is often won at the start.
You must get set; you’ll not stumble or fall.
If we work together and choose to improve.
The School of Tomorrow will be best of all.

Learning is always our goal.
And change is before us each day.
Let’s listen to each other and God.
Will surely show us the way.

Let’s determine to not grow weary.
Or let our hands all hang down.
Let’s look to the Master to help us.
Stay alert and listening to what others have found.

His love is the key in this conquest.
Our enemy cannot cause us to lose.
If through following Him we’ll be triumphant.
It’s by faith in our Lord; we would choose.

Oh, this race may not be so easy.
We may grow weary and tempted to slow down.
But we’ll gain the prize if we endure with joy.
Not slowing or stopping; we’ll win the crown.

It’s all about running to win.
So, losing is never our choice.
Each day is another chance to excel.
Get set then to win and rejoice.       JT

Hebrews 12:1,2a
“Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a crowd of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”

The Physician listens to our cries.
He knows… surpasses any man.
He is never shocked - good or bad.
Hope comes when He speaks and we know we can.

From the moment of birth the body starts dying,
Yet it seems to us here that life has just begun.
For new babies bring hope for the future
And our lives become rich when we learn how to run.

Disease is as it says…without ease.
Pain has its rewards…enhanced ability to love.
Empathy, humility, softening, and improved hearing
…His voice and fellow-beings, crying out like frightened doves

“Come. Take it away! No more,” we loudly say!
“I am with you through the flood and the fire.
So, go through,” He answers; and we can walk on
Our feet are His feet and it is His hope that we acquire.

This is not all for this will be washed away when the new has come.
Hope…abundant hope, comes when we begin to see.
Glimpses of a superior way… an eternal foretaste.
True living comes with the pain and the loving, for you and for me.

…But mostly with the loving.          JT

45 years ago today…we became one! God gave me a wonderful husband and I thank Him for 45 great years of serving the Lord together. “This is the day the LORD has made; rejoice and BE GLAD!”

The Gene Study… will be un-blinded in August and we will know if I did indeed get “it”. “Miracles are the unmistakable fingerprints of His hand of power.”  (JT)

We have decided to stay in Georgia throughout the summer months; going back to the States the first of October, as God leads.  Earl will be working on several physical projects in and around the school that must be done before school starts in the fall. As we follow the Shepherd, He leads us… one step at a time; and He protects us from the enemy. It’s our job to decide to ‘enjoy the journey.’ (JT)

The School of Tomorrow is celebrating 18-plus years of service to the children of Georgia. Our first class of graduates had a 10-year reunion last night with a dinner at a lovely restaurant outside of town. It was wonderful to meet with those former students and witness how they have become God-fearing, responsible, adults.  They spoke of being grateful for all that we gave them. “You always started out class with prayer.”  “You taught us the way.”
“You helped us know God.”     “We delight in the goodness of the Lord, always endeavoring to remember what He has shown us in the Light.”  (JT)

We had a lovely surprise visit yesterday.  As we were leaving school, we met Robin-from-Boston in the hall. A couple years ago, she found us on the web and as she was coming to Georgia to write her dissertation on “The Rose Revolution”. She delightfully offered to help at our school. For a semester, she aptly taught conversational English classes and helped give spiritual direction to our older students. She has come back to Georgia for a short visit. We took her home to our flat with us and then to our “supper” meeting with friends who live nearly out of the city. After getting lost, hot, and battle scared, even riding the metro to get our bearings, we finally found the place and had a delightful time together.  “If we wait on the Lord, He will strengthen our hearts.”

Your support is appreciated more than you can know. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all that you have given through-out these past nearly 19 years. By writing this blog, it was my desire for you to ‘taste” some of the joy that we are experiencing.   “To God be the glory, great things He has done!”

It was Sunday afternoon and we were invited to have dinner with our dear friend, Mrs. Nanuli and her son, Dimitri. Their flat is in Old Town Tbilisi.  Nanuli is the widow of our highly valued fellow-founder of The School of Tomorrow, Jondo-Teimuraz Metreveli. When we arrived, we were met in the yard by Dimitri, who kissed Earl on the cheek in the usual way folks greet one another in this warm and hospitable land of Georgia. We were thrilled and surprised to meet Dimitri’s lovely bride, Lana, who had attended our school for several of her earlier years of schooling. We had not yet heard of their marriage and that they have been married for nearly a year. In 2004, Dimitri received the English diploma from our school and has gone on to obtain his Masters in International Relations. He works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in Georgia. Throughout this memorable evening and as we enjoyed Nanuli's delicious Georgian meal, we learned many wonderful facts concerning Jondo's life. It became more and more apparent that Dima has a marvelous heritage and many wonderful gifts have been passed down to him through his father, as well as from his distinguished mother, Nanuli.

The School of Tomorrow had been a life-long dream of Jondo's. His expertise helped significantly in our becoming a private Christian school here in Tbilisi. Without his powerful influence and highly regarded leadership, our school most assuredly would not be what it is today.

Dima's charming wife, Lana, entertained us with beautifully played classical pieces on the piano and she told us of her desire to finish her BA degree and obtain a Masters in Law. Both she and Dima speak nearly flawless English which they accredit to our school. We were made aware of the blessing of God upon this wonderful family. Earl commented on this when he told Dima that he had been given a rich heritage that money could not buy.

Dimitri proudly showed us a large, beautifully bound book, which was written by his father, Jondo, along with the help of two of his friends.  It has recently been published and will soon be ready for sale. This illustrious book is "a Bible concordance and Georgian Apostolic dictionary of musical terms for the Old and New Testaments" and was a life-work of Jondo's. They all talked of how learned Jondo was of the Holy Scrip tures and that from a very young age he stood for his faith in God and for freedom.

On the wall of their dining room hangs a picture of Jondo’s grandfather who was the esteemed Archpriest Phillip from South Georgia. Near-by hangs a picture of the ancient church he pastured. This great man of God had nine children. In the early 1920s, communism occupied Georgia and Father Phillip was subsequently murdered through poisoning.

Dimitri carefully showed us another incredible picture which was taken in a court room here in Tbilisi. This picture of Jondo and eight of his close friends was taken right before all nine were tried for treason by the communist party. The first president of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, was one of the nine in the picture and was Jondo’s best friend from childhood.  Each of the nine was sentenced to four years in prison.

I shared with our friends how God had given me the assurance that “all of our students (whether they graduated from The School of Tomorrow or not) would be taught of the Lord and great would be their peace.” Isaiah 54:13.  We get more confirmation of this every day while we are here working with these courageous and wonderful Georgian people. Nearly every family has stories similar to Dima’s. Stories of strong and courageous Christian forefathers who were sent to Siberia to die, lost their businesses, homes and families, or were shot from firing squads because of their refusal to deny Christ and give up their freedoms. Our students are their great grandchildren and their lives manifest that their forefathers did not suffer and die in vain.