Check out Gary's pic of the cheery Christmas tree at the Plaza Sol!

Christmas is definitely in the air in Spain! And we get to celebrate here until January 6, the day of the Kings, celebrating the arrival of the wise men to see Jesus. This beautiful Christmas tree stands stories tall in the middle of the Sol Plaza in the center of Madrid.

Pachalians bring special language abilities to team -

Can you imagine walking through a crowd in Madrid and recognizing the South American country people are from just by the way they speak Spanish? Pablo and Carmen can do that! Native Spanish speakers with vast South American experience and years of work with imigrants in the US, they are just what THE doctor ordered up for our cluster. Nolen and I have decided that one of the best ways to improve our Spanish is to be around them. They are good Spanish coaches too!

Prayer needed for Spikes Visa process -

Jim and Lori Spikes, headed for Barcelona in January, opened their visa process at the correct time in the correct place, New Orleans - BUT - then that consulate closed its doors! Their process has been transferred to the Houston consulate and things seem to be moving s - l - o - w - l - y ! Pray that it will still be possible for them to make Spain in January. It wouldn't be fair for them to miss out on ALL the cold weather! Thanks for praying for their visa process to be facilitated!