Spring 2022 News from Villa International

Villa Guests Share Traditions

One of the things that guests enjoy about living at Villa is the opportunity to share their culture and traditions with one another. The Islamic holy month of Ramadan began on April 1 this year, and a group of Muslim guests prepared iftar, the evening meal, and invited Villa guests to break the fast with them. Guests learned that the fast is broken by first eating dates, taking a drink of water or milk, praying, then enjoying a meal. Our guests dined on beautiful fruit and a variety of dishes prepared by their Muslim friends.

Christian guests shared Easter traditions during their Holy Week. A guest from Germany requested Easter egg dyeing. This group of scientists got creative with dye, scotch tape, and wax pencils and decorated dozens of hard boiled eggs. Easter lunch featured the usual southern dishes, and guests contributed side dishes – including a Japanese octopus dish, tiramisu, and a spectacular Pavlova cake. Some young guests even had a go at egg hunting for the first time. We look forward to sharing more celebrations in the coming months.

Villa welcomes Katie Archibald-Woodward Katie (middle) has been our Resident Assistant since joining the staff in November of 2021, and we are delighted to have her living at Villa in the second-floor apartment. She brings a wealth of gifts and skills to share with our guests. Katie is a photographer, writer, multimedia storyteller, student of languages, and frequent world traveler. She grew up in southern California, went to college at Willamette University in Oregon, and graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta in 2012.

In addition to welcoming guests and helping take care of the facility, Katie has been leading yoga and pilates classes at Villa and having a ball doing it. Say hello to Katie at the next Villa event.

Remember Villa on Mother’s Day

The month of May means transition at Villa. We are busy renovating the Executive Director’s apartment, cleaning out offices and garden spaces, and preparing for new director Rebecca Arayan and family to move in at the end of the month. Given the upheaval, Villa staff and volunteers will not be able to host the annual Mother’s Day Tea fundraiser this spring. Gifts to Villa in honor of a special Mother in your life are always welcome. Click DONATE or mail your contribution to Villa International. We so appreciate your support.

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