Taimo, in memoriam

 Taimo Laitinen was active in God's work all over the place. He served as youth leader, camp director, pastor, mission trip leader, pathfinder leader, just about everything.

I can remember him from different places ever since I was a kid. Laura was dedicated by him as a baby. There have been pathfinder camporees (Osh Kosh '99, Denmark '06 and Finland '10), Maranatha trips (Ghana '04, Norway '08, and many others with Dad), and many other events - campmeetings, Maranatha meetings, General Conference meetings... He's always been there. It's difficult to try to understand that he isn't anymore.

 Päivi

 Taimo was active in Maranatha work, leading out on short projects in many countries over the course of many years. Ghana in 2004 was the first time I remember being on a project with him. There we started work on a a surgical theatre building for Akomaa memorial hospital.

 This was our group in Ghana, Taimo on the far left.

 Another project we've been on together was the Leknes SDA church renovation in Norway, 2008.

 In 2010 we were in Atlanta at the same time for the SDA GC meetings. Here Taimo is representing Finland with Eliisa (left) in the closing meeting. Photo by Linus

 Päivi telling us of messages Taimo had a habit of leaving for her. This was the last one she received. It says "SHMILY rakas!" It stands for "See How Much I Love You dear".

Mom and I at the funeral

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away... Blessed be the name of the Lord

 Long-time church worker, youth director, camp director, pathfinder leader, Maranatha leader, ADRA director, friend Taimo Laitinen passed away suddenly a month ago. Lots of people came to pay their respects and say farewell.

 these are part of a Maranatha group that Taimo led to India in November

 The pathfinders honoring a dear leader

family

drive carefully please

 Slushy roads, soft shoulders, ruts, etc... make for interesting rides.

I'm glad Dad wasn't hurt! 

It could've been worse

cake decorating

 The boys hosted a special night for the girls and I got to be a part of it since they wanted help decorating and filling cakes. I don't think I've ever decorated a cake before, but with Juha's (below) expert help we figured it out and had fun!

The boys had gone to great lengths to make the evening enjoyable for the girls :)

They had a nice show with homemade movies, the sweetest self-written love song ever, snacks, cake and all kinds of good finger-foods, and a pool party with the sauna decorated with white cut-out messages and hearts and UV-lights. It was neat :) I didn't stay for the pool party, but could hear them for a long time since I live right above the pool :D

Hyvä pojat!

play day

 One of our many days of playing around with equipment

 morphine - check, adrenaline - check, alfentanil - check...

Everyone basking in the few lone rays of sun that day :D

Church visitation

 At the beginning of March I went along with a group of students to visit the Nummela SDA church. We had the whole church service with them. Sabbath School was a prayer course with different prayer assignments at different stations. For church we had a music sermon, singing lots of songs and sharing thoughts in between. I think we all enjoyed it :)

 Here they are setting up one of the prayer rooms

Afterwards Suvi's parents treated us to a wonderful meal in their home before we left to drive back to Toivonlinna. I think we should have more trips like this!

Spring break

 Lily and I enjoying the sunshine and snowbanks :)

I went home for spring break and worked for most of it. When I wasn't working I was reading Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader to my sisters. It was fun.

 home :)

 One morning they came by with a helicopter and an attached saw and knocked snow off the trees and sawed off branches that were too close to the power lines. I wonder if they ever hit the power lines themselves?

 I got to practice more :) Mom's veins were easy to hit

 Pictures don't properly show how much snow there was, but it was almost to my hips. The van is just over 2m high, the snowbank in front of it was almost that high. It was pretty!

 ok, well.. that snowbank was actually closer to my waist than hips

winter wonderland :)

Gala

 Around Valentine's Day the school had a banquet. 

It was pretty sweet to come down and see a lobbyful of guys all dressed up with roses for their dates :) I think this should happen more often :D

 the cafe spruced up a bit

 dessert :)

photo shoots

first-aid practice

 Our school in winter

 Boys posing with "Justus". Poor guy doesn't even have shoes...

 Scenario: a carful of crazy young adults is hit by a russian family in another vehicle. There was a bicyclist involved in there somehow as well :D 

 Here the 'russian' mother (who of course doesn't speak finnish or english) is all worried about her son who is losing consciousness.

 'Russian' child is lifeless

 What too many accidents can be blamed on. 

Alcohol

Debriefing afterwards