Dear listeners and friends, I want to share a quick update to explain our unexpected absence. The podcasts are on a bit of a pause — but I'll be back soon. I was diagnosed this summer with a benign acoustic neuroma, and i underwent surgery to remove it. The big challenge was to be a loss of hearing on one side -- I have a cool cyborg implant to share with you when I get back! While the procedure itself went well, recovery hasn’t been as smooth or as simple as we hoped. i've had challenges requiring physical, speech and occupational therapy -- I'm learning more patience! and it has brought me into contact with very wonderful people i wouldn't have met otherwise, and it's giving me the chance to be on the receiving side of such beautiful prayers and gestures! I’m healing every day, and slowly but surely I will work my way back to you! Thank you for your patience, your support, and of course for your prayers! Our God always provides, and He continues to do so. With love in Christ, Elissa Bjeletich Davis

Corina is a wife, mother to 7 grown children, and grandmother to 3! A licensed midwife, author, speaker, and advocate, her recently published book, ‘The Chicken with the Red Feather’, portrays the true story of a family's journey with Huntington’s Disease

Matthew Robb Brown was born in Michigan. He has been a published poet since 1969 and has had many jobs. He became Orthodox in 1998. He is a subdeacon, and his wife, Kay, choir director at St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Fort Wayne, IN. He has 3 books of poetry on Amazon.

Abraham and Desirre Ghebremicael are from Eritrea–a small nation along the coast between Ethiopia and the Red Sea–but are raising their kids in Austin, Texas. We'll hear about Abe's journey and about how he finds that life in Texas compares to his homeland.

Dn. Anthony is originally from England, but married his wife Ruth in southern Africa. The two moved to East Asia, spending years in Hong Kong and Singapore, then emigrated to the US. They have been instrumental in building a vibrant Orthodox community in Appalachia.