Where we hang our hats and welcome our friends:

Where we Hang our hats and Welcome our friends:
8011 Plaxco Drive
Chattanooga, TN 37421

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Week 2 and the Ishmaelites


  So humor us - we will share week 2 with you - it helps us to see where the week went. I know you all know how that works - "where did the time go?" 

(And read through to hear about my encounter with a couple of teenage boys.)

  Last Sunday Howard led the worship service at Amazing Grace Community Church as Pastor Rohan was out of town. He spoke on Moses calling and our calling and why not having a crystal ball is OK.


  On Monday Sandy and Margaret volunteered along with Emma and Lauren (summer interns) at the Middle School one more day - it was the Social Studies portion of their testing. I learned quite a bit about Canadian government.


 









Tuesday Sandy ventured out to another grocery store - I found the Publix of the north - Safeway! And I scored 5 cents a liter off on the gas from their station by spending $35.00. It still took over $100.00 to fill the tank in our white beast. (36 gallon truck)








We continue to enjoy our notes from home...this little treasure made us and many others laugh!










     Wednesday Howard had lunch with a young man from Amazing Grace Community Church who is working towards a Criminal Justice degree, he has some good contacts on the Blackfoot Reserve and when we return from Belgium he and Howard will go out and meet them together.



On Wednesday afternoon Margaret and I joined the two summer interns, Emma and Lauren, as they spent some time with some of the neighborhood kids. Every Wednesday afternoon this summer they play games and just visit with the kids. It has been challenging for them as some of the kids are angry all the time, but they are trying to make a difference in a few of their lives. Here they are enjoying Lauren's game - Extreme Playground Challenge!

 While there with them this week I struck up a conversation with two middle school boys who did not want to participate with the other kids. As we were talking about school and stuff a young girl came over and starting to bother the boys.  I told her I was going to "sell her to the Ismaelites"...then I asked the boys if they had heard this story before. I went on to tell them the story of a young boy, a young boy whose brothers hated him so much that they sold him to some slave traders. 
  I left the story hanging...I hope to meet up with the boys again some day and tell them the rest of the story. They seemed interested - they also taught me my first Blackfoot word: OKI - which means - FRIEND.

 - Pray for these young men and many others who are struggling to find their place in the world.




Everything near us is within walking distance and we often walk the two to five blocks to get to the school/church, Rohan's house, the Subway restaurant and Tim Horton's.  These lovely signs are everywhere and if you are a pedestrian, cars must stop for you to let you cross the road!






Howard and Jack spent two days this week doing what Howard loves to do - help organize someone's garage. They were able to make room in Rohan's garage for more Amazing Kids stuff until a permanent building is found for them to meet and store their stuff.


 



They also built some of the crafts for the upcoming summer park camps - specifically some wooden boats the kids will get to try and float.










The weather here has been just as sweltering as it was in Tennessee this past week - So we spent some time washing our cars and the Amazing Kids van. The cool water felt great!! Howard and Jack took the van to the inspection center on Friday - they have yearly inspections due on vans used for transporting people. 




 












 On and off through the week we continue to make our new home more "homey"  - we have set up our office and set up my sewing area. It makes it easier to get things done.





Saturday night we had the interns over for dinner - we ate outside in the courtyard of our apartment complex because it was about 20 degrees cooler there. 


 After dinner we played an exciting game of


        Telestrations!!

     Do you know what this photo is???

               PI FILLING!!!!

    We only got to spend 2 weeks with beautiful Lauren and Emma, but we enjoyed it so much.  Blessings to both of them as they finish their summer in Lethbridge and then head back to college.





We finished the week by getting read to head to Belgium - packing our suitcases and driving to Calgary.

 And I am finishing the blog while sitting in a hotel in Calgary for a cool night's rest before we board our plane tomorrow at noon.

  We ask for your Prayers for safety and health and a productive time of learning.

Friday, June 19, 2015

168 Hours



Friday, June 12, 4:30 pm.

  We arrive in Lethbridge, the city. We had no cell phone as we lost Virgin Mobile signal half-way through South Dakota, so we thought we would surprise Rohan Crown and his family - but no one was home.

   So then we decided to drive to our new home - but we weren't sure of the location. We found it by process of elimination, and rang the door bell. But there was no answer. 
  We are in Alberta, Canada, no phone, no people....but then the door opened and we were welcomed by Jack and Margaret Phillips, our room-mates in our town house on Mayor McGrath Drive.


    The weather was drizzling rain, but a cool breeze was blowing - so much nicer than the 100 degrees two days earlier in St. Louis.  We were able to pick up the wireless internet in the apartment to let our family know we had arrived, and let Rohan know we were in town. Soon there was a house full of people welcoming us.

  Saturday, our first day, found us shopping at Walmart - a familiar place, but still different enough to make it interesting. Then back home to unpack boxes. We went exploring in the evening down to the coulee.


  On Sunday we enjoyed worship and communion with our new church family at Amazing Grace Community church in the morning and worshipping with the Westminster Chapel PCA in the evening.
  Jack and Margaret treated the whole Summer Lethbridge Team to a picnic lunch at Henderson park in town - the lunch started with drizzles and wind, and ended with the sun shining on the beautiful lake. We had a great time relaxing with Rohan and Rebecca, the church planter and his wife and their three kids, Isabel, Abigail, and Phinehas, and with Lauren and Emma, summer interns working with Amazing Kids for June and July.




 Monday morning we hit the ground running: We visited the local YMCA and found out how to join and while there we heard on the radio that this week is NATIONAL ABORIGINAL WEEK in Canada.  So our plans for the day changed.

  After a staff meeting (there was supposed to be a great photo of our team here, the photo that we talked about several times that morning, but never took) we took a prayer walk through the north Lethbridge community we will work in.


    Then we headed to the downtown area to enjoy some time learning about the local First Nations people. There was a free lunch and demonstrations of culture and crafts. We got a calendar of the events that are being held in the area this week and hoped to attend a few.




 In the afternoon we joined in the Amazing Kids team members for the year end party.  The Christian elementary school held the game time and dinner for the children and their parents and we were able to meet many of the families that we will work with for the next few years.






Image result for christian credit union lethbridge  Tuesday we went to the bank to figure out how we could open a checking account in Lethbridge. We will just leave you with this comment...Canada is a foreign country - not "Northern USA". But we met some very helpful people and by Friday we were the owners of a checking account (at a credit union!!) and a debit card!

  After the bank we went and picked up a hutch for the kitchen so we would have more storage for dishes and food - it's not Craigslist for deals here - it's Kijiji.
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   In the evening we went back to the beautiful coulee and filmed some VBS video for our church in Chattanooga and explored a bit more of the area while learning the history of Lethbridge.



   Wednesday we met with Rohan and Rebecca to some of the logistics of our work here in Lethbridge for the next few months, and to plan for the time they will be gone in August. We had a great time getting excited about all the opportunities and also getting a bit overwhelmed by all there is to do.  But our God is Big!

  Thursday, Sandy joined Margaret in volunteering at the local Middle School with some end of the year school testing. They worked with some of the children who needed more one-on-one attention to keep them on task for completing the tests. I then joined the team that is planning the summer Bible clubs that are being held in July while we are gone - I was able to volunteer for a couple of things which can be done before we leave.
   Howard and Jack visited with members of Amazing Grace Community church that need some work on their home, and then Howard spent the afternoon checking out the lumber prices at Lowes and building some shelves for our apartment.
 And in the evening....I went SHOPPING at the local mall. Very nice, some familiar stores and many new ones. Still learning how to use Canadian cash.





  Friday we caught up on paperwork, tried out another store and visited two others.

Today is the ONE-WEEK anniversary of our arrival. We have had our ups and downs, exciting moments and overwhelming moments. Lots of prayer and lots of love from the people here and from all of you who support us from a distance.





  These last 7 days have allowed us get almost acclimated to life here in Canada.  Just in time for us to leave in 10 days for Belgium where we will do some final MTW field preparation for a month!

  We look forward to Sharing Jesus for the next three years while in Alberta - Wild Rose Country



Tuesday, June 16, 2015

What an interesting couple of weeks since we last wrote...

  Since we last wrote a blog update here is what has been happening, it has been a whirlwind 2 week period that leaves both Howard and I exhausted and excited.  After returning from our last Florida trip we:
Celebrated our son Mike's birthday with family.
(May 24)
Began our packing
(May25)
Drove to Smithville and purchased a new truck and had a great dinner with friends Randy, Eunice and Justin.
(May 26)
Packed some more stuff, our daughter Julie moved her kitchen stuff into the cabinets
(May 27)
Had our good friends from Christ Presbyterian Church over for a dinner that they provided and we enjoyed fellowship and laughter and a season of prayer. 
(May 28)
Packed more stuff and spent time with family
(May 29)
Drove to North Carolina to pick up a truck topper for the truck to cover all the stuff we are taking to Canada. Howard was not feeling well, so I finally got to drive the new truck!
(May 30)

Our Church in Chattanooga commissioned us for our work in Lethbridge - the prayers and love of the many friends we have made there this past year are wonderful.  Having several supporting churches behind us in addition to individual supporters is such a blessing.
We also had a wonderful dinner with our Shepherding elder and his family and our family - Thanks John and Vangie and kids!
(May 31)


Finished up our packing and typed up the packing lists. Our friend Alice Nicholson from Alberta joined us for a couple day visit! 
(Jun 1-3)
We had a wonderful, relaxing family vacation with our kids and grandkids at Oak Haven Resort in Sevierville, TN. Good memories and lots of hugs.
(June 3 - 5)
Howard helped some guys from Covenant PCA in Chattanooga get stuff ready for the PCA General Assembly and Julie and I hung around the house.
(June 6)


Our daughter and son-in-law, Becky and John, hosted a farewell Ice-cream social at their home for us during the afternoon. Thank you to them and everyone who came with hugs and tears. We have started reading some of the messages you left to us...blessings from home.


We had dinner out with Colin and Paula, such good friends with such good hearts and hugs. Blessings to you.
(June 7)
We loaded up our truck to make sure what we had boxed up would actually fit - it did and we even had room in the back seat for more, but I restrained myself.
(June 8)


Had a lovely lunch with my daughters and some shopping too!
In the evening we head off to the Presbyterian Church in America's annual meeting in Chattanooga. 
We were able to sing in the choirs that led the opening worship service and were blessed to sing with over 4000 fellow Christians.  It was a fitting farewell evening.
(June 9) 


Had breakfast with our kids and grandkids at our son and daughter-in-law's home and then left for Canada. (June 10)



Drove for 13 hours. Hotel 6 for the night in Council Bluffs.
(June 10)


Drove, and Drove and Drove. Started at 7:30 am and stopped in Miles City, Montana at 6 pm, another 11 hour day. We visited the Badlands in South Dakota on our drive. Would have stayed longer but it was rainy and cold. But it was still a beautiful sight. What an imaginative God we have.
(June11)

Drove on beautiful 2 lane roads through northern Montana (at 70 mph) and enjoyed the changing scenery. Had Burger King for lunch in Great Falls. Said a prayer and drove the hour to the border. It was crazy windy on the drive and saw alot of the beautiful flowing rivers of green wheat growing. 
On our arrival at the Sweetgrass border crossing, we spent 1.5 hours  waiting and being interviewed for our Visa and we were granted a 3 year Visa for working with Amazing Grace Community Church and Amazing Kids ministries as we build relationships with the Blackfoot people in this area.

Our arrival in Lethbridge was quiet and warm.
Our 15 month journey to arrive in Lethbridge to see what God has planned for us and for those we will Show Jesus to has begun.

  First week in review is coming.