Road Trip #2 - Missouri, Ohio, Illinois.

We left Kansas City for Ohio where we attended the missions Sunday at Chapel in North Canton. It was a great time of sharing how we as missionaries view the world, life and living. We stayed with some new friends, who we hope will be visiting us in Alaska sometime soon.

After a brief few days with my parents we headed here -- Chicago. We started out in Addison at Messiah Baptist Church. As always they made us feel very comfortable and we got to meet Erin Schuyler's parents. Now we are at Moody Church where we are again very comfortable and glad to be. They had a banquet last night that included a speaker who has been a missionary to cannibal tribes for umpteen years. It was certainly inspirational.

We are planning to see several counselor-types this very evening! Annie, Kelly, Zim and Michael are supposed to be getting together with us. :-)

2007 Counselor Story #1

Here is a story from a counselor this summer:

One week she had a couple girls in her cabin with night terrors. They would begin screaming in their sleep at any time of night waking themselves and the whole cabin of girls. The counselor could do nothing but kneel beside their beds and pray for them the whole time. On the last night she prayed with each of them and asked God to give them a good night's rest. As they began to moan or scream during that last night, she knelt beside them again praying for them. She had the privilege of seeing God answer those prayers in a very tangible way because as she prayed the screams melted into snoring. They woke up the next morning and said it was the best night's sleep they had gotten all week.

God surely answers prayer!

Also, that week that same counselor had four girls rededicate their lives to Christ. I can't imagine thinking straight after nights like that but God can certainly work in every situation.

Road trip '07 #1

Well, I guess I have nearly 4,000 miles worth to catch you up on where we are! We drove out of Haines on Friday the 24th of August. The Canadian border is only about 40 miles from there so we disappeared into the Yukon/BC wilderness for a couple days to emerge into civilization on the plains of Alberta. While in the wilderness we did not eat locusts and honey but we did visit a hot spring. How interesting to be swimming in a steaming hot creek! We all enjoyed that one.

So, we caught up with Trish in Minnesota. She met us at the Mall of America where the older three children thrilled to some of the rides: swings going in circles, horses going in circles, "hot air balloons" going in circles --you get the point.

Next stop was at the farm in Wisconsin, Uncle Cliff and Aunt Cheryl's farm. We had to make it a longer stop than planned because of car trouble but what a place to be stuck. Cows and calves and even a bull live on the farm with a couple barn cats thrown in for good measure. The baby was just about as nervous of the cows as they were of her, however, the cats were another story. There are two cats that got their fair share of love from Ellie and the older three, too.

Now we are in Kansas City, Missouri at our mission HQ.

As I reflect on the trip so far I am reminded of how precious so many people are to me. These two visits were both short and the rest of the trip promises to follow in the same manner. It sure is a good thing we have eternity in heaven because I will need it to finally get enough time with each friend and family member. :-)

Smiling in the air conditioning,
Michele