Faith Builders Weekend

This past weekend Edith and I went to Faith Builders. Edith dropped me off there on Friday, and then went to Lewisburg for an overnight gathering with her sisters. It was to celebrate her sister Ada's birthday. I generally, ran around Faith Builders, and talked with people Friday afternoon and evening.

Saturday I was speaking at the Faith Builders Colloquy. The theme was non-resistance. Stephen Russell was presenting some material from the book he is in the process of writing on the subject of non-resistance.

Saturday evening and Sunday we met with the study group that I am a part of. We had a great time with them as well.

Jennifer and Darren also came to Faith Builders for the weekend. We had a good time visiting with them.

We left Sunday evening, and drove back to Cleveland, OH. We spent the night there and then flew back to International Falls on Monday. We met Morley and Reta Beardy in the airport on Monday. They were on their way home from Ohio as well. We travelled together to International Falls. They had left their vehicle at Gaylord Knepp's house on the Canadian side of the border, so we gave them a ride back to their vehicle.

The trip all went well. Things were pretty much on schedule and the weather wasn't too bad.

Here is lunch in Minneapolis Airport with Morley and Reta.

Birthday and Jumper

Dallas had his birthday this week. He invited Nathan Stoll over for the night and we had a small party for him. He is twelve years old now.

Elaine made a jumper as part of her Home Ec class at school. She did a great job with it.

Here she is being instructed by the mother.

Here she is diligently working on it herself.

Here she is wearing the finished product.

Here is the 12 year old blowing out his candles. One was left burning which meant he has one girlfriend. Quite more than enough at age 12, in my opinion.

Here are the two boys checking out the birthday cake.

Cornerstone Christian School Spagetti Dinner and Auction

Last evening was the spagetti dinner and benefit auction for Cornerstone Christian School. Edith and I were on the committee to help plan and organize the auction. The students recruited donations from individuals and business places in the area. We ended up with a nice selection of things to sell.

We had two free airlines tickets for Wasaya Airlines, a free internet satelitte dish, a year membership at a fitness centre, a chain saw, a bike, a digital camera, a paper shedder and lots of other good things.

As a committee we were hoping to raise three thousand dollars through the auction. We ended up with about $4,500. We felt very rewarded for the effort we put into it.

I was volunteered by Edith to serve as the auctioneer. Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Completed Trailer

On Friday I finished the trailer that Dallas and I were working on over the school Christmas break. I think it turned out pretty good, for being done by someone who has zero mechanical ability. Anyway, here are a few pictures of it. You can make your own judgements.

Winter

After a few months of way above normal temperatures we have finally settled into a more normal winter weather pattern. For the past week it has been minus 30 or lower almost every morning. The afternoon highs are about minus 15 - 20. For those who use the farienheit scale this is about 25 below zero in the morning and up to about zero in the afternoon.

The great thing about these colder days is that the sky is a clear bright blue. The snow on the evergreen trees looks great. When you go outside the snow crunches under your feet. It is hard to be depressed in this kind of weather.

The furnace takes a lot more wood these days. I had been wondering if I had purchased too much wood for next winter. I thought I might have lots left from this year. However, if this weather lasts even a few weeks, I will be glad for all the wood I have.

Here is the temperature this morning at about 8:00 AM.

Here is our outdoor furnace pumping out smoke as it heats the house and the shop. In front of the furnace is my woodpile for next winter.

Institute for Global Opportunities

Yes, I am still alive and running around on the planet earth! Last week I went to Pennsylvania for the Institute for Global Opportunities board meeting. I left Wednesday morning and dropped the children off at school. After that I went to Camp of the Woods near Dinorwic for a meeting there. From there I went to Duluth, Minnesota and met Dale Ropp. Dale and I drove straight through from Duluth to Lewisburg, PA. We arrived there about 6:00 PM on Thursday. We went to bed about 7:30 PM. Edith phoned me about 9:30 PM. I was so out of touch with reality that the next morning I wasn't quite sure if she had really phoned, or if I had just had a dream that she did.

We had a good board meeting. We are just on the verge of opening the Institute in Thailand. Val Yoder, Rick Rhodes and Collier Berkshire are already there with their families. Rosanna Martin and Nevin Bowman are also there. Sylvia Beachy will be joining the team in March, and Kris Schrock in April.

The first day of classes is scheduled to begin April 23. At this point we have 22 students. We were hoping for 24, so we are getting very close now. I am really excited about the program at IGo. It is a combination of classroom teaching, missionary practicums, teaching English to Thai students, and receiving personal mentoring.

The first semester runs from April to August. It has three three-week classroom terms and three two-week mission trips in Asia. The students will also complete the first segment of the mentoring program, and begin teaching English to Thai students.

We as a family are looking forward to going to Chiang Mai, Thailand to teach a three week term in October. We will likely be there most of the month of October.

Another thing about the board meeting in Pennsylvania was that it was warm there. When we left Saturday at noon, it must have been close to 50 degrees. When I got home to Sioux Lookout Sunday afternoon it was about 10 below zero. This morning it was 25 below. I was using the snowblower to clear the snow out of the driveway until I got too cold. Now I need to go finish that.

When we left the board meeting Jim Weaver gave us a container of hard pretzels. He usually brings some to the meeting for the enjoyment of all those of us who once lived in PA. When I got home last evening we had them on the table for supper. Dallas had Warren Strang here for the afternoon. Warren was enjoying the pretzels. After a bit he asked me, "Where were you, Pretzelvania?"



The IGo board memebers are: Marvin Miller, Kansas; Jim Weaver, Pennsylvania; Dale Ropp, Minnesota; Lester Weiler, Pennsylvania; Merle Burkholder, Ontario; and Marvin Kauffman, Iowa. Dave Hostetler, from Indiana, is also on the board but wasn't able to attend this meeting. James Stutzman, from North Carolina, is also on the board but he was at the GTO board meeting when the picture was taken. Leroy Yoder from Minnesota is also an ex-offico member and attends the meetings when he is able. Darlene Stoner was also there. She does the bookkeeping for IGo. She was also the official photographer for this board meeting.

Here is a link to the IGo website: Click Here for IGo

Transitions 2

In the past month it seems there have been an abnormal amount of deaths among people we know.

A man Merle visited with for an hour during his hospital rounds, died that night while he was sleeping.

A young man who was going to Texas to pick up a car he'd bought was hit head-on by another vehicle. That vehicle was in the wrong lane. The young man died.

A lady we sang Christmas carols for died a few days later.

A man we know found out he has cancer about the middle of December, 2006. He died last Friday.

It highlights the mystery of death's unknowns. What was it like for them to transition from life here to the next? When it happens to someone close, it makes one feel they can almost touch it.

For the situations I mentioned above there's the usual human mix of sadness and joy. The man with cancer was estranged from one son. While his father was in the hospital, the son attempted to reach out to him. The father, for whatever reason, didn't want contact.

The lady we caroled for has suffered from a long debilitating illness. On Thursday Fannie visited her. The lady told her she'd had a dream the night before that Jesus took her hand. She told her, "I'm ready to go now." The next day she died.

When it's my time to go, that's what I want--a strong sense of Jesus helping me through the transition. Once I get through, my questions about what it's like on the other side will be answered! And the presence of Jesus being there on both sides is what gives me security. Edith