What a wonderful thing it is to reconnect. God has been so good to allow us to reconnect with old college friends and make lots of new ones in our mission travels. While holding services in Tennessee, we were able to meet up with a wonderful friend from my AWC days so long ago. Shelly Getty and I not only went to college together, but also to the Dominican Republic on a mission team. She so kindly treated us to a HUGE meal at the Apple Barn near Gatlinburg. We had a wonderful time!
What a wonderful time of remembering my days at Rincon Marquez, NM. and reconnecting with Rev. & Mrs. Earl Newton who served on the All Tribes board. We are so thankful for the love and warmth that we feel expressed by them and the Berrysville Holiness Church. Feels like a part of home is there every time we get to visit.
It was a delight to meet Rebekah Cooley Stence's sister Faith Young and her husband. I so enjoyed hearing the stories of God working in Faith's life as she ministered as a missionary and all the exciting stories of her sister's work on the Amazon River.
Loved loved reconnecting with Dan & Carol Roush. They put up with me when I was in 5th & 6th grade!! (I'm sure I added to their gray hair) I let them know of a few antics that Debbie Rowley, Jeff Knuckles, and I did way back then while attending what was then known as Christ Academy in Friendsville, TN. I owe my grammatical foundation to Sr. Roush....am, is are, was, were, be, being, been!! I shall never forget all they taught me and their Godly lives went on to impact me down through the years.
Also greatly appreciated their church and the Rev. Bentz' for opening an apartment up for us while we were in TN. They were gracious hosts and stuffed us to the top with wonderful meals!
Also want to mention a big thank you to Rev. Bentz for making Samuel's dreams of being a firefighter come a little true. He loved loved the time you spent showing him around the fire house.
We always look forward to any time we can stop and see the Robisons. They are such a loving couple, doing all they can to see God's Kingdom go forward. We so appreciated being treated like royalty in their AWESOME farm house.
What an adventure and pleasure to wander room to room....9 bedrooms, two staircases that go three floors up, second story verandah and awesome antiques....love that place and family!!
Samuel was thoroughly spoiled rotten by Rev. & Sr. Thornton and their wonderful family. We so enjoyed getting to reconnect and meet their lovely granddaughter for the first time. We were also able to share lunch with Sr. Cousin and her daughter Naomi (NaNa) whom I taught when she was in 3rd grade. Seeing her at 27 and getting ready to get married makes an old missionary feel even older! :)
A GREAT highlight of this past Sunday was getting to visit with Bro. Armour. My entire life I remember him as a one scoop or two (of mashed pot) as we went through the serving line at Stoneboro Camp. He grinned and with a twinkle in his eye told me, "I always pegged the two scoopers before I even asked." He said he gave 50 yrs to working in the dining hall at Stoneboro. What a delightful Godly man!
We have been so blessed by all the friends we are reconnecting and making in our travels. It is a major benefit to mission work!!! However, at the end of 1,000+ miles in a week......there's just no place like home! Thank you, Jesus, for our home!
