Friday, November 2, 2012

Today we did some needed shopping for items we cannot get in Japan like circular saw blades.  WalMart is a good place to shop for things and I did find some on my list.  We stopped by Panda Express to see Matthew so we could talk with him a bit.  Bought some egg rolls for a snack—yummy. 

This evening Henry went with Peter to the church and the Reformer’s Unanimous meeting and got back here after 10:30 p.m.  It was a rather uneventful day, which is OK. 

Thursday, November 1, 2012

No alarms went off at 6:00 a.m. and I slept to nearly 8:00 which is something I don’t do.  Felt good.  We had Cheerios for breakfast, a real treat.  Peter came by after 10:00 so we could go to the bank and make a deposit.  Then we went to Oxon Hill to try and vote early, but upon driving by the long line (about a three-hour wait), we decided to vote the absentee ballots we had received previously.  We got them printed out and voted, then mailed them in on Friday.  Hopefully it will count.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

We got up about 3:30 a.m. to catch a flight at 8:00 a.m. heading to Maryland.  The flight was uneventful and we landed about 3:40 p.m.  Peter came to pick us up and we drove south and east to Charlotte Hall, MD, where we were at Victory Baptist Church.  Pastor Kyner is a long-time friend and it was good to see him again.  Henry showed the presentation and preached. 

The street where we stayed in Clinton.

Following the service we chatted with Pastor for a time then left and stopped at Chick-fil-A for ice cream   yum!  Peter took Thursday and Friday off so he could drive us around as needed.  We rode back to Clinton to stay with the Gills like we did in the spring.  When we knocked on the door they greeted us with a bowl of candy (trick or treat!)  good to see long-time friends again.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Today we were in the 6^th Grade class and they were just as excited as the first graders.  They were receptive and listened attentively. 

   

The missionary wives were hosted by Mrs. Chappell at their home.  We were served a simple brunch then most everyone made candied apples with all the toppings for their families.  The home is beautifully decorated and in the backyard there is a pen with a pony, two goats and chickens, a shed that looks like a barn and a play area for the grandkids. 

We went back to the campus and waited for the men to finish their lunch.  Pastor took everyone on a tour of the just-completed west wing of the auditorium; a beautiful place that will eventually be restructured to make a wrap-around balcony for additional seating.  After that the missionaries stood around and were just talking to each other. An hour later we are still talking. 

We returned to where we were staying and were able to actually drive the car Roy Roger’s owned…a 1979 Mark V, white, really long and runs beautifully.  Henry and I both drove it a few miles around the church. 

Sara had been feeling poorly since yesterday and she actually had a slight fever so we two did not go to the evening service, but were able to watch it live streamed on the internet.   Wish we could have been there.   It was a really good conference and such a blessing to see hundreds and hundreds of people excited about serving God. 

October 29, 2012

This morning we were in the 1^st grade class giving a short devotion on Japan.  Henry taught the kids some simple Japanese phrases and the B I B L E in Japanese.  This is always a fun age group to teach.  They ask some of the funniest questions like “Do you hit the Japanese on the head with the Bible if they don’t respond?”   No, that’s not how it works.   Then there’s always questions about animal life, flowers and the like. 

   

At 10:00 a.m. was chapel in the main auditorium where the entire college attends, so the main floor was filled.  Many students responded to the invitation.  It was a great service.

After lunch the missionaries and some college students went out door knocking.  Another missionary wife, Sara and I were on one side of the street and Henry and the husband were on the other side.  We three leap-frogged knocking doors.  Sara was able to talk to at least two people and invite them to church; I think it was her first experience.  Some people were not home, some said they had a church and  two that I personally talked to were interested in coming to church.  One man I lead to the Lord and I pray he made a good decision (meaning he prayed the sinner’s prayer just because I asked him.)  His name is Jerald and I’d ask you pray he would come to church.  His name was given to the staff here who will do follow-up work.

Monday night’s service opened with the 100+ voice choir singing Hallelujah to the Lamb with full orchestra, uplifting music and words.  It was almost time to get Pentecostal.  Whoa! That was good!  The service itself was an ordination of four men from Lancaster who met the requirements to be ordained into the ministry.  Pastor Chappell preached a powerful message directed to these men to contend for the faith and preach the gospel without apology.   This link is to the same song sung a few years ago.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqBsN16NbWk

October 28, 2012

Sunday we went to an extension ministry about 70 miles from Lancaster.  A married couple and a group of college students travel there every Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday to work at the church.  There were about 25 people that came for the services.  Henry taught the little kids’ Sunday school, then preached in the morning and evening services.  

 For lunch we all went to a local restaurant Maria Callen…something.  Excellent; I had just a cobb salad and did manage to finish it about 30 minutes later.  The students had huge meals then ordered dessert; some had the famous pie (it was tasty looking) and an ice cream concoction in a large glass sundae glass.  These also were finished.  Amazing how much food college kids can put away.  The married couple have been there nearly two years and are praying about whether to go there permanently as pastor. 

We drove back to Lancaster and arrived about 10:30 p.m.  It was a long and tiring day, but really good to see these students work together to help the church get on its feet again. 

October 27, 2012

We are now at the Lancaster Baptist Church for its Missions Conference.  Peter and Teresa graduated from the college in recent years (see blog posts of May 2012 and May 2010).  We set up the display and went to an opening meeting with the other 21 missionaries about how things were to go in through Tuesday.  We were given a paper bag filled with recent books by Pastor Chappell and info about the Conference.  Then we were served dinner.

At 7:00 pm the service started.  This night Pastor interviewed each missionary family for about three-five minutes each.  We were the last one at 22.  While we waited to go out front (behind the platform) we could watch the monitors.  Service was over about 9:00 pm and many folks then came by the missionary tables set up around the auditorium.  Several people introduced themselves and said they knew Teresa, she was such a blessing, she was a roommate or dorm mate, what is she doing? And such like comments.  It was good to hear she has a good testimony and that she is missed here.  There were also several students we knew as children.  The first two were brother and sister and said they were missionaries in Japan in the 1990s.  I did not recognize them, so asked for a clue.  Then a second one, then a third and still could not place them.  They are the Burcham siblings and were babies when they were here.  He is now about 6’ tall and she about his shoulder height.  Of course, I didn’t recognize them!  It was good to see them, though. 

We are staying with a couple that are avid collectors of Roy Rogers memorabilia and purchased some items at an estate auction after Dale Evans died about 11 years ago.  The house is practically a museum in itself.  Rather interesting and talk about videos and DVDs!  All things Roy and westerns and the old TV programs are in their collection: Columbo, Roy’s TV show, Cheyenne, Bonanza, Ronald Reagan speeches and movies.  They have a huge Boxer dog, about 110 pounds and named Fred.  He has such sad eyes and is always trying to be a lap dog, but just the gentlest thing.  

October 20-23, California

We have been in Adlanto, CA, North and East of Los Angeles in what is called the high desert.  It is very windy out here at times.  Sunday we were at the Adlanto Baptist Church where we taught the Sunday School class and Henry preached in the morning service.   Between services lunch was served for those attending the 2:00 p.m. service.  During that time, Pastor Sipes taught a Bible study on Genesis 2 and 3 about first fruits. At this point in time, the family had been aware of sacrificial offerings for years as the sons were old enough to tend flocks and grow grain.   When Cain and Abel brought their offerings, God accepted Abel’s because it was a firstling of the flock.  Cain’s offering was the “fruit of the ground” (grains), but not the first fruits of that grain.  Cain had a wrong heart attitude about it.  Scripture states Cain was mad because God did not accept his offering, therefore he slew his brother.  It was a good exegesis of that passage. 

From Sunday evening to Wednesday we have been at Pastor’s house.  Monday,  Henry helped Pastor build a new pulpit; now it needs to be stained and it’s good to go.  Meanwhile we four females (two moms and 2 daughters)  ran errands where I was able to mail some packages.  That evening the Sipes family saw their eldest son off on another tour of duty to Afghanistan.  He leaves behind his wife and two small boys.  Please pray for him and all of our troops in harm’s way around the world.