On the Road Again
Our family’s road to Africa took us west before going east over the Atlantic. Even while our thoughts and plans are focused on Zambia, a country thousands of miles away, we are struck by the beauty, vastness, and variety of land in the US, and by the kindness and generosity of the people.
We made this trip in order to meet with churches and groups interested in AKCLI, as well as visiting with family and friends. Loaded in our van, Benedict, Sena, and I set out on June 15. On the 16th we stopped on the way through Chicago and met with Craig Muller at Warm Blankets. They have done amazing work, particularly in Asia, planting churches and helping local pastors take orphans into their homes. We are always blessed to find out about others who have a heart for orphans. They want to increase their work in Africa and they have asked if we will explore partnering with them to establish church based orphan homes.
As we drove through Milwaukee we stopped at the home of Kevin Reardon and his family, sharing with them about the work in Zambia. He had heard about AKCLI through Partners Worldwide and he and his wife and daughters began thinking of churches where they could share about the work.
The evening of the 16th we arrived at the home of Rick and Janice Ribbell in Neenah, WI. He is the mission pastor of Calvary Bible Church and he visited with us in Zambia last July. Benedict preached at both of their Sunday morning services and in the evening we met with their mission team of 8 who will be coming over in August. From young to old, the members of Calvary Bible Church are being faithful to live out the great commission to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. At one of the services we were given a check for $700, presented by the girls in the 7th grade girls Sunday School class. All year they have been raising the funds, sometimes giving very sacrificially. What a blessing. While we were at Calvary Bible we were blessed at their enthusiasm for what God is doing in Zambia, and we are excited to host their team.
Monday July 18th we were on the road west again, through Wisconsin to Minnesota to Grandma and Grandpa’s. My mother and father, whose call to missions took him to over 40 countries with the Billy Graham Association, provided good food, a place of rest, and encouragement and love for our call to missions. While there we were able to meet with the mission committee of Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN where my sister and her family attend. We also spoke at 2 of their Sunday morning services, briefly describing the work and then answering questions after the service in the library. Aaron Squadroni, our nephew, joined us and talked about his experience in January. Aaron is a graduate student in architecture and did the site renderings for our 230 acre farm. On our MN visit he drew the layouts for our road front property near the produce market we opened in early June. He will be joining us in Zambia in July for 6 weeks.
Although it was a time of rest, Benedict was able to be in contact with the folks in Zambia and partners in this country as needed. He was able to meet with folks from Partners Worldwide and Sons of Thunder for an all day meeting near the Minneapolis airport to lay out plans for the development of agricultural training and orphan care on a portion of the 10,000 acre Sons of Thunder Farm near Livingstone, Zambia.
Thursday July 28 found us on the road again headed south to St. Joseph, MO. Jessica, one of our daughters, moved there on June 1 and is Children and Youth Pastor at Wyatt Park Christian Church. In addition to the joy of seeing her, we were able to meet her pastor and members of her congregation. Just as they have embraced and loved her, they greeted us. We were able to share with a group in the evening about the need and our work in Zambia. A man from India and his son who are part of a mission in India were also visiting the church and it was wonderful to fellowship with them as well.
Saturday July 30 we continued south to Topeka, KS staying with my best friend from high school, Veda and Kevin Journagan. We had a wonderful evening with their friends and Sunday morning spoke at 2 Sunday school classes at Topeka Bible Church. At this church, as with all the others where we spoke, God always brought several people forward whose hearts were especially touched and quickened to become involved in rescuing orphans. Often with tears, they would say something like, “Two hours ago I never thought I would want to go to Africa, but I want to go and help. I want to do something. What can I do?” Kevin is the general manager of a very large Kansas farmers coop. He will be helping us to organize a simpler version of the US Farm Cooperative model for our young adult farmers in Zambia.
Finally we were able to attend the Grist Family Reunion in Augusta, KS, and have a lunch attended by members of the Doornbos family. I come from a very large Grist family and close to 100 attended the 3 day event. One of the last activities of the long weekend was our sharing about the work in Africa. Family members from California, Illinois, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arizona, Missouri, and Kansas encouraged us, blessed us, and supported us as we head to another continent. Both sides of my family have deep roots in farming and they gave Benedict ideas for farming, raising pigs, working the land, etc.
So know we are literally on the road driving east to finish the final preparation for the big trip to Zambia. This trip exceeded our expectations in the enthusiasm of folks who care about the plight of orphans, in the richness of encouragement and caring of family, friends, and strangers, and in the feeling of unity we experienced with brothers and sisters across our country.
Over the next 2 weeks we will be packing, organizing, preparing for our own trip as well as for over 25 folks who will be coming to visit and help on short term mission trips this summer, and soaking up time with our children and grandchildren. God has made his presence evident over the last 3 weeks and we expect to see His hand at work as we continue the preparation for our leaving.
We made this trip in order to meet with churches and groups interested in AKCLI, as well as visiting with family and friends. Loaded in our van, Benedict, Sena, and I set out on June 15. On the 16th we stopped on the way through Chicago and met with Craig Muller at Warm Blankets. They have done amazing work, particularly in Asia, planting churches and helping local pastors take orphans into their homes. We are always blessed to find out about others who have a heart for orphans. They want to increase their work in Africa and they have asked if we will explore partnering with them to establish church based orphan homes.
As we drove through Milwaukee we stopped at the home of Kevin Reardon and his family, sharing with them about the work in Zambia. He had heard about AKCLI through Partners Worldwide and he and his wife and daughters began thinking of churches where they could share about the work.
The evening of the 16th we arrived at the home of Rick and Janice Ribbell in Neenah, WI. He is the mission pastor of Calvary Bible Church and he visited with us in Zambia last July. Benedict preached at both of their Sunday morning services and in the evening we met with their mission team of 8 who will be coming over in August. From young to old, the members of Calvary Bible Church are being faithful to live out the great commission to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. At one of the services we were given a check for $700, presented by the girls in the 7th grade girls Sunday School class. All year they have been raising the funds, sometimes giving very sacrificially. What a blessing. While we were at Calvary Bible we were blessed at their enthusiasm for what God is doing in Zambia, and we are excited to host their team.
Monday July 18th we were on the road west again, through Wisconsin to Minnesota to Grandma and Grandpa’s. My mother and father, whose call to missions took him to over 40 countries with the Billy Graham Association, provided good food, a place of rest, and encouragement and love for our call to missions. While there we were able to meet with the mission committee of Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN where my sister and her family attend. We also spoke at 2 of their Sunday morning services, briefly describing the work and then answering questions after the service in the library. Aaron Squadroni, our nephew, joined us and talked about his experience in January. Aaron is a graduate student in architecture and did the site renderings for our 230 acre farm. On our MN visit he drew the layouts for our road front property near the produce market we opened in early June. He will be joining us in Zambia in July for 6 weeks.
Although it was a time of rest, Benedict was able to be in contact with the folks in Zambia and partners in this country as needed. He was able to meet with folks from Partners Worldwide and Sons of Thunder for an all day meeting near the Minneapolis airport to lay out plans for the development of agricultural training and orphan care on a portion of the 10,000 acre Sons of Thunder Farm near Livingstone, Zambia.
Thursday July 28 found us on the road again headed south to St. Joseph, MO. Jessica, one of our daughters, moved there on June 1 and is Children and Youth Pastor at Wyatt Park Christian Church. In addition to the joy of seeing her, we were able to meet her pastor and members of her congregation. Just as they have embraced and loved her, they greeted us. We were able to share with a group in the evening about the need and our work in Zambia. A man from India and his son who are part of a mission in India were also visiting the church and it was wonderful to fellowship with them as well.
Saturday July 30 we continued south to Topeka, KS staying with my best friend from high school, Veda and Kevin Journagan. We had a wonderful evening with their friends and Sunday morning spoke at 2 Sunday school classes at Topeka Bible Church. At this church, as with all the others where we spoke, God always brought several people forward whose hearts were especially touched and quickened to become involved in rescuing orphans. Often with tears, they would say something like, “Two hours ago I never thought I would want to go to Africa, but I want to go and help. I want to do something. What can I do?” Kevin is the general manager of a very large Kansas farmers coop. He will be helping us to organize a simpler version of the US Farm Cooperative model for our young adult farmers in Zambia.
Finally we were able to attend the Grist Family Reunion in Augusta, KS, and have a lunch attended by members of the Doornbos family. I come from a very large Grist family and close to 100 attended the 3 day event. One of the last activities of the long weekend was our sharing about the work in Africa. Family members from California, Illinois, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arizona, Missouri, and Kansas encouraged us, blessed us, and supported us as we head to another continent. Both sides of my family have deep roots in farming and they gave Benedict ideas for farming, raising pigs, working the land, etc.
So know we are literally on the road driving east to finish the final preparation for the big trip to Zambia. This trip exceeded our expectations in the enthusiasm of folks who care about the plight of orphans, in the richness of encouragement and caring of family, friends, and strangers, and in the feeling of unity we experienced with brothers and sisters across our country.
Over the next 2 weeks we will be packing, organizing, preparing for our own trip as well as for over 25 folks who will be coming to visit and help on short term mission trips this summer, and soaking up time with our children and grandchildren. God has made his presence evident over the last 3 weeks and we expect to see His hand at work as we continue the preparation for our leaving.
posted by Kathleen | 6:25 PM
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