Small World...Big Family: September 2019

Saturday, September 28, 2019

My Heart is Blessed!

Pictures are worth Thousands of Words!

Our Kansas City GrandKids

Brighton (nearly 2) and Violet (5 months)

Then we drove just 6 hours to see Ellen and her family in Fisher, Illinois. They recently moved there after Luke graduated from Denver Seminary in May. We had a short 1 1/2 day visit with David, Emily, Lucy, and Elizabeth.

The kids enjoy their new outdoor pool. Good thing the weather was still warm!

And we were able to go to Church with Ellen and Luke - with Luke preaching.

David (8 years)

Emily (6 1/2 years)

Lucy (5 years)

Elizabeth (2 1/2 years)

and one on the way!

Wait for Me!

We had a great time with the g'kids!

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Avant Home-Coming

ALL last week, Glenn and I attended meetings at the Avant Headquarters in Kansas City. There is a yearly meeting of retirees who gather to have food, fun and fellowship.

It was especially fun to meet new and old friends. The special speaker was Ron Blue, whom we have known for years and years.

It was also fun to see all the connections we have had with Camino Global (formerly CAM International) and Avant (our new mission agency) over the years.

(Avant missionaries who have served in Ecuador)

For Example:

In 1986 when we first arrived on the field in Bolivia, Glenn and I drove across town with the 2 girls to attend special missionary meetings at the GMU (now Avant) Guesthouse to hear Ron Blue speak. Several years later his single adult daughter was Karen's teacher at the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center.
Bob and Janice, missionaries with Avant, were the missionaries in residence at John Brown University during Gary's freshman year.
Jim, Avant missionary, married Debbie, who was Ellen's first grade teacher at SCCLC.
Several families from Avant in attendance worked at SCCLC (school in Santa Crus Bolivia), where are kids attended school.
Harold and Carol, retired missionaries from Camino Global (now Avant), are dear friends that I stayed with in their home in 1977 while traveling through Central America for my internship with Moody Bible Institute
Carl and Karen retired missionaries from Guatemala
Douglas and Gloria are friends from wayback
Bob and Shirley are retired both Camino Global missionaries and Avant missionaries.

What a great heritage we have now that 2 great mission forces have joined together.

We are Avant!

Monday, September 09, 2019

40th Anniversary of our Engagement, Sept 8, 1979 - Sept 8, 2019

Yesterday, Glenn and I celebrated our 40th Aniversary of our Engagement!

Let me tell you the story of our engagement.

Glenn spent the whole day with my dad as they were painting my parents' house together. Glenn expressed his intention to ask for my hand in marriage later that evening. My dad was thrilled. He did suggest that Glenn talk to my mom before he proposed to me later that night.

All-day, on that Saturday, my mom and I were doing bunches of errands together. Glenn never got a chance to speak to my mom.

We had plans to walk up the alley to attend the wedding of a friend at the local Baptist church. We walked up with my folks. All dressed up for the wedding, Glenn mentioned to me that after the wedding we could go downtown for a nice dinner.

After the wedding, Glenn and I were standing in line to greet the newly married couple in the receiving line. My dad came up from behind and gave me a big hug and said "Congratulations, Judy!"

Glenn had not yet proposed to me. I smiled.

As we walked away. from the wedding, down the alley back to my parents' house, I said, "Glenn, you need to make it official." Glenn got down on one knee and put his grandmother's wedding ring on my left hand. Beautiful. For the next 2 hours, I was busy calling my friends letting them know of our engagement. Finally, we were able to leave. Glenn took me to the Reunion Tower and the rotating restaurant.
My head was spinning.

Today, Glenn and I spent our 40th Engagement anniversary day driving up to Kansas City, MO.