The week of March 15th, 2009

Bronson, Centreville and Burr Oak, Michigan

We left Nashville right after Friday morning prayer meeting, on the 13th, and drove to my cousin, RoxAnne's house in Michigan. We had planned on staying at my Dad's house just 6 miles south of there but when RoxAnne learned we were coming she insisted we stay at their house as we've done in past visits. Jeff and RoxAnne just had their ninth child, Katrina Grace, in January and have not announced plans to stop with her. Their children are, David, 14, Jeffrey, 13, Autumn, 12, Andrew, 9, Ashley, 8, Isaiah, 6, Esther, 4, RuthAnne, 3 and Katrina, 2 months. Add our 4 children and you have what's called a houseful. The second, Jeffrey, at age 6 months suffered some adverse events following routine vaccinations and today sits in a wheelchair. Because of the wheelchair ramp, the roll-in shower, the large, open house with wide doorways and the many children to play with it makes a very convenient and comfortable spot for us to set up camp when we're in the area.

Saturday evening we sang at Pleasant Hill Missionary Church south of Bronson and had a great visit with the young pastor, Corey, his beautiful wife, Crystal and their sweet kids, Austin, Ella, Anna and Eliza. This is a young family that has a desire to serve God with everything they have.

The Sunday morning service at Firm Foundation Ministries in Centreville was great. Many of my uncles, aunts and cousins attend this church and it's like a mini reunion seeing so many of them together. Pastor Don Smith and his wife, Lisa are precious, Spirit-filled believers ...from the SOUTH! Bobby and Pastor Don have more than their Christian faith in common, they have similar accents. We enjoyed an awesome time in praise and worship and I enjoyed myself immensely...I hope God did too. I told Bobby that last Sunday morning's concert was one of the most memorable concerts for me because we were reunited with family and friends, it was a Spirit-filled church, it was very well-attended, the people were responsive and to top it off, they blessed us above and beyond what we ever expected.

Sunday evening was another time of reuniting with friends and loved ones. New Covenant Christian Fellowship, formerly known as South Colon (I know – that's gross) Mennonite Church, pastored by Clint Zehr is the church I attended from nine months before I was born until age 21 when I moved to Nashville. We always love visiting with Clint and Lori and we had a little time to do that before and after the church service.

Jeff and RoxAnne only have dial-up Internet service and so every morning Bobby would take one of the children with him and go to nearby Sturgis to the Great Lakes Chocolate Company, do his work sipping his coffee and nibbling on chocolate. (just kidding) One of the children would go with him and do their schoolwork and I would stay at the house to do school with the others. RoxAnne homeschools her children and so every morning that's what our focus was. RoxAnne is so blessed to have distant cousin, Louetta Schwartz come to the house every day from 9 until noon to school Jeffrey! What a blessing this woman is! RoxAnne has her hands comletely full and Louetta has volunteered her time and services to give of herself. What a harvest she will reap. Naturally, Grace sat with Jeffrey in his schooling and I think she enjoyed it. She never disrupted or seemed to be bored.

Wednesday we took a break from the books and went on a field trip to the Science Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana along with RoxAnne's sister, Regina and her five children. We had a great day spending about 3 hours at the science center and then driving to Middlebury, Indiana to Regina and Merlin's house. Merlin and Regina's children raise goats and lab puppies and Mama goat, Samora had her first of triplets just as we pulled in the driveway. Merlin called one of his boys a couple of hours earlier and told him to check on her as soon as he got home because she was acting peculiar that morning. So it was with expectancy that the boys jumped out of the van and immediately checked on Samora's condition. Sure enough she was licking her little wet baby that she had just delivered. Everyone, including Jeffrey and Grace in their wheelchairs all went into the goat pen and gathered 'round to get a glimpse of the new baby goat. Samora couldn't work with an audience of children so most of us walked away. A couple of the children remained behind but kept their distance and were privileged to see the arrival of the second two babies. The rest of us were cuddling 6 beautiful lab puppies on the other side of the yard. The celebration of new life and God's creation was the icing on the cake of our field trip. We enjoyed a delicious homemade meal before we made the 1 hour drive back to RoxAnne's house.

We made sure to take the time to visit my 95 year old Amish grandmother. Reubmommy, as we call her, has not been eating much for the last 2 or 3 years. She just hasn't had a desire to eat. However, her appearance this time, surprised me on this visit as the reality that her life here with us is nearing it's end. This time the meager diet she's been living on greatly showed and I glanced at my Aunt Sue, who's been living with her, to express my concern. I may be concerned but there's really nothing to be concerned about when it comes to life slowing down after 95 years and eventually coming to a complete stop. Of course Reubmommy had quilts in frames and comforters lying nearby that she is currently working on...some of them for my children. We said our goodbyes and as usual, I wondered if it would be the last time I saw her.

Our week also included some visits with two of my uncles, Marvin and Merlin. Neither man is old, both only in their 50's, but both have been beaten with sickness and disease that has left them feeble, blind and slow of speech. Bobby asked me if it was difficult to see my uncles in such poor physical health and yes, it is heartbreaking. Nonetheless, we had good visits and I'm just glad I had the opportunity to see them, hear them and hug their necks.

Dinner on Thursday evening was a special treat as we broke bread with friends, the Mulletts. Mel and June, along with their 3 children, left the Amish church seven years ago and shared with us their testimonies of how they were raised, how they found Jesus, and how thankful they are for the assurance of their salvation. They understand God's grace a little better than most Christians, I believe, and Bobby and I were encouraged when we left their home.

We decided to not have school this morning (Friday) and instead slept in and then had a delicious brunch at RoxAnne's house with RoxAnne's mom and my aunt, Esther. Younger sis, Emily joined us as well. The Stevens are great with greetings and goodbyes. They came out to meet us in the driveway when we arrived a week ago and they came out to the driveway to see us off this morning. We loaded the van and were off again by noon, headed toward Farmer City, Illinois for another great weekend in ministry.