FOLLOWING THE SON AS WE FOLLOWED THE SUN

As we wind down Spring’s 2012 Great Adventure in the Pacific Northwest and point our rig south toward Arizona, we reflect on what a great summer this has been. The weather in the Pacific Northwest is starting to cool down; the sun is hiding behind clouds and fog as we make our way down the Oregon coast and on into the northern California Redwoods. And our old bones are telling us it’s time to head for the warmer climes of the Southwest for the winter. 

This summer, traveling with the “Son” while doing our MMAP projects has been a continued blessing. The ministries we have been able to help, the people we have met, the MMAP friends we have connected with have all been remarkable and humbling for us. God is truly good to allow us these exploits. 

 

At the end of August, we concluded our MMAPing activities with four days at the annual MMAP R&R (“Rest and Regeneration”). This R&R might be described as a MMAP project without the work and with a whole lot of fun – or perhaps a better depiction would be:

“A MMAP Project on Steroids!”

The location was the Oregon Christian Convention Conference and Retreat Center in Turner, Oregon (just south of Salem.) Over 100 MMAPers from all over the country gathered there. Most were there in their rigs, although five couples stayed in campus housing and several members “dropped in” during the four days.

 

Our special guest speaker was Pastor Percy Washington and his wife Glenda, from Lexington, Mississippi.  He is the pastor of Sweet Canaan Church of God in Christ where MMAP did back-to-back projects last year helping his congregation enlarge their church. But Pastor Washington also shared that the loving outreach of the MMAPers caused an actual change in the perception of the people in his congregation to a spirit of love and reconciliation unknown in that part of the country.

This is just one of many incidents where MMAPers are making a difference by being available to help in whatever way possible to so many churches, Christian camps and other Christian ministries throughout the United States. Again, it makes us feel so blessed that God is allowing us to be a small part of this outreach. Many of the MMAPers attending the R&R have been doing MMAP projects for many years and had wonderful stories to share about the countless projects they have been on. 

We were thrilled and truly surprised to see MMAPers Doc & Billie Adams from Alabama at the R&R.  We met them on project in February 2010 in San Bernardino, California and they came to visit us while we were on project last year in Georgia. They made the drive to the west coast just to attend the R&R.  Helen and Doc took up the continued challenge from 2010 of trying to beat each other in a card game called "Hand and Foot".  

Rematch next time, Doc!

We also took a day to sight see in the Turner/Silverton area with our good MMAP friends, Gary & Vonda. We have done four projects with them (two in Pennsylvania last year and two this year in Washington.) They are from the Dalles, Oregon and we are hopeful we will be on future projects with them. Our first stop was in the little German town of Mt. Angel. We bought some local sausage….

 

We then had some delicious German fare at the Glockenspiel Restaurant……

 

 

Then visited the Roman Catholic Abbey of Mt. Angel 

The abbey was founded by Benedictine monks in 1882. The main work of the monks is the daily round of liturgical prayer, and their principal function is the education of men for the priesthood. The grounds and buildings are breath taking.

The 14 Stations of the Cross (recalling the suffering and death of Jesus) line the private drive to the Abbey. Each depiction is titled in German. This is the 14th station – the translation is “Jesus is laid in the tomb.”

  The Abbey sits high on a hill overlooking the lush farmland of the valley.

 

Inside the Abbey Church the monks gather six times a day to praise God. This large pipe organ in the choir loft has 2,478 pipes. It is regularly played on Sundays. Near the altar is a smaller organ used for daily prayer.

This sign, displayed in the church, advises of the title of the upcoming sermon. We got a bit of a “giggle” out of the way it was worded – glad to know it’s a sermon, not a demonstration!

 

 Back at the R&R we spent four days eating, visiting, playing games, doing crafts, worshiping, praising God and being entertained by several of our MMAP friends.

We helped with kitchen clean up and food prep for some of the meals

  

It was good to see Gloria and Ashley Taylor again. They were our coordinators this year on our first project in Donnelly, Idaho. After finishing their projects this year on the west coast, they will head back home to North Carolina. God willing, we hope to do more projects with them.

Games...games...games

Our friend, Helen Weaver (right) can do any craft!

Chapel time was every morning and evening.         

 

Prayer time – sitting with Helen & Morris Weaver. We met them on our second project in San Bernardino, California.  In their eighties, they are now retired from MMAP after several years of service and many, many projects. They are truly an inspiration to us. Since they live in the Oregon area, we plan to keep in touch.

Dee & Vern Proff (our very first MMAP Coordinators in Poulsbo, Washington) entertained us with a skit as Sarah and Abraham finding out Sarah, at age 99 is pregnant with Isaac.Dee was a real hoot in this skit! They too are retired after several years and numerous projects.

They might be seniors – but they put together a fantastic band and choir - You old people “rock”!

 

In comparison to many of these MMAPers, we are just starting out with only eight projects completed. Many of our friends have done 25 or 50 or even 100 projects!  Even still, in the past two years, besides helping on these eight sites, we have met so many wonderful people connected with the ministries, and have also been blessed to become close friends with 17 MMAP couples (9 of whom were at the R&R).  These folks are like family to us.

After the R&R we headed south along the Oregon coast, starting in Coos Bay. We are now in the Redwoods in Northern California and will be heading inland to visit our son and his family. We will post the next blog update in one or two weeks-or after we get back to Sun City – sharing pictures and stories of the last leg of our trip for this year. Until then, count your blessings – each and every person that comes into your lives.

Our God is truly a God of marvels and wonders and (after 65 and 69 years) a God who bestows blessings too numerous for us to count!