Merry Christmas 2013 & Happy New Year 2014...

Dear Family and Friends,                                     December 2013

...The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

                                                            Isaiah 7: 14b

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,

because he will save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1: 21

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that

whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3: 16

We join the angels who praised God when they announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds.  It was good news then and it is still good news today – for those who have faith and believe.  It is the greatest gift ever given and God offers it to everyone.  Christ came to earth to atone for sin – love truly amazing.

John Charles Worden

New tie from the sons...

February 8^th found us celebrating John’s 70^th birthday with our annual trip to Richmond, VA.  There we had the privilege of being with our son John’s family while he and Diane participated with other Chick-fil-a operators at their annual seminar.  We shuttled for school, games, activities and kept everybody fed.   We had a terrific time.(ages in Feb.)

John G, Linda, Phillip, 14, Stephen, 13, John C, front:  Lydia, 9, Joanna, 12

25. Looking Back After 49 Years to My Estes Park, CO Summer of 1964...

In 24 blog posts, I have told the true story of the summer of my 19th year which followed my 9 month stint as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI. My summer of 1964 was spent in Estes Park, CO which is the little village at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.

That summer, 1,200 miles from my home on a WI dairy farm, had many mountain and valley experiences and only a couple of those included beautiful Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Over the 49 years that have passed since that summer, I have infrequently shared the story with family and friends but have known that certain aspects of that summer were etched vividly in my memories.  I knew that there was  valuable significance to what I learned about myself, God, family and friends which I would one day like to share in written form.

24. Quotes of Clarification... Estes Park, CO Summer of 1964...

I have done some further search of letters I've saved for nearly a half century.  I found a letter which I had written to a good friend of mine during that summer.  That letter clarifies a few things which I hadn't written in the letters to my parents.

If you have been reading these blogs since I started telling the story of my Estes Park, CO summer, you know that my sister and I went there in order to find jobs as waitresses in order to make and save money for our college educations.

We arrived there on June 16th but did not get hired in waitress positions until July 3rd - just a little over two weeks later.  The two weeks of searching and waiting had nearly completely depleted ($2.00 left when we were hired) what little money we had with us but had provided fertile ground for our faith in God to grow.

23. Last Letter Home from Estes Park, CO...August 29, 1964

In this post, I will share the last letter I wrote to my parents in late August of 1964.  My summer had seemed very long but it was coming to an end with much for which I was thankful.  This letter shares the mundane facts as my summer draws to a close.  My parents will soon be on their way to pick me up and I await their arrival with joyful anticipation.

Dear Folks,                                            Aug. 29, 1964

Business is really slowing down out here.  It's so slow that we don't have anything to do except sit so I'll take this time & write you a note.  Sure hope it gets there before you leave but I'm sure it should.  I'm still real excited about your coming out here.  I probably won't have much time off as I work from 5:45 am at Crowley's to 2 pm and then work at Ranchouse from 3:30 to closing which is between 9:30 & 10:15.  It's sorta rough but I'm making it & feel pretty well & rested. 

22. My Summer in Estes Park Draws Near to a Close... August 1964

My next letter home would be written a few days later...

           Dear Folks,                                                      Aug. 26, 1964

Today is my day off from Crowley's & I don't go to work at Ranchouse til 3:30 so I'll try to write you a note & let you know I'm still alive...

Actually when I think about it, I don't really have much news to tell you because I never do much except sleep & work.  Work is still going O.K. but the routine is really getting to be quite a drag.  Just this week though, we've noticed that business is slacking off.  I guess the season is really finally coming to a close & as far as I'm concerned, that's great with me.  Lots of kids are quitting jobs now & going home.  Ranchouse is really short of waitresses.  In fact I don't see how they'll be able to stay open til Labor Day because we have 4 waitresses now & after the 1st we'll have 3.  There are supposed to be at least 7 waitresses working to run the place so you can imagine the pressure & conditions we're working under.  I'm sure glad there's less than 2 wks left.  I couldn't stand it any longer I know.  Kathy helped out Sat. nite & Sun. at Ranchouse which sure was great!  She did O.K. in tips too.

21. Crowley's & Ranchouse...August 1964...

I had learned that all the other girls that had been fired at Ranchouse had packed their bags and headed home.  I wondered how the restaurant could stay open because I knew they must be very low on staff.

I would get some update on their situation soon.  More about that next time.
******************************
Now to continue...

Within the first week on my new job, I looked up one morning to see the manager from Ranchouse walk through the door.  I froze inwardly as I thought I knew why he was there.  I do not know how he found out where I had gotten a job but somehow the word had gotten to him.  I watched as he scanned the restaurant to observe where my station was and headed to one of my open tables.  I dreaded taking him a menu and waiting on him but I had no choice.

As I got to his table, he immediately leaned forward, looked intently into my face, spoke just above a whisper with intense urgency and asked what I felt certain he had come to ask,

"Linda, can you please come back to work for us?  We really need you."

20. Good-Bye Ranchouse; Hello Crowley's...August 1964...

I crawled into Joyce's hide-a-bed and slept soundly and safely for most of the day.

This is probably August 2nd or 3rd and someone else is on his way to Estes Park with his new bride.

How will I break this awful news to him?  Certainly he will be so disappointed in me.  And what am I going to do now?

More of the story next time...
********************
When I woke up at the Bennett home, Joyce and I began to talk.   She was not surprised about my situation.  She told me that this same thing happened each year at Ranchouse Restaurant.  And she told me it would probably be quite possible to get hired at another restaurant as she knew that traditionally college students were quitting and heading home in early August.  She had a place in mind and said she'd take me job hunting the next day.  She was always joyfully positive.  It was so comfortable to be around her.  Though I was hurting because of my circumstances, her words buoyed my spirits.

19. Not Guilty But Charged - Major Hiccup in Estes Park, CO... August 1964...

There's another huge reason for my gratitude for my brother's arrival in Estes Park, timed just as I was experiencing a major hiccup in my employment at Ranchouse Restaurant.  This will be my story in the next post.
*****************
Continuing the story...

It would be Aug. 21st before I would write another letter home to my parents.  My previous letter was dated July 31st.  What was going on for me in Estes Park during my silent three weeks?

As I have explained earlier, housing was provided for the summer employees of Ranchouse Restaurant.  College girls were waitresses; college guys were busboys.  The girls lived in rooms in the basement of the restaurant owner's year round home which was next door to the restaurant.  The boys lived in a room above the detached garage which was also on the property.

We college students had a curfew.  We were to be in our rooms for the night at 11:00 pm.  The restaurant closed at 10:00 pm so there wasn't much time after all the final clean-up was completed before the curfew began.  Perhaps some employees could leave early if there weren't many patrons still needing service but some employees were on duty until all was cleaned and prepared for opening the next morning about 10:00 am.

18. The Bonds of Family Friendship... August 1964..

Marrying the only son in a family with four sisters who were each interestingly unique and not always winsomely opinionated, could not have been easy nor predictable.  That is what makes the honeymoon choice even sweeter.

Why were my brother and I such close family members?  My next post will give some insight into the origin and continuation of our friendship bond...
*********************************
My story continues...

3 year old, Jim and 1 year old, Linda - probably helping me learn to walk

In my family of origin, my brother is the first born; I am second.  We were followed by three more sisters.

Since my brother did not have a brother sibling, I became his closest friend and sometimes, confidante. 

Cross Ridge School in 2013 nearly just as it was in the 1950's

He included me in a number of his childhood activities.  For some time, he planned to become a major league baseball pitcher.  Our mother was a huge Milwaukee Braves fan.  We loved listening to games as they were broadcast on the radio.  That may have been the inspiration for Jim's desire to become a pitcher.  But a pitcher needs a catcher and I had that privilege.  Jim allowed me to wear the one baseball glove we had as he pitched his fast balls at me.  He taught me the signs for each of the pitches he was
perfecting so that I could signal my choices.  Everything was wonderful with this arrangement until one Sunday afternoon as we were getting ready to go to Cross Ridge School for the "End of the Year" program and picnic.  Jim and I had some time before the others were ready so he started "burning" his pitches "down the pike."  I was doing well with his near perfect aims straight at me - except for one.  He wound up, threw and I, for some reason, did not think I could catch it.  It was headed straight for my face and smacked into my check just below my right eye.  Pretty sure I screamed, cried and threw down my glove.  I would arrive at school with my right eye nearly swollen shut and a real goose egg on my cheek.  Mrs. Stelzner, my Cross Ridge teacher for 5 years, was not happy.  I think she said something to us like, "How could you have done something so stupid!"  We didn't think we were being stupid - I was rather proud to be my brother's chosen catcher.

17. A Honeymoon Surprise...August 1964...

I have been working nearly a month at Ranchouse Restaurant.  August will begin with my brother's wedding 1,200 miles away in WI without my sister and me but something else will happen as
August begins...  More of the story to come...
Continuing the story...
Have you wondered if I'm misspelling the word Ranchouse?  Let me prove that I'm not..
Somehow a paper placemat from Ranchouse has been preserved for 49 years...
I found 2 of these placemats nestled amongst my letters home which Mom saved in a file folder.

16. Update for Home Folks & Middle of the Night Memory...July 1964...

Joyce mentions " the caliber of the majority of youth who work here in the summer" and I will become more familiar with her assessment soon.  Another letter home in my next post...

Water damaged 4 page letter...

Sharing my letter of July 21, 1964 is more difficult than the sharing of other letters has been. Not because of the content of the story, but because somehow the original letter was severely damaged by some liquid - probably water or coffee.

Thankfully, Mom saved the letter even in its compromised form and I have been able to recover approximately 99% of its content.  There will be reference to my brother's August 1st wedding which I will miss. 

The story continues as this letter reports...

15. Letter of Commendation & Invitation...July 1964...

Joyce Bennett had become a dear friend to my sister and me.  She decided to write to our parents and today I'll share that letter.                                                                                              July 20, 1964

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Groves,

Allow us to introduce ourselves.  We are two people who have fallen in love with your two daughters, Kathy and Linda.  Our names are George and Joyce Bennett.

The Lord has privileged us to know many young people in the past but none have impressed us more favorably than your daughters.  I have never written a parent before this to tell them how fine is their child.

Truly it is easily evident that Linda and Kathy came from a happy, loving, Christ honoring home life.  Thank you for rearing such precious offspring.  Perhaps you think it strange that I should say, "thank you," but if you only knew the caliber of the majority of youth who work here in the summer you would understand why we are grateful to you for two girls such as Kathy and Linda.  Most parents have just cause for being concerned about what their children are doing here in the summer but you have no need to "get one gray hair" because of the conduct of your daughters!  In other words they're "the greatest"!

14. Heading to the Continental Divide...July 1964...

My mother's birthday letter also shared about another exciting outing with George and Joyce Bennett.  I'll save that news for next blog. 
*******************
Picking up from where we ended in the last post...

My letter of July 21, 1964 included this...

Last Sunday I didn't go to work until 4:30 & Kak didn't work at all so George and Joyce Bennett (we've mentioned them before as you probably remember.  They're from the Baptist Church here & are the most wonderful Christian couple I have ever met.  They have been so good to us in every way.  They've been married 18 yrs but have no children of their own but really do love young people.  They would do just practically anything for us.  They were the one's who invited us out the first Sun. we were here for dinner & then took us to Bear Lake.  Joyce has written you a letter which you'll probably get today if you didn't get it yesterday.  I hope you read my letter first though. 

13. Making Some Money; Making Some Changes... July 1964

I had no doubt in 1964 and I have no doubt today, that God provided our jobs at Ranchouse Restaurant.  

We had housing and jobs.  Would the rest of the summer flow peacefully and joyfully or would there be further disappointment? 
************************
My previous blogpost ended with the above words.  Now to continue...

We were trying our best to provide great service to our tables but the learning curve was very steep. It was a struggle to keep everything straight and please everyone - patrons, restaurant owners, other waitresses, bus boys, cooks, salad makers...  We were exhausted each day. 

We also continued at Mrs. Tagg's laundromat to iron on our days off.  We were planning to use the extra earnings from those hours for a surprise we were hoping to bring about.  But one day while ironing at the laudromat, Mrs. Tagg asked my sister if she would come to work full-time for her.  She had become very fond of us and was happy with our work.  Both of us had been ironing since age 10 at home so we came with experience in that career opportunity.  Kathy was ready to hear those words and decided to accept Mrs. Tagg's offer.  

12. Becoming a Ranchouse Restaurant Waitress...July 1964...

"Have you ever heard of consomme, Lobster Newburg or Frog Legs - the kind you eat?  Do you have any idea of the prep time required for any of those items?" 

How do you think my sister and I fared in our new jobs?  More prayers required?
**********************
The above words closed my previous update. To continue...

In my cute uniform with adorable headpiece of some sort...

My sister and I were so excited to begin work at Ranchouse restaurant.   But it was a completely new world for both of us.  


I had spent a previous summer while still in high school, working at a small diner / soda fountain which specialized in ice cream items.  I had gotten good at making malts, shakes, phosphates  and banana splits.  I knew about eggs, American fries and hamburgers.  But none of these items were on the Ranchouse menu. 

11. Celebrating July 4th in Estes Park, CO, 1964...

The next letter I wrote home was dated July 7, 1964...What would that letter reveal?  Don't miss my next installment...
~~~~~~~~~~~
I left this story yesterday with the above words.

Time now for the next installment to begin.

There is a very exciting reason that I did not write home between July 1st and July 7th!

My sister and I were hired on July 2nd to work at Ranchouse Restaurant.   

The details of this answer to our many prayers probably had been shared with our parents in a phone call home and therefore not written in a letter.  But I will do my best here to reconstruct what led to this opportunity for us.

10. A New Week Begins... June 22, 1964...

Will pick up after these words from yesterday...

"Monday morning we would return to a restaurant where a Mr.  Lutz seemed to be thinking there would be a job for me.
*************

My story continues...
Mr. Lutz said they still hadn't made a decision but I should come back on Tuesday at 4:00 PM.  
From a letter dated Tuesday, June 23, 1964...

"We've been here 1 whole week.  Seems more like a month... 

"A store here is looking for clerks & we plan to be interviewed for that later.  It would pay $40 / wk without R or B.  That isn't too good but we could change if something better came up later.

"I got my check cashed O.K.  Sure was good to get it.  (The check was payment from a shoe store when my mother returned a pair of shoes I had purchased but decided not to keep.  They had cost $14.00 so that payment was very welcome.)

"Our colds are better..."

"Just stopped at Mrs. Lutz Foods but Mr. Lutz wasn't there so I won't know until tomorrow morning about the job..."

9. Heart Breaking / Heart Warming...Sunday, June 21, 1964...

My previous post concluded with this:

How would prayers be answered - jobs or a premature return to WI from Colorado for my sister and me?  Will continue the story...

The last letter from which I shared some information had been written on a Friday - our 4th day in Estes Park.  I reported that we would be moving from the Bunkhouse to a cabin only a short distance away on the same property.

We made that move on Saturday, June 20th.  It seems the cabin needed a good scrubbing which we began to tackle as soon as we moved in.  It was wonderful to have warm water, heat, a kitchen and a living room with a handsome fireplace.  

On Sunday, we returned to the Baptist Church.  We had visited for the first time on the previous Wednesday evening for a prayer meeting service.  The church was less than a mile from our cabin so the walk there was not much of a challenge.

As soon as the service was over and we had been greeted by many, we left and walked back to our cabin.  Since this was Father's Day, I'm sure there had been an emphasis on Fathers which probably conjured up in each of us gratitude for our own father and some sadness that we were so far from him that day.

We now had a kitchen so had "stocked" the cupboard and refrigerator with a few food items on our walk to town on the usual job search outing the day before.     

My next memories are some of my most vivid from that summer - heart breaking and heart warming entwined as gifts from God.  

8. The Letter I Was Hoping Never to Write... June 19, 1964...

This concluded my post yesterday...          

June 19, 1964

Dear Folks,

"I don't really know how to begin this letter.  I'm afraid I won't be able to express myself as I would really like to but I'll try.  I was hoping I'd never have to write this kind of a letter but I'm afraid that now it is necessary...

To continue...

"To put it bluntly, things are rather rough out here.  We still don't have jobs even though we've tried almost every place in Estes Park.  Everyday we hike down town to the employment agency but without any encouragement.  Most every place we've gone to has told us they have all the help they need.

"This morning, however, one place took our names if we planned to be here for the next 1 1/2 weeks.  This would be waitress work.

7. Happy Father's Day from Estes Park, CO...June 18, 1964...

I have been in Estes Park, CO for two days.  My sister and I are searching for summer jobs as waitresses in order to make money to pay for college.

We are 1,200 miles from home...

• no car
• no personal phone
• no friends or family nearby
• $14 between the 2 of us 
• both have really bad colds
• beds in a bunkhouse with no heat or hot water or kitchen
• nighttime temperatures are in the 30's to low 40's
• broken window beside our beds allows cold breezes to keep us chilled
• but we are actively searching every business in town as we seek employment

I wrote a number of letters to my parents and I continue with some quotes from a letter I sent my Dad for Father's Day that year...

6. First Day in Estes Park, CO... June 16, 1964...

"The bus ticket to Denver is $2.20."  

This was the last line in yesterday's post.

*****************

It is June 16, 1964.  

I am 19 years old.  

I have just finished my freshman year of college at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

I am about to board a bus in Colorado Springs which will take my sister, Kathy, and me to Denver as we wend our way to Estes Park where we hope to find lucrative jobs so that we can save money to help pay our college expenses for the next year.   

Letters I wrote home to my parents which my mother saved are helping me tell my story.

Tuesday, June 16...

"...We got to Denver fine but found out there wasn't a bus leaving for Estes until 9:00am this morning. 

5. Letters Home...Estes Park Chronicles in Quotes... June 1964

With the letters I wrote home from Estes Park, CO located, I will continue my story with frequent quotes.  

Sharing today will include some additional facts about my travel adventures in getting to Estes Park.  Many of these details had been deeply tucked into hiding for me but have mostly been recalled as my letters have been reread - some of the details, however, are a surprise even to me as the memory no longer has lingered. 

4. Job Search Begins in Estes Park, CO,,, June 1964

Yesterday's post:
The story of my summer in Estes Park continues..
I concluded my last "chapter" with these words:

But a new day meant that job search must begin.  Somehow we got dressed and headed back toward town with plans to find a job.  
Our hopes were high...

******************

Our hopes were high.  We were eager to get started as we felt sure there would be a job somewhere in that bustling tourist town.

One of the first things we wanted to do that day, however, was to find the Post Office.  We had not yet any way to inform our parents of our progress so far.  We had not made any calls to them since we left home about a week earlier. 

3. Meeting Mom Manford in Estes Park, CO... June 1964...

Previous Posts:
Last paragraph yesterday: 
With her name and address, hope in our hearts and the need for a bed for the night, we headed off in the direction of her home on the south east edge of town.
***************************************
I was very grateful for a sister with whom to share my experiences in the summer of 1964.  We were both focused on the same need so there was no argument concerning what we needed to do next.  

Somehow we learned what direction to head in order to find Mom Manford's home.  It seemed people in that community knew who she was.  Fortunately it was a beautiful day so being on foot did not present a problem.

View from Park St. in August as I started the climb to Bascom Hall.

It was probably about 2 miles from the Employment office to Mom Manford's home.  Both my sister and I were used to physical exertion - farm girls?  Plenty of physical labor in our background. And the University of Wisconsin is built on rolling hills (see photos) so I had tramped many miles in going to classes over the past year.  Hiking around Estes Park was not daunting. 

2. The Road to Estes Park, CO in 1964...

I concluded yesterday's post with these lines:

When we arrived there, we were applicants numbers 95 and 96 to apply for jobs.... that day!!!  

And we were told there were no jobs for any of us!!!
************************************************************
The story continues.  It is June 16, 1964...
 
Though it seemed nearly hopeless, we filled out application forms and walked back onto the street.  What good that did I don't really know because we had no way for any prospective employer to locate us.  Of course there were no cell phones and since we didn't have a place of residence yet, we had no contact info.  We must have left the office promising to return often for updates on local job openings.  We were advised by the office personnel that our only possible way to find a job would be to walk into all local establishments, introduce ourselves and ask if there were any job openings.  Maybe in time there would be something.

Our most pressing need at the moment, however, was to find a place to spend the night and the foreseeable future.  

1. Returning to My Estes Park, CO Chronicles...

On March 8, 2012, I began to tell some stories from the first summer I spent working in Estes Park, CO which followed my freshman year at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.  My initial purpose was in order to introduce my dear friend, Joyce Bennett.  

As the story began to unfold, I realized it was much bigger, broader and longer than a blog or two.  I posted 4 entries as I began to tell about my Estes Park experiences.   I then was interrupted with my experience for a month in Europe to be Grandnanny for one of my grandsons while we toured with his parents.  And following that tour, life happened for me without a return to the story until today.

I have not forgotten that I promised a return and several sweet friends have entreated me to finish the story so I will begin writing today toward that goal.

But as I return to the story, I will repost the 4 previous entries over the next 4 days and then hopefully carry on with the story.

Safely Back in Texas....

Donna Hinton came to pick us up...

Just arrived at our home in TX.  Travel has gone very well today - no long waits in airports, no lost luggage and church van was in San Antonio when we arrived there.  

A very welcome site an hour ago tonight...

We slept a little on the planes but pretty much are really tired after 26-27 hours of travel today.  

How wonderful to have answered prayers for safety in travel!  And 4 team members with Delta Medallion  status were upgraded to business class for the flight from Frankfurt to Atlanta!!!!  I could get used to that!!!

All is well in our home and we're off to bed   - no alarm being set!

Sunday Highlights...

At JSBC with Lena...

Miss Sonia was sitting right behind me...

We returned to Jesus Savior Baptist Church today where Lena and Maria R, 2 girls we sponsor, joined us and the translators.  

As I sat down, I heard a voice saying, "Linda, Linda!"  I turned around and saw Miss Sonia.  I had met her on my first trip to Moldova and have seen her most years since 2005.  It was a nice reunion today.

Young People's choir leading the singing...

Gary Bunning picked up a guitar and shared a beautiful song.

Saturday Service and Sites...

Warm welcome at a shelter about an hour out of Chisinau...

Woke to another beautiful day here and headed to a children's shelter in a nearby village.  CERI had located a very welcome and meaningful service project for our team today.  

Finishing Strong on Friday...

We are finishing our day and our week at the camp.  Many children came to the groups today - somehow knew this was the last day and there'd be gifts.  There were happy/sad faces but mostly active, excited, joyful children.  Team members all reported having a great last morning with their groups.  

I was able to connect for a conversation with Ms. Lucia, the camp director.  She expressed great appreciation for all that we had done during the week.  She also said that she had learned useful things from our schedule and methods which she will use in the future.  She is a public primary school educator.  

We conversed some about her background.  She has always wanted to be a teacher.  She seems to be well respected by the other camp staff and she knows all the children well it seems.

She mentioned that she sat in on our sessions and had not heard anything with which she disagreed so told us we were very welcome at the camp.    She was very helpful to us during the week.  

We drove away at nearly 1pm - some tears, much gratitude, memories to treasure.

Now for photos to describe and share the day.

Lena joined us for the first time this week.  She's a girl we have sponsored for a couple years.

Crowd in the Gazebo...

Joseph meeting his brothers...

Kids helping Elena lead the singing...

Everyone gathered for group photo - except the 21 oldest boys who came a bit later...

2nd Gazebo Time with Miss Martina leading the Memory verse review and rewarding some prizes...

21 little boys lining up for gift bags...

Gary, John and Stephen plus Danic prepare to give gifts to the middle boys...

Alisa and Galina with their sweet middle girls.

Lesley and Martine's oldest girls are getting their gifts...

Marjorie, Natasha and Cristina giving little girls their bags...  One of those girls told Marjorie that her favorite item in the gift bag was the album with a couple photos, the memory verses and some blank, colored paper on which to draw...

John wanted to get his boys there today so planned and executed a sausage and bun cook out at a fire pit on the edge of camp. His plan worked.  He was 5 bags short with gifts - another Plan B situation which he tactfully solved -2 left over bags from another group and a future opportunity with a CERI staffer for an outing.

Evening appreciation dinner at La Tai Fas...  National food - delicious...

They call them "pies"...

Beautiful presentation...

Being serenaded with very talented musicians...

Sharing gratitude...

Full team - Americans, Moldovan translators and sponsored girls of team members...

Worden 4 plus 3 girls we sponsor...

Some fatigue is setting in so I'll sign off for tonight.  Thanks for prayers - they are benefiting us and we greatly appreciate them.

A long-time friend sent a short but poignant note to us yesterday which shared a loving thought.  I share his words to close this report:

"You are creating ripples of His Grace.  Tides will emerge.

Onward with active hope . . ."

Thanks, Robert Pavlik...

Getting Through Thursday AM; Thriving Through Thursday PM...

Thursday morning was a bit of an uphill climb for many of us.

• kids were kept from participation due to cabins that didn't pass inspection
• match box cars broke
• electricity temporarily disrupted to Gazebo
• older boys think they know all the stories about Joseph already



John's boys hovered around waiting for Gazebo time to start...

• girls don't like recreation when it's hot

 But what would be expected when we wanted to present the "Plan of Salvation?"  So we carried on with those who joined our large group / small group presentations and activities.  We have some very sweet, interested children and we are pouring our love and His love into them the best that we can.

Since tomorrow will be our last day at the camp, we packed many things into today:

Eager children waiting to "shop" in the dining room...

• Usual morning activities
• loaded all clothes and shoes after lunch to take back to camp with us
• laid everything out in dining room and then had children come to chose a couple of items
• ran out of boy clothes and shoes but covered the girls with lovely, practical things



Gary sang and played while puppets participated...

• held evening Gazebo time with singing, drama, puppets and Adam Raccoon
•  packed gift bags for all children after dinner
• inserted group photos, team photos and some individual photos into albums with memory verses
• organized everything for tomorrow...

Happy boy...

Finding treasures...

Goofy kid!  Didn't keep these...

Chick-fil-a shirt...

I'm working not shopping...

Little boy receiving outdoor slippers we purchased for 10 campers...

Catea Babin transported our clothing bags and stayed to help and enjoy camp...  She's the new CERI Moldova Dirctor.

These guys love their acting careers at camp this week...

Joseph's brothers arrive in Egypt...

Adam Raccoon ready to go...

Packing gift bags for tomorrow...  Stephen helping his Dad...

Checking it twice...

Gary helps Alisa finish...

So it's nearly midnight and I'm ready to post some photos and get some zzzzzzzzzz's.  

Will spend our last morning at the camp tomorrow.  Not sure any of us are ready for that emotionally.  God has created so many precious people and many of them live in Moldova.