On A Wheel And A Prayer

More from Island Community Church

Hi to All,

Monday after work, a cold (Being from Minnesota, I would call it more of a cool front) came through this morning and it is quite delightful right now. We have been able to open the motor home and have a really nice breeze blowing through.

Some more pictures to help you understand what we are doing.

Jenny  had the opportunity to teach by presenting to the 3rd-6th grades during their individual science classes on the subject of animal nursing.  Jenny was able to show the kids slides of blood cells and xrays of cats & dogs. Our cat Suppy was the live model too.

More Later.

Love,

Don and Jenny

 

Jan, Sharon and Jenny cleaning one of the school buses.

Already 3rd Week at Community Church

Friends,

We are beginning our third week here at Islamorado Community Church and School.  Island Christian School is the only Christian school in the Keys.  They provide a pre-school through 12 program.

Jenny in front of the school building after a bike ride to the local post office.

As usual,  the tasks are many and with lots of variety.  We started out reassembling four(4) storage sheds that had been dismantled by a previous SOWERS group. The school is readying to build a new gymnasium causing the move.

Gerry, Bob, and Al cleaning the old shed parts for reassembly.

Off to get another pallet load of shed parts.

Group lunch after church with our group of four and two couples who are SOWERS on Assignment.  They are assigned to the project on a near fulltime basis.

More later.  Off to group devotional and work.

Thank you for your interest, your prayers and your support.

Love, Jenny and Don

SOWERS Reunion Vero Beach

Friends,

We left HEART on Thursday, February 20, to go back to Life for Youth Camp in Vero Beach for the 2008 Reunion of Sowers.  This was our first reunion and we didn't know what to expect.  The reunion is a time of renewal for SOWERS.  There were about 140 SOWERS attending.  The schedule was full with devotional/bible study sessions led by three different pastors, break out prayer sessions, seminars(how to work with paperless drywall, etc), and meals together with a lots of great fellowship.  Jenny and I really enjoyed the time.

We volunteered to serve at the Annual Vero Beach Prayer Breakfast with 1200+ people present.  It was another great experience.

Some of the SOWERS in that helped serve.

Jenny was able to see the new calf that was named in her honor.

We were there to witness the arrival of the new lama and its mother at the camp.

We left right after this picture was taken and left for our next assignment, caravaning with another couple, Gerry and Phyllis DeJong, on our way to Community Church and School of Ilsamorado, FL.

Thanks for your interest, your prayers and your support.

God bless you and yours,

Don and Jenny

HEART Beginning Week Three

We began our third week here at HEART today.  It has been awesome and we both believe so strongly in what HEART does for students.

Kitchen where students learn to cook and eat their meals.  This is the building that we re-tiled the back room last week.

One of the bath rooms on the edge of the village.

Taken after one of our morning devotionals with the whole group plus Dave and Eileen from the HEART staff.

Jenny, Margaret, Beryl and Barb thached the garden house, the rabbit hut, the fencing shed, and one of the latrines as one of their jobs.  Here is a picture of Jenny and Barb gathering fronds for the job.

Beryl and Margaret gathering.

Margaret, Jenny, and Barb pausing during the thatching process for a photo op.

Arch and Don put in a water line.  Shown here as they dig in the trench for the line.

We are tearing out one of the goat pastures old fences and replaceing it with new.  Part of the job is to clear the line of the palmetto trees that seem to take over.  Arch, Bob and Don pulling and hauling junk growth to the burn pile.

Lester and Don back at the RV hoping for some lunch but wives won't let them come in to the RV.  Would you let them into your home?

HEART Week One

We have finished our first week of work at HEART.   

There is a Church of God on the college campus that had an overstuffed garage filled with old stage props, tables and miscellaneous things that could be used by the Village.  We moved the items to the Care Center (another SOWER project) Thrift Store, to a  start-up Haitian church and the rest to the Village.  The structures where then disassembled and the lumber pieces stored in their cataloged spaces. 

The women continued the task of cleaning cabins, offices and class rooms.

Dr. Ratzlaff and Don sorting out screws, bolts, hinges, etc. from the disassembled stuff.  Dr. Leslie Ratzlaff is nearly 93 years old and works with us every day.  He is the founder Warner Southern College from which HEART got its beginnings.

Arch and Don are replacing part of the flooring in the dining hall kitchen.

Shot of the dining hall from the work area.

Front of the dining hall. 

The outdoor cooking area. The bricks you see were made by students while in class at the Village.

Bob and Lester (Sowers - on the left) repaired several chain saws as one of their tasks.  Pictured with them are Phil, Associate Director of HEART and Dave, the Village Manager.

Thank you for your interest, your prayers and your support as we move into the second week here at HEART.

God bless you and yours,

Don and Jenny

We are at H.E.A.R.T. www.warner.edu/heart our February assignment for SOWERS   (www.sowersministry.com ).

We are working with three other couples here.

H.E.A.R.T. –Hunger Education And Resource Training is a part of Warner Southern College located six miles south of Lake Wales FL which is SW of Orlando.

This location is a training grounds for missionaries planning on serving in under-developed countries.  After our devotions this morning, the director of the camp gave us a tour. It is absolutely fascinating how they teach the students by having them experience the “Village” way of living, from building a water supply system to how to raise and process of their food sources.

As you might imagine, Jenny has gravitated to the animals and has become the volunteer animal care person.  Go figure!

Jenny feeding some of the goats.

Jenny feeding more goats.

Jenny feeding the rabbits.

Jenny feeding a wild sand crane who likes to hang around the goats at feeding time.

   

One of the "rustic" cabins that Jenny, Margaret, Beryl and Barbara will be cleaning while we are here.  The ladies were warned to make sure they were careful and watch out for spiders and snakes as they moved mattresses and such.  Very "rustic" indeed.

It is very much jungle-like here.  Arch, Lester, Bob and I spent the first day in the beginning of the task of clearing a six foot path on both sides of the property border fence.  I will send pictures later when I have a little more energy than I have tonight..

The opportunity to spend time and energy in helping an organization like HEART is rewarding beyond our wildest thoughts. Thank you for your interest and support.

God's blessing to you and yours,

Don and Jenny

 

Life For Youth Camp

We had a great experience at LFYC.  It was an exceptional bunch of workers that accomplished a bunch of tasks. 

A letter of thanks from the camp Directors:

In addition to the things listed in the above letter, Elmer, Bob and Steve, finished the framing of a large aviary. 

Ken, Bob, Dave and I tore out a 8X10 walk-in freezer.  There was two and 1/2 dump-truck loads of nasty materials removed.  We did get to start the reconstruction which was very rewarding.  

The crew of fourteen couples were wonderful and great to work worth and an absolute privilege to get to know.  Friends for life for sure. 

All of us at the local ice cream parlor.

We left our first 2008 project, Life For Youth Camp, 9:30 AM on Friday 63 degrees and blue skies.  We are sad to leave our new friends we have been working shoulder to shoulder with since January 4th.  We joined in a prayer circle at 7:30 AM to ask God's blessings on each other and our travels to the next projects. What a great experience it has been.

Thanks for your prayers and your support.

God bless you and yours,

Don and Jenny 

January 2008 Life for Youth

After months of planning, preparation and anticipation, on December 26, 2007 at about 2:00PM, we left

Eden Prairie

. 

The weather was not what you would consider balmy that day.

We drove south on 35W to just north of the

Missouri

border with the temperature  that night at 16 degrees.

We continued pretty much straight south and two days later the ice began to fly off the motor home.  We stopped for two night just southwest of

Pensacola

and stayed in a state park called St Joe’s.  St Joe’s is a peninsula in the Gulf.  The temperature went down to 27°F at night and got to a high of about 40°.  That was warm enough for us to put on the heaviest coats we had, along with ear bands, and stocking caps (still MN garb) and walk the beach.  Wind was blowing with gusts up to 35MPH.  We pretty much had the entire beach to ourselves.  Go figure.  I was colder than I have been in years.  We did meet one couple from

Canada

on the lea side of the peninsula.

January 4 at about 2:00PM we arrived at Life for Youth Camp in

Vero Beach

.  

The camp is 80+ acres of camp and kids activities.  In the high season of the summer, they have up to 700 kids a day that are at the camp.  Many of the kids attending would never hear the Gospel anywhere else but they hear the message of Christ at the camp in some way everyday.

There are thirteen (13) other couples here with us for the month, living in pull-behinds, motor homes and fifth wheels.  Christian friends from NY, GA, IA, MI, FL, all over the

US

.  Great and wonderful people. 

  Jenny has been doing landscaping in the prayer garden for several days. Loving being able to be working with nature. It is a beautiful place and even more so as the ladies work at it. 

      

I have been preparing floors for and installing ceramic tile in the chapel and several cabins.  We will be starting on our second pallet of tiles soon.  LOTS!

Jim and Ken as they toil with the tile.

Ken as he stands patiently waiting as I finish a cut so he can have the power cord to mix another batch of mud.

My duties today have been installing/reinstalling water heaters in cabins.  Always a new thing to learn.  Will probably be back on the tiling crew soon.

Thank you all for all of your prayers and support to enable us to do what we do here.

We will try to keep you updated a bit better as we get into a more manageable routine.

Love and God's blessings on you and yours,

Don and Jenny

I

December Departure Approaches

Lots of things have happened since the September update to this Blog.

Jenny was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and underwent a bilateral mastectomy on November 5^th.  In early December, we received the best news ever when the surgeon (Dr. Todd Tuttle at UofM) gave us the results of Jenny’s case review telling us no addition treatment (i.e. chemo and/or radiation) would be needed.  Super big praise and thanksgiving to our Lord.

We cancelled our December engagement for SOWERS but are planning on departing from

Eden Prairie

the day after Christmas.  January-March will remain as earlier planned.  Here is where we are headed:

January 2008    Life for Youth Camp/Non-Denominational   

Vero Beach

, FL  Work projects will include Men: Building a staff house, tile and carpet work, painting, Mechanics and maintenance.   Ladies:  Sewing, painting, cleaning, landscaping. Their Web Site is www.lifeforyouthcamp.com.

February 2008   H.E.A.R.T. Missionary Training Institute/Evang. Lake Whales FL  Work projects will include Men:  Repairs and maintenance of

HEART

Village

, mechanic repairs,  Ladies: Painting, cleaning, library work,  sign making.  Their Web Site is www.warner.edu/heart.

March 2007  Island Community  Church / Christian School/Fundamental

Islamorada

,

FL.

  Work projects will include Men: Painting, construction, plumbing, general maintenance, yard maintenance,  Ladies: Light cleaning, office, painting, sewing, Substitute in School.  Their Web Site is www.islandcommunitychurch.org.

We have established a non-profit so as to raise funds to help us with this endeavor.  You can make a tax deductible contribution via Credit Card by going on line to https://cdprograms.newc.com/Templates/DonateNow.aspx?ProgID=5007434 or by making out a check payable to “On a Wheel and a Prayer” and sending it to our home address of 9696 Crestwood Terrace Eden Prairie, MN 55347.

Our request for prayers for safe travel, safety on the work sites, good health and mostly that all we do bring glory and honor to the Lord.

Thanks in advance for all prayers, your encouragement, and support.

God bless you and yours,

Don and Jenny

December 2007-March 2008 SOWERS Assigments

Jenny and I are excited and enthused to be able to work 4 months this winter. We have been accepted to SOWERS projects in southern

Florida

for December 2007-March 2008. The projects are as follows:

December 2007  Community Baptist Church/School in Stuart, FL. Work projects will include Men: Concrete work, playground up grade, painting, ball field preparation, remodel sanctuary, general maintenance, Ladies: Office, cleaning, painting.    Their Web Site is www.cbcstuart.com.

January 2008    Life for Youth Camp/Non Denominational  Vero Beach, FL  Work projects will include Men: Building a staff house, tile and carpet work, painting, Mechanics and maintenance.   Ladies:  Sewing, painting, cleaning, landscaping. Their Web Site is www.lifeforyouthcamp.com.

February 2008   H.E.A.R.T. Missionary Training Institute/Evang. Lake Whales FL  Work projects will include Men:  Repairs and maintenance of

HEART

Village

, mechanic repairs,  Ladies: Painting, cleaning, library work,  sign making.  Their Web Site is www.warner.edu/heart.

March 2007  Island Community  Church / Christian School/Fundamental   

Islamorada

,

FL

  Work projects will include Men: Painting, construction, plumbing, general maintenance, yard maintenance,  Ladies: Light cleaning, office, painting, sewing, Substitute in School.  Their Web Site is www.islandcommunitychurch.org .

You can contribute financially via Credit Card by going on line to https://cdprograms.newc.com/Templates/DonateNow.aspx?ProgID=5007434 

or by making out a check payable to “On a Wheel and a Prayer” and sending it to our home address of 9696 Crestwood Terrace Eden Prairie, MN 55347.

Thanks in advance for all prayers, your encouragement, and support.

God bless you and yours,

Don and Jenny