Monday, February 4, 2019

Grateful...God is in Control


It’s time once again to leave what we’ve come to call our second home: French Camp MS. Who would have thought that this small community located along the Natchez Trace Parkway (part of the national forest) would steal our hearts in such a big way. Since we began this journey, we have spent a total of eleven months in French Camp.  Not to be out done, however, by my hometown of Oshkosh WI where we have spent eleven and a half months during the same period. This includes the weeks surrounding Christmas when we return to Wisconsin by car and leave our motor home in Mississippi which means our motor home has actually been in French Camp more months than it has been in Oshkosh. J Nobody else may find that fascinating, but if you know me, I like numbers and figuring is fun for me.

Here I am with mom and her two daughters, Sharon and Joy
This last month in French Camp was a bit different in so many ways. First off, we returned after the new  year with very heavy hearts to a community mourning the loss of three students; siblings who perished in a tragic house fire in Collierville, TN on December 23, 2018. These three precious children (ages 17, 15, & 14) were brought to FC from their home in India by their evangelistic ministry parents to keep them protected from persecution within their own country.  Each of these kids had a Godly life purpose that would return them to India as a doctor, a pastor, and a politician. They have been a huge blessing to French Camp and have had a profound impact for Christ on students, staff and the entire FC community including us. We met the family when they were here during our first project at French Camp. .  Right before the church service that mom and dad were at before returning to India, I ran home and changed into a traditional Indian outfit that I had bought on one of my mission trips. They were pretty excited to see an American in an outfit from their homeland.  We became fast friends. (Once again, for those of you who know me well, JOY is my favorite word and I’m also quite fond of the name Sharon for obvious reasons.)


We cannot comprehend the loss that these dear parents are experiencing and ask that you would keep them in your prayers. Bill and I were privileged, along with the house parents of each of the children, the Pastor and his wife, and another member of the church, to travel to Collierville to meet with these precious parents bringing them the love and sympathies of everyone at French Camp. (Long story short, the parents were not able to attend the memorial service for their children being held at French Camp but would be returning to India to make preparations there.)




Another thing different about this month was that this was our first VMM project where we are the crew leaders. That means we are the liaison between the Academy and the other VMM volunteers.  It was up to us to find out what the project was going to be and coordinate with the Academy’s staff person as to how to proceed, what and where to get supplies and equipment, and what the expectations might be. We start our time together in a team meeting where everyone shares a little bit about themselves and then handle a bit of business. As crew leaders, we prepare, with the help of Academy personnel, an information sheet with emergency numbers and locations, medical facilities, area grocery stores, service stations, laundry facilities, incoming and outgoing mail, and tornado safety location. That last one was a good thing to investigate ahead of time as we did have a very early morning need. I got to run around in the storm knocking on RV doors and alerting our fellow volunteers of a Tornado Warning in our area. Thankfully everyone made it to safety and there was no tornado touchdown.

One of the jobs of the lady crew leader is to talk to the other ladies about and schedule fellowship events as well as any work projects available.  The ladies aren’t required to work but everyone did join in. Some of the ladies worked on sewing projects making items for the French Camp Gift Shop while others updated outdoor Christmas scenes with a fresh coat of paint (after some serious scraping away of the old layers). Even though artistic painting is not one of my strengths, with the help of the other ladies, I do believe we did a fine job. And, it was a lot of fun. 

 So what were the men folk doing?  They were continuing a remodel project from the previous month creating three apartments in a building that was once used as in infirmary. Demo was completed, framing finished, bathtubs installed, and rough plumbing and electric run. Bill, unfortunately, spent a lot of time on the phone, chasing around for supplies, and trouble-shooting which is what a crew leader often does. I know he would much prefer to be doing the actual work. I know he was happy about some of the work projects he was able to squeeze in and finish for the Academy that he started when we were working independently. He also worked several nights helping the boys who were finishing up their welding projects to earn their Eagle Scout badges. Needless to say, Bill worked long and hard this month and he loved it!

Our fellowship activities included a few restaurant visits and a pizza and game night (which, of course, included the men folk.) The ladies also had a tea party one afternoon and a ladies day out (shopping & lunch) another day.  One of my favorites was an afternoon of Show & Tell. Each of the ladies brought one or more of their hobbies to share. There were a couple of demonstrations but mostly just showing finished products. 

Our final activity was the always the wonderful  and much anticipated volunteer thank you dinner hosted by an amazing couple and several others from French Camp.We have lots of good food and fellowship and finish the evening off with a group sing. Lots of hymns and silly songs. Right up my alley!



So for those of you who have been keeping up with me and my love and fear relationship with horses, I have firmly decided that I really prefer interacting with them from the ground. I’m just too nervous and can’t enjoy their beauty when I’m on their backside, I’m much happier walking them around the arena or just visiting, petting, and admiring them in their stalls. I also really enjoy watching others ride. 


  
 One of the special blessings on this project was the newbies to VMM who happened to be quite proficient and knowledgeable in the use of their good sized telescope. Where they store that thing in their 29 foot motor home is a mystery to me. We had one night when we focused on the moon (not the lunar eclipse night, I’ve more to tell on that later) and another night when we looked at star nebulae. Amazingly wonderful! No wonder their hobby card quotes Ps 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Amen and Amen!


I was very grateful to our new stargazing friends for sharing a detailed timing of the lunar eclipse on January 21st. I knew exactly what time to be watching. It was cold that night (by Mississippi standards), in the mid to low 30’s so for the early stages of the eclipse, I just set a timer and went and checked on it every 10-15 minutes. About twenty minutes prior to the full eclipse, I took a blanket for under me and one for over me and laid out on the gravel so I could take it all in (with no crik in my neck. BTW, Bill was in bed sound asleep.) The color was especially pleasing to me; a coppery bronze. The fact that it actually looked like a ball and not a disk was also pretty incredible to see. Absolutely beautiful! God’s wonders to perform!!!




Well our time at French Camp has finally come to a close for the time being. We had planned on leaving the Friday or Saturday after the VMM project was completed (which was 1/24) but the church we attend while in French Camp was having an extra special speaker at their Sunday night service. I was able to convince Bill to stay. PTL! How many of you have seen the wonderful movie War Room? Well, we had the privilege of meeting and hearing from Karen Abercrombie, otherwise known as the 80 year old Miss Clara from War Room. What a delight! Powerful message! So glad we stayed!



We left French Camp Monday morning and had a beautiful sun shiny day all the way to Gulfport MS to visit Bill’s old high school buddy one more time before leaving the state. We parked our motor home at a nearby Camping World which I was a little hesitant to do at first. Generally we park overnight in a 24 hour Wal-Mart lot where there is a bit more activity or a 24 hour secure rest area. I was happy that Bill pointed out the fire station next to the Camping World. Not sure why, but that calmed my nerves. I really hate the fact that I still get nervous. The Lord has been so very faithful.  It’s been almost three years, yep three that we’ve been on the road. I’m not near as fretful as I was when we started, but as I just pointed out, I still get a bit nervous on occasion. Pray for me, please and thank you!

Our next stop was near Jennings FL. This trip was weather dreary and very windy but Bill did a great job keeping the rig moving safely along I-10. There was a very long stretch of the Interstate that we observed massive amounts of downed trees first all lying in one direction and then in the opposite one; obviously, the result of Hurricane Michael. Can’t imagine what it looks like closer to the coast. We safely pulled in to our friend’s (very large) yard just in time for some of their delicious homemade vegetable soup. We stayed two nights and then set out for our last leg to the Ocala National Forest where we will be Forest Service Volunteers for February and March and have opportunity to spend time with our granddaughter and son. Life continues to be good, very good. We are so grateful to God for this time of our life and the health to do what we do. 

Be blessed and be a blessing!

1 comment:

  1. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED reading about your experiences at French Camp and your travels to your new work site! So very grateful for your time among us - your love as well as your service in the various projects!! I’m esp thankful for the work the ladies did on our Christmas scenes - they were in GREAT need of some repair and touching up!! As they were the vision of a VERY dear lady in our community, Nita Curtis - who has since passed on - and the hard work of a VERY dear man Roy Purvis - helped by lots of other special folks, we probably couldn’t have put them up again without the work you ladies did! THANK YOU!!! Looking forward to your return to FC! ����

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