We had a wonderful two months at home in Langley. Actually, we weren't at home because we rented out our house. Maria and Michael were very kind and generous and moved out of their condo so that we had a place to live. We spent a lot of time with our adult children. Here we are enjoying dinner just before Aren and Deb go back to London. We had a chance to visit with family and friends and it was good to connect with our church family as well. Our trip back to Florida on Feb. 18 was uneventful, however, we unpacked our suitcase to find sugar spilled throughout. I suppose that having a metal bar for a bike rack and a suspicious looking white substance in your suitcase causes a "random" bag check.
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."
Ps. 139:13-14
Maria and Michael picked us up in Seattle with a sign that said, "Welcome home oma and opa." What a wonderful surprise. We are so happy for them and pray that all will go well. The baby is due 5 days after Stephanie and Brent's wedding. That should be an exciting week!
INTERIM PRINCIPAL HIRED!
We are pleased to announce that Mr. Peter Roukema has accepted the interim principal position at Centennial for next year. Peter and his wife Mabel are from Langley where Peter spent the last three years as
principal at Langley Christian School. We praise God for His continued faithfulness.
CCS School Board
This is the
announcement that was in the Centennial Christian School’s online
newsletter.
Yes, you read right ---- Peter is starting his first encore career in August. The
current principal is taking a one year sabbatical.
Although Peter will find an apartment in Terrace, we are not moving our household. Peter will come home regularly and I will fly up to stay with him for some of the time.
Peter is excited about this new adventure and
challenge. It is an 80% position.
We spent a fair bit of time enjoying the beautiful Florida beaches. |
We saw alligators, sea turtles, vultures, egrets, and many other birds as well as a variety of plants and grasses in this park. |
We had a lovely visit with Hilda in Fort Myers Beach, FL for four days. |
On Friday, March 7 something unbelievable happened.
Late in the afternoon we stopped to go for a walk on St. Pete's Beach on the Gulf of Mexico. We had planned to bike but we changed our mind because there was no bike path. We parked at the far end of the parking lot and walked on to the beach. We enjoyed a pleasant walk and we even jogged a bit. On our way back, we noticed two elderly women in the water near where we had left our sandals. At first glance it looked like they were playing in the water but we soon realized that they were in distress. They were lying down in the water, not able to get up. The waves were rushing in, pulling them deeper and deeper. They were swallowing water and desperately grasping at the sand. When we reached them, they stared at us with blank looks and couldn't communicate. We pulled them on to the dry sand and eventually they began to talk. It turns out that they were sisters in their early 70's. Anne is from England and Doreen is from Boston. Anne had walked into the Gulf intending to drown herself. Her husband had died two years ago and she told me later that she had thought about suicide many times but this was the first time she had actually attempted it. Doreen had followed her when she had left the condo. Doreen was not able to help her out of the water, so now they were both in trouble. After we got them out we walked them to their condo with the help of two other guys. Those two left when we got there, but we went in to help them. Doreen's husband, John, was quite shocked to see his wife and sister-in-law walk in sopping wet and sobbing somewhat hysterically, along with two strangers. He helped his wife take a shower and get on dry clothes while I helped Anne. We made them tea (seeing as they were British) and then talked to them separately and together for the next hour and half. They were in shock. Anne sat next to me with her head on my shoulder for most of the time. They kept calling us their guardian angels. Looking back now it doesn't seem real. But it was! We pray that God will give Anne peace and comfort.
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At some point we left the Gulf and travelled on to Titusville to camp at a county campground for awhile. It is a true campground --- all campers/no manufactured homes/families/lots of trees, squirrels and gekkos and only $25.00 a night. We toured the NASA space center on Cape Canaveral. It was interesting to see but neither of us are space nuts so it wasn't our favourite activity.
Does this make you want to be an astronaut? |
We visited the
Old Slave Mart Museum which used to be one of about 40 private slave markets in
the decades leading up to the civil war.
This one was called “Ryan’s Mart”. You can’t visit these places without
an emotional response. We took a guided
carriage ride – which was free for us.
(long story – you may just have to ask us about it) – Good, entertaining
tour guide. The horse’s name was “Rob”
and Rob’s amble turned to almost a trot as we started to approach the end.
Fort Sumter---where the
first shot of the American Civil War was fired.
|
We leave you
with this quote from Abraham Lincoln, which was on display at the museum across
the water from Fort Sumter. Surprising
words from the man who announced the emancipation proclamation. Shows how the spirit of whatever age we live
in so blinds us from seeing how things are supposed to be. Makes you wonder in what way(s) we simply do
not imagine God’s shalom as it was intended from the beginning.
Each day is a gift from God. This Saturday, April 5 we begin two weeks of service with World Renew’s Disaster Relief Service (DRS) in Hyde County. North Carolina. Blessings to you all. |
Thanks so much for the interesting update. Take care
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving us a snapshot of your life during these months of travel. What an amazing year t has been for you. Wishing you the best as you do anothe stint with World Renew. You no doubt have heard that your street and your daughter made it on to the front page of Vancouver Sun. A tragic story about brokeness close to home. Safe travels and congrats on your first encore career assignment!
ReplyDeleteMartin Contant
Enjoyed reading your latest update. Happy work and continued travels. :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your update...interesting travel news and family news! Keep safe and God bless....
ReplyDelete