The Lord allowed impact to rent a very nice bus to Spain this year: air conditioning, toilet, comfy seats, etc. Dalene had packed us a supper in Tübingen which we enjoyed along the way. The kids were able to sleep on the floor or across seats for a good number of hours.
Germany's fast train, the ICE, can go up to 150 miles an hour. We had two little compartments for the three and a half hour ride down to Stuttgart. Unfortunately, these trains also run late at times, so that we missed the last train and had to wait for the next opportunity, about an hour later.
The first train was a regional one which stopped at each village along the way. It took an hour to get to the next big city. Danielle and Evan were given sun glasses by their big sisters Doreen and Lynette, and really enjoyed them!
We said good-bye to the ones going down to Tübingen in the buses around 7 a.m. and two hours later we left on foot to walk the 5 minutes down to the train station here in our village. We met Carol and her three youngest to travel together.
Two long days of final practicing.
Bradley was very thankful to the Lord for the grace He gave during the two performances. These pictures were taken and sent to us by Angie Sell who teaches in the Heidelberg school. Thank you so much, Angie!
Annette lives in a small town and the girls have enjoyed walking between the fields and catching up on the last few months. The cows ran up to greet Dalene (who was "mooing a hello" :))from the bottom of the field! What fun! Tomorrow we meet up for camp. Annette cannot go this year as she is taking her nursing exams during these weeks. She will finish as a pediatric nurse in September.
This morning we dropped Rookie off at our county's pet shelter. He was standing up against the fence probably wondering what was going on as we left! This is the first time in four years that we have been gone as a family at the same time as Matthias, so we had to figure out a new solution for Rookie's care.
These are the signs Danae and I have been working on. Our theme for camp this summer is Australian Adventure, and in preparation I realized that the Australian map worked very well for the layout of our camp site.
Donovan vacuumed out the bus for me this evening. Thank you, Buddy!
Danae and Donia have done lots of painting the last two weeks. This is their last project...a refresher on a banner that is re-used every year. I finally thought of running for the camera. :)
For the last two weeks Devon has been helping the man that Kay hired to build a new wall for six hours a day. Kay wanted a new wall built up across a new-to-him property on the edge of his own. One of Devon's responsibilities was to carry the water in these two milking cans up to the main farm house (about two blocks away) to get water for the cement mixer. He also did much of the lifting of the blocks and natural stones. Devon's co-worker is leaving for vacation on Monday, and Devon is headed to camp, so they will reconvene on this project in two weeks. :)
I didn't do too great this year getting pictures of the projects as they developed. :(
Danae and Donia finished up the last mascot last night.
We have been blessed with quite a bit of rain recently. Yesterday we went out and cut back the flowers and bushes along the street. Danika checked on the fruit--the cherries are almost all harvested, we are still enjoying the raspberries every day, there will be no plums this year, and the pears and apples are growing. :) Dustin stacked all the bricks back that they had built with recently.
Yesterday Bradley took the train down to Heidelberg for two big days of rehearsal for the Elijah performances this Saturday and Sunday. Danika and I got to see him off. We are able to drive up on the other side of the tracks and watch until the train comes. We look forward to meeting up again in Tübingen where the campers meet to get on the big bus down to Spain. That is only three days away!
Doreen took these pictures while the team was here for two days. They gave a concert here in our church the first night, in the nursing home we minister in the next morning, and then were in Halberstadt the rest of the second day. There they were able to sing in a mall and in a rented hall in the evening. We enjoyed good fellowship with them, and thank the Lord for several unsaved people who came to our service, and for many that attended the Halberstadt concert. We pray that the Lord will give eternal fruit from this ministry.
For the last year, or so, we have been meeting for a special day of church fellowship on the fifth Sunday of a month, as often as they occur. June was such a month and Doreen took a few pictures of our time together. These days are often long for the little ones, and Danielle dropped off as soon as we started home. :)
