On a Wheel and a Prayer

NEW TRIBES MISSIONS

Jenny and I give thanks to our Lord for blessing us with the opportunities to serve.  We have been in McNeal, AZ at New Tribes Missions – Aviation for the month of November.

New Tribes Mission- planting tribal churches – www.ntm.org is an awesome mission with their efforts to reach those tribes that have never heard the Good News of our Savoir Jesus Christ. 

NTM-Aviation is a support arm that assists the missionaries serving in these remote areas by being there to help them get in and out and to deliver needed items of all sorts. 

Many of the staff serving at NTMA here in Arizona have had extensive service time in places like Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, The Philippines, Columbia, etc.    We have heard some absolutely incredible stories from these dedicated team members.  One of the pilots now working here was captured by guerrillas of the jungle of Columbia.  His story of how his faith in God allowed him to escape in the middle of the night out of the middle of a jungle with the plane!!   It has been an absolute priviledge to work side by side with the people here.

The SOWER crew Our working comrades - Jenny and Don from SD, Jake and Marlene from UP of MI and John and Nancy from PA.

Les, Don and Jake taking a break. Les is a volunteer from Kansas to work at NTM-A often. We removed carports and made ready two old trailer homes to be removed from the base. We witnessed, Forrest, a co-founder who had pulled the same trailer down from Nebraska in the ‘50's, pull the trailer off the site using the same towing truck he used in the '50's.

We were guests of the Martin’s family for supper one night. They have recently retuned to the base after 13 years of service in Papua New Guinea. What a privilege to hear of their adventures in the harvest field for the Lord.

Caulking and painting a new staff house at the base. Nancy, Marlene and John.

Jenny on top of the job of painting the new staff home.

Jake and Don replacing skirting on one of the staff housing units.

Some staff had us over to the Fellowship Hall for supper. The missionaries here all seem to have the gift of hospitality. We felt their warmth and love all the time we spent here.

Looking NW

What have we been doing since mid May?

We sold our Eden Prairie house in March so we are and have been, what the RV world referr to as, “Full-Timers”.  We have established a base of operations in South Dakota on the farm where I grew up.  It is a mile south of Howard, SD which is 60 miles west of Pipestone, MN. 

Our goal for the summer was to get a pad and services installed, a place to park and connect our home.   We have accomplished that goal.  A couple pictures.

Looking SW

Here is pictorial account of some of the things we witnessed and did.

Baptisms on “Parents Day”

They have a “Parent’s Visit” once every month when the boys that are well into the program are able to get a visit from the parents.  We heard the testimonies and witnessed the baptisms of six of the boys on the first weekend we were at the academy.

We were priviledged to witness the “Graduation” of six young men from the 15 month program.

Every Friday the students gather in formation in platoons, Isaac and Jacob.  This is when they are individually recognized for achievements of special goals and assignments.  If there has been any violations, those are acknowledged also and those boys are placed in a “Corrections” status and are prayed over at that time.

Formal Gathering on Fridays

Chow Line

Boys waiting in Chow Line

Boys waiting in Chow Line.  They are released one at a time to pick up their trays.  If they are in “Corrections” status they must stand up at all meals.

Clearing by Roger

Roger spent time clearing trees and shrubs to make for more pasture land for the horses and cows at the ranch.

“Break-time” from sanding

Break time from drywall work.  We did a whole LOT of drywall finishing in the new “Blue” building.  It was a great privilege to be able to work side by side with the boys and hear their stories and share our testimonies with them.

Kitchen Duty

Corrine, Marilyn and Jenny with three of the boys helping to prepare the next meal for the students.  All volunteers where invited to share the evening meal at the cafeteria which really helped with our expenses this month.

Painting up there.

Jenny and I spent several days and considerable overtime priming and painting the gymnasium in the “Blue” building.  Roger and Marilyn and Carl helped with this task also.

The baseball team in action.

The SOWERS had the chance to see the boys play some great baseball.  They won all their games while we were there.  Another chance to support the boys and have some fun off-time.

SOWERS FOR APRIL

 

H.E.A.R.T. is a place where missionaries come to be trained before they go to third world counties.  The simulated under-developed coutry village and farm is quiet an experience.   Not unlike most of our projects we work, H.E.A.R.T was again an inspiration.  March was our second tome at HEART, the first was February 2008.

Here is a pictorial review of just a few of the things we where involved with on the project.

VET Tech Skills Employed Once Again

Jenny and MaryAnn working on installing drapes in on of the fancier huts where some visiting dignitaries stay.

Don, Wayne, Vance and Jake as they take a break from the job of replacing the flooring in the living room and hallway of a staff members home.

Vanessa, an intern at the village, holding two new goat kids, Jacob and Esau. Jenny assisted in the birthing of these two as the doe, Moose had some major troubles.

Posting now for fear of loss.  More coming!

Don and Jenny

 Life for Youth Camp kept all 28 SOWERS busy the whole time.  The administration and staff here are just great and well organized as to the various projects to be completed by us.  The time goes by way to quickly.  Maybe it is a factor of age.?.? 

Marty, Linda, Jenny, Loretta and Jonalyn taking time for a photo op when they are doing some landscaping around the chapel.

Carl and Don putting some final touches on the building. They also worked on putting another building back on it’s footings after it was moved and damaged by the hurricane. Built some more doors.

Reunion committee working on some details for the upcoming reunion. Each spring SOWERS have a reunion at this camp. We are expecting near 50 couples to show up between Projects for worship, fellowship and renewal.

Jenny and Corrine feeding Mary, the pregnant mother pigmy goat.

This goat delivered a set of twins, Mathew and Mark.  Mathew appeared to be the healthier of the two on the first day and we were concerned about the little one, Mark.  Jenny and I went to the barn on Friday morning.  Mathew looked to be sleeping but in an un-goat like manner.  We picked him up and found he was near death.  We rushed back to our motor home and force feed him through a straw.  Long story short, it looks like he is going to live and has become the most spoiled and human handled goat in the history of this camp if not the world.

Mathew

Photo of the whole group of 26 SOWERs. One couple had to leave early and missed the final few days.

The stories of the commitments to Jesus that are directly and indirectly the results of the ministry of this camp are heart stirring.  Imagine up to 700 children and 100+ young counselors around here in the busy summer season.  It is a wonderful thing to be able to help such a ministry.

Thanks much for your continued prayers and support of us and our ministry.

God bless,

Don and Jenny

PS Please let us know you are out there.  Post a comment.

 

Who do you think needs more sleep???

 

 

 

We are now in Vero Beach at Life for Youth Camp http://www.lifeforyouthcamp.com/ and have completed our first week of work here.

Water Slide at Life for Youth Camp

Fred, Carl and Don replacing and/or repairing the sub-structure of the top platform of the water slide.

Carl and Don shoring up the steps and walk-ways to the top of the slide.

Bill and Bernie laying tile in one of the cabins.

Last year while working at Life for Youth Camp, http://www.lifeforyouthcamp.com/   , Jenny and I became acquainted with some missionaries who work at Missionary Flights International, www.MissionaryFlights.org .  Missionary Flights International is a private non-profit service to Christian missions serving in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. Established in 1964, MFI provides professional on-going air support to affiliated missions that work in these island nations.

Since we only have to travel about fifty miles from Samaritan Center www.SamaritanHouseforBoys.com  Life for Youth Camp (our February project),  we had some free time and decided to see if we could help at MFI which is only about 35 miles up the road in Fort Pierce, FL.

They found room for us to help in preparing a big old 14 cylinder Pratt Whitney engine for shipment to Oklahoma to be overhauled.

We had two days of fun work.  Here is a pictorial recount of the opportunity.

What the Engine Looks Like as we start to take off the Parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don and Vana, no Jenny, when the engine is finally ready to ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just SOME of the parts we helped remove. We are glad someone knows how to replace on the overhauled engine.

Jenny in right seat of DC3 during run-up. Think she is having fun?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We thank our Lord every day for the chance to serve and the blessings we receive.

Please continue your support by praying for our health, our safety and the timely sale of our house in Eden Prairie. 

 

God Bless,

Don and Jenny

We have completed our work project at Samaritan Center for Boys. The boys bathroom is almost done, just needs painting. The boys are very happy with it! The boys residence homes are looking bright and clean and the house parents are extremely grateful for the help.

We can’t believe how fast our month went. We feel like we just started and now we have to move on to our next project this coming Friday February 6^th.  We have made lasting friendships with the other SOWER couples and the staff we worked with here.

Cecil is the Program Manager

Cecil gives SOWERS direction as to what projects need to be done here at Samaritan Center.

The school house at the Center

Rich and Don cutting porcelain floor tile

Don and Rich installing new ceiling tile

Boys bathroom in school still needs painting

January 2009 SOWERS couples at Samaritan Center for Boys: Jenny & Don Rasmussen, Dorine & Stape Shields, Judy & Rich Polley and Shirley & Norm Weener.

Don and I thank you for your prayers and interest in our missions work. Stay tuned for more!

God Bless,

Don & Jenny