On a Wheel and a Prayer

Nanoose Bay Camp is located on a peaceful bay on the Inside Passage of Vancouver Island.

We picked up Tony and Amy (our good friends from Minneapolis about to experience their very FIRST SOWER’s Project) at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport late on Thursday night and drove to Port Angeles, WA.  We boarded the early AM ferry and headed to Victoria, BC. We had a trip that was unforgettable.  It was said to be one of the roughest trips EVER in the history of the passage.  We were very thankful to be on land.

After a lengthy process with Canadian Customs, (about and hour and a half, their concern was that we might be taking jobs away from Canadians with our volunteer work) we were on our way to Nanoose Bay, BC.  

There was a great deal of work to do as the result of the major storm.

Tony and Don removed two(2) large widows from an internal wall of the tabernacle and rebuilt/filled-in the space.

Amy and Jenny did a lot of painting and cleaning. Here they are painting a wall in the lodge kitchen.

Tony mowing the large athletic field.

Don had a chance to do some cabin furniture repair.

Painting the wall replaced in the tabernacle.

A lot of cabin cleaning was accomplished by Jenny and Amy.

Painting in one of the dorms.

Local rules dictate fires be hand-fed. Working at the task of burning some huge tree stumps and fallen branches. Warmest Don had been in months.

SOWERs living in Nanaimo, about 20 kilometers south of Nanoose Bay, invited us to join them for supper at their home one Sunday. A great time was had by all.

 Many other tasks where completed by the SOWERs team of Amy, Tony, Jenny and Don as the month unfolded. 

We are so blessed at each site we visit.  Nanoose Bay Camp was a delight and they were so very appreciative of our help.  This project was a special privilege in that we had a chance to serve along side our friends Tony and Amy.

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Don and Jenny

Prescott Pines Camp www.prescottpines.org   What a privilege to serve at this place.  We could see and feel the Holy Spirit’s presence throughout our month at the camp. 

The camp, like most places where we volunteer, is in need of help.  Here the need was probably more than some of the other places because of winter storm damage sustained. 

Another wonderful group of people to serve with again this month: from the left, Bob and Mary Lou-Washington, Elaine and Vance- Oregon, Jack and Peggy–Idaho , Jake and Marlene-Full timers from Michigan, Dorothy and Fred-Minnesota and Jenny and Don-Full timers from South Dakota/(MN).

We have been in Arizona from November through March and have been in some “cool” places. Prescott Pines Camp sits at 6200+ feet. The nights were cold and it snowed every night for the first week. We stayed comfortable but the furnace ran a lot.

Fred, Jake and Don laid ceramic tile in the snack kitchen and “Goodies” store.

Marlene, Elaine, Peggy, Marylou, Dorothy and Jenny took on a staff house and the task of deep cleaning and then painting the complete dwelling. They did an awesome job.

Vance, Jake and Jack worked on taking down a cabin that was destroyed by fire in December. They reclaimed all that was salvageable and cleaned up the remaining, saving the foundation for a future build.

A winter storm had seriously damaged the camp’s sewage treatment/sanitation system (actually floated the huge tank out of the ground). While the tank was out of the ground, some major repairs were made by welding some new steel plate sides to several of the tank’s six different compartments. Fred and Don had the opportunity to paint (with 2-.part epoxy) two of the compartments that are 10’ deep.

Fred, Vance and Don laid out and built a deck that will be the flooring for a new room attached to the “Frontier Village” kitchen. Currently, the camp staff must transport the food supplies from the main kitchen to the Village kitchen each day. The new room will house a walk-in freezer and storage for the kitchen.

Jenny , taking time for a photo op, while painting a staff house. The staff house looked just great when the ladies were finished with the job.

Thank you all for your love, your support and your interest.  Please feel free to leave a comment so we know you are out there.  Your interest and comments provide encouragement for us.  It helps us to stay connected with our friends and family and gives us a sense of belonging.

Our SOWERs for this month, from the left, Roy and Jo, FTs(FullTimers, their RV is their only house), Jenny and Don, FTs, Don and Arlene, FTs, Carl an Corrine, Iowa, Norm and Corlene, Montana, and JoAnne and Jim, Washington State, and our Group Leaders.

Students intent (most of them) on the subject being presented in the classroom.

Jenny presented, several classes, sessions about animal nursing which seemed to be a real big hit with the kids.

Our cat, Suppy, did his part for the animal care day presentations. Here Corrine is the cat handler and student control person. The students loved it, Suppy is not sure about the whole deal.

Jim, Don and Don, in? the addition they are constructing for what was storage and will be the new administration offices.

Arden, far left, manages all the schools maintenance and expansion issues as the work coordinator for the project. He prioritizes all the men SOWER’s activities. Here he looks over the efforts of Roy, Jim, Norm and Carl as they install shelves in the new container.

Corrine providing some one-on-one tutoring for Joshua in the kitchen of the main school building.

Don finishing up the roofing of the new building addition.

Jenny showing some students some animal X-rays on the computer screen.

We had the rare opportunity to tour a soon-active project, Homeless Women’s and Children’s Center of Gospel Rescue Mission of Tucson. Scott of Gospel Rescue Mission explaining the mission as Jenny along with Rod and Jenny Wilson(visiting us from Florida) listening about another Christ centered project where we may have the chance to serve someday.

We always hear how much the personnel at the projects appreciate the services provided by the SOWERs and this project was no different regard their appreciation.  The truth is that we are the ones blessed.  We thank the Lord every day for the opportunities.  We thank you for your support and encouragement.

God bless you and yours,

Don and Jenny Rasmussen

612-298-8512

www.OnaWheelandaPrayer.org

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???