WE GOT OUR HOME BACK!!!!

We finally got our home back.  We have a new frig and nearly everything is working so we are ready to journey which God has given us.  We plan to leave for Aurora this Thursday and spend a few days with the kids and grand kids then on to Phoenix Unified Christian Schools for November and December.  Thank all of you who have prayed for us as we sat here disabled.  We are grateful to God for this opportunity to continue on our Sower Ministry journey.

Here we are on our farm pad.  We have a few things to finish here but are basically ready to go.

 



One of the projects which was accomplished was to overhaul the sprayer tractor.  We removed the head and had the valves ground.  That part is done but the last thing to do is to rebuild the carburetor which we will probably complete today or tomorrow.  We don't look forward to playing in gasoline when the temperature in the barn is under 40 F. 

Another project was to rebuild the carburetor on the 4 wheeler.  That was only part of the reason why it wouldn't run.  Somehow the key on the flywheel had sheared and rotated about 100 degrees.  It was easy to see why it was backfiring.   But, it is up and running again.

The other morning we had a ribbon of fog running down the creek bed like it wanted to get to the river just like the water.

Then Saturday morning we had the pleasure of entertaining Mrs. Deer and fawn.  They came up to the house, grazed a while on the tiger lilies and moved on toward the timber to spend the day in the shade.  It was warm then.

 

Well, that's all for now.  If God wills we will soon be on the road again doing what we love to do.

 

Down on the farm again.

We arrived at the farm on September 20, spent a couple of nights and took our home back to Columbia for a bit more repair.  We hope to be able to get it soon but for now we are in the house.  Of course there are a few things to be done to spruce up the place while we wait.

Here is the sunrise that greeted us the first morning we awoke.  God is STILL in charge.

The walk in door to the garage was rotting at the bottom as well as the framing.  After cutting a couple inches off the bottom and several inches off of the framing, replacing the removed pieces and applying a fresh coat of paint it looks like a new one.

 

The basement door wasn't in as bad a shape but it did need scraping and a fresh coat of paint.

 

Of course, the lawn was 4 to 7 inches tall and needed a clip.  This little piece shown here is less than 1/4 of the overall lawn and we have mowed it twice since getting here.

A highlight of the past couple of weeks was being here at the right time for the Bunck reunion. Mother was a Bunck and they hold a reunion every year, we just usually are on project during October.  The couple seated is mother's brother and his wife.

 

For a short time one morning we had several thousand grackles in the yard.  They were on their way south, like we usually are at this time, to their winter home. 

The turkey vultures are still here for a while but they too will be heading to the Andes for the winter.  We don't want to go that far.  Our next project, if God approves, will be in Phoenix.  God bless you all and don't forget to leave a note.

September at Sunshine Bible Academy

We love being in South Dakota in August and September because it the time when the students return and school swings into action.  Most of the students who have been here before are really excited about returning but the first time, especially the foreign students, are a bit hesitant about the whole "school on the prairie" thing.  But there is always a lot of things to keep us busy as school begins.

Of course there is a lot of grass on the school ground but the new mower really helps with it's suspension ride and a cup holder.

It was decided that there should be a real outlet for the sump pump out behind the kitchen rather than running an extension cord through the kitchen window, especially when it is -40 F outside.

The new faucet for the ladies restroom came in and needed to be installed---

---and that pesky door closer behind the kitchen is going to get fixed this time for sure.

The beginning of school also means the beginning of girls volleyball.  Here we are at the first game to support the Crusaders.

The new event center is a marvelous building but there isn't sufficient room to store the racks of folding chairs and the new risers.  Answer, buy a shipping container, park it out back and run a sidewalk to it.

Of course if one lays out forms the next thing that comes is the 8 yards of concrete---

 

---and it comes---

 

---and it comes.  This is really hard work.  Sure glad we have a great crew of teen age boys to muck around in the mud.  I don't think my old legs would take it well.

 

One project which always seems to be there is recovering text books.  But Billie is more than capable of making the best of it.

Unfortunately, the new gym floor has moisture trapped beneath it.  The solution, drill holes in the aluminum edge strips to let it breathe.  I sure pray that this works as the floor will continue to buckle if the moisture is not removed.

During September we took a weekend to travel to Norfolk, Nebraska to a wedding of a wonderful couple we had met at Camp Barnabas. This great couple, and their lovely daughter, are the ones that are in permanent residence at Barnabas.

Here is the wonderful bride and groom!

One of the meaningful and lovely traditions which the grandpa and grandma of the groom have started is a toast from a special cup.  Grandpa takes his turn---

---then it turn for the new bride and groom.

 

During the setup for the wedding the bride and groom discuss the decorating of the "door" backdrop they were using (and the main reason we were there as we supplied the doors) as the background for their wedding ceremony.

Didn't it just turn out beautiful.  God is so good.

The groomsmen---

---and the bride's maids were so beautiful---

---and this talented young man provided all of the music for the wedding.  Great day!

 

On our way home we Gavin's Point Reservoir, one of several on the Missouri River. 

On a beautiful evening just before we left SBA there was a wonderful light show in the northern sky.  Unfortunately is didn't supply Hand county with any rain---

---but it was another wonderful display of God's great power.

Presently we are again sitting at the farm in Kansas.  We have a bit more work to have done on our home and the farm can use a bit more sprucing up.  God bless.

 

AH! August in South Dakota

We have finished another project month here at Sunshine Bible Academy and boy did we get some things done.  We had a great crew here and we are thankful we didn't have any serious injuries with the work we had to do.

                                    

Here we have the August crew, ready to go to work.



We have some more work to finish the painting on the bleachers---

 

---and the crew dug in to complete them in the cool and wet morning.

 

Then the ladies moved into the wood shop to finish up some painting.

 

See this steel Behlen building.  Between the bolts is 41 inches and the window is 48 inches wide so we must take out two sections of steel wall (plus the sheet rock wall inside) in order to add a 48 inch window.

 

And here it is. 

 

Then there is the repair of the sheet rock in the inside---

 

---and the finishing touch by the ladies.

AAAAHHHH!  Sower break time a time to regroup and have a snack and cup of coffee or tea.

There are a few ceiling tiles in the boys dorm that need to be replaced.

 

 

The concrete is poured and the guys have put the new benches together.  The dirt pile is the 4th of 11 semi loads needed to level the sight.

Time to stand the new poles.  The two outside poles are 30 feet tall and the center one will be 35 feet tall.

In the middle of it all, Billie has the opportunity to meet her friend Dee for lunch in Redfield.

Well, the blue mower is out of commission and now this one has blown a belt.  It has to be fixed or we will be faced with mowing 30 acres with a 21 inch push mower.

Since the old music room is becoming the art room, the music awards need to be moved to the hallway outside the new music room.

With the painting done the ladies can concentrate on preparing vegetables for the students.

The poles are up, the flags have been raised and the 11 loads of dirt have been leveled.

 

The view of the front of the school is great with the new flag poles in place.

 

Night time brings on the lights which were installed on top of the poles.  They are powered by solar cells and batteries. 

With that all done we bid you a good night with this spectacular moon shot.

God bless you all.