A Surprise Visit, Drums, Bicycles, and the MMS Tomato Garden

We thought we'd start this blog with a photo so you know we're really still out here.

Here we are earlier today by Gospel Carrier International's Cessna 172.

Our daily blog has somehow turned into a weekly blog...so let me recap the past week for you:

Surprise Visit
On Tuesday I came out of a two hour meeting just before noon to find a note asking me to call Karen. When I called, Karen said that Fred & Mona were coming down from the Akron, Ohio area to take us to lunch. What a wonderful surprise! I called Fred & Mona and found out they were only about five minutes out of town. I jumped in my car at the shop, Karen jumped in her car at home, and we all met over at Bob Evan's Restaurant.

We had a great time of food & fellowship with Fred & Mona. They've pretty much adopted us as their missionaries over the past years. Having them surprise us was a wonderful break from the ministry routine and quite an encouragement. Thanks, Fred & Mona! We're totally blessed to have you as part of our team!

Back on the Drums
I'm back into the swing of things on Fresno Bible Church's worship team. I'm able to practice on Wednesday nights and complete the full rehearsal Sunday morning before worship. It's really fun to be reunited with Josh, guitar; Ben, bass; Helen, keyboard; Karen (as in MY Karen), singer; and Marilyn, singer.

Back On My Bicycle
I was cleared to test ride my bicycle! I was a bit hesitant, but I've been on the bike twice this week. Once for fifteen minutes and the other for twenty minutes. No complications but I'm being rather careful. No hill climbing!

At MMS
I pretty much spent my week in meetings, working to recruit new candidates, or focused on supervising the five families raising support to start service. Karen and I will meet one of the five families, Mark & Jenny Beckwith, at Columbus Airport Monday afternoon. They're arriving from England to start apprenticeship with MMS. We first met Mark and Jenny as part of our trip to England for MAF-International's Facts-N-Friction course in July of last year.

Speaking of MMS, did you know that MMS has its own tomato garden? Yep. Here's what a tomato garden managed by a bunch of airplane mechanics looks like:

Here's Karen by the MMS mechanics' tomato garden.

It's not easy being a tomato plant at MMS...