Cabin Fever Relief

Today was a fun day of being with some of the ladies from MMS. We don't have a lot of occasions to get together but it's really fun when we can spend some time chatting, getting to know each other better and learning from each other. Today the ladies left the kids home with the men and got a day out of the house to work on some projects at the Dunkley's home. With all the cold winter weather and snow lately, we were all happy to get some "cabin fever" relief!

Getting to know each other is a constant event at MMS. Since our apprentice families are constantly coming and then going to serve elsewhere after their preparation at MMS, there are always new faces from new places. Those of us who stay and serve here in Coshocton enjoy helping the new ladies get acclimated and teaching them anything we can that might help them as they move on from here. On the other hand, new ladies always come with skills and knowledge from other parts of the country (or world) that we can learn from. Put all that together with projects to work on and food to share and it always adds up to fun!

Above, Stephanie is working on hand-making greeting cards while she talks to Isobel. Stephanie also likes to scrapbook which both use similar skills. Like she said, cards gets "done", the scrapbooking of all the family photos NEVER gets done! Stephanie and her husband graduated from MMS, served in Africa and are back living in the area with their two boys. We enjoy having her with us again!

Left to right above are Jenny, a friend of Isobel, Dana and Mary. Jenny was working on a beautiful quilted table runner far beyond my current skill level. She knows all the tricks of the trade! Dana was learning how to crochet dishcloths with an array of cotton colors. Mary painted her nails and just enjoyed some R&R while she visited with us all.

Dana and her husband are grads and staff of MMS. Chris went home to be with the Lord a couple of years ago and Dana continues to serve a meaningful role in the MMS office in between raising and homeschooling her three children. Mary is working to acclimate to the Coshocton area, and the U.S. in general, after having served many years in Bolivia with her husband and three children. Their change in service was unexpected and has been difficult though God-ordained. Her husband fills a much needed role in the MMS hangar as a mechanic. I am enjoying getting to know Mary. She is an RN too and we like swapping stories and keeping up with nursing while not actually practicing it.


We had 4 sewing machines all lined up doing different projects. Isobel's home is perfect with its open design for hosting all of us and our projects! There's plenty of room to spread out. Isobel is in the pink shirt getting some mending and hemming done that she says has been waiting for years. I think Mike was glad we came! They were HIS pants! Kristy is at the back sewing machine.


Kristy was working on an apron and learning some new sewing skills from Isobel, Jenny and me that will serve her well as a missionary wife and mom. She and her husband and 3 children thought the Lord was sending them to Brazil only to find out that He wanted them to stay on at MMS as staff. We were as disappointed as they were to see Brazil become a closed door but, as we all know, when God closes a door, He opens a window and we are blessed we get to keep them here!

"Sparky", one of the Dunkley's dogs thought my layout plan for a quilt was pretty comfy. He didn't see any reason to take them up to sew seams!

Well, you know me. I can't resist a cute dog!

In this photo is Kristin on the left and Jenny on the right. Kristin and her family started the apprenticeship program recently and are already fitting in quite well. Kristin home schools and is looking for new recipes to feed their 3 growing boys....4 if you count her husband Paul! Jenny is working on a lovely afghan which she is embroidering with Winnie the Pooh and friends alphabet. Really cute! Jenny and her husband Mark came just recently to start the apprenticeship at MMS as well. They are from England. Their little Abigail, one year old, does not leave much time or energy for embroidery at home! Both of these ladies have adjusted amazingly quickly to the local culture and set up homes that allow their husbands the much needed time and focus to succeed as an apprentice at MMS.

Isobel, originally from Zimbabwe, Africa, loves to cook and we love it when she does! She made us a lovely lunch of freshly baked rolls, vegetable soup and and some type of African mystery meal. The ladies who cook African for us never seem to have a name for what is served. It's just, "African"! It's always delicious but I'm really not sure whether any of these African dishes could ever be replicated! I think they just use what ever they have "in the village" that day and put it all in a pot. Today, whatever it was, was served over rice. Yum!

In the photo above, Staci is back there talking to Stephanie. Staci and her husband have been with MMS for seven years. God has recently called Staci and her husband to return to service with Missionary Flights International (MFI) in Florida and we will be sad to see them go this summer. But, it is with glad hearts we send them where God has called them to serve Him best. MFI is currently on the front line of flying relief supplies into Haiti. The mission supports 700 missionaries on the island.

There are times for all of us when we feel very far from our families and close friends as we serve here in Coshocton. Creating bonds between us is a very important part of surviving on the mission field, even here in the U.S. God puts us all here for a reason. Each one has special gifts to offer and to help others learn. Some of that is fun. Some of that is very hard but God uses it all for our good and His glory.