California Flowers

While we were visiting churches in southern California Jeff and I were able to take a few walks. It is always fascinating to me the grand variety the Lord has made in different parts of the country. The vegetation in the California desert is so different from the places I have lived. I say desert because that is what it is, but where these were taken it is cultivated and watered to create an oasis of beauty. If we can enjoy such variety here on earth, can you just imagine what awaits us in heaven?

A Ukrainian in Texas

On January 6th we came from Ukraine to Little Rock, Arkansas, the home of our mission base, to do furlough. That is a time of visiting in churches across the U.S. and talking about our work. No, it is not a time of vacation as many think, but it is a time when we do get to catch up with friends and family.
Nick (on the right) is one of our Ukrainian pastors and a good friend who came with us to America to speak in some of the churches. He was with us for a couple weeks. Here he is getting a taste of Texas with our good friends Stan and Doris Allen of Gilmer.
If it's Texas you know there are guns and hats. This was so fun for Nick who pastors a small church of 58 members on the northwest side of Kiev in Ukraine. He runs a great river camp ministry in the summers for which we would like to invite more church groups to come and participate in a week long camp with Ukrainian youth. It's a week of bible study, sports, swimming in the river, a raft trip and just lots of fun.