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This month came with a full schedule and no promise of rest. It started at Way of the Cross with crowds of people grabbing all kinds of frozen foods and ice cream and scurrying around a parking lot full of double parked vans, trucks, and trailers being loaded with rapidly dripping packages of meat, ice cream and other things in the sweltering 100 degree plus heat. We were a little late arriving but we were prepared with huge ice chests to save the ice cream and gallons of cranberry flavored cream cheese spread for the fifty mile trip home. We were grateful for the freezer space at my church. Sister Peggy from Nebraska sent several boxes again containing wordless books, pencils, 37 bars of soap, 44 hats, 29 scarves, 14 pair of gloves, 34 pair of socks, 68 toys, shoes, jackets, toothpaste, blankets and lots more. What a multitude of blessings! Brother Gibson had some health issues so I took him to the hospital. He is doing better and was released. Please pray with us for our godly friend’s health. Pastor Bond discovered a spring that had fallen off the church zero turn mower. I used a bent coat hanger and all the strength I had to reattach it.
Our friends told us of a missionary who suffered a stroke and had to leave the mission field. We volunteered to drive to Queretaro, Mexico and load up their important and sentimental items and deliver his wife, Dana, and daughter, Rachel to their home in Florida. Scottie took charge of packing the van and loaded it from floor to ceiling, front to back, with a cargo strap up high keeping the part above the seat from cascading down on us if we stopped too quickly. He used a comforter to keep some of the items from rattling and shoved the back door closed under pressure. There wasn’t space for a greased toothpick left at the back of the van. (slight exaggeration) The ladies had boxes piled between them on the bench seat. We returned to Texas, rested a day, and Dawn accompanied us on toward Florida. Scottie stayed home to care for Tina who was recuperating from a total knee replacement. He also took care of the mission and VBS at his church at night. We appreciated a good night’s rest with Biloxi River Baptist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi. We really enjoyed meeting Brother Vaugn and reminiscing about our experiences in Mexico. Dana’s parents fixed us dinner and put us up for the night. We proceeded to Longview, Texas where Sisters Camie, Debbie, and Brother Glen helped us load great donations of clothes and toys. They prepared a wonderful meal for us and we rested and then proceeded south. We ran into flood waters when we got close to home but made it through them slowly. Our total miles for this ten day excursion was 4,253 miles. Fortunately our mission was spared any damage except for a little standing water.
We arrived just in time to teach five and six year olds time travel VBS for a week. We tended to the needs of the pastors in the mornings and VBS at night. Brother Jim Drew and his wife Bonnie, gave us an awesome wood and cardboard box 4 feet by 4 feet and seven feet tall complete with strobe and colored flashing lights called the time gizmo. We had a wonderful VBS teaching the children about creation. Our church sprung a surprise 67th birthday party for me with a homemade cake, no fire permit, only a token few candles to blow out. After our week was over we sent some VBS material to Mexico with Pastor De la Cruz and gave the time gizmo to Faith Baptist Church for their VBS. Brother Jack Ferguson brought a pickup load of tracts which we shared with Brother Seth Duffy and sent Jack back with a load of food.
Faithfully yours,
The De Hart family
