Howdy folks, just a quick note to let you know what we've been up to...
Some Modestans, some canoes, a camp and a pow wow.
For the last two weeks of July, our family, 4 young adults and 2 youth from our church set out for the Tsartlip First Nations community on Vancouver Island of the west coast of British Columbia. I told the team we'd go for 10 days, which turned into 11 days, then we got invited to pow wow weekend so it was 12 days and then our van broke down on the way home...so our trip was really 13 days. But it turned out to be lucky 13. We had a blast together working with a
YWAM couple in the community to help run events and a summer youth program.
Welcome back (for now:)
We're so happy to have our friends, the Sustars, back from Thailand. They have returned to the States for a sabbatical season and to have a baby! We're excited for their growing family and look forward to what unfolds as we dream of what more we can create together. The Sustars have been staying in our home and visiting family and preparing for the next step. We've especially enjoyed some fun nights around the fire bowl together.
Speaking of Fire Bowls...
We have launched a new blog and would love you to visit often and join the conversation there. This is a site where some writers and musicians share pieces dedicated to a different topic each month or so from different creative perspectives. And it's called "The Fire Bowl"...the first few posts are up exploring Acts 2: 42 - 47 and more will appear over the next couple of weeks. Be sure to check back or subscribe through your RSS reader and leave a comment when you can.
http://thefirebowl.net
Board but not Bored.
I have recently been asked to participate on the board of a great local volunteer organization called Advancing Vibrant Communities (AVC). These friends are one of our town's best kept secrets. This is a fellowship of volunteers who keep a data base of local needs and match those needs to local assets that meet those needs. What this looks like is if an elderly patient needs a ride to a doctors appointment at 10 in the morning and you have a car and your mornings free, AVC makes the connection. Or if you have a bed you need to get rid of and there is a family in the city that needs the bed, AVC makes the connection. It's a simple, beautiful idea and I am happy to be linked with them. You can check them out at
http://vibrantcommunities.org and listen to their great weekly podcast called "Lighthouse Live" on which we have been the
featured guests several times. If you're a Modesto local, consider becoming a volunteer resource and/or donor to this great team. If you want to know more, just call me.
Please pray for...
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YWAM Modesto as we head on out into new ideas and reimagining how to live out the call to "creative compassionate community".
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The Whitlers as the home school year begins for the kids and for Amie participating in the local college dance community
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The Sustars sabbatical time and our other fellow YWAM Modestan, Aaron still on his year away in Canada and points around the globe
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Our church going through a trying season right now with several leaders experiencing serious physical hurdles
How can we pray for you? Let us know.
If you would like to support our work finacially, please contact me via email and I will let you know the options.
