TFC has SOWERs on site just two(2) months of the year and Fred, the man on site who coordinates all Sower’s efforts, surely had enough work for us to keep us busy.  We think we had a very productive month and were able to provide labor and skills to complete the tasks at hand for us.

A few pictures of Servants On Wheels Ever Ready working for the Lord:

Our SOWER Group this month: Dave FL, Jenny and Don SD – Full Time RVer’s(FT) – SD, Kathy and Bill IL and Jackie and King FT SC

We watched the College Choir performed at “Toccoa Fall Festival”. We also were able to attend a production of “Peter Pan”, a “Big Band” concert and a “Special Worship Service of Song and Dance” all presented by the college students.

It was fun to see the hustle and bustle of activities of the students as they went about from place to place.

We had the opportunity to fellowship with the college staff and students in the Student Union Bldg.

Jackie helped in the Admissions Office preparing for an upcoming student event.

The ladies did a lot of cleaning and painting. Here, Kathy and Jackie are painting a kitchen in one of the girl’s dorms.

Jenny doing some trim painting.

We made and finished doors to complete the trim work for one of the new buildings. This shows Bill, Don and King as they get ready to do the final trim on one of the doors.

Jenny and Kathy helped in the Administration Office with data entry.

Dave worked on different vehicles for all the while we were at the college except one day when he helped us with some wiring.

Bill and King are cutting a piece of trim for the baseboard of the new log building.

Bill, King and Don doing some final stringing of lights on one of many Christmas tree light poles. We wired, strung and put up over ten of said trees.

Bill as he completes some electronic connections in a new building.

Toccoa Falls College provided us another opportunity to be blessed as we served His Kingdom.

Thank you for your continued prayer and financial support.

This is the SOWER Group for CIT for the month of October 2011. It was the first SOWER project for Kevin and Lisa. Our thanks to Lib for this photo.

We start at 7:30AM every morning with devotion time. We were blessed this month by hearing some of the stories of the missionaries. This day we heard from a couple who had been in serving in Honduras and now training before departing to serve in Pakistan.

The ladies did a lot of cleaning in the apartments and the dorms.

Jenny with another day’s laundry from the dorm to do.

Nancy and Lib helping with some office work.

We did a lot of weeding, mowing, trimming and mulching. The guys mulching.

Lee and Kevin cleaning the pool to ready it for painting. The cleaning and painting was completed by end of the project.

Hot dogs and cupcakes with missionary families as a birthday celebration for two of the children.

International Shared Supper Missionary students all brought a dish that is standard fare in the country where they will be serving. Jenny and I brought South Dakota Chili.

We cut down a dead maple near the Admin/Class Room building. Dan and Don are cleaning up after Don tries his hand at chainsaw art.

Group photo with Kevin & Lisa ME, Dan(knelling) & Nancy FT(Full Time RVers MI), Lee & Lib NC and Don & Jenny FT RVers SD.

We, Jenny and Don, often think about how privileged we are to be able to serve at these projects that spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   We are constantly encouraged when we see the Work for the Lord being done at the projects.  We pray that we are able to continue our work to assist these needy ministries.

Some pictures of our experiences:

We had a crew of six(6) couples this month. Sandy and Elmer(knealing)-New Brunswick, Dan and Nancy- FullTimers(FT)-Michigan, Jenny and Don-FT-South Dakota, Markay and Dave-FT-California-(Their very first SOWERs project), Amy and Tony-Minneapolis, Naomi and Jay-FT-Pennsylvania.

We start each day with worship and praise music and devotional time. This helps us on gaining the proper perspective for day in front of us.

The Camp puts on a “GIANT” Brunch on Labor Day Sunday as fund raiser. Amy, Tony, Markay and Dave are helping by preparing some of the appetizers.

The ladies helped in the kitchen a lot. Here Jenny, Sandy and Amy are concocting something of delight….

Naomi and Sandy helping in the kitchen.

Tony and Dave working on the staff housing repairs.

The SOWERs did some repairs and refinishing of some staff housing. Here Tony, Markay, Dave and Dan take a break for a photo op.

Elmer and Don had a rather unique task of rebuilding an old manure spreader that had been donated to the camp. Horses being a big part of the camp ministry, the spreader will definitely be used.

Nancy and Jenny armed and ready to tackle “Cabin Cleaning”.

A previous SOWER group had built several tables for the cabins which needed to be finished. Amy and Markay did a marvelous job.

We did many other tasks for the camp. Tony and Dave(working on another table) repaired, scrapped and painted picnic tables.

All the motel and cabin laundry had to be done after the guests left. Sandy and Naomi are not hiding behind their work but there were mountains laundry to be done.

Naomi and Nancy took turns in handling the office for the camp. Nancy had the job on this particular day.

Dan and Jay working on the boy’s dorm. They cut holes in the exterior wall and installed doors.

We are so blessed to be able to serve in our small ways.  Thank you all for your continued prayer and financial support.

The camp has a  beautiful new Kitchen/Ding Hall building under construction, hopefully ready to use for the 2012 camp season.  We had the opportunity to install some ceramic tile in the building.

Some pictures to tell the story:

SOWERS for the month: Jenny, Don, Kim, Rod, Mary and Dennis.

Other volunteers were working at the camp. The full crew after Sunday Worship: Don, Jenny, Rod, Kim, Jackie, Gary, Gene, Delores, Louise, Lee, John, Chris, Dennis and Mary.

Rod, Jenny and Kim, spreading mud and installing the base material before the tiling begins.

Kim and Jenny “In the beginning” - Orange matt is all installed and the tiling begins.

Jenny and Kim sealed the grout in two rooms which had been tiled earlier by other volunteers.

John and Chris from PA helped us tile for one week and what a great help they where.

Dennis does a lot of different jobs at the camp. Here he is going over the base floor in the new building preparing it for the carpet install.

Mary finishing cabinets for the small kitchen/Sower’s room in the new building. Like Dennis, Mary does a lot of different jobs around camp. Camp Shoshanah is home project Dennis and Mary.

Don mixing a batch of mud.

Jenny and Don installing the trim metal as the transition from tile to carpet in the dining room.

One view from the kitchen of what we were able to accomplished.

 

Another partial view of the task.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had the opportunity to install approximately 10,000 pieces of ceramic tile to cover about 2000 Sq Ft.  It looked to be an impossible task but we did make a lot of progress with Kim and Jenny working full days with Rod and Don.

 

Thank you for your interest, your prayers and your support.

 

 

A brief look around at the activities and the actions shows one that the ministry here is “to spread the Gospel Message of Jesus”.  The camp is not only a Christian Camp but also an example to the community of Christian action and involvement.   Community events are welcomed and encouraged.  When people attend any event at the camp, they will “know we are Christians…”.

Following is a pictorial of some of the SOWER activities for March 2011.

The March SOWERs crew (Eight Couples) Left to right: Roger and Marilyn,(WI). John (Hidden behind Marilyn) and Mary (FullTime RVers), Marion and Donna (FT), Don and “Charlie” (WI), Don and Jenny (FT), Ben and Erna (Ontario), Gerald and Darlene (IA), Lester-(Hidden behind Gerald) and Barb (MI).

Each day starts with devotions. Like all months, this time is an integral part of the ministry.

The ladies did a lot of work on the serving line for the camp meals. Here Donna, Erna, “Charlie”, Barb and Mary are “on the line”.

  

Marilyn, Darlene, Barb and Jenny serving breakfast for the camp guests.

Jenny, busy at washing dishes.

Jenny and “Charlie” staining a staff housing floor repair patch that Gerald and Roger had completed earlier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary and Barb doing some landscaping.

Rob, Camp Director, and Robert, Camp Maintenance Director, prioritizing the task list and giving marching instructions for the day to Don and the men.

Gerald and Roger removing an old unused dish from the office building.

Ben rebuilt a trailer to be pontoon compatible and camper friendly.

Don and Lester with a photo op by the boat motor they repaired.

Marion and John spent a lot of hard labor and time on the high-lift installing light and sound bars in the Tabernacle and the conference center.

Don installed a rope-tie on a beam in the tabernacle for the balloon drop.

We had another great experience at this camp and ever so thankful to be able to serve. 

Thank you for your prayers and contributions.

Love from Don and Jenny.

 This church had its beginnings some forty (40) years past.  It was started by Pastor Wally and he is still serving as the Head Pastor.  The mission of the church has always been and still is “to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.  Young people and their salvation has been the emphasis and love of the church. 

Several major camps for the youth are organized by the church each year with a large number of “scholarships” for the less privileged being provided for each camping trip. 

The opportunity to serve in our small way at Grace Community Church has again proved to be an extraordinary event for Jenny and me. 

SOWERs Serving at Grace - February 2011 Jenny & Don, Lee & Lib, Nancy & Dan and Les and Barb. Another great group, blessing Jenny and me in many ways throughout the month.

A PICTORIAL REVIEW OF SOME OF OUR TASKS:

Don installing some of the border brick (much warmer day).

  

The whole SOWER crew worked in the sanctuary at cleaning all the chairs and shampooing the carpet. Here Jenny is hard at the chair cleaning task.

Dan and Les getting the buses road-ready for the upcoming camping trip.

Jenny, busy doing some upholstery work for the nursery rocking chair.

Les and Don painted the BB backboards on the school yard.

 

 

 

Les and Lee repaired and painted the flagpole from top to very bottom.

Lib and Barb, baking many cookies for the upcoming camping adventure.

Kids on their school day lunch break. Helping with the education is the reason we serve.

Jenny and Barb, more upholstering.

Don and Lee repaired scraped and painted several picnic tables.

The men blew insulation into the attic of the office area and also the parsonage. Don has the easy job while Dan and Lee are inside and Les and our hosts, Bud and Steve and down below feeding the machine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always, Jenny and Don thank God for the opportunity to be in service.  We thank you in advance for your continued prayer and financial support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Way of the Cross has had its main focus on missions in Mexico.   They have trained hundreds of short term missionaries in preparation before their trips across the border. 

Recent violence in Mexico has stopped the misionary groups coming through WOTC.   A ministry in the refugee camps along the border is being expanded.  Way of the Cross is also pursuing the expansion of their existing efforts in Nicaragua.   Mid January, a group of about 45 staff and 40+ medical personnel returned from Nicaragua after 10+ days of providing medical and spiritual help.     

The SOWER’s had the opportunity to help WOTC here at the training center.  

WOTC Jan 2011 Crew Jenny and Don, JoAnn and Paul, Kay and Frank, Charlene and George, and Sue and Bill.

The ladies refinished the woodwork in the training center. Jenny and Sue working on some hall doors.

The men patched the cracks in the stucco outside and inside in prep for painting. Bill and Frank(down in the corner patching) while Sue gets ready for to take a photo).

Jenny doing some trimming before painting the benches out front of the training center/chapel.

Curtains needed to come down and be laundered from the chapel, training rooms, dorm rooms, etc. Jenny hard at it.

Kay, busy ironing the curtains.

Several palm trees out in front of the chapel/training center got a clean-up and trimming by Jenny and Don.

Don on the latter cutting fronds with Bill keeping the latter steady.

Paul and Bill taking a break from patching wall/ceilings in the chapel.

Sue, Charlene and JoAnn did a whole bunch of cleaning in a RV that was donated to WOTC.

George and Don finishing another load of trash from the front yard clean-up.

Doing cleaning and washing of windows after the painting was complete.

It has been our privilege to once again be of assistance in the background of another great ministry.  As we go to serve at these different ministries, we thank the Lord every day for the chance.  We miss our family and friends back in Minnesota and South Dakota but the Lord continues us in this direction.  He is providing comfort and fellowship for us we go.

Thank you for your prayers and your financial support.

Love,

Don and Jenny

The SOWER Group after attending the Worship Service at the Cowboy Church, east of Tyler, TX. Don and Jenny, Ken and Romelle, and Laurl and Dick.

This happened about an hour after Dick and Laurl parked their fifth wheel at the ranch. We were all across the pond just beginning our initial project meeting when we got a call telling us there was a fire in the SOWER’s parking area. The trailer next which you see here was totaled also.

Jenny cleaning ceiling and bunks in one of the dorms.

Jenny, Laurel, Ken and Romelle processed, prepared and canned peach jam. A LOT of peach jam! They canned 830+ jars of jam

Some of the camp staff and volunteers we had the opportunity to get-to-know just a little.

Putting up a new pavilion was the main task of the month. We used some unique equipment configurations at various stages. Matt is at the top, Don trying to wrestle the truss, Henry on the tractor, Boyd and Ken assisting with 2X6, Travis and Dick steadying the scaffolding.

Pavilion ready for the roofing.

Roofing - - - Henry up top, Don using his head as a lift, and Ken securing the latter and Dick shoving up the panel. After several sheets of roofing going up this way, we found a better way, thank goodness.

FINISHED PAVILION!!!

One of the programs at the camp is horseback riding. Here campers are getting basic instructions in horsemanship.

ROCKIN’ C RANCH IS A WONDERFUL MINISTRY.  The positive presentation of all creation being the work of God is very clear.  The programs are many and varied.  You can learn much more about the ministry at www.rockcranch.org.  It has been a priviledge for Jenny and me to serve at this ministry.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and financial support as we do our mobile missions.

The August SOWER Crew: Mryon and Arlene(IN), Sandy and Grant(CA),Marg and Larry(FullTimers), Dave and Lynda(BC), Don and Jenny(FullTimers)

This is Lynda (SOWER from British Columbia) standing by the very large rock at the camp lake shore. The rock is 20+?? Feet high and very fitting as a large reminder of our “Solid Rock” Jesus.

Here are some of the campers as they work in the crafts building. All of the activities for the campers are a platform used to present the Gospel message to the children.

Jenny and Lynda cleaning and readying rooms for camp guests.

Lynda a one of her cleaning stations.

Arlene at one of her favorite cleaning stations.

THE LADIES DID A LOT OF CLEANING! 

Marg and Sandy helped Teressa, the camp administrator, with a very large mailing for the camp.

Jenny, Arlene and Lynda sorted about 25 flats (LOTS) of blueberries which the camp received from a local food shelf, flash froze them and then bagged them. Lots of purple fingers.

Myron and Don worked at trimming out a new cabin. Here they sand window casings getting ready to poly before installing.

Myron and Don cutting and fitting new trim for the cabin.

Dave, Grant and Larry worked on the interior of a new four room “Ranch” building. They wired, insulated and sheet-rocked the entire building.

The camp staffers Drew on the left and Noah on the right along with SOWERs, Dave, Grant and Larry outside on the porch of the building where they did all their work.

The Kenai River was about five miles from Solid Rock. Dave and Don went fishing almost every night after work. We could have fished all night if we would not have to be up and at it the next day for daily devotions at 7:30AM and work at 8:00. Here is one nights catch of red(sockeye) salmon. What a blast.

We had an opportunity to go to Homer, AK at the end of the peninsula to fish for halibut. We where successful and each got our limit of two fish. We caught many more but released them in hopes that the next on was going to be “The Big One”.

Alaska, what a place to observe the GREATNESS of our God. This is a picture of Mt. McKinley/Denali that we took on our way from Camp LiWa to Solid Rock.

Once again, we thank the Lord each day for giving us the opportunity to serve and to be able to see His mighty creation from our earthly vision.

Thank you for your prayers and your support.

Don and Jenny