Sunrise over Rancho Abierto
Hello, June!
Today we are flying to Mexico to speak for two YWAM bases for the next week, one in Tijuana and the other in Ensenada. After spending two weeks at Rancho Abierto, the YWAM base in “Nowhere, Mexico” followed by five days in California, we returned home for (almost) two very full weeks and are thrilled to be returning to Mexico for another week of teaching and counseling. Hence the two sides of the Mexico sandwich.
Our second week (May 8–14) at Rancho Abierto was full of teaching, interaction, counseling, and ever deepening relationships. It’s amazing how community grows when (most) distractions are removed. Off the grid, community spaces for dining, rest-rooming, hanging out, 9 miles from the nearest paved road, few vehicles, and did I mention off the grid? No phones, TV’s, or screens. Only when all of that is removed is our awareness heightened to how much time/attention/focus is drained off real relationships by virtual realities.
Our teaching on Christian Worldview and Parenting spawned many vigorous conversations. We introduced the topics by acknowledging that given our diversity (the group was comprised of families from Singapore, Canada, Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, India, and America), our life experiences, and our spiritual journeys, we did not expect/want everyone to agree on everything. Our desire was that wherever we “land,” it would be based on the authoritative Word of God, which bridges all cultures and all generations.
That said, we had lively, insightful interaction and truly felt very met by God.
Lots of counseling, fellowship over meals, and daily 5-mile walks over the very dusty, unpaved road filled the days and we left part of our heart at Rancho Abierto as we parted on Saturday the 14th. The almost 5-hour journey to San Diego was the perfect ending as Brian and Sue McCoy (founders and directors of Rancho Abierto) were our “escorts.” Not surprisingly, we talked non-stop throughout the trip, debriefing on the weeks and dreaming about future partnerships.
Community dining three times a day gives many opportunities for connection.
Early morning family devotions in the “Ohana Shelter.” Paul was (predictably) a “hit” with the kids.
We spent an afternoon with the 9–12-year-old class talking about friendship. Great group of kids!
Our two weeks ended with a “Love Feast,” planned and prepared (mostly) by Luke O’Banion (head cook) and friends. The fabulous meal would be hard to top anywhere and the adult-only feast fed both body and soul. It was sweet closure to two wonderful weeks.
What joy to partner with Brian and Sue McCoy. Their vision for and execution of the development of Rancho Abierto is clearly driven by their fully surrendered hearts for Jesus and we are truly blessed to be on their team.
Once across the border on Sat., May 14, we boarded a TRAIN to Santa Ana where we were picked up by our dear friend, Wendy Turney. After attending her church (Grace Fellowship Church in Tustin) Sunday morning, the three of us drove to Riverside to spend the afternoon with Lisa. She feted us with a lovely, delayed Mother’s Day celebration, which included an amazing farm-to-table lunch of salad topped with tri-tips, fresh artichokes, and the best strawberries that have ever passed my lips, followed by a tour of the Heritage House, a refurbished 130-year-old Riverside mansion. It was a perfect day and both Wendy and I felt so much love.
Wendy and Lisa getting ready for lunch.
The Heritage House—we loved every minute of our tour.
And that night we were treated to the lunar eclipse. What a show put on by the Creator of the Universe!!
The almost fully eclipsed moon, May 15.
Very early Monday morning, we boarded another train, bound for San Luis Obispo. The reason for extending our trip beyond our time in Mexico was so we could attend the wedding of Sage Theule and Joshua Ronda. Sage’s dad, Tim Theule, spoke for family camp for 12 summers, forging a deep love and bond between our families. Our daughters also attended Grace Church in SLO, which Tim pastors. The unusual Monday night wedding was part of what made it possible for us to attend. The other significant part was played by Dave and Debbie Hazlebeck, who graciously “adopted” us in to their family, taking care of all of our needs for the 24 hours we were together.
The wedding was beautifully unique. It was staged in a campground, in the beautiful outdoors, with a profound message delivered by the father of the bride. Not surprisingly, Tim didn’t waste a word. Every one was carefully chosen and conveyed the beauty of God’s design for marriage. “He designed it, so He defined it.” Simple. Clear. True. The celebration continued with a bbq tri-tip dinner, thoughtful toasts, and dancing. We were so very happy it worked out for us to join the party.
Train-bound for San Luis Obispo. Except for an unexpected two-hour delay in LA due to mechanical problems, which did threaten to derail our plans to get to the wedding on time (thankfully we made it!), the route up the California coast was spectacular and a very fun way to travel.
Dave and Debbie Hazlebeck kindly and generously took care of all our needs once they picked us up at the train station in SLO.
Pastor Tim Theule did a beautiful job officiating the nuptials uniting his daughter Sage and her now husband Joshua.
We spent Tuesday hanging out with the Hazlebeck crew, eating a leisurely breakfast at the sweet B&B we stayed in, walking on the endless Cayucos Beach, stirring happy memories of days gone by with lunch at Firestones (our girl’s favorite haunt when they lived in SLO), and even playing a round of Disc Golf. Dave and Debbie dropped us off at Santa Barbara Airport that evening and we caught a red-eye home.
The Hazlebecks and a couple of “wanna be’s"
Disc golf, anyone?
We snuck out early to walk the beach and were rewarded with a very low tide and very few people. There are few activities that restore our souls more than beach walking.
Apparently we’d forgotten that we “swore off” red-eyes a couple of years ago, for reasons now clear again.
We did manage to recover some lost sleep after getting home mid-morning on May 18th, which was a good thing since we spoke that night at Fireside Church. The church has been planted in Salisbury, MA, over these past couple of years by our friends Andy and Kate Bauer, and from all accounts it is thriving. It was a joy to speak into marriages that evening for their Date Night, which was simply held in an old brick building in downtown Newburyport. Though yummy appetizers were served, the main event was to encourage couples to keep pressing towards the heart of God as they live out the gospel in their homes.
The very relaxed, simple Date Night was well received by the couples from Fireside Church.
Counseling filled Thursday and parts of Friday. On Saturday we drove to Connecticut to attend a memorial service honoring June Bullock’s mom, Priscilla Johnson, who had passed away at age 95 just days before. Dave and June are some of our dearest friends and though we don’t get to see them often (they live in Wisconsin), we treasure any time we can be together. We were so thankful that God arranged the timing of our lives to be able to intersect at this important event. It was wonderful to connect with them as well as their children, Sarah and Pete, who along with Dave, led worship for the service.
Dave and June Bullock served with us at Grace Chapel in 1998–99. We became fast friends then, and our friendship is still going strong.
The following day, Sunday, May 22, we drove to Swansea, MA, to speak at Bethany Gospel Chapel. BGC is one of our partner churches that not only support HIM financially, but also subsidize the cost of the HIM Marriage Conference or Engagement Matters weekends for any of their members. We love what they’re modeling by doing that.
Paul preached a great sermon on authority for the worship service and then we fielded a Q and A time over lunch for whoever wanted to stay. A good number did and the time went well. We’re so thankful for this church which continues to be gospel centered.
Lunch and conversation followed the service at Bethany Gospel Chapel.
Dave and Ellie Greenhalgh are long time members of Bethany Gospel Chapel and it was fun to have some time with them after church.
The final treat of the weekend was driving to Plymouth to have dinner with my cousin Frank, his wife Annette, and his son Jamie and wife Brittany. Jamie and Brittany have served on the tech team for our marriage conference the past several years and we’ve grown to love them dearly. We’ve been out of town the past few times Frank and Annette have visited, so we were delighted that this worked out. We had a great time reconnecting over a yummy dinner and that put an exclamation point on a full and wonderful weekend.
Frank and Annette (Frank is the youngest son of my father’s only sister and they live in Baton Rouge, LA), and Jamie (holding Melo) and Brittany (holding their 8-month-old pre-born first born!).
We came up for air on Monday, counseled on Tuesday, and met up with Dave and June and Linda Anderson for lunch on Wednesday. What legendary company!! We had the most delightful time reconnecting, reminiscing, and rejoicing in God’s faithfulness through the thick and thin of life. So blessed to have these great people in our lives.
The stars—or, our schedules—lined up to afford a lovely leisurely lunch with Linda Anderson and June and Dave Bullock.
Memorial Day weekend was highlighted by a mini-reunion with Berea family campers at a bbq hosted by Bill and Ann Fredericks. We miss our annual reunions with these fine folks so it was a joy to reconnect with them. Great food and fellowship.
Veteran Berea family campers gathered over Memorial Day weekend for food and fellowship at the Fredericks.
We felt the kindness of God that we were able to attend the funeral of Susan Yardley’s father on Memorial Day. We’ve journeyed with the Yardleys for about 25 years and they are “chosen family.” It was good to “show up” for this dark valley passage for our dear friends.
The “all grown up” Yardleys (minus 12-year-old Abbie) duly honored their musical father/grandfather with their extraordinary musical gifts.
And that brings us to today . . . the other piece of bread for the “Mexico sandwich.”
In between the events noted, we’ve had multiple meetings with friends, walked five miles a day, begun the purging process of our attic (out of deference to our children, in whose good graces we wish to remain should they suddenly be left with our “stuff”), and spent too much time trying to clear our “in” boxes from accumulated emails.
We’ve rejoiced with freshly-minted graduates, cried with many in pain, and prayed a lot.
This past month has confronted us with the ever-increasing reality of the sinful, broken state of our world. So much grief. So much pain. So much uncertainty.
But as we walk through our neighborhood and view the bountifully blossoming rhododendrons, azaleas, lilacs, dogwoods, and peonies, we’re reminded that God is still caretaking His planet. He’s reminding us that there is beauty and hope-giving life in the midst of so much that isn’t right.
All praise is His.
