Sweetheart Banquet

On Valentine's Day we were able to treat our couples to a sweetheart banquet.  We invited our missionary, Alfredo Ortiz, to come up with his wife and family to be with us for that Sunday as well as to teach two sessions for our sweetheart banquet.  Brother Ortiz did a wonderful job with both sessions of the banquet as well as with both services on Sunday.

 

I had also invited Pastor Ismael Zamarron and his wife Lourdes to be with us just to share the experience with us.  I know that they love to visit Magdalena and I also know that they do not normally have the finances to get away.  Our people always enjoy their visits and they are always a blessing to us.

 

We were missing three couples of our own at the banquet but those who did make their plan to be present were greatly rewarded for their efforts.  Peggy had planned several activities and games that were a delight to the couples.  They were also able to experience and enjoy Peggy's "Green Chili Pie".  Next year we will plan to do the same with twice as many couples!

Sweetheart Banquet 2015

 Pastor & Sister Zamarron

 Mario & Marisol

  Brother & Sister Ortiz

 Martin & Imelda

  Jesus & Fransica

  Brother Ortiz teaching

 Dessert!

 Spooning for Hearts

 Not All That Easy!

A VISIT TO OHIO

God gave us the opportunity to visit Ohio for the Christmas and New Year season.  It was an opportunity to catch up with our family, our church family and some friends.  It was also an opportunity to recall what we miss by not living in Ohio as we had some snow and some below zero temperatures.  Actually temperatures above twenty seem to be decent but those minus degrees are biting for us desert dwellers.

 

It was great to be able to be with all of our children and their respective families.  We now have two grand children with another expected to arrive any day.  We enjoyed being able to also see both Peggy's parents and my parents as well as parts of both in-law groups.  For this trip our focus was to stay at our home church so that both those of our church who know us well and those who hardly know us at all would see us around.  Pastor Burke allowed me to jump in and take part in each service which was a tremendous blessing to me.

 

We were able to report to three supporting churches on our trip.  On our way back to Ohio we detoured to see my sister and her family on a Saturday and were blessed to be back with Bible Baptist Temple in St. Joseph, Mo.  While staying with my folks we were also able to be with Mt. Vernon Baptist Temple and then on our way home we stopped on Wednesday evening to meet the folks of Lower Hickory Grove Baptist Church who had taken us on for support although they had never met us.  We returned spiritually refreshed and mentally recharged although physically tired.

 

It was such a blessing to be able to visit in Ohio and to now be back serving God in our place here in Magdalena.

My Parents & Older Brother

 Almost All Grown Up!

 The Frosty Mountains

 When in Ohio,

 Chop Wood.