Monday March 30, 2009

 When I heard that our niece Amy was making these pretty fruit arrangements for a birthday party her mom (my sister) was having, I asked if she could make two for me.

 All Amy needed from me was two coffee cups.

 They were beautiful and delicious.

 By 6:30, everyone had arrived, and my lasagna, seven-layer salad, molded salad, rolls, relishes, and desserts were ready.

Left to right:  Eva and Ray Nolt, Merle and Rita Nisly, Orpha and Gary Stevens, and Cerwin. 

Our friendship with Merle and Rita, Red Lake, Ontario, Canada, began in the mid-eighties, when Gary, Orpha, Cerwin and I took a team of twelve young people to Pikagikum (a First Nation reserve) to teach Bible school for one week. 

Merle, who is CEO of Living Hope Native Ministries, was our contact person and pilot.  After a few years of doing this, the Lord called Cerwin and me into TFC.  Ray and Eva and a variety of other couples from our church served on this one-week Bible School team. 

Merle and Rita come to our area for a fundraising banquet every spring, giving the eight of us time to catch up on each others lives.