Friends
When our “old” Pikangikum team leaders learned that Stuart and Delores Swartzentruber (Hopelines) were in our area, Jesse and Martha Copenhaver invited us to their place for supper – so we could spend Wednesday evening together.
Left to right – Ray and Eva Nolt, Delores and Stuart Swartzentruber, Brian Weaver (lives with Jesse and Martha), Gary and Orpha Stevens, Cerwin, Martha and Jesse Copenhaver.
The Nolts, Stevens, Copenhavers, and Cerwin and I were team leaders in the late 80s and early 90s when our church sent a dozen young people – and two sets of team leaders – to Pikangikum each summer. We lived on the reserve and taught Bible school every afternoon for a week.
Pikangikum is a First Nation reserve in northwestern Ontario, and where most of us met Stuart and Delores, as that is where they served as missionaries at the time.
Delores and Stuart are in their final weeks of a yearlong sabbatical in the States – before going back to their current assignment in Sudbury, Ontario.
After supper, we went outside to enjoy the Copenhaver’s beautiful yard.
Martha showed us their beautiful Stargazer daylily.
She said this one is several years old, but has never been so tall or large.
She also told us the name of this flower – but I forget what it is.
This is the same kind of flower – just a different color – and was a recent gift for their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary.
ozarksfarmgirl says they are Mandevilla. Thanks. I thought someone would know.
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After walking around the yard, we had a wonderful visit on the patio just outside the basement room where we had supper.
Friendships are one of life’s great treasures.
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