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Chilliwack, British Columbia

Day 9 – Wednesday

Home Away From Home

The Chapel

Great Blue Herons

Eagles

 

 

Our home away from home.

Dave and Annie Giesbrecht’s guest rooms are in the basement.

 

Our bedroom

 

 

The bedroom next door where I check my emails and post my blogs in the early morning – so I don’t wake Cerwin.

 

 

The TV room where Cerwin watches the morning news.

 

 

Upstairs – standing in their living room, looking into the dining room.

 

~~~

 

In the morning the men worked at setting up a few more things at the chapel.

 

 

How many TFC men does it take to install an awning?

One to install it, one to hold the awning, one to hold the ladder, and one to watch.

 

 

The first visitor on the chapel (left), with Volunteer Chaplain Corky.

 

~~~

 

Don and Darlene Hannah came to the chapel at noon to take us on a photo shoot.

 

Our first stop.

 

 

Walking to where the Great Blue Herons are nesting.

 

 

I was not prepared for all these nests!  Their literature says there are about one hundred.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw lots of them carrying branches, as it is nest-building time.

 

 

 

 

 

~~~

 

The next three pictures were taken inside the Nature Reserve Building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

~~~

 

From there we started looking for eagles.

 

Bald Eagle

 

 

 

 

We also saw Golden Eagles

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw more that two dozen eagles!

 

~~~

 

Thanks Don and Darlene for a fabulous day.

 

 

 

Your body is a sacred place,

the place of the Holy Spirit.

You can’t live however you please,

squandering what God paid such a high price for.

I Corinthians 6:19-20 MSG

 

 

 

Chilliwack, British Columbia

Day 8 – Tuesday

Putting the Chapel in Place

 

 

Devotions with Dave and Annie before breakfast

 

 

Annie showing us her Russian hat and shaw, after telling us about their trip to Russia – which is her homeland.  They were pleased to see the village and home where her grandparents and mother lived, before coming to Canada.

 

 

Cerwin, Corky, and Dave watching as Mike backs the chapel into place.

 

 

The truck stop management gave them a great spot.

 

 

Lunch with Chaplain Mike and Florence Foisy.

After lunch Mike took us to a photo shop where we purchased a replacement filter for the one that broke on Sunday.  My spare one works like Polaroid sunglasses, and tended to darken inside pictures.

 

 

Volunteer chaplain Corky and Don Hannah

 

 

Darlene Hannah

We were pleased to see Don and Darlene at the chapel when we returned from lunch.  We have known them for many years, due to their involvement with TFC in this area.  Don was part of setting up the old chapel, and served as a chaplain for many years. 

 

 

 Cerwin and Mike worked on hooking up lights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cerwin and Dave unloading lumber for leveling the chapel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The truckers view of the chapel as they come off the highway.

 

 

Don and Corky discussing chapel activities – past and current.

 

 

John, a driver, was pleased to see the new chapel when he pulled into the truck stop, and parked right beside it.  When I met him, he said it was because of TFC and Don Hannah that he is walking with the Lord.  I told him that Don was over in the old chapel.  They hadn’t seen each other for eleven or twelve years!

Too many more days like this, and we will be able to pull Don out of retirement!  He wasn’t even aware that he had an influence on John’s life.

 

 

John, drawing directions to his house for Don.  He lives way beyond the “boonies.”

 

 

Flowers in Dave and Annie’s back yard.

 

 

Don and Darlene joined us for supper at Dave and Annie’s.

 

 

After supper, Don and Darlene went home, and we walked to a Bible study with church friends of Dave and Annie.  The first thing on the agenda was coffee, tea, and dessert.

 

 

Some of the pretty tea cups

 

 

We enjoyed a great Bible study on Hebrews 8 – The Superiority of Christ and the New Covenant.

~~~

I didn’t post last night, because it was 10:00 p.m. when we got home.  That is 1:00 a.m. to our Pennsylvania bodies.

My bruised chin looks about the same as yesterday’s photo, however, I think the swelling has gone down a bit.  I continue to be in very little pain, and appreciate your concern and prayers.  It is a great conversation piece, because it now looks like a birthmark, so people aren’t sure if they should comment on it or ignore it.

 

  

 

For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you.

He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Deuteronomy 31:6  NLT

 

 

 

On the Road to Chilliwack

Day 7 – Monday

Delivered!

 

 

We were crossing Snoqualmi Pass at daybreak.

 

 

Our first stop was the chapel at North Bend.  We were early, so knew there would not be a chaplain on duty. 

We had forgotten our passports, so had them over-nighted to the fuel desk at this TA Travel Center.

 

 

After days of brown, rocks, mountains, and snow, it was great to see springtime.

 

 

 

 

We haven’t seen this since leaving home either – lots of traffic.

 

 

More pretty scenery as we head toward the border.

 

 

 

 

I love this area of Washington – just south of the Canadian border.

 

 

Raspberries

 

 

Farms

 

 

Dairy

 

 

Eagles

 

 

It took us fifty minutes to cross into Canada.  PTL! 

The last time a chapel was delivered to Canada, it took three hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A hug from Chaplain Mike Foisy

 

 

The welcoming committee came out in the rain to greet us!

 

 

It was much drier on the inside of the old chapel.

 

 

Mike, Dave, Cerwin, and driver James, who came for fellowship.

 

~~~

 

We will spend the next week with Dave and Annie Giesbrecht

 

Cerwin and Dave

 

 

Annie putting icing on some Easter bread.

 

 

The view out their dining room window.  We will probably have a better view of the mountain tomorrow or Wednesday when it is supposed to be clear and sunny.

 

~~~

 

And just incase you wondered what I look like tonight…

 

It isn’t pretty!

It only hurts when I eat or talk – and those who know me, know that pain will not stop me from doing either of those.  

 

 

 

 

 

Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.  

Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.

Psalm 40:11  NLT

 

 

 

I’m Black and Blue This Morning!

 

 

I’m fairly pain free – without Tylenol – and slept all night.

God is good.  All the time.

 

 

 

 

On the Road to Chilliwack, BC

Day 6 – Sunday

Livingston, MT to Ellensburg, WA

 

Sights from our 593-mile journey today.

 

 

We crossed the Continental Divide shortly after sunrise.

 

 

Domesticated Buffalo

 

 

Montana scenery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mule deer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Idaho 10:40 a.m.

 

~~~

 

Who ever said a trucker’s life is boring.  Just before entering the state of Washington, Cerwin said, “I think I just saw an accident.  Dust is flying and everyone is coming to a stop.”

 

 

As we got closer, I noticed guns and someone being arrested.

 

 

A plain clothed officer

 

 

Notice the officer on the right has a gun on somebody else.

 

 

 

 

The passenger was a woman.

 

 

After checking to see if anyone else was in the car, they motioned us on.  The officers were quite professional and quick.

 

~~~

 

Washington scenery

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Pennsylvania farmers would like large, flat fields like this.

 

  

We saw thousands of acres of farmland, with new crops being irrigated.

 

 

 

 

Just as we approached the Cascades, we noticed a scenic pulloff area, large enough for a rig.  This is the first time we stopped at something other than a truck stop, rest area, or to visit another staff person!

 

 

Among the weeds and sagebrush, I noticed pretty, yellow daisies.

 

 

Just after taking this picture – as Cerwin and I were walking toward the lookout area – I stumbled on the edge of the asphalt and fell flat on my face!

 

 

I can’t believe that I didn’t break anything – or loose any teeth.  I felt something in my mouth, expecting to spit out a tooth, but it was a piece of asphalt.  Then I spit out a second piece.  The only cut is a small area under my chin.  My mouth is also bruised inside my lower lip.

We never did go to the lookout spot – maybe on the way home.  Cerwin felt bad that he couldn’t break my fall, but it happened so fast.  Ice, two Tylenol, and a Baid-aid have me feeling  pretty good. 

 

 

I had the camera around my neck, and it must have hit the ground right on the lens, because the protective lens filter is the only thing that broke – and I have a spare one along.

I may look a little bruised for a few days, but praise God that nothing serious happened. 

 

Keep praying for us! 

 

  

 

Answers to Your Questions

I am receiving more questions than usual, so will try to answer them in one entry.

1. I have Internet access through a Verizon Broadband card.  Minutes do not count from 7:00 p.m. through 7:00 a.m., so I do most of my posting then.  I check my email every two to three hours, during the day, trying not to use up all my other free minutes – since we will be on the road for three weeks.  I usually have access at truck stops, but not always while we are driving.  Saturday and Sunday minutes do not count.  It works like a cell phone.
2. You can find information about TFC at www.transportforchrist.org. 
3. TFC was founded in 1951 – in Canada.
4. Cerwin and I are just a small part of sixty-plus, paid staff. 
5. Staff members raise their support like other missionaries. 
6. There are even more volunteers – mostly chaplains who serve on the chapels.

7. TFC is served by a Board, President & CEO, Vice President, Director of Development, Director of Chaplains, two Directors for Chaplain Care, Director of Church and Community Relations, Director of Business & Finance, Overseas Director, Canadian Director, and an International office staff of eleven (if I counted correctly) .

8. Cerwin and I serve on the leadership team.  He is Director of Chapel Construction, and I am Director of Communications.
9. TFC in an interdenominational ministry of born-again Christians.
10. Yes, Cerwin was a truck driver.  He started out driving a dump truck for a stone quarry, then went to a big rig in 1966 when he began hauling propane for a local company.  He retired from that same location forty years later – at the end of 2006.
11. We became involved with TFC about 1970 – on a volunteer basis, then in 1990 Cerwin began serving as Northeast Region Director.  That office moved to our house, which is where I still work today.  In 2006 the ministry changed from regions to a leadership team.   
12. Cerwin continued driving and volunteered his time to TFC, until his retirement in 2006.  He is now on salary. 
13. I volunteered a day a week in the Northeast Region office from 1977 to 1987 when our children were in school (our youngest, usually went with me, until she was in school.)  During the summer, my sister and I exchanged babysitting one day a week.   In 1990  the Region office moved to our house (following the death of the former director).  By that time our three oldest were married.
14. We have five chapels in Canada and twenty-five in the United States.  There are several locations where ministry is conducted in the room of a truck stop.  There is also ministry in Africa and Australia that is associated with TFC, and we have three chapels in a country that we don’t make public on the Internet.  There is one promotional chapel (at the Marietta, PA, office) which is taken to truck shows, fairs, churches, schools, etc.
15. The chapels stay at truck stops – usually for many years.  A few chapels have been moved to a new location when management changed and they no longer wanted  a chapel, or when we no longer had staff to keep it open.
16. The one we are pulling right now is a replacement chapel for Chilliwack, where they have had a double-wide for many years.  Because the old one is deteriorating, and the staff in that area raised funds for this project, they are receiving a new one.
17. After arriving in Chilliwack – probably Monday afternoon – we will help set it up, stay for a banquet and chapel dedication next weekned, then bobtail to Wisconsin, where we will pick up a donated trailer and take it back to the shop in Pennsylvania, where Cerwin will convert it into a chapel for Racine, WI.
18. Concerning chapel services:  As a rule there are two worship services each Sunday – 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.  During the week, chapels are open according to available staff and volunteers.  Many are open every day, some only in the evening.  They are open for drivers who need one-on-one discipling.  Many chaplains conduct Bible studies in the evening.  They make the services known by the CB, truck stop public address system, and  walking the lot and inviting the drivers to come to the chapel.
19. On the personal level.  Yes, we enjoy sleeping in the cab – and sleep quite well.  There are double bunks.  We have a porta-potty.    Truck stops have showers.
20. Keep asking!  Remember, my job is communications.

 

 

The Heavens declare the glory of God

the skies proclaim the Work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1 NIV