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 He who watches over you will not slumber.  Psalm 121:3

TFC Staff Conference

Final Entry

Since Thursday was a busy day for me, along with the closing activities, I did not take time to make an entry for Wednesday.

Wednesday at our conference is always a free day.  We have opportunity to relax at the conference center, travel to the dunes and ride dune buggies, visit, go shopping, etc.  Cerwin and I did several interviews for future newsletters.

~~~

In the evening we had fun night.

This year we celebrated TFC’s fifty-five years of ministry.

Each person was asked to bring a picture of himself/herself from the early fifties, or a baby picture if you were born after that.  We tried to put a name with each picture.

During the week the men had “drag races” (using straws and miniature cars), continually eliminating contestants.  The above racers are Mike Foisy (Lead Chaplain, Chilliwack, BC) and Murray Scott (Director of Overseas Ministry, Hamilton, ON).

The final race was Wednesday night.

Chaplain Peter Vaprov (Russia) competing against the eventual winner, Chaplain Mike Hayden (Greensboro, NC).

The decorations were amazing.  In this photo Inge Koenig, Assistant to the President, shows off the painting of a 1959 Cadillac.

Several came dressed in ’50s style clothing.  Left to Right:  Carolyn and Chaplain Rallyn Van Beek (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) and TFC President Scott Weidner and his wife Karen (Hershey, PA)

The Fonz!  Chaplain Jason Nussbaun and his wife, Shannon (Lodi, OH)

Chaplain Hank Rader and his wife Gloria (Knoxville, TN)

Cerwin and I, and Scott and Karen Weidner were chosen to try hoola hoops.  I used to be good with a hoola hoop, but couldn’t keep it going around my waist, so tried it around my neck, where I got it going quite well!

Ellen Kraus and Gloria Rader manned the soda fountain.

We were even “honored” to have Elvis (Bunny O’Hare, Director of Chaplain Care) make an appearance!

He asked his backup singers Chaplain Paul Leger (Salisbury, NB, Canada), Chaplain Rick Campbell (Grand Rapids, MI), Chaplain Jim Harkless, (Greensboro, NC), and Cerwin (my sweetheart) to join him in a gospel song.

It was amazing how young it made us feel to hear music, be reminded of events, and see clothing styles of the ’50s.

~~~

Wednesday was the day the weather turned cold and rainy so I was glad I had time to walk to the beach earlier in the week.

One benefit of the rain was a beautiful rainbow!

 A rainbow seems like a fitting way to close our Staff Conference pictures.

An Interesting Day!

Sunday Morning and Afternoon

We woke up feeling like a truck had run over us!  It’s amazing what one night with little sleep does to a body.

Cerwin went to Jere and Kristen’s house to get their four children, so Kristen’s mom could go to church.  She went to their house yesterday to be with the children during the afternoon, evening, and overnight.

My step-mother’s family had the pavilion reserved for lunch, but the weather looked so uncertain and windy, that we prepared our garage for the three dozen people who would be coming.  After ten days away from home, I didn’t think our yard and flowerbeds were presentable, but decided that it would have to be OK – and nobody complained .  They all shared their gratefulness for the benefit of the garage.

When Jere’s arrived at noon, they told us they just found out that the elderly man they care for was in the hospital yesterday.  They quickly ate, went to his house – then took him back to the hospital.  Doctors did not come to a conclusion as to what his problem is.

Jere’s have custody of his sixty-year-old mentally handicapped son, Greg – just because of this kind of situation.

Evening

We took the children to their house, gave them baths, then waited for Jere or Kristen to come home. 

They came home about half an hour after we had the children in bed.  Jere is staying home with the children tonight.  Kristen took Greg home and will stay with him overnight.  He is so confused and upset.  His mom died several years ago when their car lit on fire while they were driving.  Greg is like a small child in a large, six-foot body, and has never been without his dad.

~~~

Quiet wasn’t in the plans for either of us today!!

Airport Saga Continued

Saturday

As soon as agents arrived at 4:30 AM, we got on standby for the 7:30 AM flight – but soon discovered being on standby with United was almost worthless, because our original tickets were with American. 

We walked to the closest American gate to check on their standby status.  That didn’t look very hopeful either, so we booked seats on American for 5 PM. 

We had lots of fun meeting people – most of whom were also on standby.  It became humorous as each of us waited for our names to be called. 

Finally our names were called for the 11:30 AM United flight.  We had seats on this flight from the change of reservation the night before, but were told to wait until our names were called, because United’s standbys took priority to a ticketed seat from another airline. 

We arrived on the plane, only to discover that our seats had been given to two people who were United standbys, so had to get off again.  That was the most disappointing time of the day.  We were so tired, and so ready to get home.

By this point we were on standby with American, but just like United, every flight was delayed because of the weather the day before – or weather that was currently happening, and the standby list was long.

Our son Jere and his wife Kristen called from California to say their flight to Harrisburg (connecting in Texas) was canceled due to tornados in Dallas.  They called back later to say they were now connecting in Chicago about 6:30 PM.

We waited as standbys through each Harrisburg flight, and listened to many changes and cancelations, wondering if we would be spending another night in Chicago.  We talked to Jere’s and decided if we were both in Chicgao overnight, we would get a motel and try to leave together in the morning.

By late afternoon when I checked departing flights, there wasn’t even one on schedule.  Sometimes the plane was there, but the crew was at another airport, or enroute!

FINALLY our 5 PM flight was ready to leave at 6:40 PM – and we were on board! 

Our cell phone rang.  It was Jere.  They had just landed in an adjoining terminal.  This was one time we wished our plane would be delayed another hour – so Jere and Kristen could make the flight.  There were two empty seats in front of us. 

However, that was not to be.  We think we saw each others planes

~~~

We got home about 10:15 Saturday night.  Jere’s got home today (Sunday) about noon.

Our Airport Saga

Friday Night

We don’t usually choose to begin a flight at night, but had free air miles, and this was the only departing choice for getting home from Grand Rapids, MI.

We said goodbye to the thirteen remaining staff (who were flying out of Muskegon after lunch), drove our rented car to Chaplain Kevin and Sally Van Horn’s house in Grand Rapids, and enjoyed lunch and the afternoon with them, Chaplain Mike and Florence Foisy (Chilliwack, BC), and Chaplain Bill & Gertie Thomas (Edmonton, AB).  The six of us had flights out of Grand Rapids between 7:45 and 8:00 PM.

This is were the Saga began.

Because our 8 PM American flight was canceled, they put us on United.  However, that flight was delayed until 9 PM, due to bad weather in Chicago.  (It was originally scheduled for 6:30 PM, and passengers who arrived on that flight had been in the plane since 4:30 PM.)

I found out later, that Foisy’s and Thomas’ got a motel in Grand Rapids because their flights were also canceled.  I understand their flights were uneventful on Saturday.

Just before leaving Grand Rapids, I got a phone call from American Airlines saying our flight out of Chicago was also canceled – due to the weather.  Since they did not have an available flight until Saturday afternoon, they put us on an 11 AM flight with United.

e

 Leaving Grand Rapids in the rain at 9 PM

Arriving in O’Hare at 10 PM – after they had a three-hour shutdown – was quite an experience.  There were people everywhere, and most airlines were shutting down for the night, so people either found motels or stayed in the airport.

We opted to stay in the airport to get on standby status as soon as possible.

We found chairs and slept off and on between midnight and 4 AM, along with hundreds (probably thousands) of other people.

Our Flight is Cancelled Out of Grand Rapids!

 We have boarding passes for another airline, but it is delayed because of a storm in Chicago!

At this point it looks like we may miss our connection in Chicago

which means we will be spending the night in an airport!

TFC Staff Conference

Thursday, September 21

Closing Program

Rallyn and Carolyn Van Beek, Sioux Falls, SD – Received a Certificate for Completion of Chaplain Training School – From Bunny O’Hare, Director of Chaplain Care.

Wayne and Rita Foreman – Received a Certificate for Completion of Chaplain Training School.

Two Chaplains Were Commissioned Tonight

Chaplain Peter and Lydia Vaprov, Moscow, Russia (left)

The Leadership Team is in the background.

President Scott Weidner read their commission in English while Victor (grey suit) interpreted in Russian.

Also commissioned tonight were Claude (pronounced “cloode”) and Hughette Mathieu, Woodstock, Ontario, Canada (right – front row).  We should have had a French interpreter for them!  However, they do understand and speak English.

Prayer

 ~ ~ ~

It has been an awesome week!

I have lots more to tell, and will give a few more highlights in the next few days.  The days have been full with meetings, fellowship, interviews for future newsletters, etc.  I usually get to our room about 10 PM, and leave for breakfast about 7:30 AM.

TFC Staff Conference

Ladies Meetings Continued

Angie Moses, Marietta, PA, writing a note on the wetboard, prior to the second meeting.

As we prayed for requests…

…we praised the Lord that we could pray for our meeting – and the men next door – and know that both had His full attention. 

My mind cannot understand that – and that each of you has His full attention as well.

The men’s meeting next door.

Eight Chaplain’s Wives Shared

“What God is Doing in My Life”

 About six weeks before Conference, I asked for six to eight women who were willing to share what God is doing in their life.  I was pleased with the response.  Everyone took the responsibility seriously and carefully prepared their short talk.

Trisha Hoy – Elkton, MD

Lemona Evans – Nashville, TN

Debra Deems – Brunswick, GA

Colleen Carlson – Buffalo, NY

Raydean Stuckey, East St Louis, IL

Lucille Yuen, Toledo, OH

Laura Hertle, Omaha, NE

It was a great honor to receive greetings from Lydia Vaprov, Moscow, Russia.

Victor is a great (and funny) interpreter

We each received a gift from Russia

TFC Staff Conference

Tuesday, September 19

Today we had our last session with Pastor David Martin, then had two sessions where the men and women were separate.  The men had a business meeting with TFC President Scott Weidner in charge.

I was asked to oversee the women’s meetings, and since I am running out of time this morning (and was too tired to post last night), I am going to post a photo of the cover and Page 2 of my handout. 

That will give you something to think about until I have time to post again!

Listen To God

Study the Word Until it Becomes Honey to You – Sweet to Your Soul.

We had another wonderful day of studying the Word with Dr. David Martin and singing/concert with John Schmid.  The only difference from yesterday was that the 4 PM program with John was set up for him to do some of his folk-style, funny, and trucking songs.  We had lots of fun with him, and even talked him into doing an extra twenty minutes.

The Highlight of the Day

Meeting a TFC Chaplain from Russia

L to R:  Interpreter, Lydia & Peter Vaprov, being introduced by Murray Scott, Director of Overseas Ministry.  

Lydia and Peter, Moscow, Russia

There are three chaplains in Russia.  This year it was Peter & Lydia’s turn to come to the conference.