One just never knows.............

This past Sunday as we visited at the JDC..... we were blessed once again in a special way. We had visited with all the kids who wanted a visitor....and it was 3:40.....still 20 minutes til 4:00 (when they usually send us out). The guard that had been attending to the cubicles seemed (to both of us --- we discussed this on the way home).....not real appreciative of us being there.....just a look in her eye. WELL, she asked other visitor (a teacher) if he would wait "right there" for a while. She then came in to our little cubicle and asked for prayers for herself. She said that she so appreciated us coming there and that as we prayed with each young person -- she prayed along with us. She has personal problems (that I won't share here but they mean that she has to move with her 2 little girls)....and just needed prayers to keep her head straight. We went home in awe of the fact that -- 1. we had so misjudged her..... 2. that God put us together at that time. Please keep this officer in your prayers......God will know what she needs and He will know who you are praying for.



Last night we were again with the JDC kids and what a blessing they are. There were only 9 --- 3 boys and 6 girls......but they are so attentive and LOVE to sing. We read a passage out of Luke --- Jesus' birth announced to Mary---- and then broke into small groups and answered questions. Gary had the 3 boys and was done way before the rest of us .........girls talk more than boys..... :-) .....so he wondered what was going on. Well my girls got to talking about how hard it is to forgive someone...... We had taken a globe along to show the kids just where all of this took place....let them know that it WAS a real place. And so it was a good night.

We just received an encouraging note from the Director of the JDC......thanking us for the impact we are having with the youth. Good things are happening there-----others are volunteering-----one man brought in 4 horses for the young people to ride and he also gave them God's Gospel message.....another gal is interested in helping out with their Library. We do feel that this is the place where we are to be. We see God at work. I did a Bible Study one time ...?Blackabee...?? And he said something like...."if you see God at work....go there. That's your invitation to work alongside Him".

We do have a big prayer request. We are in the process of moving to a different place. We are struggling with it, but as Gary says "we will make it." However, we would appreciate your prayers concerning it.

Thank you -- without your prayers where would we be!?!?!?!
Gary and Barb

Fish bait........and more.

Gary went fishing yesterday and came home with his limit of bass and 2 real nice perch. Below is his live bait....YES! live bait. These were the favorite bait of the day. He caught this grasshopper out there in the field and this rascal was still alive when he got home. As you can see the thing is HUGE !!

Meanwhile back at home.....I "enjoyed" a day of canning. Actually if I hadn't forgotten an important part of my pressure cooker --- the "jiggler" (those of you who use a pressure cooker will know what I mean by that term).....the day would have been totally enjoyable for me too. But it was rather stressful until I found a dear neighbor lady who had one that I could borrow.

So we now have carrots, and salsa and some stewed tomatoes to enjoy this winter. I really love seeing those jars lined up on the shelf downstairs.

Hope you too are enjoying the fall type weather.

On another note......There is a gal by the name of Victoria that we grew to care about very much in the Detention Center. Upon release we would hear from her via email once in a while and we stopped in at her home once or twice. Her little niece is in our Release Time at Lakeview. Well, Tuesday at R.T. Gayle said "Vicky went to school in Oregon". We were pretty sure that Gayle was wrong and that Vicky had really gone to an Indian School in Oklahoma (that had been in the plan for a while). However, after several phone calls we located Victoria in Salem, Oregon at an Indian School there. So we can now keep in touch with here there. GOD IS GOOD!!!

With love, Gary and Barb

To Michigan for a "Reunion" and then back.........

We had a grand time visiting with all of our family in Michigan the past 2 weeks. It was great to see the grandkids and our own kids!!! We got to help Marti and Tim with their home renovations....Gary got to help Mike with some baby chicks..... We spent one week at Mike and Julies and one week at Holly and Dennis........ We also got to visit with lots of our friends and do some fun stuff! The time went way - WAY - too fast!!

And now we are back in South Dakota and back into the swing of things. We visited with the JDC group and then the Lakeview CRC had a worship service there this evening. Pastor Tom always does a great job of relating the message to the kids and their culture! They are very attentive to him and respectful! We had four boys (young men) stay ---- not really to pray to receive Christ ---- but rather for prayers for themselves. One of them will be leaving the juvenile facility for the "big jail" this evening at midnight because he turns 18 tomorrow. We really had a nice talk with these four. It's neat to have more then one at a time because they can see that they really aren't alone and have others that WON'T be mocking them.....(sometimes you can see as they look around the group that they are wondering if anyone is looking at them as they sing or as they act interested).

And now we want to share some photos of what our garden looked like upon returning....it was NOT a pretty picture!! We thought the grasshoppers were bad last year --- but this makes last year look like nothing!!!

This is our rhubarb plant -- when we left there were leaves!!! They might have been rather "holely" but you COULD definitely see the leaves.....

That little green row of "plants" ---- that would be our carrots.....nice and full like carrots should be when we left. We will be digging them up and taking whatever we get. But we are thinking these will be OK.

Now this would be a good "what is it?" question. Luckily we got most of the ears of corn out before we left and then Marvanne (cousins wife) came and got the rest. But as you can see.....nothing but sticks left!!!

The grasshoppers got into the tomatoes too but they don't look to bad. And they must not like green pepppers at all.... Our squash (butternut) are rather naked too -- but I think they will be good eating anyway.

And that's how it is on the prairies. As my Aunt Melva would say "it's a harsh country". We're beginning to see what she means.

We love all of you!!! Gary and Barb