Our MN trip

We hit the road rolling on Wednesday October 17th to head for the grand state of Minnesota. We took the drive in two days and arrived in Karlstad, MN on the 18th. We presented that night at Karlstad Baptist Church to a great group of believers that would normally have a Bible study that night. While there we stayed with the Dave Ingraham's family. Dave is the pastor at Karlstad Baptist. Jen Ingraham is one of the five daughters of Paul Olson, Houghtons pastor while he was getting his nursing degree. It was great for Jesiah and Gwen to have other kids to pal around with for a night!

The Ingraham Family

Karlstad Baptist Church, Karlstad MN

Friday we drove up to Deer River, MN to share a meal with Paul and Carol Olson, who formerly was the pastor in Fallon, MT while Houghton was in college. It was during the time that Houghton was under Pauls teaching that he grew spiritually and God used the Olson in a tremendous way to spur on that growth! So it was a great time to share with the Olson's what God is now doing in our lives and to catch up with them.

Paul and Carol Olson

While staying in Deer River we were graciously housed by Harley and Betty Steinbrenner. The Steinbrenners have retired in a home that they built on Jesse Lake. They were such a blessing to our family as we stayed for two nights. Harley used a bobcat and had cleared a number of trails outside their home through the woods for 4wheelers to go on. The Steinbrenners let us go out on their 4wheelers and enjoy the weather on Saturday.

Jesiah LOVED going 4wheeling! He was "steering" the whole time and he only got scared when dad got a little our of hand. ;) Gwenny was taking a nap while we were riding.Harely and Betty Steinbrenner

On Sunday morning we presented at Marcell Community Church. Paul Olson has been pastoring this church for the last 5 years since they moved to MN from MT and Harley Steinbrenner is a deacon while Betty Steinbrenner is on the missions committee. We had a great time with the Marcell congregation and were able to share a potluck with them after the service and we were able to chat more with some folks during that time which is always a blessing.

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

After spending time at the church in Marcell, we took off for the Mickesh family's home back in Deer River, MN. This tremendous family is currently looking at joining BMW as missionaries to Canada to the First Nations people or working in the states with First Nations groups in MN. They graciously opened their home to us for the night and we got to meet this fantastic family throughout the course of Sunday evening and Monday morning. Rick and Jamie have adopted six children as their own and it was a joy to spend time with their children interacting with ours!

That night before bed, our families sang some songs together which Jesiah thoroughly enjoyed and helped out with.

Me with their youngest Matthew

Jesiah dancing to a song while Rick and Mitchel hold the music

Brianna, Mariah, Emily, Gretchen with Matthew

Chatting with the Mickesh family

We then drove back to MT on Monday arriving on Tuesday after staying in Dickinson overnight to break up our trip for the kids a bit. God has been so gracious as we have been traveling. He has continually provided the money for our travel costs and we have not had to delve into our normal monthly income from our faithful supports for our driving costs since May! Thank you so much to you all who have given to us above and beyond what you have committed and thus helping us in a tremendous way with the expenses of "the road".

SOME ADDED NEWS:

We would also like to reiterate again how humbled we are at the team God has been building up as our support group here in the states! The work of a missionary is by far the most humbling work we have ever been involved with and we are amazed daily of Gods working in our lives and YOURS as He leads some to give financially and some prayerfully and others through encouraging us along our way.

Although we have already posted this on our website weeks ago, we also would like to announce that we will be expecting our third child in March this year and are thrilled to see God working through this as we hoped to have another baby before heading to Vanuatu. His timing is absolutely perfect and we praise God for this new life that is now growing and growing....

Please continue to check our website for our schedule and also for our added prayer requests and praises!