Update and Family time.

 Another ten days in California during which we continued with our learning, working to change, heal, and improve our family and personal thoughts/actions.

Last weekend we enjoyed spending three days with Anna: watching some videos, attending church, visiting a local park, and trying 8 kinds of Handel's homemade ice cream.

I (Cory) get accused of blinking too often in photos but this one works!

While we've never seen "4 scoop samplers" we enjoyed picking out eight types of ice cream for two orders. We also tried and shared a meal that contained a West Coast cut of beef "tri-tips". 

Very tasty. 

On her way back down to Pepperdine on Tuesday morning she dropped Cory off at the airport to pick up the rental vehicle for our week with family.

Later in the afternoon we headed to the airport to pick up Eli and my [Kris'] mom. 

Today the 5 of us headed north to visit Yosemite. 

Again all were amazed by the huge sequoias, rocks, mountains, and waterfalls.

We packed a lunch and on the return trip Grandma sprung for a second round of Handel's ice cream samplers. 

We texted a bit with Anna during the drive and she is very busy connecting with friends, preparing for graduation, and packing up her apartment.

Thursday we head down to join her for Baccalaureate Service on Thursday night and graduation on Friday morning.

Additional family plans for the following 3 days include: trying to see some whales on a boating trip, celebrating Fritz completing his school year and preparing to start high-school; worshipping in one of the churches Anna attended during her time at Pepperdine; packing her up for the summer, seeing where Anna will be working; and visiting some restaurants of her choice.

Next week she will start studying in ernest for the Bar Exam which is the end of July. 

She will also continue to look for a place to live after the Bar close to her new job, in the mean time she'll be staying with friends while they study.

She plans to visit Michigan for a few days in early August between the Bar and starting her job. 

Tuesday we will send Eli and Mom back to Michigan and we will return to Fresno to finish up our time in California. 

We continue to work on summer plans as well.

Thank you for the prayers. 

Update with photos: Zambia, Haiti, and us.

 Sorry for the long stretches without a blog. 

Harvest continues at Jembo.

Some extra schoolrooms and an outdoor area are being used for temporary storage.

In Haiti the Limbe Kids Club celebrated Agriculture Day recently.

Delice is isolated now that the gangs have taken Mirabalais.

Another recent Sunday

We remain busy with appointments learning about ourselves, family, and emotions. 

We've spent a bit more time exploring around the area...missionary friends Cory spent some time with way back during a college break trip to Haiti now live nearby and gave us a tour. 

We spent Mother's Day weekend visiting Monterey Bay and San Fransisco. 

Just over one week and Eli and Kris' Mom will join us for a quick visit to Yosemite before heading south to join Anna to celebrate her graduation from Pepperdine law school. 

She's done with finals and transitioning to study for the bar the end of July as well as packing up to move out of college housing.

We look forward to celebrating her on May 23 and then a few days of family time.

Jembo Harvest Starts

 

Harvest has begun for the agriculture project. 

The recent heavy rain caused some of the corn in the old mission field to fall to the wet ground so it needed rapid harvest.

Patrick says the harvest looks "encouraging".

A conference was held last week at the Bible College.

We don't have much to report yet but the new borehole was put into service, which helped with the extra people on campus.

Church and college leaders at the field with Patrick earlier this year.

News out of Haiti continues to inspire fervent prayer as the gangs continue to expand their territory.

Praying for a big breakthrough. 

Please Lord help!!

We continue to work hard on our personal and family interactions in California.

We did take a day to visit Sequoia National Park before picking up Anna at a friend's home so that we could celebrate Easter together. 

We continue to work on plans for Eli and Kris' mom to join us for a couple days before Anna's graduation and a few days of family time.

We also are working on our summer plans for Partnership Development time. 

If you do not currently receive our monthly e-mail updates please let us know and we'll add you to the list, as we plan to send out one in the next couple of days. 

The second photo shows the base of General Serman, the largest living tree by volume known on earth with a single-stem.

Height: 275 feet

Seeded: between 700-300 years BC

Weight: 4.189 million pounds

Volume of trunk: 52, 500 cu ft. 

There was snow still on the ground in the mountains.

Hard to wrap one's mind having lived in the tropics as long as we have when we were driving to the park through citrus groves, past palm trees and bright bouganvelias that one only had to look up a bit and see snow capped mountains.   Wild!!

Jembo Update and Photos

Watering fruit trees in a soybean field

 Rain has been above average lately for most of southern Africa but around southern Zambia the rains ended early. I received a few photos and updates that the beans matured well but soybeans still need rain. 

All the corn fields, even the late planted fields will give a harvest but a late field with acid soil didn't do very well.

Late planted corn in a fertile field

A few days ago rain fell and part of it came hard which is extra helpful for the young fruit trees as they are planted in shallow basins which catch some runoff.

Please join us in praying that the working well can be optimized and the second well be put into service so that there is enough water for both the students/staff and to water the trees. 

Cory talks to Patrick now and then for updates, for giving advice, and direction.

Keep Patrick and the work in your prayers as well.  

New bikes for the Bible College students!

This is very helpful for the ministry assignments which can be many miles away.

Public transport is often not practical or available and walking can take hours each way.

We pray that the bikes will cover many miles for a long time safely with the students.

Please pray for our former employee on LaGonave and his family.

His sister was shot and died running from a gang. 

We are settling in to our studies and counseling in California. 

Friday Anna surprised us by showing up at our door a week early as we were expecting to see her on Easter weekend. 

A friend and fellow student is from the area so they traveled up together for weekend family time. 

We enjoyed Saturday exploring Yosemite with Anna and Fritz.

The largest sequoia tree east of the rockies is in northern Michigan.

Cory hopes to plant a few when we are back in Michigan!

It was a refreshing day and a reminder of God's amazing creativity.

2 Minute Jembo Video and some photos

 

This summer has seen a good recovery from last year's severe drought.

March 2024 photos of corn dried up before any yield:

Bible College Principal in one of his fields 2024.

2025

Mango tree with new red leaves in soybean field planted with fruit trees.

Jackfruit. Peach behind Cory.

He enjoyed very good jackfruit in Asia and brought some freeze dried jackfruit to share at Jembo.

Blog on Indonesia trip coming soon!