HAPPY BIRTHDAY TITUS!

Today is Titus' 12th Birthday. We just got home last night from our spring break so we are still a bit unsettled. There are suitcases to unpack and I have to run out and get some groceries. For the past several years Titus has always had his birthday on spring break and so we usually aren't at home. He is really looking forward to his birthday at home this year. Ruth helped me hang up a bunch of streamers and balloons last night so that the house would be decorated when Titus wakes up. I have invited a couple of Titus' friends over so we will have a fun time celebrating together. Titus you have a special day today. Don't grow up too fast as next year you will be a teenager already. We are glad you are a part of our family!

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday Mom! We hope you are having a special day. If everything works out we will hopefully be seeing you tonight. We love you and are looking forward to seeing you and helping you celebrate.

Jungle Camp

What's all this talk about jungle camp? Isn't there still snow on the ground? This week we had a couple classes on jungle camp. One reason we have a class on jungle camp right before spring break is to let the students know what tools, along with other items, might be helpful to have for jungle camp building and living. This afternoon is the start of our spring break and many of the students will be going home. While at home some students will be able to pick up some of these needed items. Also a big part of jungle camp living is all the planning that goes into moving up into the bush for a month. It won't be long and our students will be working on making up house plans. For the ladies, they will be working on menu plans and then they will pressure can their meat accordingly. I know two ladies who will be using some of their spring break to do their canning. (Way to be ladies!) I will soon start doing my pressure canning for jungle camp. There are also many other things to plan for. Move up day is June 16th and our community open house open for all visitors is on July 7th and 8th so mark your calendars and come on up for a visit.

Lounging with the Ladies

Last night we had a ladies social for us first year staff and student ladies. We started the night by playing a group game. This is a home made game that we as a family like to play on New Year's Eve. Before we started the game everyone wrote down the names of popular people on slips of paper. (It can be a movie star, famous singer, an important historial person, or even the name of a person that walks among us.) Everyone was broken up into two teams. A team member is chosen to try to descibe the person on the slip of paper, and they see how many people their team can guess in 30 seconds. It was a close game and we had some good laughs. After the game we enjoyed some yummy snacks and then got all comfy to watch the movie "Dreamer". It was a fun evening and a good time was had by all.

The Green Party

Last night there was a social for all the staff that work here on the base and for missionaries who are on furlough in the area. (Usually there are a couple of these type of socials a year.) Can you guess what the theme of the night was? I personally do not own very many green things. Vern, however, actually has quite a few green shirts and I was able to borrow one of his sweat shirts for the evening. Ruth gladly donated the use of her green flip flops and earnings. I went around to three places here in town looking for green finger nail polish and green lip stick. But I guess those colors aren't popular. (I can't imagine why.) Every announcement we received about the party kept mentioning how nice it would be if we wore green. So we tried our best to go to the party in the spirit of "Green". How do you think we did? It was an enjoyable evening and we learned some interesting facts about people in a "To tell the Truth" game. And we found out who had the "gift" of being a good "story teller".

The Chilli Dog Experience

For a little while now we have been hearing about Erika's famous Chili Dogs. Although our family has eaten many different foods we have never had a Chili Dog. Last night the Stephens family had us over to enjoy this experience with their family. It was fun trying something new while having a good visit with friends. Greg, Erika, Bret, and Mariah are a neat family. Thanks so much for a great evening!

Fiesta de Jubilacion

Yesterday was another Day of Prayer. Kimbra, Ang, and Liz made a nice presentation on the country of Panama. Due to the fact that Panama is a field where a lot of the works are finished and the missionaries are leaving, we had a Fiesta de Jubilcaion. It is very cool to see how the tribal churches are able to take the reins and give the guidance and direction that the churches need from leadership within the church. Although, not all works are complete there was a lot to celebrate. The ladies put together a power point presentation. The class was also divided up into two teams and we played a game while we learned interesting facts about the country. The second half of the morning we broke up into two groups and had a time of prayer for many of the countries that New Tribes Mission works in. It is a privilege to set this time aside and pray for all that God is doing through New Tribes Mission.

THE MELT DOWN

We have been enjoying some warmer temperatures. YEA!!! It has been so nice. However, we have now been dealing with another problem. THE GREAT MELT DOWN! The roads here on the campus have been very hard to drive on. It has been one slushy mess. Saturday was an especially difficult day to make it up the hill that we live on. Many vehicles got stuck, and there were several announcements over the loud speaker for calls of "HELP WE NEED A PUSH!". There are a number of us living up here on this hill and several people had to leave their cars parked down below because they couldn't make it up. Vern went to pick up Ruth after work on Saturday night. As they entered the camp road he told Ruth to hold on. Oh, what a sight to see him plowing up the road. It was like an amusement park ride and there was a cheer of "Victory" when they made it up here to the driveway.

Check Mate

Although the academy that Ruth and Titus goes to is small the teachers try to do a lot of activities for the children. One of the teachers, Marshall Siddall headed up the chess club once again this year. Titus enjoys chess so was involved in the chess club. Over the past couple of days there was a chess tournament going on. Yesterday were the final games. All the participants did SOOO well. There was a sign put up about no help or hints from the crowd watching. Well, believe me no one would have wanted help from me as I know NO strategy in playing the game. I can say with full confidence that each one of the participants would have beaten me. Tbere was a great turn out of parents and friends to watch the games. (There was no cheering though, as the room was supposed to be as quiet as possible.) Titus finished in third place. WAY TO GO TITUS! There are a group of students who are going to be going to a tournament in which a group of Christian schools will all be competing. So I am sure there will be a few more chess games yet in the next weeks as the students prepare for that competition. GO CHESS CLUB!

A Call Goes Out From Mozambique, Who Will Answer it?

Ruth has two very special friends, Damarise and Hannah (they are sisters) who live in Mozambique. They have been wanting to set up a time to call Ruth since her birthday. But due to Ruth's school and work schedule, and the difference in time zones it has not been easy to figure out a time that actually worked. Well, Monday at lunch time the connection finally happen. HOW COOL IS THAT! It was SUCH a treat for Ruth. For those of you who don't know, it is Ruth's dream to make it to Mozambique to visit these dear friends. She has been trying to save everything she can for her "Mozambique Fund". If things work out Ruth would like to visit Mozambique this July.