Guests continued...

The first day they showed up we quizzed them about thier salvation and such.  The young man - let's call him Bob-  was just saved about a month before.  The wife has been saved for about four years.  He had been unemployed for one year and a half; and she has been unemployed for about a year.  Their parent had just bought them a van a week before to help them out; but promised this was it.  So here is where we come into the picture.

As I mentioned before, they came to us as a couple with one on the way; but later that evening they told us about two other children they had who were staying with a "friend" until they found a home.  They didn't know that my husband had met the lady on visitation about three weeks before and she was preparing to adopt the children she was keeping and the one child that the mother was carrying as well.

Both of us found out that this "friend" had not recieved the parents consent to this adoption. The day after the couple found out they weren't going to get the house, the lady gave them an ultimative, "Sign over the kids or come and pick them up."  Well, she decided to drop them off at the church instead.  (Honestly, I can't say that I side with either couple on this issue.  A complete understanding should have been make at the very beginning of this arrangement  - signed on paper by all involved, especially if DHS was involved or aware.  This would have cleared up things a bit and maybe saved a friendship.

Anyway...We were excited about the kids coming; especially Nikitta and Alliyah.  They both have a new best friend.  (Niki's is the dad, Allys is the younger of the two children.)

To make a long story shorter (once again!) The Lord has done marvelous things for this young family.  In one months time:

1.  He cut his hair!
2.  He has found a job that pays great with good benefits.
3.  He has found a good friend and mentor in my husband.  He loves to just tag along with Raymond, no matter what Ray is doing. (Raymond put him to work around the church!)
4.  We have been offering advice on just about everything from finances, marriage issues, and child rearing.
5.  Just yesterday they found a home.  They should be able to move in in about a week and a half. - I noticed this townhouse was vacant and took the wife (we will call her Sally) by.  She took a tour and fell in love with it.  It comes furnished and has a refrigerator, washer and dryer, a stove, and a dishwasher.  I will try not to be jealous!
6.  Their youngest child has began signing.  Ray and I sign with Alliyah (something I recommend for every parent of young children) and he has caught on!
7.  They have become a more loving and peaceful family.  We read the Bible with them at the dinner table and they read together as a couple in the evenings.  We encouraged them in this when they first arrived and they caught on. 

To sum everything up, please pray for this young couple.  I am sure it is a lot easier to do right when you live in the church with the Pastor and his wife.  The real challenge will come when they are on thier own. 
(In order to protect thier privacy as much as possible I have changed thier names and will be offering no pictures at this time.)

Guests!

So much has been going on in Newport that I don't quite know where to begin.  I guess the most dramatic thing that has happened thus far is that we have guests.  Yes, guests in our home in the church!  About a month ago, a young couple stopped by because they needed some gas money to get to a nearby town to look at and hopefully get a home.  They had been on the streets for weeks and were excited to finally get a breakthrough; but they were out of money.  My husband, who is probably the most tenderhearted man I know, of course forked up $30 (which we don't normally have - sometimes God blesses you so that you may bless others) and told them to call him when they got back in town.  

We went and bought an air mattress and set up my Sunday school classroom (it has it's own bathroom; and the young lady is pregnant) as a temporary home for them.

Well, to make a long story somewhat short (especially because my husband is waiting for me!); they didn't get the house...so a temporary two night stay has turned into a month.  AND, they already had two children that were staying with a friend.  So now our home has four adults and three little children running around in it!  What a change!!!   I'll fill you in with more details later.  Until then,  PLEASE pray for us!!!!!

How We Met

I am sorry I have been away for so long.  Something was wrong with our connection, so I was not able to get online.  All is well again!  Anyway, here is our "How we met story".  I love reflection on how I met the love of my life!

In July of 2005, I went with a group from Jacksonville Baptist Temple (Jacksonville, Arkansas) to the

annual COEBA conference. I was so excited about everything I had heard about what was going at
Crossroads that I decided that I would attend the conference that year, no matter what. The Devil put many obstacles in the way ( someone broke into my car, I ran into a pole and made a big dent in the front of my bumper, didn't recieve my paycheck from my paper route, etc, etc.); but with a little encouragement from Mrs. Patterson, I went. Contrary to popular opinion I was not on a man hunt. I even considered wearing a fake engagemnet ring to cause everyone to think I was taken; but I didn't. (aside from the fact that would have been lying, Bro. Avant strongly encouraged me not to:) Anyway...we went to Raleigh, NC for the conference and had a blast!



On Tuesday ( or Wednesday) there was a singles luncheon planned at the Mayflower. I had decided that I was not going to attend; but being that my car was the other girls' mode of transportation, I had no choice. Just before we left, my friends and I were introduced to a group of gentlemen whom we would be following to the restaurant. Once we arrived, this tall, dark, and handsome guy in a marine uniform (from the afore mentioned group) opened my car door and escorted me into the restaurant. At this point I was reconsidering my determination to leave the conference single. We sat together at a group table and chatted. Or should I say...he chatted. Nice guy; but we didn't click. After a while I left the table to go speak with my girlfriends and use the ladies room. A few moments later it was time to go. Right before we left, this other guy (who was standing right in front of Mr. Marine uniform) ask if he could speak to me after the service that night. I said sure and walked on. (I found out later that we had been introduced earlier that day, but I didn't recognize him. He told me later that when we were introduced that I didn't even look at him.)



That evening we talked after the service. He was a friend of a guy who was engaged to my friend Heidi from Texas. He said he had heard about me from him and we sort of told our testimonies to each other. Then he asked me to lunch. I told him he would have to talk with Bro. Patterson, as he was acting as my pastor for the week I was away from home. No problem. We (Bro. and Mrs. Patterson, Raymond, myself, and about six other ladies) went out for chineese the next afternoon. We had a good time. I like to eat and he paid, or at least tried to- Bro. Patterson paid for the meal for everyone - so it was fun. As we were leaving he asked if we could have lunch again the next day - just the Pattersons and us. I said sure; but he never showed up to pick us up. I thought he must have changed his mind; so I had lunch with everyone else and didn't think a thing about it.



Come to find out, his car (Red nisaan truck of many years which he called Esperanza) died. According to him, it had never broken down before. That day it broke down on the way to the conference, and the battery in his phone was dead. So he just sat on the side of the road for hours until his pastor came by. He was able to wave him down and hitch a ride with them to the evening service. This was Thursday - the last night of the meeting and the next morning we were scheduled to leave. We were running late, so we sort of rushed into the service. About five minutes into the service I realized I should have used the restroom. about two and a half hours later - no exaggeration- the service was over and I ran to the restroom. Just as my hand touched the door to the womens restroom, I heard someone call my name ( or at least try to!) To this day I can't remember how he pronounced it. I turned around and it was him. I went over to him and he quickly explained what had happened and ask for my phone number. I very rapidly wrote it down for him while telling him that if he was not going to be a preacher that he shouldn't bother wasting his time or mine; and I went to the restroom.

Well, I didn't hear from him for about two weeks, then he called me. He also sent a picture of himself ( in his best suit) to our house. He said he wanted to give me time to get settle back in before he called. Anyway, we continued to talk. I moved to Louisiana to teach, and we continued to talk. The weekend of hurricane Katrina, he said he was going to come and visit me. It was also the weekend that Heidi, my friend from Texas, and her fiance were getting married. We said we would go to their wedding together. I didn't think he would be able to make it because the weather was so bad; but he made it (we weren't able to go to the wedding though). We had a good time - this was also the weekend of our birthdays - they are four days apart - so we celebrated them together. At Christmas I flew to NC to visit him. His mother and sisters also flew to NC from CA for the visit. We had a blast. On this trip we pretty much solidified that we loved each other and wanted to continue our relationship. In February, he came to see me again. We drove to OK to visit my family and attend the Sweetheart Banquet at OBC. Feb.9th we were engaged. July 28th, 2006 we were married. Today we are still very happily married and expecting our first. THAT'S ALL FOLKS!



Hope you enjoyed my version.



Tinyla