God Bless our Hosts!!

We justed wanted to post a special thank you to the churches and individuals who have made our travels so much easier! Although i dont have a picture of our hosts from Wetaskawin- they know who they are and we appreciate them soooooooo much! I started taking pictures at every host house on this trip however, so I can remember those who have been so gracious to us, opening their homes and providing wonderful meals. We truly do appreciate their kindness and willingness to let us stay with them. This trip we have stayed with my Aunt Sue and Uncle Ed, in Medicine Hat AB, where not only they, but their entire small group let us intrude on their potluck and partake in all the goodies! Here Rick is showing my aunt, uncle and cousins Kaitlynn and Benjamin, pictures from Mozambique and explaining what it is we are going to be doing there!

Our next hosts were Buzz and Judy from Buffalo Lakes AB, and their dog KUJO ( whom i fell in love with!) Although Judy managed to get a picture of us for her memory, i was preocupied with KUJO and only managed to remember to get pictures of him! Kujo is one huge dog- more like a small bear, and just like a teddy bear! We had a great time of fellowship with them, and enjoyed delicious home cooked meals and "a mean pot of porridge" compliments of Buzz - ( it really was very good porridge!). God has definetly blessed this couple with the gift of hospitality! Here is Rick and Kujo... just so you can understand how big this dog is!

Last but not least, is my Aunt Wanda and Uncle John- whose home we jokingly refer to as our "favorite edmonton hotel." They have opened their home to us so many times its hard to even remember how many! We truly do appreciate their willingness to let us move in for entire weeks at a time! Here is a picture of them... (they are still newlyweds! :) Many thanks to all of our hosts, your willingness to take us in makes our trips so much less stressfull, and we love to know we are making new friends everywhere we go! God Bless you!

Car Troubles

Well we knew it would happen eventually. We were just really really hoping it would happen at home- not at every gas station we stopped at. I guess our car is really letting us know how old it is! On our trip up to the Grande Prairie area of Alberta our car decided to quit. repeatedly...... after some frustration, prayers for forgiveness for the frustration and then some prayers for the car, and sometimes a whack or two it started up. At one point it had been down for nearly half an hour at a gas pump, when a man walked into the restaurant where I (heather) had just sat down to get warm and pray. He asked if i was having car trouble. I said- "yep- do ya know anything about cars??" He said- only that you give them gas and bang on them to make them go! I just laughed and went back to praying. About five minutes later, rick came in nearly frozen, and the man suggested he go back out and bang on something called the "solanoid" ( forgive my spelling) with a hammer. So we did.... (with a hatchet bc we couldnt find a hammer) and voila!!! It started! Just then the man walked out, smiled and waved and walked around the corner and away. I am convinced he was an angel.

Anyways, turns out we needed a new starter, and some adjustments to our battery posts. Thanks to the wonderful people at Bethel Church in Buffalo Lakes AB, for covering the cost of the replacement parts and arranging a nice warm shop with a pit for us to do the repairs in! Here is Pastor Dave, Collin, and Rick ( and another guy i dont know) putting their heads together to fix up the starter.

But it doesnt end there! On our way down from Grande Prairie to Edmonton the car started to make this absolutly AWFUL grinding/clunking noise. Turns out our alternator also decided to throw in the towel- we were able to get that fixed today- the price wasnt unreasonable, and we had exceptional customer service so that made it a bit better! He gave us a whole list of other things that could use some fixing, but we told him if it could still drive safely to just leave it! Weve decided when we auction off the car we are auctioning it as " a new starter, new alternator, two almost new tires- package comes with a cavellier frame and body !"

Please pray with us that this will be the end of our car troubles, and we will be able to make it safely home! We REALLY REALLY REALLY need those prayers! Thanks you.