JnR Journey Notes

Words of insight from the Teacher. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die...a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh...a time to keep and a time to throw away... (Ecclesiastes 3). It feels like once again a new season is beginning after coming to San Antonio, Texas in February, 2019. As most of you  know, in April we were able to purchase a bonafide fixer-upper. It's kinda like giving birth. The new parents/owners know the features of the baby/house but what lies hidden inside only becomes apparent with time. There were days where we, like new parents, looked at each other and said, "What in the world were we thinking?" But in retrospect, it's been worth it and is turning out even better than we imagined. It's been fun to finally prepare meals in the new kitchen and enjoy conversations around the table and in the living room. Move in day...

It should have been easy figuring out where to go next, right? After all, we had 15 months since retiring to live in five different SOOP assignment locations as well as spend several weeks in between each to be with Ruth's Dad in PA. But it was not until after much thought and prayer that we decided to move to San Antonio, Texas. We are grateful for new friends at the Mennonite church here who offered us a room in their house to rent with full use of the house as needed until we could find our own place. It's been good to be here and make this new friendship as well as get to know many others. We thought it also would be easy to find a house of our own, but 2 and 1/2 months later we were still looking. So the end of March, we told ourselves (and God) that this was our last day of looking. If we didn't find anything, we'd find an apartment to rent at least for 6 months and give up the house search. That Saturday we saw an afternoon open house listed in an area centra...

Jim and Ruth want to say thank you to all who were part of our journey these past 15 months. What do you write about while you wait? Our last SOOP assignment ended December 7 and life has felt on hold since then. One would assume that after more than a year of serving, it would be easy to just move on into a more permanent retirement phase. However, it didn't help that each SOOP location invited us to return longer term, and Ruth's Dad continues to face the challenges of aging at home. We felt torn, with desires to be everywhere but knowing we had to choose one-where. These past two months have been mostly in the Lancaster, PA area helping Ruth's Dad. Over this time Ruth's brother and sister-in-law also moved here to be closer to care for Dad's needs. We feel more at peace now to pursue other places. The beginning of January we made an exploratory trip back to San Antonio, Texas, and stayed with our good friends there. We again felt in our spirits that thi...

Thirteen months of SOOP [Service Opportunities with Our Partners] have passed more quickly than we expected. In each of the five locations where we served we met newcomers to the US who inspired us and challenged us to be more like them: humble, grateful, resilient, hopeful, patient, and loving.....unlike the vocabulary our government and even some church folks apply to them. We worked side-by-side with many churches and organizations who are tirelessly extending their tables and homes and hearts to make room for these brothers and sisters from lands near and far. What have we learned?     We can get by with a lot less 'stuff' and still live fully.     We can worship in many different settings and still sense God's presence.     We can adapt our skills to new ways of doing things.     We can gauge our energy levels and stop to rest when we need to.     We can make deep friendships even if we are physically in the same locale for...

We knew when we took on a camp assignment that it would be a harder 'natural' fit for us. We tend to enjoy urban over rural and sunny, warm weather over cloudy and cold. That being said, we chose to come to Camp Deerpark and have seen the blessings of the place and people here. The staff is super dedicated and inviting which attracts many retreat groups to return year after year. We're humbled to see talented people washing dishes and cleaning toilets with a smile on their face and joy in their heart for minimal compensation. Our Monday to Thursday schedule is rather boring for Ruth as a scanner of documents in the office, but she realizes that it is necessary work that frees others to do more enjoyable work! Jim is still making bunk beds. It is time consuming, but the natural product beds should last for multiple generations. During weekday evenings we gather for dinner at the director's house where we also have a room. The table often is set for single staff mem...

Since the last post we moved from humid summer to crisp mountain fall air. After leaving Georgia we spent two weeks with Ruth's Dad helping out and visiting with him. September 14 was move-in day again--this time at Camp Deerpark, near Cuddebackville, New York. Oh, you don't know where that is. It's a camp, so it's suppose to be far from everywhere! It is in the foothills 90 miles or so NW of New York City, 11 miles from Port Jervis where NY, PA, and NJ intersect. The camp is owned by 17 of the the New York City Mennonite churches. So most of the groups who use it are from NYC, but not all Mennonite affiliated. We know we are at a mountain camp when doors remain unlocked, the nearest shopping towns are half an hour drive away, campfires light the weekend evening sky, and Jim's weekend chore is to take the two llamas out to pasture in the morning and bring them back in the evening. During the weekdays Jim is building 12 bunk beds for the new cabins being constr...

  Being With vs Doing For Our time in LaGrange is rapidly coming to a close. It has continued to be busy, although it has also felt good to cross off many projects as "done." The rental apartment is ready for the two Mission Year young couples who come the end of August and will reside here for a year. The apartment is on the same street where the director couple of Casa Alterna lives and where most of our interactions take place. Consequently, we've been able to move to this remodeled apartment and have a bit more space. The space also got used some for the second week of summer camp, and for Ruth to teach English classes to adults and youth. Ruth continued to do the scheduling of visitors to immigration inmates at Stewart Detention Center through El Refugio. We both also served with El Refugio another weekend. Besides the physical labor of working on the apartment, we've been involved with driving people to immigration check-in appointments in Atlanta, drivin...

We are hearing the question, "What can I do?" a lot these days as immigration rules change often and make life very difficult for those directly affected by the changing landscape. Once again, here in LaGrange, Georgia, we are incarnated into the lives of people directly affected through the households on our street as well as through our work with El Refugio that assists immigrant detainees. We've heard a lot of shouting and anger from both sides of 'the issue,' but when you know the people, it is no longer just 'an issue.' It is the mother who wants to learn English, but has no time or energy to do so after working 50 hours a week and caring for her family of six on a minimum-wage income. It is the man who gets pulled over for a broken tail light and because his skin is brown. His name gets run through the system and he now faces deportation. (Who of us reading this fears that one minor infraction could mark the end of our family life?) It is the chi...

Enjoying an evening sunset walk by a lake near our present location in Georgia Summer finds us in Georgia. We are living in LaGrange, a small town about 1 1/2 hours south of Atlanta. Our purpose for being here is still to serve under SOOP (Service Opportunities with Our Partners), a branch of Mennonite Mission Network. If you have been following this blog, you've seen an overarching 'theme' of work with immigrants and asylum seekers. This location continues and expands on what we have done thus far and is more intensive in that relationship building opportunities have increased here. Along with that comes an increased awareness of the injustices, difficulties, and pain suffered by many who have come to this country--as our own ancestors have--seeking relief from the above. We are living in an apartment with Anton and Charlotte Flores until we can get another apartment ready for ourselves just a few doors down on the same street. This second apartment will then...

one of the many floats in the Battle of the Flowers Parade Viva Fiesta! We heard this a lot over ten days in April. In fact, spring in San Antonio feels like one big party. Houses are decorated in festive flags and flowers; floats are built and covered in paper mache and paraded down the streets or on the river; elaborate gowns made entirely of beads are worn by participants in one of the parades; music of all genres is heard throughout the city; fair foods are eaten; smiles and conversations are exchanged with strangers who become friends. We didn't know when we signed up for these months in San Antonio that this would be part of the experience, but it has been enjoyable and refreshing. Enjoying a Mexican dinner along the Riverwalk Volunteer work continued throughout the time, as well, and was enjoyable and refreshing in its own way. Ruth remembers the many times going through security at the airport and having to remove her shoes like everyone else. However, one day...

Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too. We are pilgrims on a journey, we are trav'lers on the road. We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load. I will hold the Christ-light for you in the nighttime of your fear. I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear. I will weep when you are weeping, when you laugh, I'll laugh with you. I will share your joy and sorrow till we've seen this journey through. When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony born of all we've known together of Christ's love and agony.                - Richard Gillard, 1997 It is just after Easter and a time to reflect on what Jesus's life and death and resurrection mean for today. Utmost in our minds are the verses of the above hymn that we sang together at our retirement service in Greensboro, NC, and again with the San...

The end of our time in Washington DC was bittersweet as we needed to say goodbye to the two other couples we had worked with for two months. Two months was sufficient time to explore the city on our days off and see most of the sites that interested us. From there we traveled to North Carolina to reconnect with the churches. It was good in that we got to see most everyone and had some great fellowship meals and time together over a long weekend. Then we headed back to PA to spend a week with Ruth's Dad. He seems to be doing about the same and stays active with his bread making yet and keeping up with the news and family. We spent a week traveling down to San Antonio, Texas, as we realized we hadn't had any "just couple" days since we retired Oct. 1st. So it was good to take plenty of time to relax at AirBnB places along the way and also spend some time exploring cities and having two restful days near Galveston beach. At the rodeo (State Fair) in Houston. Te...

Those of you who know me--Ruth--know my propensity to want to plan and to get things done. After all these years, I still often find myself waiting impatiently and anxiously for tomorrow. Waiting for spring and warmer weather. Waiting for conversations to wind down so I can get to my "to do" list for the day. Waiting for more certainty about our next move. Waiting for what comes after that--and where we'll eventually settle. Waiting to be a part of a local church body again and wondering what shape that will take. Waiting to hug in person our children and grandchildren again. Waiting for governments to lend justice and show respect for all peoples. In waiting for tomorrow, I too often miss out on today. As we enter this season of Lent when we remember Jesus's waiting to go to Jerusalem a final time, I ponder how he handled the waiting. He frequently warned his disciples about his impending suffering and death (Luke 9:22) but did not let that deter him from conti...

We're here. Been here since January 8. Four miles directly north of the White House. In a house called the International Guest House. We're learning the nature of hospitality (and it isn't what is taught in a college course). We're visiting the institutions and museums that tell the history of this country. We're navigating public transit and walking lots of blocks nearby to get a feel for the neighborhoods. We're eating and working together with the host couple, Jonathan and Betty Schrag, and the other five-month term volunteer couple, Frank and Jane Yoder. We're practicing how to live in community and then attempting to extend that community to the guests who make this home for a few days or more. Hospitality is more than clean sheets, hot muffins at breakfast, evening tea. Those are the nuts and bolts of what we have begun to learn how to do. However, this house sits in the heart of a culture that appears to have lost its way as being a place that accep...