END OF WEEK #1 OF ADVENTURELAND

GREETINGS: We have settled in, here at Altoona . We are in the ADVENTURELAND CAMPGROUND space # z22. John worked this week-end and is scheduled to work the next 2 week-ends as an assistant on the RAGING RIVER raft ride. His assignment is to assist passengers off of the raft at the end of their journey. BRRRRRRRR !!!!! was it ever cold out there this week-end. Felt like low 30's most of the day.

NOW FOR A FEW MORE PICTURES OF ADVENTURES FROM " THE LONGS' - ON THE ROAD "

This was the power plant along highway 100.

TENKILLER lake was across the highway for the CIRCLE M Boys ranch at Gore, OK. The lake level was extremely high while we were there, due to heavy rain.



So they were expelling the lake water through the power plant, creating a powerful mist and very turbulent water.

Flooding the peaceful trout stream that was downstream from the power plant. They told us that it was a favorite area to catch both RAINBOW AND BROWN TROUT.

While we were at the Boys Ranch at Gore, one of the mares had this colt . The ranch had over 60 head of horses that they used to teach the boys responsibility, riding , and work uses. THE BOYS RANCH HOLDS A RODEO AROUND THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER which is one of their major fund risers. John suggested that they name the colt ' NOMAD' since he was born while we were there. lol'

Now that I have almost 5 days off , I should be able to ADD other pictures for our travels. Until then may GOD BLESSINGS be with each of you.

THE LONGS-JUDY,JOHN AND THE TRAVELING CATS.

THE FLOOD IN PICTURES ! ! !

GOOD AFTERNOON: We thought we would share some of the recent photos of Camp Egan today!

The waterfall behind the cross was only there after the heavy rainfall we had overnight.


This was where the NOMADS parked at when we arrived at Camp Egan (note where the 2 5th wheels campers are parked on the right side of the picture)


Our spot where we were parked was the electrical pole that you see right in front of the blue barrel in the shelter. About 14 inches of water was on the ground there in less then 2 hours after we evacuated. (note the 1st large tree on the left).


This is where the first 2 5th wheels campers were parked just 3 1/2 hours earlier. The tree would have done extreme damage to both of them, and maybe even our car THANK YOU GOD FOR ANSWERED PRAYERS of our NOMADS partners in prayer, and the advance warning and wisdom you gave our team leaders.


We ended our stay parked outside the front door of the office building (rest rooms right inside of front door and laundry was down in the basement. We could even take the elevator up and down).


This was the bridge we crossed each day as went to devotions, meals, and work project. THIS is close to at NORMAL WATER LEVELS. During the high water (which only lasted 3 to 5 hrs.) the water level under the bridge was about an inch under the bottom of steel beam.

More pictures coming and we do thank everyone for remembering us and the rest of the NOMADS in your prayers.

The Longs-On The Road; JUDY and JOHN and the 'TRAVELING CATS'

JUST SOME RAMDOM NOMAD PICTURES

Greetings from Adventureland Campgrounds:

Here are just a sampling of NOMAD project photos over the past 14 months'




John is installing insulation in the new staff housing at LIVES UNDER CONSTRUCTION Boys Ranch in Lampe, Mo. We were there the last of Feb. and beginning of March 2007



Judy learned how to attach the sheet rock unto the walls with screws using an electric drill for the 1st time.

We then traveled down to Rust College at Holly Springs, Mississippi. We joined up with 2 other NOMAD couples for this project - which consisted of refurbishing the inside of an apartment and replacing siding and painting on a staffers house.




Here Judy is applying primer on the bottom 3 boards, that the men had replaced all around the staffers house. She did ALL of the lower work John learned how to work on high ladders as he did all of the priming and painting of the 30' peaks.



This is our 3 RVs parked in the parking lot at RUST COLLEGE in Holly Springs



This one of numerous Annabelluem House that was part of Holly Springs driving tour of the city where there were quite a few of Civil War related areas including a small plot in the cementary of fallen soldiers from both the South and North. This the home that General Grants' family stayed in while he was preparing the Union Troops for the Battle at Vicksburg.


To be continued tomorrow with some of our adventures out to east coast. So please check back!!!

GOD has been so Good to us these past 14 months and we want to thank everyone for all of your prayers and moral support during this time. May Gods blessing be on you and yours.



The Longs- On The Road: Judy, John, and the 'Traveling Cats'

THE ENDEAVOR HAS LANDED IN IOWA

HELLO EVERYONE:

Well since we last touched base with you all, we were knee deep in water (almost) at CAMP EGAN, near Tahlequah,Ok. The NOMAD TEAM out did themselves, we finished the interior work on the new metal building in the FOSSIL COURT YARD, they taped, mudded, sanded, primed, and painted 6 small rooms and a huge meeting room. Trimmed, primed, and painted all windows, doors, and air conditioning units. Rod Reeder even installed the 2 toilet stools in the restrooms. John and Joe Taylor ( Camp Egan Maintenance Dept, Director) finished installing the drop ceiling and installing the lights in the whole building.
Last week Camp Egan hosted an Oklahoma Senior retreat, they invited us to share in their meals and entertainment ( On Tuesday night , Shannon sorry can't recall her last name,, from the state office of VIM- International Director sang songs relating to a story about how her Grandmother that had influenced her . VERY VERY GOOD!!!! She had such a great range in voice . After the program Judy and John joined the Seniors in Playing HAND AND FOOT a wonderful card game, which we have never played before. Then on Wednesday evening the entertainers were THE HUNT FAMILY BLUEGRASS SINGERS. They were a Man ,Wife . their 16 and 13 year old sons. They were also very OUTSTANDING ( Of course Judy and I are Bluegrassed prejudices ) Then we joined the Seniors for another night of HAND AND FOOT.

We departed Camp around 9:30 am Friday Morning and arrived in Bolivar, Mo. around 3pm where we were greeted by Larry and Kay Jackson ( Johns former College Professor and Dear Friends form his SOUTHWEST BAPTIST COLLEGE days, John was Larry's INTRA-MURALS ASSISTANT ) The Jacksons then treated to lunch and a tour of all the great new changes on Campus, that have transpired since John was last there.THANK YOU JACKSONS FOR THE GREAT MEAL AND DAY

Then we traveled on to Clinton, Mo., where we found 'Camp Wal-Mart' for the night, we left there around 8:30 am Saturday morning and arrived at ADVENTURELAND CAMPGROUND at 5:30pm ask Judy about the scenic way of getting there.

We ARE IN LOT # Z22 (thank goodness not 24 like they said we would be) John has meetings in AM and then off till Saturday. We will be in the Belle Plaine area on Wednesday for Dr. appointments and maybe stay over so we can visit Judy's sons and attend the Mission Committee Meeting on Thursday evening.

I know I haven't included any pictures in this post due to my misplacing the camera.. so I PROMISE THERE WILL BE PICTURES VERY SOON so stay posted .

We thank you all very much for all the prayers and support that each of you give. We also thank GOD for traveling mercies for us ( even the unexpected side trip) We are very excited to be back in IOWA .

MAY GOD CONTINUE to be with each of you daily as HE is with us.

Judy and John Long and the 'Traveling Cats'

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS

these are pictures from the boys ranch at GORE, OK this one is a school room book shelf that John repaired and repainted.
John was assigned to clear out an old storage closet so that it could be converted into the above excess can food storage area.The food was a FULL trailer load of donated can goods.
Judy and John then rearranged the pantry area off of the kitchen. The boys take the can goods from this area over to their dorm kitchens to prepare the meals for their individual dorms meals.


Greetings from Camp "swampy" aka Camp Egan:

It has been a very hectic week here at CAMP EGAN. The NOMAD TEAM has all of priming completed, and has started applying the final colors coats. The walls are going to be a bamboo tan and the trim, doors, and windows a hunter green. Joe (Camp Egan Maintenance lead and John has over 2/3 of the drop ceiling and overhead lights installed. WE ALL WOULD OF BEEN FURTHER ALONG IF WE HAD NOT NEEDED TO TAKE TIME OFF THURSDAY MORNING TO GO MOVE THE RVS OUT OF THE CAMPER HOOK UP AREA DUE TOO FLASH FLOODING (pictures to follow soon) We are thanking GOD for HIS guidance and wisdom to move when we did as with-in 2 hrs of the move there was about 3 feet of water standing where the RV's had been parked. THEN an hour later,a huge tree had fallen where 2 of the 5th wheel rvs had been setting.
On Thursday night the team went into Tahlequah for a Christian Rock Concert at 1st Baptist Church. Then on Saturday we all went to Muskogee for their AZALEA FESTIVAL which included a parade (over an hour long, arts and craft show, Custom Car and Antique car show, Quilt Show, and then topped off with a tour of HONOR PARK to take in the beautiful sight of Azalea, Dogwoods, Redbuds, and various other plants if bloom. This would of been better about 10 days from now as thing are a little slow in coming out due to the unusual cool damp weather they have been experiencing here this spring.

Then on Sunday we went to Stillwell 1st United Methodist Church for Sunday School and Church where we shared about NOMADS, then to lunch at COOKSONS, OK. at the Smokehouse Barbque.

We "Longs- On The Road " crew are anxious to get into IOWA (only 8 more days) read the previous post to find out the particulars of our logistics.

Also we have gotten confirmation of our fall NOMAD project in Oct, We will be in Kansas, before heading to Livingston to be Volunteers at the CARE CENTER at ESCAPEES Rainbow park.

We hope that you continue to pray for our families and for us as we are on the Highways this coming weekend along with all of the NOMADS who also are going to new assignments.

We are asking GODS Sweet Blessings on all of you;


The Longs-On the road : Judy, John, Bamm-Bamm, and Pebbles.

PAST PHOTO CATCH UPS

This is the main gate into the Boys Ranch in Gore, Ok. Across the road was a great view of Lake Tenkiller.

We will be sharing more pictures later

We went to Grove, Ok on Sunday and met with Judy's Best Childhood Friend , Connie Jesina, from Claremore, OK . We had a wonderful Bar-b-que lunch and 2 1/2 hr visit. We also had a very pleasant scenic drive up and back along the Illinois River and across Grand Lake of The Cherokee.

We ask Gods Blessings on you all!!!

Judy and John

OKLAHOMA UPDATE

Greetings from Oklahoma Hills:

We finished up our stay at the UMC BOYS RANCH at Gore,OK last Thursday, we spent the last week there finishing up the trim moldings and base boards in the bathroom,(John) and putting a real neat border between the 2 different colors in the main hallway, about 110 feet, (Judy all alone)As you can see above it was a neat design. Judy also stripped an old night stand to be refinished.

We left the Boys Ranch on Friday Morning and headed up to CAMP EGAN just East of Tahlequah,OK. The Center of the Cherokee Indians. We are joined here by 3 other couples Jack and Shirley Tingle, Michigan; Rod and Janie Reeder, Illinois; and Tom and Connie Mitro, Virginia (we were with them on our project last August at Westview on the James in Va.)
The main project here is to finish installing Drywall and taping and mudding same. (Team and Judy) while John is helping Joe ( the Camps Maintenance man ) to install the dropped ceiling and installing the overhead lights, also to affix the wallplate plug-ins and switches.
Friday the other NOMADS TEAM MEMBERS wanted to visit the Boys Ranch at Gore and the Children's home in Tahlequah as they have never been near them before. So John arranged a tour of both for the team with a lunch at BIG REDS in Keys, OK (Bar-B-Que,very good)
Our Plans are to leave here around 8:30am on the 18th and travel over to Bolivar, Mo. and visit some of Johns collge days friends.Then unto ADVENTURELAND ON Sat. probably arriving there on Sunday the 20th.. John has job orientation that following week, while Judy has a Dr. Appointment in Marengo on the 23rd. The cats are anxious to get back into Iowa enviroment,(that is until they realize that they have a visit to Vets instore also)
We ask that you pray for us, as it is time to summit our requests for fall and winter projects, we need HIS guidance as too what we should do, also safety in traveling. We also ask that you remember Judys' Aunt Loretta Cronbaugh, in Belle Plaine Care Facility. recuperating from a fall.
NOW THAT I HAVE THIS PICTURE THING FIGURED OUT AGAIN I will post a few from past projects, to give you a taste of what the past year of serving GOD as NOMADS has been like.

MAY HE BLESS AND GUIDE EACH ONE

The Longs- Judy and John and the 2 'TRAVELING CATSPublish Post