Arrival at Adventureland

Good Evening all:

Just a brief report..... we arrived at Adventureland campground on Monday April 20Th. When we 1st arrived into Iowa, we went to Belle Plaine, so that we could finalize our tax returns,arriving there on the 8Th.

We then ventured down to Davenport for the Easter weekend. Johns' kids spent Friday evening and Saturday with us at the Corp of engineers park at Montpelier Ia, along the banks of the Mississippi River,, was really peaceful and restful.

Easter Sunday found attending service at The Rock, the Church, where our friend Jim and Judy Thomas attend. Visited with them and set a supper date for Tuesday next.

We visited with Jackie(John's sister) and John Wochner on Sunday evening , then traveled with them on Monday to Metamora, IL. near Peoria. There we eat lunch with Cousins DeLap (Janet and Butch), then went over to Aunt Mae's apt. visited with her and cousin Sue.

Tuesday, lunch was with Cousin David Long, had a nice visit, while dining at Reife's Restaurant in Davenport. Then we needed to visit at laundry to catch up on laundry. Afterwards we met the Thomas' an enjoyed a lengthy supper at Chic-Fi-Lay.

Wednesday we went through Iowa City and picked up Andy (Judy's oldest son) and took him along with us (in the motor home) to Belle Plaine. We needed to Sign our finished tax forms. Kurt and Terri Jo came over the the park and shared cook out food with us. We then took Andy back to Iowa City in Litl Red.

The insurance adjuster came on Wednesday and settled the claim from the electrical surge.. We are getting our new Microwave/ Convection oven installed on Tuesday by Home Depot (please pray this goes good, as we couldn't find the exact make and model.) NATIONWIDE took good care of us on this matter.

Friday we headed to Olewein, Ia had lunch with Rich (Judy's other Son), then we took him back to Belle Plaine, for the night. Saturday morning Judy, Rich, and John went to Belle Plaine Assisted Living center for a brief visit with Aunt Loretta. Returned Rich to Olewein, while there looked up former Belle Plaine residents, Julian and Ruth Ann Van Thoumont, who are the camp Hosts at the campground near Olewein for the summer.

Saturday night Diann (Judy's sister and Chuck) camp to Belle Plaine and the Endeavor, for supper and games. Jokers and Pegs was played 2 games with both the guys and gals winning 1 each... We must have a playoff before fall.

Sunday the 19th Judy and John attended both services at Christ United Methodist Church, Belle Plaine (our home church) so that we could invite the congregations to join us for a pot luck dinner following 2nd service, after which we shared our Ministries travels of the past year both with NOMADS and Christian Resorts Ministries International as Chaplains in Training.

We actually arrived here in Altoona and achieved complete setup WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS THANK YOU JESUS on Tuesday shortly before noon.

There are a lot of NEW Faces here at Adventureland this year. PLEASE PRAY THAT OUR WITNESS MAY impact them in some way.

Chuck and Diann gave Judy a new PC so we have 2 computers now . and all of our pictures are only available from the lap top, which is awaiting the Dell Doctor to make a house call on Monday or Tuesday.

Friday (tomorrow) we are returning to Belle Plaine to lend our NOMAD talents of painting, to freshen up the Pastors Office to await the arrival of their New Pastor.

Hopefully we can get pictures added again after this week

We are only working Weekend here at A_land until May15Th . Pray that we have a safe and fun season.

GODS Blessings and big hugs from us
In His Service
THE LONGS-ON THE ROAD: Judy and John along with the Traveling cats Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm.

BAD NEWS / GOOD NEWS

Hello from the Endeavor:

As you might have notice the reports from here have been lacking recently;;;

A couple of reasons for this are:

BAD NEWS----This crazy computer is acting up again ( I swear it is a teenager )

GOOD NEWS----When we get to ADVENTURELAND after April 20th, DELL again is sending out a Tech to put in another Mother board, as ours has bad USB ports and touch pad.; BUT we have to be stationary for more than a week for them to locate us.
This is all still under Warranty until April 30th. THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!

BAD NEWS ---We were busy at the R.L. Ranch at Rainbows End,, doing some more handy work for Ralph and Loretta Weihr... things like taking out brush , touch up painting installing and relocating a 50 gal. Hot Water Heater, moving their RVs around, and various other activities.

GOOD NEWS--- We were able to also get in some free time for cards, eating out, and sight seeing, (although we forgot to take our camera along on these excursions).THANK YOU JESUS !!!!!! Thank you Ralph and Loretta for all that you have done for us.

BAD NEWS---It was time for LITL RED to get her oil changed, while it was getting serviced, the service tech said that the front brake pads were getting pretty thin,,SO THEY WERE REPLACED ALSO. The next day, on our way into 1st UMC, for Wednesday supper, we notice a funny noise, and determine that it was from the front brakes.

GOOD NEWS--- The service department had gotten in a shipment of faulty backing plates on the new brakes, but they located some from a different supplier and replaced ours at NO COSTS to us. THANK YOU JESUS we found this before we left Livingston.

BAD NEWS- Then as we were loading LITL RED onto her tow dolly, the front wheels went a little to far forward and went over the stops ---YES we had to get a wrecker service to get it back unto the ground. Also the stop and tie down ratchet were broken off.

GOOD NEWS-- The Wrecker man only took 30 minutes to get to us and 45 minutes to get our problem solved of getting the car onto the dolly, and only charged $50 for the trip. John was able to get a single tie down strap to temporally to secure that side to the dolly. THANK YOU JESUS !!!!

BAD NEWS---We decided to stay at the R.L. Ranch overnight and leave early the next morning,, wanted to stay with dolly and car all hooked up and ready to roll. SO we plugged our electric cord into a different outlet then the main one we had been using during our stays there. WELL we received an electrical surge though the Endeavors electrical system and knocked out the CONVECTION / MICROWAVE OVEN along with damaging our onboard system, so we couldn't receive an outside source of power supply, causing us to run our generator overnight. FRIDAY MORNING NONE OF THE RV REPAIR SHOPS in either Livingston, Lufkin, or Nocgoduches had time to check our problem out and/or had a replacement oven for us.

GOOD NEWS (we think) we were able to call CAMPING WORLD service center near Springfield, Mo. and were able to get an 8a.m. Monday appointment. We are waiting now to get in to see what the extent of the damage is. THANK YOU JESUS !!!!!

BAD NEWS-- As we were traveling though East Texas the temporary tie down strap over Litl Reds tire kept sliding off, meaning we had to stop at least every hour.

GOOD NEWS --- We were sent to a welding shop NOCGODUCHES IRON WORKS where 2 V e r y v e r y nice young men were immediately repair the damaged stop and tie down ratchet $15 THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!


GOOD NEWS---We arrived safely in Springfield Saturday afternoon around 4 p.m. THANK YOU JESUS !!!! and we stayed in the BASS PRO SHOP AND OUTDOOR WORLD parking lot,,as they allow over night dry camping at NO COST THANK YOU JESUS!!! and BASS PRO SHOP. We visited the NATIONAL CEMETERY here in Springfield and saw quite a few graves from the Civil War from both sides, (again we forgot the camera...OR MAYBE I SHOULD SAY CAMERAS if you remember from an earlier post we had lost or misplaced our camera and had just recently purchased a new one WELL John found the old camera along with his missing watch underneath the center table between the front seats of the ENDEAVOR THANK YOU JESUS !!!!
We also went out to the Wilson Creek Battle ground but found it closed for the day. Darn.

Sunday Morning found us Worshiping at 1st Baptist Church, Bolivar, Mo. (one of the churches John attended while a student in Bolivar) We were privileged to meet up with Dr.J.Larry and Kay Jackson,,, dear dear friends and former professor of Johns. We enjoyed dinner, hospitality, and 3 1/2 hrs of sharing of old times, future plans, just catching up on each other families, and past winter travels. THANK YOU JACKSONS THANK YOU JESUS !!!! for such GREAT Friends. Dr. J. shared with us again how great he is doing since his surgery in 2008, and the medical Drs are happy with the results so far.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS FOR YOUR PRAYER CONCERNS THIS POST!!
1) Continues praying for our nations economic troubles and that our country leaders and lead us out of it... along with this thought pray for those that have lost their jobs that their needs may be met... that their mental health not be damaged.

2) Please continue to Pray for ALL of our Military and Service personnel ,along with those that serve our local law enforcement agencies, fire departments and ambulance attendants... just remembering those that were injured in that accident in Houston last week,,, be with them and their families.

3) Pray for those that were shot and wounded and the families of those killed in the various areas of our country this past month.

4) NOMADS will be starting their Project Period 5 this week, pray that they have safe travels to there, that their work will be accomplished safely and wisely, and that all involved receive a special blessing and inspiration.

5) Please Pray for the CHRISTIAN RESORT MINISTRIES RV Chaplains as they prepare to leave their winter assignment homes and are traveling, Particularly Chaplains Don Bakers, Chaplains Dennis Mahoneys, and Chaplains Jack Gregorys.
along with please KEEP PRAYING for our travels into Iowa both safety and weather concerns.

6) We Want all of you to remember the LOST that you know that they may receive the BLESSED MESSAGE of EASTER that OUR GREAT SAVIOR died for their sins along with ours, and that they too, may enjoy the happiness of KNOWING GOD.

7) Johns daughter Samantha is needing special prayers for her mental needs and relationships with others at this time, give those who are working with her the wisdom needed and strength to endure, that she too might come to know JESUS. Along with this remember Judys son Rich that he may be able to finally except the fact that MOM and John just can't always be in IOWA for him to see. Although we speak to him daily via the cell phone.

8) Please start praying for the CRM presence at ADVENTURELAND this summer, where Jack and Karen Gregory will be working leading out in small group bible studies and consulting co-workers with medical problems and other needs.John will be assisting them some with the small group bible studies and the men's retreat. and that We will be the Witness to the parks visitors that we should be.

9) and last of all be in prayer as John and Judy launch their support campaign for prayer support, moral support and economic support as the LORD leads you to join us in our mission endeavors of reaching the lost of the world where they are.

Again we ask for that SPECIAL BLESSING from GOD to all of our friends, family,and those who are our blog readers.

HUGS from the ENDEAVOR Crew --Judy and John along with Purrrs from Pebbles and Bamm Bamm.