On My Way Home!

OK, I'm on my way home as of Monday morning and it was a very big, but very wonderful day to be sure. In fact it was so big I'm going to give it to you in two separate posts. The first pics you see are just some farewell shots of T's parents, Julie and T, and, of course, me and my sweetie!  First stop was Carnegie, PA to meet with Andy Clarke and the ministry he has put on the map there. He started with just his own salary being covered by the conference and he has put together a network of support that employs a half dozen or more and offers services to the community that dazzle the mind.  They have renovated dozens of homes affected by the flooding from Hurricane Ivan and others. They have impacted the community with such force that at a city council meeting where the council was counting on not approving a request for occupancy they had over 200 community leaders including clergy from many other denominations, business owners and others present to speak on their behalf and their request was approved unanimously.  I have a video of the meeting that I'll be sharing. I spent two hours with Andy and saw an incredible ministry that has sprung up in just a few years and they are having their first baptisms on July 18!  This was exciting stuff! Next I went on to Newark, OH and I'll put that into the next post. It was a long day with three stops and 530 miles! By the way, the last pic shows the brick building that they purchased.  They rent out two spaces for a pizza shop and another very nice cafe.  They occupy the third (far right) shop with a bookstore and all of the second floor and basement for a wide variety of services. You also see a picture of Andy and the other is of a safe that the kids painted.  There is a beautiful, but long, story that goes with that.  You'll have to read the book when it comes out!