LEIGH YAWKEY WOODSON ART MUSEUM

What a great day. The snow came (about 8 inches at final count). Karol and I took the three Japanese vet students to the museum. We ate pho at the Vietnamese restaurant. I got stuck in the driveway.

I can't believe how many birds come to our various feeders. Most of these seed-eaters are pine siskins. Other ground feeders are the juncos, goldfinches, redpolls and mourning doves.

We've had lots of turkeys lately. Andrew wondered why they kept coming back every day. I told him, "They like the corn."

It takes lots of stamina to keep all of the feeders full of seed.

Karol's goal is to have the chickadees eat out of her hand. And I know that one of these day it will really happen.

These cranes welcome visitors to the museum. Other garden sculptures can be found in the garden area, but the snow was too deep to walk around.

The art museum is housed in a former log baron's home. No admission charge to see their changing venues. They now have a permanent collection of Owen Gromme paintings. It's worth a visit.

We love the pileated woodpeckers. This painting was such a treat since we had just seen one of these magnificent birds at our suet.

Bald eagles also have a warm spot in our heart. We frequently see an eagle on our way home from Stevens Point.

The loon is still one more favorite. We can travel a mere seven miles during the summer to hear the loon at Jackqueline Lake.

We have a signed print of this painting in our bedroom over the bathtub.

The current display at the museum was origami (folded paper from all over the world). l-r: Ryota, Karol, Sachiko, and Kota (foreground)

Sachiko was pleased that she was able to recreate a camera.

The morning wouldn't have been complete without lunch at Lor's Vietnamese Restaurant in Stevens Point.

Today we all happened to order "pho." Surely tasted good on a snowy day.

ADDENDUM:  After our trip to Wausau and then to the restaurant, I brought Karol home. The snow was deep in the drive, but I could make it in and then headed back to Point. On my way home, the snow was deeper, and I did get stuck. I tried backing up several times, driving on the snow that I packed, but there was too much ice underneath. I was about to go up to the house when Cheeto (our plow man) arrived to take care of the driveway. He plowed and then pushed me off of the ice. I then made it up to the garage/house.

JAPANESE "VETS"

What an interesting morning. Karol invited her three veterinarian students (all from Gifu University and each working on a PhD) to our home. They are bird banding this weekend, and she wanted them to become acquainted with the variety of birds in Wisconsin at this time of the year.

On the way to our home this morning (8:30) we saw an immature bald eagle in the big swamp near Jordan Pond. We received a call from Karol about 5 minutes from our home saying that the pileated woodpecker was on our tree for the suet (we had not seen one since the last group of vet students had visited our home last January). We drove slowly into the driveway and just around the corner. I could see it far ahead on the tree. I tried to explain where it was, and finally all three students had seen it. And then it flew.

Karol shot this picture with her phone camera. Not bad, eh?

We drove up to the house. Karol was all excited. She faithfully waits for those days when she can see the pileated. Other birds seen this morning: Dark-eyed junco, blue jay, northern cardinal (2 pr), lots of pine siskins, red breasted nuthatch, white breasted nuthatch, mourning dove, goldfinch, English sparrow, red-bellied woodpecker, 4 turkeys (usually we see 20), and black-capped chickadee, but we missed out seeing the redpolls.

Karol (left) and Ryota, Kota, and Sachiko try the "pisch" sound to attract the black-capped chickadees. They were excited. It worked! Soon 5 chickadees hovered near them.

While this gentleman was not looking at me, I thought that you could hardly ever miss a cardinal sitting in a bush in the winter time.

 I enjoyed the morning with the students. I remembered a few Japanese words, talked about some of our favorite Japanese dishes, showed them how I make my bowls (rough gouged a cherry bowl - completed it later in the day so that Karol can show them on Monday), and had a wonderful visit with these kind-hearted Japanese students. Karol made a wonderful beef vegetable soup for lunch, served with homemade Sullivan St. bread, dill pickles, cheese, and rhubarb "pudding" for dessert.

AND THE TURKEYS?  I DIDN'T THINK THAT YOU WANTED TO SEE THEM ONE MORE TIME. THEIR PLUMAGE HAS NOT CHANGED IN THE PAST FEW DAYS.

COULD IT BE A MIRACLE?

Many of you know that a year ago, December, I began turning bowls on a lathe. I use wood that has been harvested from our acreage - most of it has been set aside for burning in our fireplace insert. When I started, I did not know how I would do, but I thought that it would be a wonderful avocation for my transitioned life.

I have turned mulberry (compliments of Jerry Nicolaus), walnut, oak, black cherry, birch, maple, sumac, and hickory and have discovered that each wood, and each specific piece has a uniqueness all of its own. Kind of like snowflakes; no two are alike.

And so throughout the year, off and on, I turned bowls. I've tried several bigger ones (10" diameter), but most of what I've done have been small. I believe it is what you need to do to perfect the process of making a bowl. The summertime was off because I was busy with the garden. I've also had to break for mission trips to China and Guatemala.

I am really indebted to Bill Anderson (Stevens Point) for helping me get started. He gave pointers, provided a few tools, and simply encouraged me. I hope I am making him proud.

Of course, there was a substantial purchase of tools:  the carving tools, a dust collector, a band saw, and a few other choice items. But now I'm set (so I believe).

I have discovered that it is fun, relaxing, and extremely creative. When I begin a piece of wood, I have no idea what it is going to turn out to be - that happens as I work away the wood. Sometimes I am surprised, sometimes pleased, sometimes excited, and sometimes, the bowl breaks, or is tossed off of the lathe, and it is only good for the fire (Bill once said to me,"If it doesn't turn out good as a bowl, it will always make a good piece of firewood.)

Last summer, I never would have believed that I could make a covered bowl. Wallah! Tonight I did it. I turned the bottom of the bowl this afternoon, and tonight, I went out to the shop, saying to Karol, "I'm going to make a cover for this bowl."  Unbelievable! It turned out really good - and the cover sits snugly on the bowl. If you ever stop by the house, I'll be proud to show it to you.

I would never have believed that I could make bowls of such quality and creativity. So, to me, it is a miracle. I certainly feel blessed by God to have such gifts to create such wonders!

My first covered container (bowl) made out of black cherry. It wasn't as hard as I first thought, but you need to be very careful of the measurements so as to get the top to fit correctly. The bowl is made out of a piece of cherry that I cut in half lengthwise. The pattern on the bowl even matches.

When I begin, I don't know what the final piece will look like. It is usually a surprise to me. Knots, grain, and the design of the wood often surprise me.

The top center piece is a low bowl made out of oak. The three side bowls are all made out of hickory that comes from a jointly owned property, Aspen Acres. Let me reiterate: if you want to see the bowl, you've got to come and visit.

In my workshop working on the large lathe. Since the time of this picture, I also purchased a midi-lathe (table top) at Sears on a tremendous clearance price.

I love the spalted birch in the center. To the left is maple and to the right is birch.

Most of these bowls are no longer in our home. They've been given away. People (including Karol) have suggested that I sell the bowls. That would be too much pressure for me. So I give them away. If you ask me for a bowl, I'll happily give you one, and I'd also ask for a generous gift for ISM.

Daily visitors to our home now are turkeys. The flock numbers 20 or 21 and they come for the corn that I scatter around in a larger area under the trees. We can easily see them from our great room.

We've been working on this for a while now. Before the squirrels eat the sunflower seeds, they fold their paws in prayer, thanking their Creator for the undeserved gift. [:)]

WINONA WEEKEND

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to Winona, Minnesota, to do an ISM weekend. I was well received; I shared the story; and I discovered that the travel there and back was interesting.

They call it "Steamboat Rock," located between Coloma and Necedah on Highway 21. It is so strange because there are no other outcroppings of rock in the area.

Shortly after passing Steamboat Rock, I spied this bald eagle just waiting for my photo.

Next were the turkeys enjoying some kind of treats in a roadside yard. A short time later, I also saw a porcupine plodding along the ditch.

After crossing the Mississippi River traveling north along the bluffs in Minnesota, I saw these spectacular frozen falls. No water was running, but it must have simply seeped out of the bluff.

The mighty Mississippi River (frozen tight).

In Winona, ice fishermen had put out their shacks. The rock in the background is interesting. At night, it seemed to have lights on it. Laura Mako Lange just emailed me to inform me the rock outcropping on the top is called Sugar Loaf. You can drive all the way up to near the top.

St. Martin's Lutheran Church, Winona. They apparently have a membership of 1800, but not nearly that many were in the three services on Saturday night and Sunday morning. They also have an elementary school and a small "area" high school. Ruth Badciong (missions and campus ministry at St. Martin) emailed me a Facebook link for some Saturday night supper pics:  www.facebook.com/lsfwinona

I set up my display table in the narthex. People picked up material, and about 15 new prayer partners were added to our database.

On Sunday afternoon, I took the northern route back to Stevens Point. The highways took me through some beautiful rolling hills with lots of forest with farms tucked inbetween.

 IT WAS A NICE WEEKEND WITH A CHANCE TO SHARE THE STORY OF ISM AND ADDITIONAL BLESSINGS TO SEE GOD'S WORLD - BEAUTIFUL!

PRAISE THE LORD! WE'RE SAFELY HOME!

Monday, Jan. 14

The trip over the mountains was visually pleasing. The view gave us vistas of rocky crags and deep valleys. Much of the land is arid dotted with 15 to 20 foot multi-branched cactus, maybe good for growing aloe vera, but not much else. I’m sure that some of that land is used to graze cattle. The four lane highway wound its way through very small villages.

By 11 am, we had reached the one of the souvenir areas in Guatemala City. It was a pleasant place to shop, a few others and lots of choices in the 40 some shops. We looked for an hour and then headed to a fried chicken fast food restaurant for lunch. I had crispy chicken, just like KFC. 

After dropping Josie off at the airport at 1:30, we headed back for more shopping. Some of our team have multiple gifts to buy for loved ones and friends. The nice thing about this craft area is that, as far as I can tell, everything is made in Guatemala. Some purchased woven items, usually very colorful. Others found bookmarks, dolls, and clay figurines. It was fun looking, and, for me, it was fun bargaining (reminded me of my days in China).

Later this afternoon we’ll head to the airport, find some supper there, and then board the 8:30 flight for Chicago O’Hare. The day has been nice because it is low key and relaxing, very unlike the busy days we had with VBS and the clinic.

TEAM MEMBERS REFLECT ON THE TRIP

I enjoyed the time I spent with the people of Zacapa and working in the clinic .My daughter helped me a lot. I am looking forward to coming back ….Scott and Tabitha

I really enjoyed my time spent here in Guatemala.  During this trip I made a ton of friends and I will miss every single one of them. I enjoyed the hot temperature and my favorite day was the one spent visiting the families of San Pablo and listening to their stories about their life and the history of San Pablo….Angie

I felt that the love for Jesus is growing with every trip. Hearing stories from people of San Pablo about the earthquake they lived through and the survival brought tears to my eyes. The smiles of the children are addicting. I am very excited to start planning the next trip to San Pablo to work more with the people and continue to spread the word of Jesus Christ….Diane

I had a great time working and trying to communicate with my fellow workers at the house construction, specially, Dino. I thought that I had it down because they answered yes to all my questions but most of the time they did not understand me. Everyone was very friendly and so happy for our help….Dale

Infinite thanks to all the people of Guatemala who I’ve had the pleasure to learn from over the past week.  Likewise, to the Saint Paul group for inviting me to be a part of their family for the week - it has been an honor to work alongside each and every one of you as we experienced the culture of San Pablo, a community that welcomed us with open arms and open hearts.  The Saint Paul and San Pablo groups have so much to offer one another, and being that such a solid foundation is in place, I am excited to see the relationship continue to grow and strengthen in the future, reaping countless benefits for both communities.  Thank you for an incredible week, the unforgettable memories and everlasting friendships….Sabrina

I am so grateful to God again for a trip that is a blessing…a blessing for me personally, a blessing for the people on the trip, blessings to come for the family of St. Paul in Stevens Point and we pray blessings for our brother and sisters in San Pablo.  The beauty of the land as we drive, the beauty of the people and the beauty of the gospel that transforms our hearts fills me with peace and joy.  As we talk about the next trip it brings excitement about the future of our partnership with San Pablo….Carol

What has come from this trip?  Beautiful memories of Guatemalan people and landscape, prayers that our presence in San Pablo has brought God’s love and some hope for its people, focus on the value of time in the US and the need for quiet, reinforcement of the need for family and community.  God has blessed our group and our time on the trip and I am grateful….Myra

This trip came to me as an unexpected opportunity to participate in the mission to Guatemala.  It has been a real blessing getting to know people up close and personal that I have been acquainted with for years but rather from a distance.  The talented college students who translated for us were so much fun.  The staff who had been there before was so knowledgeable and great leaders. The people of San Pablo will be unforgettable for their smiles and peaceful contentment when their life is so difficult compared to ours.  I hope to have a deep appreciation for the simple blessings we take for granted….Jeanne

My best memory is of working with Alex the translator and a home visit gentleman named Carlos on the puzzle.  I had just taught Alex the prior day. He followed my instructions giving Carlos the same puzzle path and explanation. We showed Carlos, we explained the colors and we did the puzzle, then we asked him to do it also. On the second attempt, he completed it perfectly. We praised him and he was very pleased – then he showed us his Bible, which he said he had read from cover to cover.  He had many paper markers in the pages for his favorite passages.  My heart was filled with joy….Tina

What a great trip, better each time (OK, it has only been two). My anxiety over general medicine was much less, and there were a handful of neurological cases (Bell’s Palsy, epilepsy, restless legs, carpal tunnel syndrome) and plenty of  musculoskeletal issues so  that I did find more than an island of comfort.  I would smile when the “chief complaint” was “wants to see the neurologist.”  We are really starting to develop a real relationship with the people of San Pablo, and I smile and look forward to the next trip to continue to share God’s love here in Guatemala….Todd

Tired of shopping. It was good that three hours later we caught the plane to return to the States. The trip was a huge blessing to us from the people of San Pablo, and we were a wonderful blessing to them.

GUATEMALA - JAN 14 (LAST DAY)

Today we head out.  Right now, it's 5:25, and I'm making a pot of coffee for the early risers. Breakfast and devotions this morning at 6 am, and by 7 am we should be in the van on our way back across Guatemala to Guatemala City. We drop off Josie at the airport at 1 pm, take some time for shopping, and then catch an evening flight to Chicago.

At Chicago, we are met by Butch Weege and Pastor Tom Petersen with the van and trailer. Our arrival in Stevens Point should be somewhere around 6 am tomorrow morning.

Since I will probably not have access to the internet until tomorrow, I'd invite your prayers for safety on this last leg of our journey.

It was a blessed time. We saw over 400 people in the clinic, enjoyed 60+ children in the days of VBS, finished the home for Mirna and her family, and had some special times with about 12 families yesterday in our home visits.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFTS, YOUR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, 

AND YOUR PRAYERS OVER THESE DAYS!

We have been stretched; we have grown; we have shared Jesus in Word and deed; and now as we return, praying that we will be able to translate what we have learned into specifics in our owns spheres right where we live.

A FEW OF THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WE WILL LONG REMEMBER:

TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!

GUATEMALA: OUR LAST DAY IN SAN PABLO

This was our last day in San Pablo and our last night in Zacapa. For the team it is a bittersweet time for there are longings to go home, but friendships have been made and parting is sad. The day with home visits was a blessing for both the visitors and those visited. We're thankful to God for the way in which everything worked our so well.

VIDEO

LEONEL AND ROMERO SING

Shishkebobs for lunch. Excellent!!

I met Carlos and asked to have a picture with him. Men take their machete to the woods to cut wood and then sell it. Later, I asked if there was a machete that I could buy. Immediately, he sent someone out to find one. I would receive it later at the entrance to the church.

Leonel and his son. Leonel taught music and English in the Lutheran school for many years. He has a serious case of Parkinson's disease, his hands shake and it is somewhat difficult to understand him as he speaks (and he did speak in English).

VIDEO
 LEONEL PLAYS SILENT NIGHT ON HIS ACCORDION

Alex and Karla served as two of our translators. Karla teaches music and religion at the Lutheran school in Zacapa.

The burro is a commonplace beast of burden. Kids use them for transportation and they are also frequently used for carrying supplies or loads of woods.

This burro is in use.

Cows on the streets of San Pablo. It was common for us to see cows walking the gravel road as we traveled to and from our hotel in Zacapa to San Pablo.

VIDEO

 COWS ARE DRIVEN THROUGH THE STREET

We met this family on one of our home visits. The woman's husband has been bedridden for three years. In many of these families, there are 30 or more grandchildren (some through divorce and second marriage) and others simply by big families of 10 children or more.

St. Peters Catholic Church in Zacapa. After we returned from San Pablo at the end of the afternoon, we stopped in Zacapa at the downtown square and the church.

The chancel at St. Peters. One gentleman offered to get the priest so that I could meet him, but he happened to be resting. The chancel is beautiful - contemporary and traditional.

Tina suggested that I might want to take this manger set back for Karol........not enough room in my suitcase. They were dismantling the creche on Monday.

Security tends to be tight in the larger cities. It is not uncommon to see rifles carried by men dressed in a variety of camo. It didn't make me feel safe, it made me feel nervous.

Mariachi band with a lot of spunk and flavor.

VIDEO

THE NATIONAL INSTRUMENT OF GUATEMALA

The Black Jesus is paraded through the streets at different times of the year.

The family who sold me the machete.