As you can tell when you read the previous posting on this blog, that entry was written about one week ago---before we headed out on Monday! With the devastation from tornadoes that has occurred this week precisely in the path where we've just traveled, we wanted to thank you for your prayers and give a ready testimony to God's protection.
I'm sure by now you know about the tornadoes in Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia,etc.----some very near or exactly the location where we were just a few hours before. We were through Tuscaloosa on Monday afternoon on our way to Gadsden, AL for the night. Then on to Terrell, North Carolina, on Tuesday for a wonderful afternoon and evening with long-time friends---even had a leisurely, sunny boat ride and dinner on Lake Norman! Then we began to encounter just the edge of the storms yesterday morning as we headed up I-81 in southwest Virginia , but we only had about ten minutes of rain amidst the threatening clouds and fog as we climbed up the Appalacian chain of mountains on the western side of Virginia. Much of the rest of the day was overcast with several sunny spots, but nothing at all to worry about weatherwise.
However, during our overnight stay at the missions house here in Harrisburg, PA, the storms finally caught up with us! We were staying in the basement bunk room. . . On the other end of the house during the early hours a window blew out and allowed lots of water into the basement, flooding two of the bedrooms and the hall at that end of the house. This morning Ben has been helping to vacuum up the water and help "dry out" the area.
We were scheduled to head to Massachusetts today on the final day of our four-day journey to New England. However, when we consulted the weather this morning and looked outside at the ominous skies about 8:00, all we could find on the TV was the local weathermen with all of the tornado watches and warnings in the area. . . .streets and highways flooding, schools closing, etc. After keeping an eye on the storm's predicted path right up I-81 where we were supposedly heading to Scranton, PA, we decided to delay for a while our departure. With further contemplation and following our God-given common sense, we have decided to just "stay put" for today since every interim location enroute to our final destination of Northborough, Massachusetts is in the path of this storm system!
The missions house here in Harrisburg is well equipped with wireless connection in their conference room, so we can easily catch up on a three-day hiatus from internet connections as well as let you hear from us to know that we are safe. . . .
In the meantime, the Lord has blessed us in other ways! Guests last night at the missions house here in Harrisburg included a couple from Virginia who are heading to Washington, VT to be the summertime caretakers for the Calef House, the missions house we know well which houses LOTS of teams from all over the country. Also there is a team of six people (staff and lay leaders) from Faith Baptist Church in Youngsville, NC, who have been using this as their headquarters this week for their "discovery" efforts in this area of Pennsylvania. They are investigating potential church planting sites where their church will be sending some couples who are already committed to come to this area to establish relationships and begin Bible studies as they "do life together" in a community that needs Jesus. Their mission is to establish a Southern Baptist church as God directs. So this has been a wonderfully blessed "discovery time" for us as we've met more Baptist co-laborers from the eastern US as well as learned from them!
So---now you can add these new friends and their ministries to your prayer list please! Also, we want to thank all of you for your prayers for our safety, and of course, we covet your continued prayers as we begin our work tomorrow in New England!
And we'll TRY to keep in touch much more frequently! Remember that we'd LOVE to hear from you at any time! Please either post a comment at the end of this message or e-mail us at sherilynbj@gmail.com. Our "home address" for this year's New England stay is 81 Lincoln Street,
Northborough, MA 01532. We love keeping in touch with you!
May God continue to bless and guide you!
Ben and Sherilyn
Just found your post and want you to know, I have been praying and I didn't even know how bad the weather was in that area until this morning. Actually, thought you probably got there yesterday; now, I know to pray for your safe travels another day. Guess we dodged a storm here - lots of action around, but we were blessed with nearly 3 inches of badly needed rain and no damage.
ReplyDeleteWe're headed out the door for Caddo for the annual meeting on Saturday and the weather is beautiful here. Gotta run. Keeping you in our prayers. -'holley'