Wow, where to start? It sure was a power packed seven weeks of furlough, and first week back home in Germany. I'd like to start by telling Dean and Shirley Watters thank you so very much for standing in for us - pastoring this church while we were away. Thank you for the good job; you have left a fine impression on the hearts of everyone I've spoken to.

When we returned on Saturday the 30th, the church was ready for us as I preached the morning service the next day, Sunday. There were 43 folks in attendance, and immediately after the service I baptized four souls. Presently, there are three more awaiting yet a little while to be baptized.

That was sure a power packed seven week trip to the States. We were in fourteen different churches in these States: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, Oregon, and Arizona. We also made a side trip up to Connecticut where Linda and I both received prescription progressive bifocal glasses given to us free of charge by a kind eye doctor. I was really needing new ones too as my last pair were destroyed in an accident this past August. He also gave me a pair of special reading glasses just for studying.

One of the nicest things about being back is that in almost every church we visited, folks from our previous ministry on Okinawa came to visit us. In fact when we first arrived from Germany at the Orlando airport, we were met by a dear young lady, Jessica Roberts, who was born when we were on our very first term as missionaries back in the 1980's. Both of her parents had trusted in Christ with us, and she was born shortly after.

One of the highlights was when we were present for my son Josh's graduation from Parris Island on the 17th of October.

When we were in Maryland, Richard Cramer, from the early 1990's came from Pittsburgh with his wife and three girls to visit us. Rich surrendered to serve the Lord as a Christian school teacher with us way back then when he was a single Marine Sergeant. He now does exactly what he surrendered to do. "Rich it was a joy to see you and meet your family."

At a mission conference in Stafford, Virginia, Major Paul Wiegman and his family came up from Camp Lejeune, NC to visit us. We ministered to all of them several years ago as well. In Washington State, Retired Army SgtMajor Barry Chancellor picked us up from the airport and ministered to us for several days. He handed me the keys to his brand new 2009 Corvette with only 700 miles on it. Linda and I used that car in visiting three churches in SE, Washington, and NW Oregon. Both churches in Oregon had former members of our ministry on Okinawa. When I gave the Vette keys (grudgingly, heh, heh) back to Barry, I had more miles on it than he did.

While in Washington, I began the process, through the VFW, of trying to get medical treatment for Agent Orange exposure problems, and PTSD for my Vietnam service years.

We departed Washington and Oregon for Tucson, Arizona where Linda and I spent several days in a church who's pastor - and his wife - are retired Marine Master Gunnery Sergeants. The Meneelys are doing a great job ministering to their congregation there, and Bob and Sherry reminded us that they surrendered to the ministry when they were brand new Christians in our church on Okinawa back in 1986. Wow, It sure is rewarding to see "fruits of our earlier labor" time after time.

From Tucson, our next planned church meeting was all the way back in West Virginia, so we flew to Virginia and picked up our Plymouth Van at the church in Stafford where we had left it earlier for our flight to Washington State. Wednesday evening the 19th of November we were in a fine church in Nimitz, WV, and then hurried down to Tampa, Florida where I had an appointment at the VA Hospital at noon on Friday, again Agent Orange related. then Sunday the 23rd I opened the morning service in a supporting church with prayer, and scooted on over to another new church to preach the morning service. This new church is pastored by a friend from my active duty Marine Corps days, a man who also attended Tennessee Temple University while Linda and I both attended in the early 1980s. At the service ending, during the invitation to receive Jesus Christ as Savior, there were five folks who came forward. Later I found out that two folks were really rededicating their faith in Christ, and three were saved.

It was a real blessing to be home with mom over Thanksgiving just before our departure and return to our ministry in Germany on Friday the 29th.

God is good, and it was an intense, but great time since leaving Germany for our furlough. It is my intention to take Linda for a bit of a vacation - a little more laid back, and maybe involving some fishing - sometime within the next year. Maybe after we recover from this most recent furlough.

So that's our update; now you all know everything that we know!!

~ Please pray for Linda who is down with a severe cough and chest ailment, probably due somewhat to exhaustion! She is definitely sick / not feeling well!

~ Please also pray for my complete recovery from my accident injuries this past August, and some lingering financial responsibilities.

~ We'd also appreciate your prayers for someone who want to serve The Lord by using their musical talents, especially a pianist.

In Christ's Service,