A Love Story

On Sunday, March 1, Frank and Betty Holmes told the story of their time in Brethren Volunteer Service. It's a love story, in more ways than one.

It's the story of a love of God that sent them both out into the unknown in response to a call to serve. And it's the story of how they learned to love their neighbor through the daily interaction with war refugees from Europe.

But it's also the story of how a girl from Ohio and a boy from Washington ended up on the same BVS project in Sardinia, of all places, where they met, fell in love, and came back to the States and got married.

God works in mysterious ways! Thank you for telling your story, Frank and Betty.

Haiti Comes to Washington

Shirley Devereaux and Arlene Johnson went to Haiti on a mission trip. On a chilly winter's afternoon friends and neighbors gathered in Shirley's cozy home to hear their story and see their photos.

It was a story of challenges, and of being willing to follow Jesus beyond your comfort zone.

And it was a story of expanding horizons, new learning, and personal and spiritual growth.

We're glad you could go, Shirley and Arlene, and we're glad you could share your experience with us.

A Christmas Tradition

It's a Christmas tradition at Whitestone. As the holiday season approaches people gather after church to fill shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

We finish up our coffee and cocoa and snacks...

And then begin to lay the goodies out on the tables.

It doesn't take long before we're organized and ready to fill each box as it is passed around the tables.

Each finished box is carried over and stacked.

And just like that we're finished. This year we filled 28 boxes for shipment.

Next stop: happy children in some place of need somewhere in the world, including this year Northern Iraq, where children and their families have been displaced by ISIS militants.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

That makes us very happy, too.

Go With God, Shirley and Arlene!

Arlene Johnson and Shirley Devereaux, in foreground.

On Sunday, November 2, we had a Commissioning Service for Shirley and Arlene. They are leaving this week for a Mission Trip to Haiti. They are seasoned travelers, and have participated in many forms of service, but this trip will present new challenges for them. Even so, when they heard the call, they responded, "Here am I; send me." (Isaiah 6:8)

As the commissioning service pointed out, though they will be away from us for the time of their service, "in reality this is not a separation, but an extension of our congregation."

Have a wonderful experience, Shirley and Arlene. Our thoughts and prayers go with you.

The Seagoing Cowboys Story Comes Alive

It was a great privilege to have Peggy Reiff Miller as our special guest on Sunday, August 24. She spoke to us about the Seagoing Cowboys, the 7,000 men and boys who took shiploads of animals to war-torn countries between 1945 and 1947.

This is more than an interesting story for some in this area and in our church. Twenty-nine of those 7,000 men came from Washington State, and fourteen of those came from Okanogan County. So for many folks around here, it's a part of their family history.

That's the case for Ben Hylton, on the left. Here he is with Peggy Reiff Miller and his uncle, Bill Dugan, who was a Seagoing Cowboy in 1947. It was an honor to have Bill Dugan with us as Peggy told his story and gave tribute to the lasting impact of what he and all the Cowboys had done.

On Monday, August 25, Peggy was at the Senior Center in Tonasket to share the story of the Seagoing Cowboys with the wider community. There was a large and enthusiastic turnout.

Peggy helped this chapter of Okanogan County history come alive.

And so did the four surviving Cowboys from Okanogan County who were all able to attend and receive the appreciation of their families, friends, and neighbors. They are, from left to right, Dave Henneman, Bill Pyper, Jick Fancher, and Bill Dugan.

A Trip to Burundi, Africa, With Rosemary Zook

It was a great pleasure to have Rosemary Zook with us on Sunday, May 4, to speak about her trip to Africa in February.

After church we hosted a Potluck Meal, and the Ellisforde church came up the hill to join us.

We then went upstairs to the Sanctuary for Rosemary's presentation.

In a preview of her presentation she wrote:

“THARS International was started by David Niyonzima, a native of Gitega, Burundi. He was a teacher in a school there, when the Tutsi’s came with guns and began killing everyone they could find. David hid, and escaped being killed. He felt that God had saved his life so he must do something to stop this terrible situation. So, he started the THARS organization: Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services…"

The THARS Complex in Burundi, Africa.

"My trip was a most humbling experience. It was also rewarding, hard work, a lot of fun, and many, many other things. The team I worked with consisted of people from the United States and Canada, and the Congo, as well as local employees of the Burundi THARS. We didn’t all speak the same language, but we all knew how to work."

Rosemary, on the left...

...and the rest of the volunteers on the trip.

"We worked at the THARS complex by leveling a hill and building a parking lot, one shovel full at a time, planting a garden (with the children’s help), working with children both at local schools and at the complex. We also shared devotional time, speaking and singing in different languages. This was a rewarding experience for all.”

The parking lot work site.

Clearly it was rewarding, but the reward didn't come without courage, some sacrifice, and lots of hard work. Thank you for taking the leap of faith that took you to Africa, Rosemary, and for coming to tell us about it, and to challenge us to look for our own opportunities to serve.

If you would like more information on Thars International, go to these links:

Thars International on Facebook

Thars International website