Saturday, November 12, 2022

The Funeral

My mother's siblings were not able to see one another very often.  Aunt Treva, the oldest, was a missionary midwife in Mali, Africa with Gospel Missionary Union.  My parents were missionaries with General Conference Mennonite Missions.  Uncle Wally's were missionaries with TEAM.  The furloughs did not match up together very often.  Aunt Wava's lived in Minnesota and Uncle Mahlon's in Ohio. I believe in the picture below, it was the first time in 18 years they had all been together! 

Here are some cousin photos. 

1956

We three are the same age.

Me, Craig and Reva Jo today

Furlough of 1962

In Grandma's kitchen

 Then in 1968


And today, minus my brothers
(We tried to line up like the photo above)

1974, I believe  (oh the styles!!)



Uncle Mahlon (the hairy one-ha!) was the last sibling to pass away.  

What a sweet service!  The family held the burial first.










Grandpa and Grandma




The funeral was held at the St. John Mennonite Church.

Uncle Mahlon made many overseas missions trips.  
In this picture, you can see the ceiling.  He did all of that!  Troy was with him.


Uncle Mahlon made this for the pastor


It really is a celebration when a believer dies.
Really, doesn't die.  Just relocates!



Fellowship meal followed





Then it was time to say our good-byes.
I stopped at the farm to say good-bye
 and pick up some delicious Suder apple cider!


Before getting on the road, I made a stop at Bluffton College to drop off and donate a translated copy of my great-grandfather, P.B.Amstutz's travels to Europe and the Middle East in 1914.


I had copied the original from the library a few years past.  
It was in Swiss-German and I found someone to translate it into English.


Good-bye Ohio!


It was a beautiful drive.  I spent the night in Urbana again. 


A fun stop in Hannibal, Mo.
 


It appears British royalty was aboard!


I made a quick stop in Lawrence to give my sister-in-law a birthday hug!!


Home for a few days before the next trip, this time to Wisconsin.

Friday, November 11, 2022

Traveling to Ohio

I came home from Colorado with just enough time to do some laundry and pack again, then get on the road again; this time to go to Ohio for a funeral.  Allen could not go with me because of work.

Uncle Mahlon was my last remaining uncle to pass on.  He was my mother's baby brother.





He visited us in Japan in 1958 while serving in Korea.

As I was leaving town, I found these clouds interesting.  


Like men marching along.  Or bales of hay in a row.  
Clouds can look like many things.

Flint Hills of Kansas


Along the side of the road, there were about 7 or 8 deer frolicking about.  One  headed for the road, but luckily I passed them before that happened.  I saw many deer along the road that had been hit.  It was reminder to me to be particularly aware of the danger of deer during the months of October and November.  We are also to be aware and vigilant to know that the enemy, Satan, is trying to endanger us in our "journey" from our walk with Jesus.


I took 36 from Cameron across the state of Missouri.
Much less traffic than 80 from Des Moines.





I pulled off for gas in the town of Jacksonville, Illinois.  There were lots of cars pulled over on the side of the road and people were taking pictures of this train.  "Do you know what's going on?" I asked several people at the gas station.  People didn't know until finally a guy told me about the merger of the Canadian Pacific Railway and Kansas City Southern.  "They are running this train here to make sure it could make the loop" a man told me.  


I found this on-line.  "According to the Canadian Pacific acquisition webpage,the proposed merger would combine both networks, which is an approximate stretch of more than 20,000 miles of track between Mexico, Canada, and the United States.  'If this merger goes through, you're talking about more trains that will impact us, the emergency EMS vehicles... and that we do not need,' Gallegos said. 'Year to date, we have over 900 cases of where EMS vehicles could not get through because of stalled trains.'"  There is opposition to this merger.

I made it to Urbana by nightfall, where I stopped for the night.  I enjoyed doing my swim aerobics at the pool.  This was the view from my room.  Some trees were turning colors, while many had already reached peak and leaves were dropping.


There was much construction; many detours to Ohio.  Detours onto small roads - which I actually like!  I did end up going through Indianapolis, which I did NOT like.  It is interesting how the GPS on Maps often foresees construction and traffic delays.  "There is a speed trap ahead."  



Give me old farm roads anyday!

Sometimes it means crawling along at 30mph while behind farm vehicles though.



God also sees ahead.  He KNOWS what is our day will be for us.  He is not surprised by things that will take us by surprise. 

     "Do not be afraid or discouraged, 
                for the Lord will personally go ahead of you.  
         He will be with you; 
                    He will neither fail you nor abandon you."  
                                         Deut. 3:18 (NLT)

Unlike Maps, He is never wrong.  Maps did not have Highway 224 being closed. I had to take different roads (I didn't like the way it was going to take me) and it recalculated as I went.  I'm glad the GPS doesn't say "Recalculating...recalculating....recalculating" in that nauseating voice any more!

I came across this small family plot by the road. The sign lists 10 names plus "many known only to God".  There are only 4 stones present.  You do not see these things on the normal fast highways.  



I love the narrow country roads.  I had not intended to take the scenic route on this trip, but it ended up that way!



I got to Bluffton, Ohio around 3:30 and met my Minnesota and South Dakota cousins!  I haven't seen some of these cousins in years!  



We went to St. John Mennnonite Church for the visitation.
There were soooo many people!  Uncle Mahlon was well loved!





In the evening, we went to Aunt Anne's for cousin time!
The church had provided much food for all.



Not only had Uncle  Mahlon passed, but Aunt Anne's mother had passed away the day before.  Grief upon grief - and YET, we do not grieve as those without hope. 
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)