Thoreau Flood

 Yesterday, monsoon season continued as expected, but what came after has not happened this bad in over 10 years... The Great Thoreau Flood.  Our backyard and drive way turned into a literal river.  I had to rescue our dog Nikida back onto the porch.  The rain had stopped and she had gone out to relieve herself, but in the 2 minuets she was out... the flood hit.  Robby had just walked from the front window to the back, and back to the porch...and it hit between leaving the back window and the front porch.

 We had to wait till our driveway stopped being a river to get over to the church. The church got hit too.  Our back field, which last week we used for a cowboy church service, was "Thoreau Lake" yesterday.  We were blessed with sandbags from the Fire Department, and bagged every door of the church to keep it from leaking through the doors, more than it had at least.  We had pizza and fellowship after cleaning up the church.

Even more unbelievable was the flooding out of the train tracks.  These tracks have been used since the 1890's by first the Mitchel's lines and now the Amtrak and Santa Fe Railroad.  Trains were waiting till about 9 till 10 pm for the water to go down and the tracks to be cleared off enough for the trains to pass.  At 6 pm when I took the pictures, the tracks were still flooded out... It was totally and unbelievable sight!

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Basketball Camp 1

Wow, what a week.  Last Sunday through Wednesday we were swamped with children and teens for our church's (First Baptist Church of Thoreau) first summer basketball camp.  We had 13 salvation/re-dedications (plus a few more that we didn't get names), and 30-40 young people every day.

We had at first planned to just give them snacks, juice, and water, but the Lord provided for us in away that only He can get the credit for.  Every day we were able to feed these youth full meals, plus snacks with donations and food that was provided for us.  If any stomics left hungry, it was because they did not eat what they were given, not that the Lord did not provide!  PTL!

We were sad to see the team from Crossfire leave, but with more outreaches, including another basketball camp later in July, we have much to prepare for as the summer moves forward.

Keep Robby and me in prayer as we seek God as to how He wants us to serve even more.

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Indiana

Here I am sitting in a soft bed, snow falling heavy outside my window, on the third floor of a hotel in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  A beloved aunt, Nelda (Houser) McNery, has gone home to be with the Lord.  Tis a time of great sadness, and joy was well for her 14 year fight with cancer is over and she is well now in heaven.  Why and how did I get to Indiana from Thoreau, NM?  First by train to visit my adopted and birth families, then when word of Nel's death came, Dad and I drove the 14 hours to get here taking turns driving and sleeping.

Once here, while we were unloading the car, I got a call from Rob.  One of the beloved pups, the girl called Nizhonii, is dead.  How we have no clue, though I had my worries for she seemed to have stopped growing.  He  barried her in the backyard.  I shall put a good marker on her grave upon my return to New Mexico.

After changing here at the hotel, Dad and I went driving acrossed Ft. Wayne.  What an adventure that turned out to be.  Between going and coming to the church, we went passed the same gas station 4 times.  Yes we got lost a few times.  LOL.  But then if it was not snowing so hard it would not have been an issue.  The gathering at the church was good.  Twas the first time I realized no one sees me as a kid anymore.  Last time I was out here most still did.  Wow.  Being 29 sure changes many things.

Tonight, I drowned my sadness in a pool of salt water.  Twas good to at last be swimming again.  If I can I shall again come morrning.  The laps felt good, and refeshed my soul.  So did the cold mt. dew, my treat to myself...a guilty pleasure with all the stress and sadness of the day.

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the NAME of the Lord.

~ Traveller Gal, out!