Christmas 2007 Christmas Greetings

Our three-year global ministry, mainly in Vietnam, continues. We were in Vietnam in February and again in October meeting with church leaders and various government officials, including one Communist party official. We are working with a church to set up medical clinics in the rural Mekong delta. In addition, we are involved with school children learning English. This year we have also ministered in Mexico, India, Illinois, Texas, and Tennessee as well as traveling to England, Greece, and North Carolina. Next year is already booked with ministries in Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam. We are grateful to see God’s hand at work around the world.

Thanksgiving November 2007

Everywhere I see Christmas decorations – in stores, homes, and on buildings. It’s not even December! Did you have a good Thanksgiving? We did. We were in Texas with our surgeon son, who will be deployed to Iraq in January, to visit him and his family. They invited another family and another surgeon to eat Thanksgiving dinner with us. My husband and I cooked the turkey, dressing and gravy, while my daughter-in-law made the salad and vegetables. We had enough to enjoy left-overs for a few days after too. Read more »

Vietnam October 2007

We returned from Vietnam in the wee hours of Friday morning after a 33 hour trip. After catching a few hours sleep, I was at the dentist office at 10 a.m. to have my tooth expensively restored.

Our connection with the Sponsorial Association of Poor Patients has deepened to an ongoing alliance. Material for Children’s Homes in Vietnam
The notebooks, coloring books, crayons, glue, pens and pencils donated by Timberlake members and
others were greatly appreciated and will be distributed to several children’s homes. Mary B. with girls at a children’s home The medical

After almost two months with a mudhole behind our house, the work has begun on the lake. Big CatBig Caterpillars have been working all day for several days to bring in huge pipes as well as prepare the area around the drain. One day when the men were hard at work, we brought our two-year-old grandson to see the machines at work. He was fascinated by the equipment and the progress being made. Cor

September 2007

Last week we were really busy with three grandchildren and their parents here. Three of our children and their families and friends helped us celebrate Labor Day with traditional hamburgers and hot dogs and the fixings. When friends of our children dropped by, we had eleven adults, three teens, and eight children under seven years of age. It was a happy chaos. Another day and night we kept three of the young children while their parents took time away. It takes a lot of energy to keep up with three active youngsters, but we miss them terribly now that they are back home. Read more »

A Week-end in Indiana, uh, Illinois

Last week in our church bulletin was a note that we would be in
Indiana ministering. No, it was Illinois, but Indiana was close. Too close, as it turned out. We drove to Greensboro to catch a plane to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, but because of complications (you don’t want to know) we landed in South Bend, Indiana, to refuel and restart the plane. Was that a prophecy in our bulletin? Anyway, after a five hour flight, we caught the bus for Rockford and a late dinner with friends.

The occasion was the 25th anniversary of our successor, Paul Read more »

August 9, 2007

Yes, hazy, not and humid describe our weather in Central Virginia and much of the rest of our country.everyone needs sunscreen The dog days of summer are upon us. With temperatures in the triple digits, I am thankful for air-conditioning. Whatever our electric bill, I have it on and am staying inside as much as possible. We walk early in the morning when it is not so hot. All too soon we will long for warmer days when autumn and winter arrive.

July 29 – August 3, 2007

A week-end trip to North Carolina to encourage one of our protégés was a special time. He did an excellent job of speaking, and an overnight with these friends was great.

However, while we were gone, a storm hit our area dumping five inches of rain in our neighborhood in a short time. This downpour led to literally pulling the plug on a small lake behind our house to prevent washing out the dam. When we returned home, we saw a mud hole where our lake had been. Dry Lake: Drained Lake In addition to that, our whole yard smelled like dead fish. Fortunately, the odor only lasted a couple of days.

Global Outreach Conference

This week we are involved in a conference of those who are from or reaching out to people in countries such as Mexico, Romania, Serbia, Vietnam, India, Ukraine, and other places. It is interesting to see what is going on in these locales, and a lot is going on. It has been refreshing to be challenged by an in depth study of the basis of the commission given to us. Read more »

In and Out of Alleyway

We helped in VBS last week, I with 1st and 2nd graders, and my husband with the recreation for the children. We were on site and ready at 8:30 a.m. and stayed with the children until the last on of my group was on the way home around 12:30 p.m. Then we came home to work on other projects, such as cleaning house, working on my photo albums, gardening, and other chores. Thursday evening we were back for VBS for Parents’ Night where the children sang the songs they had learned through the week. Read more »

REAL ISSUES SERIES-PRESERVING THE LIFE OF PREBORN
A recent writer to our local newspaper seemed to have difficulty deciding whether Planned Parenthood does or does not perform abortions. He stated that “PP Federation of America does not do abortions.” In the next paragraph he then states “If performed by PP, an abortion must occur within the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.”

Regardless of the seeming inconsistency in that letter, the real heartache to those who are concerned with preserving the life of preborn is that PP is a major player in promoting the killing of preborn babies. Since the little one’s mental faculties are in developmental process, the state of such at 13 weeks or earlier, (if that can accurately be defined), becomes a moot point. Read more »

A Big Birthday

Sunday, June 24th, my husband celebrated his 70th birthday. I know you can’t believe he’s that old, but God has given him three score and ten years to live and serve Him. I had asked a few close friends and relatives to send cards, but someone else spread the word, and cards poured in. Now cards are displayed all over our family room from those who thought enough of this milestone to send a card, some with just names, but some with remembrances of good times and thanks for the blessing he has been in their lives.
70th Birthday

June 2007

Last week-end, I attended my 50th high school reunion, and it was a great time. Friday evening 6-8 couples ate supper together at a local restaurant. When the restaurant closed at 9 p.m. we moved outside to a porch where we talked until the place was locked tight, lights turned off and the employees left.

The next morning, we met at our high school where we wandered through the halls and remembered teachers, fellow students, events and shared memories. One of our group could tell us what each teacher taught in which room. high school

Orrin Mark Alley arrived a month early on June 1, 2007. We are happy to announce that he and his mother are doing well and are home after baby Orrin spent several days in intensive care. He weighed 7 pounds and 9 ounces. What would he have weighed in another month? Here is a picture of the little guy. Orrin
Orrin’s big brother, Corr, is getting to know him. Corr

Time Off
Our first extended vacation in four years in London and Athens May 2007

On April 30, two weeks after our return from ministering in Tennessee, we left for London to see our son and his family. London was cold in May, although it did not rain as much as usual and warmed up considerably by the time we came home three and a half weeks later. Read more »