Well, for all of you who didn’t hear me voice my expectations before moving to Pennsylvania, they were not necessarily the most favorable. The only thing I knew about Mt. Zion Baptist Church was Marcia (Starr) Hardecker –WOW!, and the fact that Marcia’s mom sent my mother a canned cake one time. Who ever heard of canned cake? And WHY? I mean, Y2K scared some people, but what was the worst that could possibly happen? We would be back to living off the land and cooking from scratch! And wouldn’t dry cake mix keep just as long as cake in a can, and how do you even can cake? Who was the person that came up with that idea? It was all beyond me. Then I found out about the quilting ministry! What kind of a church has a quilting ministry? And do I have to be there every week, as an assistant pastor’s wife? I thought, Here I am going to this church in the wilderness, to can my life away, and quilt, and probably much more!
Well, it wasn’t that bad at all! Actually, I am very happy here. It is definitely a country church, but there is something special about that as well. Most here are very hardworking and eager to help whenever anyone needs it. They are faithful soulwinners and ministry-minded people. And of course, God knew exactly what He was doing placing us here. It is a strong, Bible-believing church; the people, like born-again, Godly people the world round, are very kind, helpful, generous, and hospitable. As for the quilting ministry, it is composed of a handful of dear ladies who make quilts and give them to our missionaries; AND… well, I am even adapting to the canning!!! I have this strange knack for adapting to wherever I am at. In Mexico, a friend said, you are almost, almost Mexican, the only thing you lack is to have been born in Mexico! (Minor detail!)
And now, in “Country”ville (A.K.A. the middle of nowhere!), I am canning tomatoes like a native! Last Wednesday, Mrs. Starr said her and Heidi (daughter), were going to can tomatoes, and if I wanted, I could come. By the time I arrived Thursday morning, they were done with the first batch. “Do you want to go get tomatoes and do some for yourself, Andrea…our first batch went very quickly…go ahead!” So, Heidi and I went, bought tomatoes, and headed back to the house to start my batch. I think I got twelve quarts out of that first half-bushel of tomatoes. Then, Marcia (other daughter) called…”Marcia, we’ve already got everything set up to can, if you want to, come on over and do some for yourself –Oh, wait, Andrea says bring another half box of tomatoes for her to do more!” (What, Andrea? The one who did not want to come to this Countryville Church?) Yes! So then Marcia came, and we did another box for me and one for her! Does it ever end? And I walked out that day with twenty-six quarts of canned tomatoes! What are Dustin and I going to do with all of those? Well, they will last through the year, and I can give them away to friends also, such as my Mother-in-law, my Dad back home, and others. But, when dear old Mrs. Whitmore asked me in church Sunday, “Could you use some more tomatoes?” I said, “Well, I think we are good for now, but thank you!”
…we will officially have internet on Monday the 24th, which will be nice!