Just yesterday (6-14-08) some of us returned from our Vancouver, B.C., Canada mission trip. This is our second year serving in Canada. I would like to tell you that this trip was great!

First, this trip was planned several months ago, and we soon had nine people willing to serve. Those nine are: Dave and Margaret Kaufmann, Wayne and Cherylon Patten, Max and Lynn Merritt, Harry Osborne, Glenn Blanset, and Dave Shadle. Some were part of the 2007 Vancouver team, but all were well rested, and ready to go.

We choose to serve with a small Baptist church, just two years old called "The Connection", located in Maple Ridge, a city within the Greater Vancouver area. They just recently doubled the rented space used for Sunday services, and Friday night youth events. We knew they needed some assistance in remodeling the additional space, and that was one of the ways we served. Wayne and Glenn rewired a series of electrical needs they had, which made the building more useful and safe.

We also helped them reach out to the volunteer firemen in that community. Margaret, Lynn, and Cherylon led the project to feed 80+ people at 3 different firehouses, at the same time on the same night, and many miles away from each other. May I add that this event and many meals eaten by the mission team were prepared in a kitchen the size of Pastor Jesse's pulpit and using a sink, microwave, crockpot, roaster, and one knife. These ladies did a fabulous job. To nobody's surprise . . . none of us lost weight on this trip.

In another project to reach out to the Maple Ridge businesses, the ladies prepared 25 gift plants with "The Connection" literature and distributed these with the help of Pastor John Martens. The plant wasn't for the business, it was for the people that work at that business, to make them aware of this new church. We have done some of this here at Willow Hills, and there is more to do.

One big, time consuming project took four days as we replaced a 40' x 9' deck from scratch. Pastor Johns' home serves as the church office and the baptisms take place in his hot tub in the back yard. The youth minister from Missouri lives there also. Dave Kaufmann led the team of Max, Harry, and Dave in this effort, and did it to perfection. Did I mention that the first day they worked in the rain? From that point forward the weather improved - until Thursday, which was warmer and humid. We never really saw the sun directly, but we got glimpes of it.

"The Connection" reminds me of a small church in central Arizona over 50 years ago, that started in an old store, and grew to be "Willow Hills" Baptist Church today. Willow Hills was also started with the help and funding of existing churches at that time.

The Vancouver Mission Team of 2008 would like to thank those that prayed, gave, and encouraged us in increasing God's Kingdom in North America, as you have also done for international and local missions.

Thank you, and please consider how you can serve . . . .

Dave Shadle

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