Newberg, Oregon

My trip to Oregon went by so fast! Not surprisingly because all vacations seem to go that way but it really did go by fast.

**A little back story for those who don't know. I was visiting Ken and Joyce Bjorge in Newberg, Oregon. I met Ken and Joyce when I was a summer missionary in Longview, WA in the summer of 2001. Ken was the pastor of Robert Grey Baptist Church where I was working. They were also my host family. I worked two two other girls that summer Krystal and Lezli-O'Neal. We all stayed at their house. Ken and Joyce became like family to me that summer and we have kept in touch over the years. I have been back to Longview twice since that summer (the last time in in 2002) and they came to GA for my college graduation a few years ago. Okay, I think that covers most of it. Moving on.

I arrived in Portland last Thursday afternoon. It was like coming home. It was wonderful to be in a familiar airport and one that brings a lot of good memories to mind. It really did feel like coming home. Which seeing as I was visiting my second family shouldn't be all that surprising. I'm just sad to realize that it has taken me five year to make that jump across the US to visit them. I really should make it a habit of going much more often.

I made my way to the Max (their subway train line). It was quite easy to navigate and since I didn't have to switch trains made it quite easily to Joyce's office. Even though I have been navigating through countries all over SE Asia, I still had a feeling of accomplishment to find my way on my own. All the other trips, I was at least with friends. Yes, it is all in English and most everyone speaks English as their first language so those were not barriers.

Once with Joyce, we made our way to Newberg where they live. It was about a 45 minute drive there. It was really great to catch up and to know that I was going to spend a week visiting with Ken and Joyce.

We hit a lot of traffic but eventually made our way to Chehalem Valley Baptist Church where Ken works. I didn't see much of the church at that time but all during that day and the next few, I had several reminders of my first few days in Longview back in 2001. It was almost like reliving those days except for the fact that Krystal wasn't with me. I was learning a new house, a new town, and a new church.

We headed to a town up the road to eat at Outback that night. One thing that is always true when visiting with Ken and Joyce, I always have steak at least once. This trip I had it three times. I love it even though they tease me about eating "cremated" steaks!

After Outback, we headed to Home Depot. I start to look at paint colors for the duplex that I had made an offer on (more on this in another post to come soon but at this point I had a binding contract on a fee simple attached duplex). I had a few options by the time we left. When we got home, I went basically straight to bed since I was falling asleep standing up. However, it was still light out! I'm still not adjusted to how long it stays light out and it's even longer there! I was up until 10 one night and it was still not quite twilight!

The next day was the fourth. I celebrated most of the day by sleeping! I read for a while and then slept some. That evening though we went to St. Paul to the rodeo. Unfortunately, they were sold out when we got there. We bought tickets for the next night and then hung around their fair area outside the arena until time for the fireworks. It would have been great to see the rodeo but I really enjoyed just sitting and talking.

The fireworks were very nice. I'm not sure when the last time I saw fireworks in the US on the fourth was. Last year I was in Canada and the year before I was in China. I'm not sure beyond that but I think I was in Charleston in 2005 and 2004 but I didn't see any fireworks. Maybe it was in 2003 when I saw them with my Crosspoint staff in Atlanta.

Saturday was another mostly lazy day for me. I again read for a while and slept some. Then April (Ken and Joyce's daughter) and Joel arrived with there three children. This was the first time I had met Ryan. He's so cute and he has learned to hold his own against his older sisters. It was really good to see Emily and Morgan again. Shortly after April and Joel arrived, Chris and Tessa arrived with their two children.

I met Chris and Tessa briefly the last time I was in Longview, WA. Chris has worked at a missionary in Longview where he had met Tessa. He then came back to marry her. They have lived in the NW and in the Carolinas recently. The summer I worked in Longview was the summer before they moved back to Longview so I didn't know them then. They are great people as well and it was a wonderful evening visiting with all of them. We were having such a great time that we opted not to go to the rodeo (instead Ken and I agreed that I would just try to come back the next year to see it). It was a wonderful evening and I was very glad to get to see them all again.

Sunday was a good day. They serve breakfast the first Sunday of each month. Ken and Joyce both had to be at church really early so I rode in with Andrew. He is the youth minister at Chehalem Valley but he is also from Longview and I met him when I first worked out there in 2001. I enjoyed being at church with them but it also showed me how hard Satan is working on this church right now. For those who read this and are believers please pray for this church. They are going through a very difficult time right now. The whole NW Baptist Convention is going through a difficult time. Please pray for that area. Pray for strength for those serving out there. It is definitely not the Bible belt. Pray that God will provide wisdom to those in leadership so they will guide the churches and the believers in God's will that people will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

I enjoyed my Sunday afternoon nap before heading back for another service. It really did remind me of Longview that evening as I only knew Ken and Joyce but was slowly meeting others in the church and trying by best to remember everyone that I had already met.

Monday and Tuesday I served alongside many of them during their Serve Week. Originally it was intended to be a mission trip to New Mexico but God lead them instead to a week to serving their community. On Monday, we spent the morning prayer walking through downtown Newberg as well as picking up trash as we went along. There were several young children in my group. It was refreshing to see their excitement in serving. They were excited to pick up trash and I have to say I was as well. I love serving others especially in behind the scenes not recognizable ways. Many people saw us picking up trash as they drove by but it wasn't an act of serving to be seen. Through the day, several contacts were made and I know God planted many seeds. Even the next day, people in the church were talking to others from the community that had seen us and wondered what we were doing.

Monday afternoon, I went with a lovely lady to do some follow up visits from VBS. They had had 143 children at VBS and were following up on the many that were unchurched. We had a wonderful visit with of the boys and his sister, Nikki. She seemed very interested in attending the youth group. Pray for her. She will not be able to start attending for three weeks because they are out of town. Coming after that could be hard. Satan can tempt people in so many ways and having the time in between our visit and being able to attend can be tempting. There are many things that Satan can tempt her with during that time so that she doesn't even attend. Pray that this doesn't happen.

Monday evening we had a short worship/devotion/debriefing time after the meal. We got home a little before nine. I went to bed right before nine. I didn't feel well all day and I crashed as soon as I went to bed.

Tuesday we worked at a horse barn in the morning. We were working for an organization that uses horses as a form of therapy. It is a Christian organization. We weeded flower beds, restored rock walls, cleaned rails, moved a lot of hay, unloaded feed, cleaned many sections of the barn, cleaned stalls, picked up rocks from the field and a few other things. By mid-afternoon, we were able to complete their list of things they wanted us to try to get to but didn't expect it all to be finished.

Finishing their list wasn't the best thing about the day though. The young children that were with us continued to be a blessing to me. Several of them were excited about "scooping poop". They really just wanted to be involved and wanted to help. They didn't care what it was that they had to do. They just wanted to serve. They all worked super hard all day too. We even had a few children that were around 2 that we able to help. Granted they didn't stay out there all day but they were helping to find rocks in the field that could hurt the horses' feet. It was a great reminder that it is not how big we are or how much we know but how willing we are to let God use us.

After lunch, I went with Andrew and Aaron on a few more VBS follow up visits. We talked to two other people that will probably begin coming to the youth group. After Sunday, it was exciting to see how God is still at work and how He is bringing people to Him.

We had another devotional/debrief time after dinner. I was not as tired when we got home, thankfully. So I stayed up until about 10 watching TV and visiting with Ken since it was my last evening.

Wednesday morning I rode into work with Joyce and then took Max back to the airport. It was hard to say goodbye. I've decided what when visiting the NW a week just isn't long enough. I was spoiled that first summer when I spent 10 weeks in Longview. It was great trip though just too short.