A Winter Trip to Missionary Acres

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Back in December of 2016, Bryan made his first trip to Missionary Acres. When he got on the plane in Spokane, it was a typical winter day in the Inland Northwest. In other words, there was lots of snow and it was freezing outside.

When he arrived in St. Louis, Missouri, it was a different scene. The weather was much warmer, and there wasn’t snow on the ground. In fact, it looked very much like spring or fall in our part of the US.

He was told it was an average winter in southeastern Missouri.

Fast forward a few years…

Last month, in February, Bryan and a couple of the girls headed down to Missouri for some deputation meetings. Between visiting the churches, they were able to stay at Missionary Acres. They were expecting to experience the same sort of weather pattern he had a few years previously.

But, that wasn’t the case. Here’s the same gazebo on the lake…

Except this time, the lake was frozen. And it was a lot colder – in fact, it was even colder than the temperatures had been back home.

Helping at Missionary Acres

Unfortunately, because of the severe winter weather southern experienced this year, he wasn’t able to help with the building projects as much as he’d planned. However, he was able to deliver mail from the office to the residents on a few days, so they didn’t have to venture out into the snow.

He also used our Suburban to run a few errands for the staff, since it has tires that are perfect for snow and ice thanks to our icy Washington roads.

It was definitely beautiful, though it wasn’t the weather they were planning on encountering in southern Missouri in February.

Apartments for Retired Pastors and Missionaries at Missionary Acres

However, despite the snow, Bryan was able to do a bit of mudding on the walls for an apartment remodel at the Acres. While many of the homes there are single-family, there are also four smaller, duplex style apartments.

These provide an even less expensive option for the retired pastors and missionaries. While they have a lower per-month fee and initial remodel fee, the goal of these apartments is the same as any other house at the Acres – to provide a safe, secure, quality home for the dear saints who dedicated their lives to God.

The apartments are two bedroom, and feel spacious inside. They have a covered car port for parking, and a shed for extra storage space.

Since we haven’t talked much about the apartments on the Acres, we wanted to share some of the remodeling pictures with you.

This apartment and a new house build are current projects at Missionary Acres. It’ll be exciting to see these finished so the retired couples can move move in.

Sponging the Mud

Last year at Missionary Acres, Bryan learned how to sponge the mud between layers. This method takes longer than sanding. in some room, since it has to dry, but it doesn’t result in the huge mess that sanding sheetrock does. There aren’t any tiny particles of dust floating through the house or clogging up the vacuum.

It works really well, and leaves a nice smooth finish when you’re done that’s perfect for primer and paint. It’s always fun to see what colors the residents select for their homes.

Sharing the Ministry

Bryan and the girls presented Missionary Acres to three churches across two states during their trip down. They were warmly welcomed by each church, and had a great time visiting with the dear folks at each one.

It is always such a blessing to meet others who love the Lord and spend time with them. The two girls really enjoyed Sunday school and

These churches were especially gracious. The whole family was originally supposed to go on this trip. However, when Lisa’s pregnancy changed to a high-risk one thanks to placenta previa, those plans changed.

All three pastors were so accommodating to the change, which was truly a blessing.

Praying for Support

We are approaching the 90% mark when it comes to committed support. We are praying that we could reach 100% before our planned move to Missionary Acres this summer. Then, we won’t have to continue deputation from there.

Instead, we can focus on getting settled and begin to do the work the Lord has called us to do.

We are also praying for our outfit and passage fund to be ready for us to make the move and do the work that’ll be necessary on the house we’ll be moving into once we arrive.

It’s been amazing to see God work in these areas, and we are so thankful that we can trust Him to supply our needs in His timing. If you feel lead to help us, this page shares the support options and explains how to give a one-time gift.

Looking Forward to Getting Back to Missionary Acres

Each trip to Missionary Acres (no matter how brief or what the weather) makes us more eager to get down there permanently. Lord willing, we will be making the move this summer. And we are looking forward to serving there.