I.D.E.S. and Joplin MO

In August, I am leading a team of volunteers to go work in Joplin for 6 days.  This is to assist with the cleanup and rebuilding from the tornadoes in May.  We will be under the direction of I.D.E.S....http://www.ides.org/joplin.html

International Disaster Emergency Service or IDES has been supported by the Christian Churches since 1973.  When a disaster strikes, IDES goes in.  Various Christian Churches make up the teams.  Each team has between 10 and 15 members and go in for 6 days at a time.  When they arrive, they take up where the team that just left left off at. The next team to come in takes up where that one left off...So it goes until the job is done.  If one project is done, they start another, and keep going as long as the donations keep coming in.

On our way home from our vacation in May, we came through Joplin, just hours after the tornado hit.  Originally our plan was to eat breakfast there (as had driven straight through from TX) and then to show the girls Ozark Christian College.  As we got off the exit ramp we  saw a semi laid over, then every thing was fine again for several blocks.  Then, we turned the corner and it looked like a war zone.  A friend of mine since early childhood lost his home and vehicle in the storm (He had no insurance on the home).  Of course all the contents were also destroyed or blown away.

My team is responsible for raising our own support, as far as fuel to get there and back, and to operate on all week, as well as our food for the week.  However, a dorm and showers have been made at Westside Christian Church in Joplin for us to stay at.  We will be able to use their full kitchen and laundry area as well.
If you would like to help support our team, contact me and I can give you more information.  If you want to send money to ides, their information is on their website for you to donate online or you can send it to their offices in Indiana at:  

International Disaster Emergency Service
PO Box 60
Kempton, IN 46049-0060

Please specify where you want  your money to go:  such as Joplin, Katrina or any of the projects listed on their site.

Please keep my team in your prayers.  We still have a few spots to fill on it as well.

Vacation Bible School (VBS)

Come join Clay County Christian Church for VBS this year. It will be held July 31 (Sunday), thru August 5 (Friday). from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday night will be our program. Our theme is a visit to Bibleland. We are located at 1200 B Highway, Liberty MO. The church phone number is 816 792-0282.

Children PreK (3 yrs) through 6th grade are welcome. Sunday night we will be issuing passports and will begin our journey.

More camp

Sunday, Emily leaves for "Deeper Life" at Mission Lake Christian Camp.  The twins leave for a week of scout camp.  Emily will be a camper, but the twins will be helpers.  Emily will be gone all week, but the twins only spend every other night at camp, as it is actually day camp that they are helping with (spending the night every other night is just for the teen helpers).  I'll probably get confused, and pick up the wrong kid at the wrong place on the wrong day....  This is probably a test and I will fail at it....

We passed the second phase of 4H for the year. (Phase 1 was contest day in March).  Last Sunday we had the first shooting sports contest, and the girls turned in their projects.  I think this year we have 2 or 3 projects going to the state fair and or interstate fair, in addition to Emily doing her speech at state.  2 of the girls are also on the state archery team, and one is an alternate for the BB team.  Next, we have the small animal show.  That is always interesting, taking a vehicle full of cats, rabbits, chickens, ducks and what nots to the fair.......2 years ago a chicken got loose, and last year a cat broke out...Hopefully this year we will not have any escapees....(yeah, dream on..something WILL get loose...)

As for our homeschooling (we go year around) the girls have been working some on math, in the garden, and on science and reading.  We are combining our reading, language and history, as I have the girls reading true historical books, then writing a book report on them.  I am splitting the time between the 3 subjects and the grade.

The garden continues to grow.  I think Duke has finally figured out to leave my garlic alone (the lab was pulling it up as fast as I was replanting it.  He wouldn't eat it, just kept pulling up the plants then leaving them).  I have been very impressed with the raised beds.  Today I found some more herbs on clearance, so will get them in the ground tomorrow.  I am watching kids tomorrow (in split shifts) and one of them loves to "help" plant in the garden.  If only kids continued to "love to help" when they are teens the way they do when they are 2 or 3 years old!

I've been spending a lot of time this week working on my new business--rearranging my outlines some and buying some more equipment.  I've had real good luck on ebay this week--found a couple of CPR manikins for $40 that are in new condition.  The same ones in the catalog are now $87.  So, got 2 for less than the price of one, and free shipping.  Next year Emily will be old enough to take the instructor class as well, then we will have another one to help teach.   That will also give her some business experience, as well as the science and health she will learn while doing it.  I also started a second site, for my new business, http://qualitycprandsafety.blogspot.com.  Take a peek and let me know what you think of it.   Since I am doing my own scheduling, this will work out great with homeschooling.  I can schedule what classes I teach around or homeschooling or vice versa.  My goal is to work my way up to about 12-15 hours of teaching a week.  It does seem though, to come in spurts, but that is mainly due to word of mouth after a class.

Historical Mt Gilead event for young girls

Girls Ages 8 - 13 years,

 

The Clay County Historic Sites are hosting a "Tea with American Girl Doll Addy (1864) at historical Mt. Gilead Church in Kearney, on Wednesday, July 27, 9:00 a.m. to noon.  We will be doing time-period games, crafts, serving refreshments, and a readers theatre story about Addy called "Friendship and Freedom".  Girls, ages 8 - 13, will learn a little about what life was like for children during the Civil War.

 

The fee is $10 and reservations are required.  Call the James Farm Museum at (816) 736-8500 for more info or to reserve a spot.  Seating is limited.

If you cannot make this date, another date, Saturday, August 20, 9:00 am - noon, will also be offered.

Buying fireworks in the KC area?? Look what this tent supports!!

As we celebrate our Nation’s Birth come and purchase your Fireworks from the tents representing Hillcrest Transitional Housing
 http://www.hillcresttransitionalhousing.org/  They are an outstanding ministry that assists homeless families in crisis. Check their website to see how valuable this organization is to society.

The Morton Family runs two tents this season:

Lee’s Summit :  Summit Shopping Center :: Parking lot in front of Side Pockets and to the side of Waid’s Restaurant.  Big Yellow and White tent easily seen from 50 Highway.

Independence:  Black Cat Tent on 40 Highway in the parking lot of the Strike and Spare Bowling Alley, just west of Sutherland Lumber

Discounts to the following groups:

*Military with ID
*Civil Service (fireman, police)
*Home School families (come in and say you Home School and saw this email)
*Volume Discounts
*Black Cat coupons accepted