Lakehouse: Kapalka visit + Victoria BC

Victoria BC

Ron and Nancy came to visit in July 2016. A bit unpatriotically, we spent Forth of July weekend in Canada! Ginger has always wanted to visit there, after her family's 1998 trip there (in sixth grade).

We took the ferry from Port Angeles.

The best place in Victoria is the Butchart Gardens.

We walked all over downtown Victoria, including China Town.

On the ferry, we bought tickets to tour Craigdarroch Castle. It reminded us of our many house tours in Newport. One unique aspect of this tour was the multi-level focus on the different lives of the house- a family home for a coal baron, a hospital during the World Wars, and a small University. They decorated different rooms to represent different times, and had a large collection of anecdotes from the house's history. 

We ate at the Fisherman's Wharf, and got to see seals close up!

 Back in the US, we drove up to Hurricane Ridge, part of the Olympic Mountains.

Seattle WA

Nancy has family in Seattle, her cousins and their family. Cynthia and Jim and their daughters Brynn and Michaela. Cynthia's twin sister Marilyn.

We visited the Boeing Factory- the largest building we've ever been inside!

(You can't take photos inside the factory, but the small museum next door has a green screen photo area.)

Marilyn lives right in the rainforest! Nancy and Ginger enjoyed a walk near her house.

A day in Seattle

We even made time for one house project- painting the marigold yellow laundry room with some cool greys.

Stephen even treated the concert floor with acid to repaint it.

Our last Tacoma tour was the Food Forest, a different kind of community garden where Theresa does her Master Gardener work. This pile of logs will become a hugulculture garden bed, where new plants grow out of burned wood.

Lakehouse: Jenna's Wedding + Dallas TX

Dallas TX

Ginger flew to Dallas in June 2016 for Jenna's wedding! Along the way, she got to catch up with several friends. Michelle, Ian and Evelyn toured the Dallas World Aquarium.

Michelle loves teaching her daughter to love all the different creatures.

We got together with our Ft. Worth friends. Andy and Nathaniel are roommates now. Ginger got to meet Nathaniel's girlfriend Rebekah (center) and Patrick and his girlfriend Jessica (right).

Ginger had dinner with Tracy and her wonderful family, Jose, Mona, Sandra and Katherine. Last time we saw them, Sandra was just a few days old in Pennyslvannia. Soon after, Tracy and Joe came home to Texas. They have been building a small family farm, with chickens, goats, and hopefully soon longhorns. Joe also runs a tree cutting business with the goal of hiring veterans and paying them well.

Ginger stayed with Bid and Bill. Bill has been growing a huge aero-garden with fresh tomatoes!

Jenna & Matt's Wedding

Ginger made a simple wedding cake for Jenna- she prepared three tiers of plain white cake. Michelle came along for the wedding (in Jacksboro, TX) and helped assemble the cake and arrange real flowers on it. Jenna's wedding had the most amazing flowers every- their family friend Ms. Grace is a professional florist.

Both families praised the new spouses, saying they "If we could have picked the perfect husband for our daughter, we couldn't have made someone as good as Matt" and the same for Jenna.

The other highlight of the wedding was a surprise- the Tarantolas drove from Lubbock! We hadn't seen Chris and Lauren since graduation, and got to meet their son Peter for the first time.

Here's a more accurate view of our friendship! (Thanks to Chris for both group photos)

Lakehouse: Montalvos visit + Leavenworth WA

Tacoma WA

Rene and Honey came to visit in May. We visited the Museum of Flight, where Boeing displays many planes from their long history. 

Stephen esepcially liked the big engines. 

Ginger loved the mirrored elevator on the way to the WWII exhibits.

We drove around Seattle, visiting the Gasworks Park and seeing the houseboats (like Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle.)

Back in Tacoma, we visited the Glass Bridge.

We also went to a cute German grocery store. Honey found lots of surprising foods she remembered from her childhood.

We spent one day in Leavenworth, WA, a little German town nestled in the mountains.

Lakehouse: Pierce InterVarsity Spring

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. –Matthew 28:19-20

I’ve been volunteering with InterVarsity staff for the past three years, with a limited budget for supplies and special donations for student scholarships to attend retreats. To commit more of my focus to the spread of the gospel and the development of Christian leaders on campus, I need ministry partners. Partners financially support the work, enabling me to spend more hours on campus and focus on loving college students. Would you prayerfully consider joining my team as a ministry partner through prayer and finances?

What’s the impact on campus?

Student Leaders: This is the first year where students with leadership potential and dedication to the campus have joined the ministry. Tamara started leading a ladies’ Bible study, Joyce is reaching fellow international students, and I hope to give Tranquility and Hilary outreach opportunities this fall.

Conferences: 17 Pierce students attended InterVarsity conferences along with students from PLU, UPS, UW and more. Students were challenged in their view of the ways our culture and prejudices filter how we perceive Jesus, and how we can seek to see scripture in a new way and join Jesus’ revolutionary Kingdom.

Friday Night Fellowship: Last year, my most successful activity was having students over to my house for dinner. (We live less than 10 minutes from campus!) I’d like to make this event an every-other-week activity, and I’ve started incorporating Bible study, prayer, spiritual movies, and discussion into these nights, since we typically have 15 or more students attend. The time, grocery money, and prep work for these nights is an investment that has a lot of fruit. 

Weekly Bible Studies: This fall we’ll be studying stories about Jesus, parables, and the many questions he asks. We’ll also discuss sharing the gospel with friends and practicing outreach on campus. 

Racial Reconciliation: We discuss racism in America and God’s love for the oppressed and marginalized. We do an outreach to the campus that includes five profiles of courage for Christians who fought racism and oppression around the world throughout history. Our spring Bible study focused on justice in scripture from Genesis to Revelation, looking at systemic and personal injustices in contrast with God’s design for shalom. 

International Students: Although unplanned, I have spent a lot of time with international students the last two years. Most of these students are from Africa and East Asia. Some just come to the US for one year, and some plan to stay and pursue advanced degrees. International students are a powerful ministry- they may learn about Jesus and take gospel and love home to their own country, or they may stay and contribute to share with Americans a more full vision of faith and following God. Fall 2017 will be an exciting time to meet more internationals because Pierce is opening its first “dorm” (apartment style, off campus). We are excited for the new opportunities there!

Goals

• Extra time on campus helps things grow!
• See the fellowship grow from 15 to 24 students regularly attending 
• See two students come to know Jesus for the first time.
• Train three student leaders to mentor other students or lead a weekly event.

 Luiz stood up to accept Jesus at our Spring Retreat. Continue praying for him and his twin sister, Lucy.

Students gathered to watch "Selma" and discuss racism and activism in faith.

International Student Bible study led by Joyce and Harold.

New Ladies Bible Study led by Tamara, her triplet Tiara helping her out. 

Ladies Bible Study

Worship day on campus

 A friday night fellowship talking about art, evangelism, and faith. Harold used the art of collage.

Student families helping out with hosting- Annette and her mother Joyce hosted a mostly international student evening watching "Amazing Grace," the story of the abolitionist movement that ended slavery in England.

To support the ministry, you can donate online: givetoiv.org/gingermontalvo