Dear Team Members,

Greetings from us Cases living out of cases! This update is from our home town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts where it is cold and a few snow showers, but not bad yet!  So far low temperatures hover around the freezing mark.  On December 6th we head to northern Maine so imagine we will really see cold weather.  Soooo glad we brought our winter boots, and warm clothes.  Some days already I (Cherrie) am wearing three layers not counting my winter coat!!!!!!!  Charlie says I always pack the kitchen sink, but this time it is our winter woolies and vitamins to keep well!  When people see our Florida license plate they must think we are crazy!

We are soooo thankful you are on our team.  Your love and prayers mean soooo much.  We trust the Lord to encourage each of you also.

So far we have traveled around 7500 miles and been in 22 States, plus in Canada, and slept in 20 beds.  We have so enjoyed seeing so many folk.  The occasional night we have gone to bed really early to get some extra sleep but otherwise we have kept pretty good health and safety on the road.  Thank you all so much for all your prayers!

Since our last writing we have spent two weeks in Canada visiting a number of team members and also our NTM Canadian training center where we were in training back in 1969 and 1970.  We were able to visit the Algonquin Provincial Park with Tom and Gwen Farthing, who are some of our Royal Volunteers and usually come to help during the winter months at our retirement center in Florida.  This year they are not coming but helping in their home Church which we appreciated being a part of one Sunday.

Then we spent six nights with our daughter Esther, her husband Ricky, and our grand-daughter Desirae who is now 2 ½ years old.  What a fun age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Giggles, Laughter, and Bossing us around, all added up to a REALLY SPECIAL time there.  The icing on the cake was Esther surprised us with a Retirement Party.  It was a TOTAL SURPRISE.  There were 18 of us which included children and some of Ricky’s family, and some from their Church we knew.  It was at her co-worker Jen’s home where they have a day care.  Jen had invited a few folk over, but we thought it was maybe her Bible Study group and she wanted to have us join the group.  I thought Esther needed to make cupcakes for the day care, but it was to make enough to spell out Happy Retirement Dad & Mom.  The table was spread with all sorts of deserts and oh what fun we had!!!!!!!!!!!!  How we thank the Lord for their love and care for us!

We arrived in our home town on November 19th.  Thanksgiving was spent with Charlie’s Aunt Helen and her family.  Aunt Helen is 91 years old and lives with her daughter Bonnie.  There were nine of us in all and we so enjoyed being together with his Aunt and cousins.   It was a first.  Charlie’s Dad was killed in WWll before he was born and this is his Dad’s only surviving sister.

Then on Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th we attended my (Cherrie’s) 50th High School Reunion!!!!  Oh how SPECIAL that was catching up with class mates!  It was hard to believe 50 years had passed, but after directing Charlie to the fancy Hotel where it was to be held, and ended up at an assisted living facility on the other side of the highway I said “Yes I think 50 years have passed.”!  We had a good laugh and finally got to the right venue!

We have been visiting folk here in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, next week we head to Northern Maine, and later in the month  will spend Christmas with our daughter Esther and her family in New York State.  We are so thankful for our home Church, Beth Eden Baptist Church, for the lovely guest rooms or Prophet’s Chamber as they call it that they have provided for us.  So we have based here and can call it home until we head south starting on January 7th.

We are so thankful for this opportunity to see many of our supporters and prayer partners, family and friends.  We only wish we could see more, but that is not humanly possible!  We appreciate your continued prayers for good health, safety on the road, no bad snow storms, and good night sleeps.

How thankful a German Bible was found and we trust it will be a blessing to the lady who wanted one in her mother tongue.

As you know, our son-in-law Ricky’s Dad (Danny and Linda) lost basically everything in Hurricane Sandy.  God has been sooo good to them providing a temporary place to live, and financial gifts to help them get back on their feet.  It has been a traumatic time for them and know they would appreciate your continued prayers.

Thank you so much for being a vital part of our lives.

Love in Him,

    Charlie & Cherrie

Interesting names of towns we saw during our travels:  Brilliant, Peppertown, Greenland, Kanorado, Kiowa, Tongandi, Watsche, Honeyville, Snowville, Pocotello, Anaconda, Bearmouth, Three Forks, Eldorado, Cairo, Perth – thought we were in the USA!

Closing thought: As we traveled in Idaho we saw some awesome yellow autumn foliage quite different from New England autumn foliage with its vibrant reds and oranges colors.  I remember we thought New Zealand was the most beautiful place in the world and Australia had its own rustic beauty.  Then Florida has its no-see-ums, alligators, and humidity!  Where do we love the best?  Where God has planted us is always the BEST!