|
|
June,
2006
|
Hi
Folks!
It's been more than six
years since we sent out our last
newsletter by snail mail, so I guess
it’s about time for another general
update from the Adams family. Some
of you have received e-mails about our
various adventures, but others haven't,
so this will just be a brief summary of
what's been happening in recent years. |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
Your cards, letters and e-mails have been much appreciated, but
now that I’ve hit the half-century mark, I can’t seem to
accomplish as much as I did in my younger years. I realize that
many of you are older than me, and 50 may seem quite young to
you! | | |
|
|
|
|
|
1997 – We moved out of
our home at Linda Vista College in Chiapas, Mexico when my
health began to deteriorate from overwork. Also, the political
situation became unstable with the Zapatista Rebel movement and
frequent bandit attacks. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
We built a house on
my parents’ 120 acres in the Sierra Nevada foothill community of
Mosquito, near Placerville, California. That
summer we planted an orchard of 36 fruit &
nut trees, as well as grapes, berries, a vegetable garden and
flowers. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
2000
– Daniel spent the school year living
with my sister Lanita Medina’s family in
Maine, where he attended a very small
church school,
graduating from 8th
grade in 2001. These are his
classmates. |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
Here's a recent photo of my sister
Lanita and her family: Ben, Kandice,
Norman, Kami Kay, Hugs (the dog),
Krista &
Lanita Medina.
Norman's original plan was to have a
dozen kids, but I think they were
happy to stop at 4, especially with
today's high tuition costs!
|
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
2001
– We led a caravan of volunteers 1,000 miles through Mexico on
an unforgettable mission trip to remote
San Lorenzo in the mountains of Chiapas.
Medical, dental and construction work kept everybody busy. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
Drizzly rains on the clay
roads created slippery excitement as we departed, sliding all
over the place, at times only inches from drop-offs. Real fun!
We enjoyed visiting old friends at Colegio Linda Vista before
returning to the U.S. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
In
August, Daniel began his Freshman year at Weimar Academy. He
loved it there – except for the schoolwork! Oh yes - the
discipline was very strict there! Miss Bosarge, the Principal
was very loving and caring - but firm! | | |
|
|
|
|
|
2002
– We led another caravan of vehicles through Mexico to San
Carlos Bay, Sonora for our annual Mission Projects, Inc. board
meeting. Insurance provided me with a new
Ford E-250 handicap van, as my first one was worn out after
driving 235,000 miles in 15 years. We drove across the U.S. to
Maine to visit my sister Lanita and her family. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
I also got a
TracAbout motorized chair at the factory in Newton, Kansas – it
runs on tracks and takes me places no wheelchairs
can go – mud, sand, water, snow, up and down
steep hills – I love it! | | |
|
|
|
|
|
During the summer of 2002,
Daniel sold books in Salt Lake City. He found the job
challenging, yet rewarding. He really matured emotionally and
spiritually during that experience. Then he began his second
year at Weimar Academy. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
2003
– I couldn’t resist another mission trip
to Mexico. So again we led another
caravan to San Lorenzo, Chiapas in south
Mexico. |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
Sixty volunteers did medical, dental and
construction work, putting up six
classrooms in five days. Again we
enjoyed visiting our friends at Linda
Vista again – a University now! |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel sold books in southern California
during the summer, then attended DayStar
Adventist Academy during his Junior year
near Moab, Utah. |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
DayStar is a great place for high-energy
kids – it's a working farm where they
also do campouts, mountain biking,
rappelling, snowboarding, rafting,
horseback riding, extreme hikes,
community service, work experience all
over the campus . . . |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
.
. . and yes, a lot of schoolwork too! The staff there are a great
bunch of people. | |
|
|
|
|
|
2004
– We stayed home this year, but helped
organize a mission trip to Pantepec,
Chiapas, where all my close relatives
and 40 other volunteers turned a cow
barn into a church. They also built
another church, remodeled a third, made
church benches, pulled teeth,
distributed eyeglasses, did medical
consults & surgeries, had VBS for the
kids, held evangelistic meetings,
visited many villages distributing
clothes, toys and shoes – all in one
week! |
|
|
| | |
|
|
 |
|
Daniel got his driver's license at age
19, and as with any young person,
he really loves the freedom of being
able to go places . . . |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
.
. . but I'm a terrible back-seat driver! | |
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel had lots of fun during his Senior
year at DayStar Academy. He matured a
lot, learned many leadership skills and
did very well for someone with Dyslexia
and ADD. |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
2005
– We were all proud of Daniel when he
graduated from DayStar Academy in May, after
struggling through the academic challenges.
His graduation outfit was quite unique to
the area!
Afterwards we went rappelling in the LaSal
mountains above the school – and we all had
a blast! |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
After doing yard work for
neighbors and saving up money, he went to Maine and got his
Private Pilot’s license - within five months!
It was a dream come true as
he worked toward his goal of becoming a mission pilot. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
Through hard work and the kindness of the Fernald family where
he trained, Daniel was able to have his bill paid in full - at
the very last moment, thanks to an unexpected contribution from
friends. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
Jim
Conrad, a hermit naturalist originally
from Kentucky, spent six months with us,
helping in the garden, exploring nature
in our area and teaching me how to
create web pages. |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
2006
– Daniel went to Venezuela for 10 weeks,
where he got firsthand experience in
mission aviation flying with Bob
Norton. He also participated in Union
College’s International Rescue and
Relief program, serving as translator,
learning jungle medicine, swift-water
rescue and much more.
He got to explore Angel Falls (the
worlds’ tallest) and climbed Mount
Roraima, a 9,000 foot mesa containing
plant and animal species found nowhere
else on the planet! |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
He also
enjoyed flying with David Gates, who is
involved in a wide variety of mission
projects around the world.
In
April, Daniel returned in California,
working to earn funds for further
training in aviation, rescue and relief
work. |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
Meanwhile, year by year Diana and I keep
busy at home with a variety of everyday
tasks – I at the computer, Diana in the
garden and kitchen. |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
I’m
still providing communication for Mission
Projects, Inc. (MPI) in Mexico, updating our
family web site with our latest family
adventures, and being Daniel’s home base
communications support. Summers keep us
busy canning cherries, apricots, peaches,
plums, pears and applesauce. We’re also
blessed for 10 days each summer as we attend
Redwood Campmeeting near Eureka.
And we
enjoy being active members of the Camino
Seventh-day Adventist church, where Diana
plays her flute and I have fun telling
children’s stories, sharing mission
presentations, and fellowshipping with
like-minded friends during potlucks,
campouts, etc. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
My parents keep busy gardening, cutting firewood, and keeping
their old vehicles running. At 85, my dad still enjoys taking
"young" ladies for a ride in this 1930 Model A Ford Roadster he
bought used when he was a teenager. And it runs just fine! | | |
|
|
|
|
|
On June 4 Daniel invited a group
of friends of all ages to celebrate his 21st birthday. He had
Mexican food, water fights, a pińata, and rides in Grandpa's 1928
Ford Model AA truck. We all enjoyed sharing this special day
together! | |
|
|
|
|
|
On June
15, Daniel left home for his next
adventures - SCUBA training in
Florida for 12 days, then on to
Lincoln, Nebraska for intensive
flight training.
He's working towards getting
his Instrument, Commercial and a
variety of other flight ratings.
He's logged 90 flying hours so far,
and needs to accumulate 500 or more
hours so he can achieve his goal of
becoming a real mission pilot.
He also plans to get his
certifications in a wide variety of
rescue situations so he can be
qualified to assist in any kind of
disaster. God has provided
financially through a variety of
unexpected sources for Daniel to get
this far, and he plans to continue
moving forward as God opens the
doors. He’s aiming to complete his
training within the next year or
two, eager to get into full-fledged
mission, rescue and relief work
wherever God calls him.
|
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
Diana and
I especially appreciate
our peaceful, quiet life surrounded
by forest trees, breathing pure air
and watching a wide variety of
wildlife. Well, an exception might
be the foxes that steal fruit from
our trees and gophers that gobble up
our vegetable garden!
We also see deer, jackrabbits,
skunks, raccoons, weasels, bobcats,
coyotes, cougars, bears, and a nice
variety of birds. Spring brings a
colorful array of greenery and
wildflowers, then we
get many months of dry, hot weather
which leaves much of the vegetation
dead and very flammable. Cool night
breezes are a real blessing at our
ridgetop location!
We always
enjoy hearing from our friends and
relatives, so keep us on your e-mail
lists! We'll be adding more
adventures to our family web site at
www.AdamsAmigos.net
which you may wish to bookmark for
future reference.
Best Regards,
Fred, Diana & Daniel Adams
Placerville, California
|
|
|
| | |
|