Dear Ones:
2023 has been a wonderful year!
May in Europe
Pat and I traveled to France for a month. During that time, we spent a week in Poland teaching from the Old Testament. Kevin and Lucy accompanied us, and we spent two nights in Berlin. We visited the wonderful Pergamon Museum where I saw two Aramaic monuments from the 8th century B.C. I had to translate them when I was in graduate school. Our time in Poland was wonderful. We were so well received, and our host and hostess took excellent care of us. Back in France, I gave my lecture on the intertestamental period. Grandson Jeremy and two other young men translated for me.
September in PA
Since we are celebrating our 70th anniversary this year, the family got together at a Christian Camp owned by my mission, BCM International. Twenty-eight of our 36 offspring were there, including from France, Ireland, NC, SC, PA, and MD. What a great time we had. Eric (John’s oldest) had tee shirts made with the family tree on the front. The cook at camp made a cake with the same tree. Pat and I drove to Baltimore the next Sunday to preach at the Brooklyn Bible Chapel. These folk are very special to us.
Our old church in MD where I was interim for two- and one-half years was celebrating its 90th birthday. They asked John and me to participate. John was director of youth for 17 years. Rick and Joanne also provided some of the music (they played piano and keyboard there for 25 years). What a wonderful time of reminiscing and sharing.
Future Plans
John and Linda have been bugging us for a couple of years to move in with them. I have been reluctant to leave SC and the church and people we have gotten to know. More importantly, I did not like the idea of giving up my books. But John came to us with a set of plans converting the lower level of his home to a two-room apartment and half the garage to my study. So, we said, “Yes.” Our house goes on the market in January. The renovations will not be complete until the end of next year, so, if the house sells, we will move into the guest room until the apartment is finished. This will make the tenth state plus DC that we have lived in. We enter our nonagerian year in 2024, so it will no doubt be our last move. Our address will be 995 Donald Dr., Emmaus, PA 18049.
May the Lord bless you greatly in the year to come!
Homer and Pat
