We got to FDL on Wednesday evening, and have been busy ever since! Wednesday evening, we met Pastor Kevin and his family...they are wonderful! Amy, his wife is a fantastic cook and really outgoing lady. Then they have 3 fun and energetic kids - Emily is 7, Owen is 6, and Anna is 3. it took them about 2 minutes to come out from hiding shyly behind their mom and dad! Then Pastor Kevin took us around FDL, showing us key places. We sat in on the Mission Outreach meeting that evening, and really learned what The Garden is all about and what they're doing this summer to reach people and get their name and vision throughout FDL. This was such an inspiring night for us and got us really excited (and a little overwhelmed :) ) about what God is doing here and how we will be involved.
Thursday was a lot more meeting people and exploring FDL. We did most of this with Pastor Kevin, and then we also had some time to explore on our own. Friday, Brent went with Pastor Kevin to get together with two men that meet with Pastor Kevin every Friday morning. Meanwhile, I did a little job hunting and got to hang out with Amy and Anna. Friday evening we spent with Dan and Kathy, our temporary hosts and new friends. They are the ones that started the divorce care ministry 5 years ago that turned into The Garden church plant. We enjoyed a delicious grilled meal (including real pineapple!), good fellowship, bocce ball, and witnessing our first dog bath/spray from their huge golden retriever, Zak.
Today we helped Amy and Owen plant their garden. After we finally got the mud scrubbed off our feet and shoes, Brent and I had a picnic, played catch in the park, and are working on our weekend assignment: to spend time in FDL, exploring and getting to know what the culture of FDL is all about. What makes people tick in FDL? Where do people spend their time?
