More traveling--from California to New Mexico to Colorado

We flew on the 5th of October to Long Beach to spend several days with our Ma and Pa Minnis.  They were my forwarding agents for a time and have been to Chidamoyo 5 times over the years we have known them.  They are now retired and living with their daughter Laura and family in Los Alamitos.

During our time there we went to the Long Beach Aquarium and enjoyed seeing all of the sights with their granddaughter, Laurenrachel.

We also drove to San Diego and visited with another Chidamoyo alumni, Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick from Washington, D.C.  She was in San Diego for an Infectious Disease Convention.  She lived in my flat for 6 months one time in Harare and we all meet there.  Ma and Pa really wanted to see her, so we were happy to drive the 2 hours and spend the afternoon with her.

On the 11th of October we spoke in Lemon Grove Christian Church and enjoyed services and lunch with them.  They have supported our work for about 17 years and we were happy to be with them to thank them for their help in our work.

On the way back to Los Alamitos we were able to visit in San Diego with Wendy and Chaim Avraham and 2 of their children were there, Daphna from NYC and Gabe from San Francisco--so it was a special time since the last time we saw them was in 2009 when thier oldest son, Raphael was married in Jerusalem and Major and I were privileged to be at the wedding.  Wendy and I commuted to SF from Sacramento to our Masters in Nursing program for 1979-1981 together.  How great it was to see them!

On Monday evening (the 12th) we went to Manefree, CA to visit with Chidamoyo alumni Carolyn Honaker Savage (1983) her mom Pat who has been a long time financial supporter of Chidamoyo and Carolyn's niece Jennifer (formerly Wittenborn) her husband Randall and their daughter Annalee.  Jennifer was a Chidamoyo alumni in 2004 and is now a Labor and Delivery nurse in San Diego.  I first met this family when I shared a house with Jennifer's parents, Dave and Anne Wittenborn--Ann was a Honaker!  We enjoyed sharing dinner and remembering lots of old times!  We kept laughing the whole meal.

That morning we treated Major to a pedicure--the first in his life!  He wasn't sure about it, but afterwards he loved it!  He didn't know why people went to get that done and now he knows!

On Tuesday (the 13th) we went to Disneyland in Anaheim. We went with Laurenrachel and her mom Laura joined us in the afternoon.  We went to both Disneyland and California Adventure.  We were on the move and did all the rides we wanted in that time and saw one parade!  It was so fun and very crowded--but we loved it!  We are so thankful for their Aunt Jeannie who provided us the tickets to go!  We made Major try on many hats throughout the park and on the last blog people voted that the Goofy hat was the best!  Does that mean something?  We went home after 14 hours on the run--very exhausted.  Major wanted to leave 2 hours before and we all said--NO!  We gave him some root beer and food and he made it!!

Wednesday (the 14th) we talked at the Minnis's church in Long Beach to a group of faithful ladies who pray for missionaries each month!  We had a great time and met up with a missionary woman from Zimbabwe who had spent 40+ years with her husband and family in Zimbabwe and at one time worked at Kapfunde Mission (a TEAM mission) before the war--only 40 minutes from us! How great it was to meet her and Major was so shocked when she came in and greeted him in Shona!

That evening we had a wonderful dinner with JoAnn and Jim's friend Lillian who has been a part of their lives for years.  She has been a part of our lives for many years now too!

Thursday (the 15th) we had to leave Ma and Pa with heavy hearts and fly to  Albuquerque, New Mexico.  We were met at the airport by Dr. Dale Erickson, our first doctor at Chidamoyo Hospital in 1968.  We have stayed with Dale and his wife, Sue Alice since Thursday night.  

On Friday (the 16th) Dale drove us to Santa Fe (the capital) to walk the streets and have lunch.  A nice town with lots of history and Indian marketplace.

We had a special dinner last night (the 16th) and Dale invited several friends of ours to meet us.  We were able to see several Chidamoyo alumni: Dr. Bill and Kaylyn Holloman from Tuscan, Arizona came up to see us and Dr. Megan ( a resident in OB/GYN in Albuquerque and Dr. Jeff (a resident in Psychiatry) from Phoenix, Arizona and Gabby, a pre-med from Albuquerque.  Bill and Kaylyn came in Nov last year to Chidamoyo and Megan and Jeff came in February this year and Gabby in July/August this year!  We also met up with a former missionary kid from Zimbabwe, Lauren Brewer and her husband Rusty who have just recently married and moved to Albuquerque.  I had last seen Lauren in 2000 when she was a young girl and came to Chidamoyo with her family to celebrate the millennium!

 Some new friends to us of Dale and Sue Alice also came which we met and it was such a great time.  We got to sit around and each tell our special connection to Chidamoyo--what great fun!  How God has blessed Major and I with so many friends throughout the world who have come into our life at Chidamoyo!

This morning (Saturday the 17th) we left for Durango, Colorado--4 hours away, where we will speaking to our supporting church in the morning.  We had Zimbabwe tea time with a doctor that Dale used to work with in Albuquerque Dr. Mark Saddler and his wife Mandy who now live in Durango. We had Tanganda tea and scones--wow!  Made us homesick for Zimbabwe.

Tomorrow after church we leave to go back to Albuquerque and then leave early in the morning for a week in Indiana!  On the road again...

Major and Laurenrachel with the penguins at the Aquarium in Long Beach!

Major and Kathy with Ma and Pa Minnis at the Aquarium

Dr. Lisa and Major in San Diego

Major with Avraham family in San Diego

Wendy Avraham with Kathy--friends for 36 years!

Kathy with Honaker family

Mom Pat Honaker with daughter Carolyn and granddaughter Jennifer and great grand-daughter Annually

Buzz Lightyear Ride at Disneyland

Starting the day at Disneyland

Riding Splash Mountain--we got soaked!

At Disneyland

Major acting scary for Halloween

Laurenrachel and Major with characters from Aladdin

Happy Halloween Hat from Disneyland!

Kathy, Major, Laurenrachel and Laura as tombstone heads!

We are being eaten by a dinosaur!

Major getting his pedicure!

JoAnn and Jim Minnis with friend Lillian

Major at the oldest church in NM--established in 1600's

Major and Dale in Santa Fe

Sue Alice and friends cooking dinner for us!

 Sue Alice Erickson

 Kathy and Major with Megan and Jeff

 Kaylyn and Bill Holloman

 Gabby and fiance Sean

 Major telling stories and his audience listening!