It seems that it has taken a long time to recoup from the seven week trip we took. The work that had piled up in my absence required a hands-on approach.

Ramping up for easter I came up with an idea for a video montage with the text of Isaiah 53. Locating a shepherd in the area took about four hours of frustrating driving, and then office staff localized a phone number for me (thanks! Couldn't have done it without you guys.)

Yesterday I spent three hours with a shepherd and his herd of sheep. Amazing. It was a real opportunity to see fleshed out, what Jesus described in John 10.

Herr Merkel was so kind to me, allowing me total access to his herd, his dogs and simply telling me his story.

The highlight of the afternoon was when he moved the herd. He told me: "The sheep know my voice. So I will just say: Come on. And they follow me." And they did.

Seems like I have read that somewhere before.

Once last thing. Sheep may be cute and curious, but I really did get the impression that sheep are really, really stupid. The shepherd and his dogs had a full time job keeping the sheep out of trouble.

Just sayin'.

Before dinner together, Debbie and I went for a drive, which ended up as a walk on the beach. She is still the love of my life.

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What a delightful week of conversations we have had with families from Ventura Baptist Church. Each family or small group has taken keen interest of what God desires to do through international partnerships.

Following one evening's discussions, Debbie and I slipped out to walk the old downtown section of Ventura. Here are a few of those images that we experienced.

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The Ronald Reagan presidential library is in Simi-Valley, CA. They have remodeled for what would have been his 100th birthday. The new exhibits are great, plus seeing the presidential plane up close is alway a thrill.

 

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Debbie and I were invited to spend the morning with Pastor Lewis McClendon and his wife Karen. They took us to the region around Santa Barbara - a picturesque region with much history and scenery.

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