Let There Be Light

There were BEAUTIFUL candy apples waiting for us when we arrived at the Berean office today. We THINK they may be from Wayne and Lukie but who ever left them for us, we were all truly thankful. 

It was a little dark in the Berean office this morning but Bill walked in with the exact light we needed. Marvin helped install them. 

We had a very good morning processing almost 30 request letters and getting the studies finished by 11:00 am.

We didn't just work, we took the time to listen to a letter Skip wanted read and heard some very inspiring stories from Bill. Last week I thought this would be my last week to volunteer here and was surprised at how disappointed I was at that thought. God had other plans and I was thrilled when it worked out that I could continue. This is a wonderful uplifting place to be each Tuesday. The light of the Lord truly shines out of this office even when the lightbulbs are not working correctly. 

It WAS a Good Day

 We didn't have a lot of mail today but this gave us time to catch up on a few other jobs that were needing to be done. 

Above Bill and Marvin are working together on a problem letter and below is some of the crew today.

Above Shirely, Aunt Jinnie and Chuck are opening studies while Skip in the back is opening up letters.

Once they finished with the Bible requests and the studies they all moved to the other room to fold studies. Above Skip is taking the Bibles to be mailed today out to the car. Below Shirley is stuffing the intermediate studies, Skip is working on Bibles, Vonnie, Aunt Jinny, Shirley and Chuck are folding studies and stuffing them in the Bibles that still need to be wrapped, sealed and stamped.

We mailed out 29 Bibles today. It was a good day.

Wonderful Volunteers

 We had another productive day at the Berean office today, processing the studies and filling the Bible requests for 36 inmates.  Skip got in a study today from a prisoner from Labelle Florida and read the letter to us.

We had a good crew again. Below Mark is reading a funny letter to the group.

There was plenty to do today. Below Shirley is explaining to Aunt Jinnie what to look for when she opens the study.

Everyone knows what needs to be done and just works at getting the work done.

Below Skip is labeling Bibles while the rest of the crew fold Bible studies.

We were able to finish everything before noon. Thankful for such wonderful volunteers.

Sunday Services At the Peoria County Jail

 Aunt Jinnie and I left mom's house at 8:15 am and only Skip beat us there.  He was busy making coffee. It didn't take long for the rest of the volunteers to start arriving. We had a decent amount of mail today and we were glad for those who could give of their time. Bruce was back as the fields were too wet for harvesting. We are always glad when he comes back to run the postage machine. He does other work too but that is the machine we really don't like to use so are thrilled when he shows up.

Below we have just had the prayer and Skip was telling us grabbing a really touching letter to read then he told us about the Sunday service at the Peoria County Jail.

This was what the speaker spoke Sunday to the inmates.

The story went on that he was able to find work washing cars. He is a true success story and now helps other prisoners. Aunt Jinnie was glad to come to Berean this morning to help. She took mom's place for this week. My mom had a stroke a couple weeks ago. Aunt Jinnie arrived to help care for her. We were glad for her help today.

We were able to mail out 70 Bibles today.

We were done before noon and took the Bibles to the Hanna City post office for mailing. It was a good productive morning. 

Much Needed Computers.

 When mom and I arrived at the Berean office there were already 6 cars in the parking lot of volunteers waiting for the mail. Skip helped carry the mail in and everyone went right to work. We were pleased to find the much needed new computers and even more pleased with how fast they did the work. Our old computers had such a long lag time we would have to wait to enter. This new computer would respond so quickly there was no waiting at all. 

While we were all hard at work in this room Vonnie was getting the next jobs all organized in the other room.

Below Shirley is working on the intermediate studies.

Skip is busy entering in the Bible requests while I worked on the certificates for those prisoners that finished all 50 lessons.

We only had 21 Bible requests today and will not have Berean next Tuesday because of the labor day holiday on Monday. See you all in 2 weeks!

Weapons In the Work Place

 Last week Chuck pulled out his pocket knife. I arrived early this morning at the Berean office and THIS was what was laying on the work table: 

I left it laying on the table, separated the mail then had to leave for Peoria Tire and Vulcanizing to get the oil changed in my car. The car was left there, mom met me there and together we drove to the Berean office to get to work. When we arrived there were already volunteers working and I forgot about the knife. Below Kathy and Leila are working on letters while Marvin was getting some supplies.

The two Shirleys, Chuck and Ron were busy opening the studies. 

Bruce was at the other table also opening studies.

Mom sat down and right at her chair was 'the knife'! She picked it up and of course Chuck pulled his knife out too.

Who would have thought the Berean office would have weapons in the work place.  It turned out the knife was Bill's, he was using it to open boxes, put it down and forgot it. 

Bill got his knife back and we went back to work.

When the studies were all opened Jennifer and Leila moved to the other room to help Vonnie.  Leila was NOT in a fight, nor did she bring any weapons, instead she had a fall last week, landing on her cheek. She had quite a shiner.

Bruce, her husband made the comment, it was surprising how much damage she could do when she is so close to the ground. (Leile is not very tall.) Of course we all had to laugh. We had around 110 studies come in today and 32 Bible requests. Below the group is working on labeling and stamping the Bibles for mailing today.

Time for the funny story of the week. Marie, one of our graders emailed this:  Every once in awhile a prisoner’s answer makes me laugh.  I just had to share this one with you. Lesson 3

1. Romans 3:23 (Please write it out.)

                                   The prisoner’s answer: (It out)  I hope this at least got a smile.

We enjoyed working together and enjoyed visiting when the work was finished. So thankful for Tuesdays, the day we can serve.

Armed and Not So Dangerous

 Chuck was one of the first ones to arrive at the Berean office today and he came armed.  That knife he is holding is the took he uses instead of our envelope openers. 

We decide he is armed but not dangerous. He went right to work opening the mail. In the picture below Kathy and Leila are reading letters, Skip is working on the computer entering Bible requests while Bill is talking to Marvin about a request.

Bruce is processing today's certificates. We had 3 finish the intermediate course and 3 the Basic course this week.

We had a study we had been holding for almost a year. The prisoner wrote that he was getting moved and we should not send his study back until he knew where he was going to end up. Bill got on the main computer and found where the prisoner ended up and we sent him a new set of lessons to his new address.  The internet makes this job much easier.

When we finished the studies and Bible request we went into the other room to work on Bibles.

A bit later I caught Shirley and Shirley cleaning the bathroom. 

That isn't a usual job but both ladies saw a need and went to work. They were laughing because I made them turn around so I could get their better side.