Dear Brethren,

Since our last update, it’s been a whirlwind! We spent last Wednesday night with a family in Minnesota who found out about our ministry by attending a Households of Faith Gregg Harris conference in Texas put on by some old friends of ours from when we lived in Louisiana – Gene & Lora Keeth. We’d donated some resources to the attendees and through that, this family offered us hospitality. They have three grown daughters still living at home and no sons. We had very sweet fellowship with them, and the next day they helped us with our inventory and adding “Made in the USA” stickers to all our merchandise for the border crossing.

The border crossing took a few hours and we had to have an immigration interview, but there was no trouble (well, other than $300 and something in GST taxes, but we expected that) and we were able to briefly see some of the northern lights on our way into Winnipeg.

We had a wonderful conference in Manitoba! The Lord seemed to really use our messages to touch and encourage the homeschoolers there. We spoke with many who the Lord blessed through the conference. In a wonderful blessing, the hotel we found on Priceline for just $67 a night for each of our rooms (in a place where rooms run $150-$200 a night) was really nice and the closest to the conference location and within walking distance for the boys and Hal at least, so we parked there and saved a lot on parking fees. Our sales were just great for a small conference like that, praise God!! We had great fellowship with the Manitoba board over lasagna Saturday and pulled out yesterday after the boys changed a tire that popped on the trailer. We’re now out of spares for both the trailer and the van — please pray for protection from further flats!

For lunch yesterday, we had Tim Horton’s doughnuts, which are apparently the favorite food of all Canadians, judging by the Tim Horton’s on every corner. They were yummy! 🙂

Last night, the Lord provided another inexpensive, but really nice Priceline hotel find — and it was Christian run! We stayed in Fargo, North Dakota, last night and we’re headed to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, tonight to speak. Please pray! We need the Lord who calmed the storm to calm this wind! We’re traveling into a headwind of 50mph and it cost us about $50 in gas to make it the first 70 miles. We can’t afford that!!! We are currently drafting trucks like Richard Petty on the prairie!

Tomorrow we speak in South Haven, Minnesota, west of Minneapolis and the next night in Shawano, Wisconsin. Please keep praying for us, dear friends!

Hal & Melanie