Winter has lost the battle to spring and summer! We enjoy winter on the Weaver farm with lambing season usually beginning in late December and ending around mid-March. This past winter our sheep had an unusual amount of lambs—one had quadruplets. I grew up with sheep and never knew that was possible with wool sheep. All survived. We credit the extra lambs to a new grazing method we adopted last summer called “intensive grazing.” Basically, the sheep get moved to new pasture every day, which leaves you with some very healthy ewes come breeding season. An electrified fence makes this method of grazing possible. And it provides me daily exercise.
On Mother’s Day we buried my mother. She was diagnosed with breast cancer around a year ago and was relatively stable until a few weeks before she passed. Thankfully, she never experienced much pain. She was 72 years old. Because of Amish shunning rules, our family was not allowed to sit with the rest of the family at her funeral, but we are so thankful that we were allowed to attend. Things were likely complicated by the fact that her oldest grandson, my nephew and his family, recently started attending our West Salem Mission church.
Sam and Katie, the shunned Amish from our last newsletter, are settled into their new cabin. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the generosity and love many of you demonstrated in helping them keep a roof over their heads as they were evicted from their rental property because of their decision to leave the Amish church. They have made tremendous progress in their understanding of God’s will for their lives.
Recently, they started observing the Lord’s Sabbath as part of their faith journey. Naomi and I, along with my nephew and his family, spent the Sabbath recently with them and Sam’s brother Jerry and his wife Lizzie. Jerry and Lizzie’s story will be coming soon too. Since they know few English songs, we sang German songs for a while. It was a heartwarming experience since I spent the first thirty years of my life singing those songs at our church services. I miss them.
Andy leads a divine worship service on Sabbath in Sam and Katie’s new cabin. Click here to read the latest news of Sam and Katie’s cabin.
Our school has closed for the summer, and we feel very very grateful for those of you who have sponsored a student. On behalf of all the parents who benefited from those sponsorships I want to say THANK YOU! Our school is a very special project. Chad and Fadia are experiencing God’s blessings as they seek to help those that are coming to Foresthill Wellness Center seeking better health. We are very grateful for that. Our camp meeting will be coming up soon. You are all invited to come spend that week with us! I believe it will be a blessing.
Thank you for praying for us, and for choosing to entrust us with your financial gifts. Words can’t express our gratitude. You will see the treasures in heaven when the sheaves are gathered into the kingdom of God, safe from harm’s way.
May the Lord bless you richly with His presence these summer months as we walk through the sunset years of this tired old planet.
“Fear NOT, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32.
Yours truly,
Andy A. Weaver, President
