I Milked a What?!

I MILKED A GOAT!

I wish that I could end the blog right there. Because I am sure that all the other phrases that I come up with to describe yesterday could not compare with the sentance, "I milked a goat."

I had a few miles in before the first kind offer for a ride, and in trying to figure out whether I should be accepting them or not, I kindly refused. A few more miles and I waved on another driver. Right after the second driver left, I began thinking about the great opportunity that I had to show them God in action. And we're back to the dilema. Here's the decision that I've come to:

I have no idea what I'm doing.

The third gentleman who stopped was a Christian fellow, and I love it when Christians stop. What a great way to show the love of Christ by picking up a stranger in need. I am sure that Jesus today, if he wasn't a vagrant himself, would drive a fifteen passenger van (running on vegetable oil of course) simply to have room to pick up any hitchhikers or silly little vagrants like me. So all that to say, I took the ride.

He dropped me off 15 miles down the road and I started walking straight into a storm. Well not four or five miles more, I was praying for God to just hold off the rain untill I reached a restauraunt that a bilboard kept promising. Just before the first drop fell, that same Christian driver came back around. I never expect to see people a second time. So I hopped in the truck and we took off for Plymouth.

Some friends of the family had found me a place to stay in Plymouth that I was very much looking forward to. Though being that I came into town a little early I spent most of the afternoon sipping ab endless cup of coffee at a ribs joint called Bob Evans. I'd never heard of it before, but apparently they're like the plague around here. My Plymouth friend came to pick me up and brought me back to spend a night with his family, on their beautiful family farm.

I never spent much time on a farm but I always admired the work and dedication that they required. So I thought I'd dive right in. There wasn't all that much to do last night, but we put up several fence posts and then, oh yeah, I milked a goat. I fell in love with their farm house and their family. The parents and their three kids live without a television or the internet. They read, play cards, ride horse, and take care of the farm resposibilities. They find plenty to do, and seem to have a beautiful intimacy and now that I think of it, an amazing contentment about their lives. See folks, it can be done!

Anyways... I left early this morning and before long had a ride to Warsaw. The Farm family had contacted a friend here to find another bed for the night. The car ride was a divine appointment and a pleasure to talk with, but then I found myself in Warsaw with nothing to do for many hours. Alas, there was a coffee house and the hours flew by.

I'm now in Warsaw with another sweet family; complete with four kids and a lot of energy. I'm so glad to be indoors as the sky looks quite thunderous right now. My stomach is full, my heart is happy, and my patience has been tested with this dial-up connection. It's time for bed.

Goodnight all!

Christopher Andrew