Saturday, January 31, 2009

From New Orleans to Venice

Sam is giving Buddy and Nancy a real education with a field trip to Italy. The Porpoise has left New Orleans and is headed to Venice, Italy. If you remember from a previous blog, you got a hint about where Sam was planning to go. That hint was "Marco Polo." Sam is taking the whole crew to see the Venice home of Marco Polo which is in the northeastern corner of Italy. Before they get there they are stopping in Genoa, Italy to see where Marco spent roughly three years as a prisoner of war. There he and a fellow prisoner wrote the amazing tale of his real-life journey to China where he lived with the Great Kublai Khan, emperor of the Tartars.

SS-17 Pirates

Pirates are raiding the villages on the little island of Mangu. Missionaries live on the island and have converted many of the natives there. The villagers don't have much but are content. The pirate raids are stealing and destroying what little the natives have. Many natives and a chief want war. Another chief wants peace and wisdom from God. The chief who wants war has agreed to wait one day while the other chief looks for an answer from God.
Out on the ocean, on board the Porpoise there is boredom. Nothing but ocean. The same routine every day. The kids are tired of the monotony. When will God bring something interesting into their lives?
A possible theme for this story is "Waiting on the Lord."

Sunday, January 18, 2009

SS-25 Mountain Music

This week "Mountain Music" continues...
Sam and the crew are in the middle of an adventure in the Appalachian mountains! Buddy and Nancy went to spend the summer with their aunt and uncle who are missionaries high in the Kentucky mountains. The area they are working in is populated predominately by two feuding families - the Caldwells and the Beals. No one knows why the feud started, they just know they have been at odds for several generations and don't have a mind to quit. The situation deteriorates quickly after Buddy and Nancy arrive and make friends with some of the children. When their crops are burned and they became hostages on the mission station, Buddy risks a trip through the woods to send a message to Sam to come help. How can Sam stop the feuding which would allow Uncle Fred and Aunt Jane to share the Gospel? A shooting contest, a stolen donkey, a sick child and kidnappers make things pop! Tune in to see how God works every thing together for good!

Next week... "Pirates"
Sam and the crew sail in to a small island in the Pacific to help the missionaries and tribes people solve the mystery of the Pirates. More on that later...

Sam and Crew in New Orleans

Sam, Hazel and the kids met up with Olie at Galveston's Scholes International Airport. They purchased and loaded supplies on the "Porpoise." Then they set sail for New Orleans, Louisiana. Sam and Olie sailed the "Porpoise" the roughly 400 miles from Galveston to New Orleans in just three days. The crew was anxious to get to work helping rebuild homes and lives wrecked by Hurricane Katrina.

Sam and Hazel volunteered with Katrina Aid Today to work on rebuilding houses for the next two weeks. Olie and the kids will be helping as well - feeding the hundreds of hungry volunteers in the area where Sam and Hazel will be working. Actually, Hazel and Olie will take turns working on homes and feeding workers with the kids. But Olie let Hazel go first in the construction work.

The normally strong Sam was moved to tears by the terrible destruction in New Orleans. Most of New Orleans is still deserted after more than three years. Katrina hit New Orleans on August 29, 2005 destroying or damaging thousands of homes and businesses.

The KAT folks told Sam that the Christians around the United States have contributed their time, money, food, furniture and so much more to help rebuild lives in New Orleans. Groups like the United Methodist Committee on Relief, Catholic Charities, Lutheran World Relief and many, many more are in various places around town hard at work. More than 500,000 Christians of every denomination have come to New Orleans so far to help build homes and clean up the Katrina mess. Those volunteers have built or repaired over 53,000 homes so far. And the rebuilding work continues which is why the "Porpoise" crew is here.
Sam then learned that Katrina is not the only hurricane to hurt the Gulf Coast. From 2005 to 2007, Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, and Wilma have all caused major damage around the Gulf.

Sam and the rest will be in New Orleans for about two weeks helping with the rebuilding.
Please take the time to see how the love of Christ is being shared daily in New Orleans by Christian Good Samaritans in 2009. Search the 'Net or go to your church's web site and search for "Katrina" there.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year from Sailor Sam

Sailor Sam and the crew sailed to Galveston. They left "The Porpoise" docked there for a few weeks while they visit family and friends.
Sam, Aunt Hazel, and the kids have flown to Chicago to visit with friends at Moody. They will leave Chicago this week to visit family for two weeks. Then they will return to Galveston to set sail.
Olie flew to Sweden to spend the holidays with his family. He is planning to meet Sam and the others at Galveston.
Once together, the crew plans on spending some time helping with the continued clean-up in New Orleans.
If all goes well for Sam, "The Porpoise" and it's crew will head for Venice,Italy after leaving New Orleans. I can't tell you what Sam it up to, but I can give you a hint - Marco Polo. Can you guess what Sam has in mind?
Sam, Olie, Hazel, Buddy, and Nancy hope everyone has had a holy Christmastime. And they wish everyone a happy and joyous New Year!