February 2010

Leader’s Retreat
Prayer Household of the
Month
For the month of February,
please keep the Albany Service
Adventure unit in your prayers:
Maria Martin
Kyle Reimer
Julie & Jonathan Fridley

February Birthdays
4 – Joey Miller, Johnstown
20 – Beth Wright Kuhns,
Philippi
22 – Isaac Blosser, Anchorage

Service Adventure
Facebook Page
We have created a Service
Adventure page on Facebook.
Please become a fan of Service
Adventure and encourage
others to do the same. I will try
to give updates and include
photos. If you are interested in
writing something for the page
or posting photos, you’re
welcome to do so.
Left to Right: Randall, Kirsten & Emma Schlabach, Darrin, Liam & Paula
Snyder Belousek, Marcos & Beth Wright Kuhns, Kelly & Fred Kilheffer,
Julie & Jonathan Fridley, Bethany & Gabe Bauman Baker
Service Adventure unit leaders gathered from January 21-24 in beautiful
San Antonio. Our time together included time to share stories and resources
with each other as well as get updates on how the year is going. And we had
lots of time to enjoy the gorgeous weather, eat some delicious food, play
games together and simply enjoy reconnecting with each other.

Meet the Albany Unit!

Left to Right: Maria Martin, Kyle Reimer, Julie & Jonathan Fridley
 Page 2 Service Adventure News

The Albany Service Adventure unit has been extremely busy these past
couple weeks and has not had time to write this newsletter. Since they
say I sit around all day, the responsibility has fallen upon my crafty and
mischievous paws.

Let me start from the beginning. Six months ago, my servants, who call
themselves Jonathan and Julie, carried me out to their car and tried to
drug me which failed miserably. After a long and treacherous journey
with a rabbit to boot they showed me into our new home. Just as I was settling into my new palace
several new people showed up. One is tall, stomps around, often throws things in my general direction,
smells like hockey pucks and cheers for the Canucks. I much prefer the quieter, more serene female
intruder. She smells like flat tires and is constantly holding a book for me to sit on.

I have found that I really enjoy the weekends because my servants often leave me home alone until they
come back and attempt to regale me with stories of their adventures. Some of their weekend stories
have included red ball harvesting (cranberries), camping at the coast, cliff-diving into Crater Lake,
visiting Seattle, hiking, sledding, and climbing over lava fields. A recent highlight for me was my new
water bowl which they promptly ruined by placing a tall scraggly tree into and proceeded to adorn it
with Christmas lights.
Another thing I used to enjoy was patrolling my outdoor domain. This pleasure was put to an end when
one night a loathsome creature (a nutria) infiltrated my territory and ambushed me. I tried valiantly to
slay this creature but alas I was schooled. For the next few weeks I was forced into wearing the cone of
shame for what my servants told me was for my own good. My kingdom was greatly reduced to the
confines of my palace. Enough about me…..

Every other Monday night I am treated to the company of the folks from the Micah house who hail from
Lebanon, Oregon who come over to sing, read the Bible, and
pray together. This group of guys in the Micah House live in
community through an MCC program. On Sunday mornings
the house clears out and everyone but me attends Albany
Mennonite Church where my servants have enjoyed being
involved in the Christmas choir, ushering, singing, playing
music, reading scriptures, and running the sound system. On
Tuesday evenings I enjoy playing in their sock drawer while
they are at a bible study on the book of Genesis. My only
complaint about Albany Mennonite is that though they’ve
blessed us with bountiful groceries not one can of tuna was
included for my sake.

I always know when my servants are about to arrive home when the garage door opens and they park
their bikes inside. Daily I peer through treads of our stairs and see them come walking in wet from the
rains of Oregon. This is my one true comfort: seeing them wet and enjoying my warmth inside my
palace. Well it’s about time for my 3 p.m. nap. Wishing you all the best!

Please send tuna,

Chachie, the cat
Service Adventure News Page 3

Fun facts about the Albany Service Adventure unit:

1. We have spent $1.54/person/day on groceries.
2. We could each have two bedrooms to ourselves if we wanted to.
3. We keep our house at 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees) except
when Jonathan is not home.
4. We have a genuine Canadian who says that Canadian bacon is
bacon made in Canada.
5. We invented the word “Hkeep” but have not found a way to
use it.
6. We inherit lots of things from the Mennonite Village i.e. TV,
refrigerator…
7. We’ve had four flat tires, one bike accident, and one run-in with
a cop……..on our bikes!?
8. Our van doors work intermittently… especially for Maria.
9. We’ve learned that one cup of Chicken stock does not mean one
cup of bouillon powder.
10. We mow our grass in the winter not the summer.

Maria Martin
From: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Position: Activities Assistant at the Mennonite Village Retirement Home
“Wheelchair pusher” “Bingo Mediator” “Kleenex fetcher” “Kitchen cleaner”
“Pet caretaker”
Favorite pastimes: Reading, puzzles, getting flat tires, taking pictures.

Kyle Reimer
From: Boissevain, Manitoba (CANADA, it’s above the U.S.)
Positions: Teacher’s Aide, Afterschool Program Assistant, Office
Intern at Linn Benton Mediation Services
“Hand Sanitation Specialist” “Mr. Really Tall” “Mail carrier”
“Treasurer” “Playmate”
Favorite pastimes: Listening to music, playing guitar, NHL, bugging
Chachie.
 Page 4 Service Adventure News

Jonathan Fridley
From: Elkhart, Indiana
Positions: Service Adventure Leader, Building
Maintenance at the Mennonite Village

Julie Fridley
From: Elkhart, Indiana
Positions: Service Adventure
Leader, Midwife’s Assistant