Aleda and John´s Trip to Germany with son Loren, Ruth Sept. 19, 1988 Monday Today we flew to Dallas on our way to London. When we arrived in Dallas we called Nancy and started towards the gate where she said she would meet us, and as we were walking down to the outside gate, I heard someone call, WARMERDAM, and I turned to look and there stood my dear beloved son Mark Wesley Rovenstine. Only a mother can understand my feeling, so we went to where Nancy was to pick us up and here come Nancy, and Mark Andrew. Andrew is so full of life and so sweet. Then dad and Mark rode in Mark’s car, and I rode with Nancy and Andrew. Andrew is a little over 2 years old and his vocabulary is growing almost by the minute. I brought him a bag of candy, and at first I wasn’t comfortable giving it to him. Because they don’t give him too many sweets. Nancy had a nice dinner fixed for us and it was fun being with them. Nancy had 2 meetings to go to, so didn’t have to much time with her in the evening. Loren and Ruthie got there about 3 o´clock. Mark brought them on Sept. 20th. So after a short visit, Mark took Dad and I to airport to get us on a 530 pm flight to London. We checked in a large suitcase that belonged to my mother. I really didn’t feel like I needed it, but Mark said we needed more clothes. We got on the plane without a hitch, but did have to sit among smokers which didn’t make us happy. It was an 8.5 hour flight and I tried and tried to go to sleep, and get comfortable, but nothing worked. It was after 230 am by our time when we arrived on Sept. 21st about 830 am London time. Loren and Ruthie came about 3 hours later, so we stood at the fence, it seemed a long time, waiting at the gate where they would come out of customs, and I heard dad say, COME ON LOREN, we started thinking what would we do if they didn’t show up? But a little while here they came, and it was a pleasant relief to see them. I kept wondering if when I get to Heaven, if I just keep going to the Gate to see if my children come in. The first thing we did was find a train to Victoria. We weren’t hungry because we had been fed very well on the train. Mark had made arrangements at the Luna House a block from the train terminal, so we had 1 room with 4 single beds with private shower, stool and lavatory. Dad rested while I went out to look over Victoria. It all seemed real strange to me. I saw a lot of women from India, and heard many strange languages. There were street vendors selling fruit etc, Loren and Ruth were also out on another route, and when we all got back to the room, they decided to go find some food. We all walked several blocks to a fish n chips place and ate. They got some munchies. Sept. 22nd, Thursday, Up early and on the bus to go see the sites of London, after subways up and down, we came out where the Queen lives, Parliament, and a huge museum. I found a real nice sweater laying over a wire trash container, and I really need one, my other one is too hot. We had a very hard time getting the right bus to go to Herrods. By the time we got back we were so tired we could hardly walk back to our rooms. Sept. 23rd Friday. Went to another museum, saw Royal Guards Mummies, very interesting, we ate downtown. Saw where John Wesley was buried, and lot’s of tombs and memorials, and went to Methodist Hall. Pretty cold and blustery, always looking and thinking about things I could buy for my children. Loren and Dad keep me from buying anything. Today we went to the underground connection that Churchill ran during World War II. The guard held out his hand and grunted something. SO I tried to shake hands with him, and he grunted PURSE. He wanted to explore my purse to make sure I didn’t have anything in it to blow up the underground museum. We have seen a lot of real freaky looking young people. Boys look like girls, pink hair. And I saw a boy spraying his hair to make it stand up straight. Real weirdos. Saw a young man who looked very retarded with a crippled foot asking for change. Everyone shaking their head no to him. I saw 2 different old men screaming on at a police and the other come down the escalator screaming at the top of his lungs. Heard several people and groups playing music, girls dressing in a lot of black, long skirts, short skirts, split skirts up the back real witchy looking. Looks like the common run of the women do not wear very much makeup, and not much to curl their hair. I’ve seen lot’s of baby buggies, some very fancy with plastic covers over the buggies. In general the British seem very genteel people , it seems very many smoke, and they are very white. But if the sun never shines more than it does since we’ve been here, it’s no wonder. I’ve seen very red faces from the wind and the cold. Sept. 24th, Saturday 1988. Left our small room with 4 beds in Victoria. We drove nearly all day to get to Irene Skelly before dark. She lives in an upstairs of an old quaint farmhouse. She fixed tea for us, and I helped her fix a lunch. She bought a ready cooked chicken, and had a salad and cheese bread and more sweet bread and tea., She had a huge dog named Jackson. He nearly upset the table when he stuck his head between John’s legs under the table. John clamped down on jackson’s head with his legs, and Jackson started thrashing to get loose and the table nearly went over. I don’t think Irene every knew what happened. As soon as it was discreet to excuse ourselves we went to bed. Tired and slept better than any time on our trip. Loren and Ruthie slept upstairs, and we slept in a small bedroom barely large enough to get a bed and small chest in. We slept under a feather tick, and we were really comfortable after sleeping in the bed at Victoria. It was really quiet and very, very dark. The house sat out on a green, green field. The countryside was very beautiful. Lot’s of sheep and rockwalls around each field. Lakes, Mountains, cloudy skies, and then the sun come out and it turned cool. Ate lunch in a little café that was a mile where the Scots and the English had a big war. I had a deep fried squash and mushrooms. Irene is very interesting to talk to. She has been in Capenwray for 19 years, Mark met her then and has kept in touch with her. Maybe I should tell the reason why I am here in England. Mark gave Loren and Ruth tickets and $400 to take us on this trip. Sept. 25th, Sunday, up for coffee and toast and then to church at Capernwray. This is the school where Mark and Joe went to. It is a very old castle that Major Thomas bought for $7,000 pounds, about $11,000 USD. There are 190 students from all over the world. Their service was very stoic. They sang a few songs, someone prayed and Rev. Van dooran. Preached, very Calvinistic, but it was a good sermon. He kept saying you are COLD. (called) of God, I think he meant, many are called but few are chosen. We ate dinner at the school dining room. We had fried potatoes, green peas, boiled chicken and rhubarb crisp in vanilla pudding. Was nice. The dining room was in an old castle. I tried to think how it was when rich people lived in it. There was another huge room, with a fire place and lot’s of chairs, where the kids could go for fellowship. We went home and took a nap, then went to the home of Vandooran to have tea. He served us biscuits and hot in lovely china dishes. Also he showed us his son George’s house. He, a single man, adopted George when he was 11 years old, an orphan from Greece, of World War II. George is deaf, and married a deaf Greek lady and they have a cute baby daughter. They are proud happy parents, and Mr. Vandooran a proud happy grandfather. Mr. Vandooran has been in Caperwray for many years. He has written many books and preaches. He has had several strokes, and several surgies, a very likeable man who wants to sell his house for $100,000. Then we went to another church, the Church of England, 800 years old about 15 worshippers. There we all sat in the choir loft. The preachers name was Jonathan. The church was Burton St. James. Very different than what I am used to. Seemed pretty boring, the pastor was converted under the ministry of Billy Graham, but the Church of England he said was a good boat to fish from. Because few people will go to an Evangelical church. We went to his home, (new) they traded their old Manse for $90,000, they call it a vicarage, for enough to build a nice new house. His wife and 2 sons were so very polite, served us tea and biscuits again in lovely china. Home, and ready to go to bed, I really sleep well under the feather tick. The only problem is that there are no layers, and I am a person who gets too hot, or too cold, too quickly. Sept. 26th. Monday, up for breakfast, went to Carnforth, went to Irish Sea, then to Kirky Lonsdale, lot’s of beautiful country. Ate in kitchen bakery, quiche, jacket potatoes and always tea. Window shopped, saw an old church and many graves, it was very chilly and windy. Irene did our wash, and we had toast and chicken. Jackson kept flopping his big tail on irene’s very small refrig. They don’t rinse their dishes, they dry them with the soap on. The dish towels hung over Jackson’s dishes. I don’t know how much Jackson paid mind to them, but like English, we will all carry on. To bed about 10 oclock. Sept. 27th, Tuesday. I wanted to tell Irene how much Loren loved dogs, but decided I didn’t want the RedCoats to follow me home. Left for Keswick, bought groceries and ate in the car, very cold and windy. Took a picture of Loren down by the boats, and bought some cards. It rained a lot. Had tea at Gretna Scotland and had tea by the blacksmith shop where 10,000 people crossed the border to get married. Saw a highland (Scottish) play bagpipes. Then on to Carylise looking for bed and breakfast. Stayed 6 Herrington Mrs. Smith, had a beautiful room, pink roses, feather tuck cover pink roses real high ceiling, doors were papered. Left over groceries. Loren and Ruthie went out to eat and ran into cool magnate. She had dress shop, travel agent and beauty shop, and they motioned for Loren and Ruthie to come and eat with them, and paid for their meal. A lot of drinking and wanted to buy drinks for LD and Ruthier. We had an electric kettle and made tea and had a nice lunch. Had a lavatory in our room and the bathroom was at the end of the hall, and it was sort of scary when I had to get up in the night to go because it was very, very dark. There were girls talking til past midnight, and one coughted a lot and kept me awake. It was a very pretty room. Sept. 28th, Wednesday. We ate with a man from Scotland, and the 3 girls that kept me awake. They told me where they were from but I couldn’t understand. Left to go to Durham, we went to Durham infantry museum, ate lunch in the car, and it was raining, then had tea in the coffee shop. I can’t believe how many wars England has been in. I think they never say anything about the Red Coats coming to fight the 13 Colonies, nor do they say anthing about the Boston Tea Party. I asked the curator about the Princess who was suppose to be Queen Elizabeth’s Cousin, and then she told me about Prince Edward. Then we left for York looking for bed and breakfast, ending Fulford at Lynton House. They had the biggest and dirtiest wolf hounds I have ever seen. Had twin beds not too nice, but rested enough. We went next door for fish n chips, and we were really stuffed. No bath. Public restroom, all rest rooms have a door for every function. Sept. 29th, Thursday. Went to York, to York Castle Musem, a very interesting place. Huge towers, that had a moat around it at one time. They said 150 Jews came there for protection because they said people were men to them. Saw an ole prison, women’s prison, old workshop, death row room, manicles, even for small children, a man was executed for robbing. Saw a Man Trap sigh, that said Go Down the Road and Stay out of orchard, because there are man traps in it. Over 700 executions in 50 years more or less. Queen Mary was imprisioned here somewhere. There are many churches here, I feel the church was like a Fort, a Marketplace, a sanctuary where people were trying to make a better life for themselves. And somehow, I am not sure whether the church succeeded or failed?? I have mixed emotions, maybe having a godliness and denying the power. I bought a yard of curtain for Peggy for less than a postage stamp. Bed and Breakfast in Granbon. A very old place built in the 1600’s. The beds were nice, but shower was broken, but I did a small wash and then to bed. Sept. 30th, Friday. Up and ready, every breakfast is always the same. Bacon and eggs, orange, tea and toast. Went to look at another old church, then lunch in the car. We ate supper last night at a very old table, arrived about 4 oclock to Harwich to take the ferry. Loren has taken the car back to Ipwich. And Ruth, Dad and I are waiting for him to come back. There is always a prayer in my heart for my children, and I pray that He will take me back to them safely. This is the first time we have had time to get really caught up with everything we did. Later Loren came back in ample time and we watched the ferry boat come in from Holland and watched the people come off the boat. I lost my seat when I got up to watch the ferry come in, and Loren got hungry and wanted to eat. So Ruthie and I were making lunch from the top of our luggage, with everyone looking on cared to look. We got tickled. We met a girl from Canada, who was waiting for her boyfriend, who had come from the Loor of Holland. This will be a 7 hour trip leaving at 10:45 pm. I hope I can sleep abit, but if I don’t do any better than I did on the plane, it may be a long night. Loren and Ruthie have gone to the coffee house, and we are guarding the luggage. I’m really sorry I brought the big suitcase. Loren has been like a pack mule for us. The train runs right along this ferry landing. I have seen a lot of different kinds of people. A lot of young people are sort of going strange. Many have back packs so I am wondering if they are sleeping in the subway. Irene says that the USA is a lot worse about peer pressure than the British. She thinks it is much worse about drugs, style and several things. Only God really knows. Now there is an Oriental couple coming in. A man and wife with 2 daughters are across from us. I think the man’s feet hurt, he has his feet out of his shoes and for white socks on, and his socks are dirty. This trip costs us about $30 plus paying for the ride to Amsterdam. Loren seems to be able to cope just as well as the next one. A few times Ruthie had to tell him to keep on the left side driving. In every little town they have a circle, ….so you can choose which road to get onto next. In London they kept saying something to us about a circus. We kept looking for a performance and finally decided circus was the same word as a circle. Picadilly circus. In one half hour we will board. Nearly 10pm, Loren, Dad and I went out on deck it was a beautiful sight, the Moon was just coming up. The lights were shimmering on the shore, and the night and sea were very black. There are 500 boys and girls on shore waiting to board. This is like a floating town, many buses, semi trucks and many cars. Where we are it is pretty, the cabins cost $25 a person. John seems to be resting, he can sleep wherever. Perhaps he is not sleeping, only it appears that he is sleeping. I hope all of these kids will settle down. Loren is so interested in everything. He is up checking out everything it is hard for him to sit down for any length of time. Dad is up and looking around. As we came on tonight, the man checking at the escalator said, YOU LOST ONE. I turned around to see what we had lost. He had said, You LAST one, or telling us to go to the last one. Oct. 1st, Saturday. It was a long ferry trip. I had a hard time sleeping the TV was bad and blaring. A man was surely drunk and obnoxious and kept us awake all night with his foul mouth. John finally said something to him that he was acting like a teenager, and then later Loren asked him to be quiet so we could sleep. Saw a boy get up and unscrew a long florescent light bulb, and broke the clear plastic cover and threw it into the corner. Sometimes I think this world is no friend of grace. They woke us at 6am the bathrooms were so full I could hardly squeeze into the door. I wish we didn’t have so much luggage, it is a real bother when a person doesn’t have his own vehicle. I am beginning to wonder what the Catholic Church has done for it’s people. From the boat we boarded a train to Amsterdam. Very pretty country. There were 4 boys on holiday from England that had come over on the ferry, and they were singing very loud, boisterious and were very vulgar. Loren did his best to witness to them about being born again. They got very quiet when he talked to them. Saw a prostitute walking down the walk by the tram. She was bare legged clear up to her crotch, and then had slits on either side of her leopard skin skirt. Poor thing I wondered who ever really cared for her, she is a throw away child, or could she have a mother at home praying that her daughter will come home. We are sitting at the tram terminal waiting for Loren and Ruth to take a tram to the airport and rent a car. We really need to go to the bathroom, and eat, but we don’t want to miss them. They have been gone for more than an hour. It is sort of scary to think what might happen if they don’t come back. I put my jogging suit on last evening, thinking I would be more comfortable, and didn’t havea chance to change this morning, so I don’t think I am dressed quite right. I would like to call my cousin to let her know I am here, but I don’t want to mess up Loren’s plans. Nearly 6 pm, and everyone is dog tired, and it’s bed time, and it’s not dark yet, and I am afraid I will not sleep we had a hard time finding the place. We mistook a number 9 for the letter g…. not much difference but make a lot of difference trying to find where to go. Not having any luck contacting my relatives, no phone number, and the number I have no one answers. These are pretty cheap looking beds for the price we had to pay. We went to a little shop down the street and got hamburgers and ice cream. I found about 200 Warmerdams in the phonebook. Oct. 2nd, Sunday. I called Louis and told him we are going to church, got his address and told him we would see him after church. Went to where my dad was baptized, then to another church and found an Aleda Warmerdam in the bulletin. Then to the rest home to find her. A Warmerdam from Australia showed us the way. Called Louis and he told us how to get to his house. (Amsterdam the Grotstraat, the City built on sticks when you loose the way?) Had lunch in the Panneken Haus. Very tastey. We spent the whole afternoon looking for Louis, back to the rooms and trying to find Tina…she had heard we were here and had been to church. Her candles were lit and the tea cup and hot water. Her 2 daughters and family came, more tea, coffee and cookies. Had a nice time.. Home to our rooms, tired by happy. Oct. 3rd, Monday. Went to the bank for money, then picked up Tina and went to Vollendam, saw many water boats and stuff. Loren and Ruthie got their picture taken, and we ate in a little lunchroom. Then back to Haarlem to Corrie Ten Boon’s house, then to the market, then to Sonja’s house for supper. She served us tea before supper, we had saukraut and mashed potatoes with wieners on top. And soft yogurt and bananas, I liked it very much. Loren Ruthie, Sonja and Birgetta went to Amsterdam to take a boatride. They brought us home as we were ready to call it a day. Birgetta is trying to earn enough money to come to the US. She seems like a nice girl. They all smoke and it isn’t very nice. Dear Lord, Please take care of the world, people need you so very much, help me not to get so carried away with stuff till I forget what is really important, I love you. I want to live for you and to be a blessing for someone. I really try to do your will, Amen. While we were eating our mashed potatoes, saukraut and wieners, john told the story about how my father cooked cabbage and that was all we had for dinner. And I told my dad when I got big, and had children, I would give them at least 2 things to choose from. Oct. 4th, Tuesday. Up and had breakfast and went to Tina’s for tea. She had small peanut pastries. Then we went to Bumik to Jos. ……. She served tea, coldcuts, bread, visited for quite a while. She showed us her late husbands painting. Then we came to Josie and Hermans in Laurs..more tea and biscuits, then cheese and nibbles… We went to a huge Oriental Restaurant. John and I both had a whole chicken. Herman paid, brought Tina home and we said goodbye. We have a promise that they would think about coming to see us in the USA in June. Oct. 5th, Wednesday Up and on our way to wherever???? Had a hard time getting out of Amsterdam, Loren gets tired and disgusted. Oct. 6th, Thursday. Started towards East Berlin and finally saw the Berlin Wall. We walked up on a high platform and looked over. I prayed the Lord would bless the poor people who were emprisioned behind the wall. Last night we slept 4 stories up. We slept under a feather bed. It was very expensive for the little that they offered. I was very cold, and John was colder. We tried to sleep in the same bed with the feather bed on our feet. In the middle of the night we both awoke very uncomfortable. The feather beds are either too much or too little. It seemed Loren had to make a pilgrimage to the Berlin Wall. Seems when he arrived he was ready to return home. Oct. 7th, Friday, slept in a real nice place, and was very comfortable last eve. Seems I am more interested in my body and what I have to eat, than in the places I am seeing. My heart hurts for the people who live behind the Wall. I kept praying that the Lord would hasten the day, when there will be Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards men. Oh Lord, How long will you allow this to go on. Loren called Mark last eve and looks like today may be the day we will part with Loren and Ruthie and head for home. It will be nice to get home, but nothing compared to the day, I’ll take a trip on that old Gospel Ship, wherever it is. I keep thinking about my mother like she will be there to tell her all of the things I have seen, and how the family all asked about her and Walt, and we talked about Banke, (my father). We went by Hanover where my dad lived and worked. I’ve really tried to keep in an attitude of prayer for everyone in this OLD country, that is what my dad used to call this place. I know Loren is very tired driving, driving long through rain and heavy traffic. Then when we get to a place to sleep, he has to drive round and round, and then go look for a place, then carry our heavy luggage up 4 flights of stairs. We are now Helmstead Germany… We have seen several crematoriums. Lot’s of beautiful country. Ate lunch close to Kassel. Ate at a little place where we had to stand up to eat. We had buttermilk, chocolate, milk sodas, salad, pastries. We parked the car in a port under the village, walked around and got sweaters for Doug and Beth for $29.50 This is such a nice country and a lot of people driving Mercedes Benz. Loren is wondering how the people here have that kind of money. People in west Germany seem much more prosperous than in East Germany. Yesterday when we went through East Germany Customs, Loren had to pay 20 Marcs to get into East Germany, and on the way out, they made him park his car, and he disappeared. I sat waiting about as long as I could stand it, and finally Loren came. He had to pay 20 more Marcs..and here came a guard who told Loren to go back to the checkpoint, and give them all our passports, and the passports ran through a tunnel, the guard said to wait 5 cars then move out. Four different times they looked at our passports and then at our faces. Made Ruthie take off her sunglasses, told Dad to roll down his window, four times I smiled at the 4 of them, they never smiled back. So now I’ll put that behind me and get on with my life. And be excited about what God and I are going to do next. There was no restrooms in Germany, only bushes and the curb, and it was wet but not with sweat. But the 15th letter of the alphabet. Stopped for the restrooms. Saturday Oct. 8th. Three years ago today, Walt Dunivan died. It took us nearly the entire day to get from where we were, to get to Frankfurt, Germany. Loren, Ruthie and I went to the ticket counter to check everything out. It was wasted time, but how did we know. I guess it helped to know what a huge place this is. It rained a lot yesterday and Loren went round and round in maize Germany trying to find a place to stay. Finally found a Chinese Hotel and breakfast. There were 3 single beds, so I took the 2 cushions from one, and made myself a nice bed. I put my feet up on John’s bed, and rolled up my sweater for a pillow. I like to think I can cope better, than a lot of people. I slept in my jogging suit. The night before I slept under a feather quilt, and got so hot I had to strip to the skin, and I didn’t like to sleep like that in case of fire. Yesterday we shopped for the last time. This morning the same thing for breakfast. Hard tough buns, cheese, and lunch meat and coffee. Last evening we went to a luxurious Chinese Restaurant. Ate by candlelight, Chinese Soup, egg roll, rice and the works. Chinese Tea. There are a lot of Middle East people here. It looks like they live here. Sleeping all over the place. Wet towels and laundry strewn around. I am sitting on the floor next to a Middle East young boy, he is fast asleep on the floor with a table cloth over him.. He has kicked of fhis dirty plastic blue thongs. And he is curled up like an embryo. I wonder if he has anyone caring for him. He is coughing quite badly. I am praying we can get on this plane, when things go to suit me, I think God is answering my prayer and helping him. And when things don’t quite suit me, I think then that God is not listening to me. Aren’t we humans funny people. So here come the folks trying to go to Dallas. They rich and 1st class will go, and we who remain will take our turn. Hopefully we’ll go straight to Dallas, if not, the Lord will make a way for us. How PEACE reigns in one’s heart, whose mind is stayed on Jesus. Got on the 925 am flight. Thank you Jesus. I am sitting next to a man and woman who are very unhappy with the world. The baby cries and they complain. They wanted a window seat, poor thing. Next to me is an Indian boy, and he told me his position on religion. So, Mark…thanks for this nice trip. Love Mother.. The pilot said we are going over Greenland, but I can’t see, as I am not close to the window. This is a 9 hour, 45 minute trip. Loren and Ruthie don’t have to be home until next Thursday, but I think they are getting anxious to go home. I don’t think we are people who know how to relax and be lazy. There is always an urge… Does a Mule Make Noise in a Tin Barn. Is the Pope Polish? When we arrived in Dallas at 2 pm. Mark was there to meet us. So good to see him. Had a nice time being with Andrew, woke up at 6 am. Monday Oct. 10th, Here I sit in the Dallas Airport, Mark brought us to the airport yesterday and we missed two flights, so we came on standby again this am. We had a pleasant day yesterday as we stayed at home with Andrew, while Mark and Nancy went to church. We have about run out of anything to wear. Andrew is a nice little boy. Nancy had a real nice dinner, bean soup and corn bread. We went to a yogurt place to eat last evening, it was real nice. Nancy gave me some stuff she didn’t have a place for. John is out walking. He is really wanting to get home. Wendell is supposed to bring Mickey to the Tulsa airport to pick us up. If it doesn’t work out, we can always go on Phillips 66, Limousine service to Bartlesville. Dallas is such an interesting place to sit and watch the people go by. Eleven am, we missed the first flight, now boarded and headed for Tulsa. It is a lovely day after being in Europe where it was cloudy and cold. It seems so good to see and feel Sunshine. I cleaned out my purse, and a nice lady age 73 came and sat beside me. I dropped a picture of my family on the floor, and some souvenirs from the trip. She picked them all up for me, I think I am taking good care of my stuff, that is something I suppose I would have never missed… I keep wondering after this trip if I could run a Bed and Breakfast. This could be a real ministry for us. Tom’s house would be a perfect location for this. I am getting real tired of sitting, I went back in the plane to see John, and he hasn’t moved out of his seat. I would like to know where people get all of the money to ride these planes and drink like they do. I keep thinking about Tina and Jo, and Josie and Sonja, they were so nice to us. It is a sad thing I didn’t get to see Martha. That was the saddest part of the trip. When her father came to see us in Hutchinson in 1933, that was a BIG trip for him. This Indian boy has been real nice. But these people to my left are nuts. Landed..end of journal…..

Sept. 19, 1988 Monday

Today we flew to Dallas on our way to London. When we arrived in Dallas we called Nancy and started towards the gate where she said she would meet us, and as we were walking down to the outside gate, I heard someone call, WARMERDAM, and I turned to look and there stood my dear beloved son Mark Wesley Rovenstine. Only a mother can understand my feeling, so we went to where Nancy was to pick us up and here come Nancy, and Mark Andrew. Andrew is so full of life and so sweet. Then dad and Mark rode in Mark’s car, and I rode with Nancy and Andrew. Andrew is a little over 2 years old and his vocabulary is growing almost by the minute. I brought him a bag of candy, and at first I wasn’t comfortable giving it to him. Because they don’t give him too many sweets. Nancy had a nice dinner fixed for us and it was fun being with them. Nancy had 2 meetings to go to, so didn’t have to much time with her in the evening.

Loren and Ruthie got there about 3 o´clock. Mark brought them on Sept. 20th. So after a short visit, Mark took Dad and I to airport to get us on a 530 pm flight to London. We checked in a large suitcase that belonged to my mother. I really didn’t feel like I needed it, but Mark said we needed more clothes. We got on the plane without a hitch, but did have to sit among smokers which didn’t make us happy. It was an 8.5 hour flight and I tried and tried to go to sleep, and get comfortable, but nothing worked. It was after 230 am by our time when we arrived on Sept. 21st about 830 am London time. Loren and Ruthie came about 3 hours later, so we stood at the fence, it seemed a long time, waiting at the gate where they would come out of customs, and I heard dad say, COME ON LOREN, we started thinking what would we do if they didn’t show up? But a little while here they came, and it was a pleasant relief to see them.

I kept wondering if when I get to Heaven, if I just keep going to the Gate to see if my children come in.

The first thing we did was find a train to Victoria. We weren’t hungry because we had been fed very well on the train. Mark had made arrangements at the Luna House a block from the train terminal, so we had 1 room with 4 single beds with private shower, stool and lavatory. Dad rested while I went out to look over Victoria. It all seemed real strange to me. I saw a lot of women from India, and heard many strange languages. There were street vendors selling fruit etc, Loren and Ruth were also out on another route, and when we all got back to the room, they decided to go find some food. We all walked several blocks to a fish n chips place and ate. They got some munchies.

Sept. 22nd, Thursday, Up early and on the bus to go see the sites of London, after subways up and down, we came out where the Queen lives, Parliament, and a huge museum. I found a real nice sweater laying over a wire trash container, and I really need one, my other one is too hot. We had a very hard time getting the right bus to go to Herrods. By the time we got back we were so tired we could hardly walk back to our rooms.

Sept. 23rd Friday. Went to another museum, saw Royal Guards Mummies, very interesting, we ate downtown. Saw where John Wesley was buried, and lot’s of tombs and memorials, and went to Methodist Hall. Pretty cold and blustery, always looking and thinking about things I could buy for my children. Loren and Dad keep me from buying anything. Today we went to the underground connection that Churchill ran during World War II. The guard held out his hand and grunted something. SO I tried to shake hands with him, and he grunted PURSE. He wanted to explore my purse to make sure I didn’t have anything in it to blow up the underground museum.

We have seen a lot of real freaky looking young people. Boys look like girls, pink hair. And I saw a boy spraying his hair to make it stand up straight. Real weirdos. Saw a young man who looked very retarded with a crippled foot asking for change. Everyone shaking their head no to him. I saw 2 different old men screaming on at a police and the other come down the escalator screaming at the top of his lungs. Heard several people and groups playing music, girls dressing in a lot of black, long skirts, short skirts, split skirts up the back real witchy looking. Looks like the common run of the women do not wear very much makeup, and not much to curl their hair.

I’ve seen lot’s of baby buggies, some very fancy with plastic covers over the buggies. In general the British seem very genteel people , it seems very many smoke, and they are very white. But if the sun never shines more than it does since we’ve been here, it’s no wonder. I’ve seen very red faces from the wind and the cold.

Sept. 24th, Saturday 1988. Left our small room with 4 beds in Victoria. We drove nearly all day to get to Irene Skelly before dark. She lives in an upstairs of an old quaint farmhouse. She fixed tea for us, and I helped her fix a lunch. She bought a ready cooked chicken, and had a salad and cheese bread and more sweet bread and tea.,

She had a huge dog named Jackson. He nearly upset the table when he stuck his head between John’s legs under the table. John clamped down on jackson’s head with his legs, and Jackson started thrashing to get loose and the table nearly went over. I don’t think Irene every knew what happened. As soon as it was discreet to excuse ourselves we went to bed. Tired and slept better than any time on our trip. Loren and Ruthie slept upstairs, and we slept in a small bedroom barely large enough to get a bed and small chest in. We slept under a feather tick, and we were really comfortable after sleeping in the bed at Victoria. It was really quiet and very, very dark. The house sat out on a green, green field. The countryside was very beautiful. Lot’s of sheep and rockwalls around each field. Lakes, Mountains, cloudy skies, and then the sun come out and it turned cool. Ate lunch in a little café that was a mile where the Scots and the English had a big war. I had a deep fried squash and mushrooms. Irene is very interesting to talk to. She has been in Capenwray for 19 years, Mark met her then and has kept in touch with her.

Maybe I should tell the reason why I am here in England. Mark gave Loren and Ruth tickets and $400 to take us on this trip.

Sept. 25th, Sunday, up for coffee and toast and then to church at Capernwray. This is the school where Mark and Joe went to. It is a very old castle that Major Thomas bought for $7,000 pounds, about $11,000 USD. There are 190 students from all over the world. Their service was very stoic. They sang a few songs, someone prayed and Rev. Van dooran. Preached, very Calvinistic, but it was a good sermon. He kept saying you are COLD. (called) of God, I think he meant, many are called but few are chosen.

We ate dinner at the school dining room. We had fried potatoes, green peas, boiled chicken and rhubarb crisp in vanilla pudding. Was nice. The dining room was in an old castle. I tried to think how it was when rich people lived in it. There was another huge room, with a fire place and lot’s of chairs, where the kids could go for fellowship. We went home and took a nap, then went to the home of Vandooran to have tea. He served us biscuits and hot in lovely china dishes. Also he showed us his son George’s house. He, a single man, adopted George when he was 11 years old, an orphan from Greece, of World War II. George is deaf, and married a deaf Greek lady and they have a cute baby daughter. They are proud happy parents, and Mr. Vandooran a proud happy grandfather. Mr. Vandooran has been in Caperwray for many years. He has written many books and preaches. He has had several strokes, and several surgies, a very likeable man who wants to sell his house for $100,000.

Then we went to another church, the Church of England, 800 years old about 15 worshippers. There we all sat in the choir loft. The preachers name was Jonathan. The church was Burton St. James. Very different than what I am used to. Seemed pretty boring, the pastor was converted under the ministry of Billy Graham, but the Church of England he said was a good boat to fish from. Because few people will go to an Evangelical church.

We went to his home, (new) they traded their old Manse for $90,000, they call it a vicarage, for enough to build a nice new house. His wife and 2 sons were so very polite, served us tea and biscuits again in lovely china.

Home, and ready to go to bed, I really sleep well under the feather tick. The only problem is that there are no layers, and I am a person who gets too hot, or too cold, too quickly.

Sept. 26th. Monday, up for breakfast, went to Carnforth, went to Irish Sea, then to Kirky Lonsdale, lot’s of beautiful country. Ate in kitchen bakery, quiche, jacket potatoes and always tea. Window shopped, saw an old church and many graves, it was very chilly and windy. Irene did our wash, and we had toast and chicken. Jackson kept flopping his big tail on irene’s very small refrig. They don’t rinse their dishes, they dry them with the soap on. The dish towels hung over Jackson’s dishes. I don’t know how much Jackson paid mind to them, but like English, we will all carry on. To bed about 10 oclock.

Sept. 27th, Tuesday. I wanted to tell Irene how much Loren loved dogs, but decided I didn’t want the RedCoats to follow me home. Left for Keswick, bought groceries and ate in the car, very cold and windy. Took a picture of Loren down by the boats, and bought some cards. It rained a lot. Had tea at Gretna Scotland and had tea by the blacksmith shop where 10,000 people crossed the border to get married. Saw a highland (Scottish) play bagpipes. Then on to Carylise looking for bed and breakfast. Stayed 6 Herrington Mrs. Smith, had a beautiful room, pink roses, feather tuck cover pink roses real high ceiling, doors were papered. Left over groceries. Loren and Ruthie went out to eat and ran into cool magnate. She had dress shop, travel agent and beauty shop, and they motioned for Loren and Ruthie to come and eat with them, and paid for their meal. A lot of drinking and wanted to buy drinks for LD and Ruthier.

We had an electric kettle and made tea and had a nice lunch. Had a lavatory in our room and the bathroom was at the end of the hall, and it was sort of scary when I had to get up in the night to go because it was very, very dark. There were girls talking til past midnight, and one coughted a lot and kept me awake. It was a very pretty room.

Sept. 28th, Wednesday. We ate with a man from Scotland, and the 3 girls that kept me awake. They told me where they were from but I couldn’t understand. Left to go to Durham, we went to Durham infantry museum, ate lunch in the car, and it was raining, then had tea in the coffee shop. I can’t believe how many wars England has been in. I think they never say anything about the Red Coats coming to fight the 13 Colonies, nor do they say anthing about the Boston Tea Party. I asked the curator about the Princess who was suppose to be Queen Elizabeth’s Cousin, and then she told me about Prince Edward. Then we left for York looking for bed and breakfast, ending Fulford at Lynton House. They had the biggest and dirtiest wolf hounds I have ever seen. Had twin beds not too nice, but rested enough. We went next door for fish n chips, and we were really stuffed. No bath. Public restroom, all rest rooms have a door for every function.

Sept. 29th, Thursday. Went to York, to York Castle Musem, a very interesting place. Huge towers, that had a moat around it at one time. They said 150 Jews came there for protection because they said people were men to them.

Saw an ole prison, women’s prison, old workshop, death row room, manicles, even for small children, a man was executed for robbing. Saw a Man Trap sigh, that said Go Down the Road and Stay out of orchard, because there are man traps in it.

Over 700 executions in 50 years more or less. Queen Mary was imprisioned here somewhere. There are many churches here, I feel the church was like a Fort, a Marketplace, a sanctuary where people were trying to make a better life for themselves. And somehow, I am not sure whether the church succeeded or failed?? I have mixed emotions, maybe having a godliness and denying the power. I bought a yard of curtain for Peggy for less than a postage stamp. Bed and Breakfast in Granbon. A very old place built in the 1600’s. The beds were nice, but shower was broken, but I did a small wash and then to bed.

Sept. 30th, Friday. Up and ready, every breakfast is always the same. Bacon and eggs, orange, tea and toast. Went to look at another old church, then lunch in the car. We ate supper last night at a very old table, arrived about 4 oclock to Harwich to take the ferry. Loren has taken the car back to Ipwich. And Ruth, Dad and I are waiting for him to come back. There is always a prayer in my heart for my children, and I pray that He will take me back to them safely. This is the first time we have had time to get really caught up with everything we did.

Later Loren came back in ample time and we watched the ferry boat come in from Holland and watched the people come off the boat. I lost my seat when I got up to watch the ferry come in, and Loren got hungry and wanted to eat. So Ruthie and I were making lunch from the top of our luggage, with everyone looking on cared to look. We got tickled. We met a girl from Canada, who was waiting for her boyfriend, who had come from the Loor of Holland. This will be a 7 hour trip leaving at 10:45 pm. I hope I can sleep abit, but if I don’t do any better than I did on the plane, it may be a long night. Loren and Ruthie have gone to the coffee house, and we are guarding the luggage. I’m really sorry I brought the big suitcase. Loren has been like a pack mule for us. The train runs right along this ferry landing.

I have seen a lot of different kinds of people. A lot of young people are sort of going strange. Many have back packs so I am wondering if they are sleeping in the subway. Irene says that the USA is a lot worse about peer pressure than the British. She thinks it is much worse about drugs, style and several things. Only God really knows.

Now there is an Oriental couple coming in. A man and wife with 2 daughters are across from us. I think the man’s feet hurt, he has his feet out of his shoes and for white socks on, and his socks are dirty. This trip costs us about $30 plus paying for the ride to Amsterdam. Loren seems to be able to cope just as well as the next one. A few times Ruthie had to tell him to keep on the left side driving. In every little town they have a circle, ….so you can choose which road to get onto next. In London they kept saying something to us about a circus. We kept looking for a performance and finally decided circus was the same word as a circle. Picadilly circus. In one half hour we will board.

Nearly 10pm, Loren, Dad and I went out on deck it was a beautiful sight, the Moon was just coming up. The lights were shimmering on the shore, and the night and sea were very black. There are 500 boys and girls on shore waiting to board. This is like a floating town, many buses, semi trucks and many cars. Where we are it is pretty, the cabins cost $25 a person. John seems to be resting, he can sleep wherever. Perhaps he is not sleeping, only it appears that he is sleeping. I hope all of these kids will settle down.

Loren is so interested in everything. He is up checking out everything it is hard for him to sit down for any length of time. Dad is up and looking around. As we came on tonight, the man checking at the escalator said, YOU LOST ONE. I turned around to see what we had lost. He had said, You LAST one, or telling us to go to the last one.

Oct. 1st, Saturday. It was a long ferry trip. I had a hard time sleeping the TV was bad and blaring. A man was surely drunk and obnoxious and kept us awake all night with his foul mouth. John finally said something to him that he was acting like a teenager, and then later Loren asked him to be quiet so we could sleep. Saw a boy get up and unscrew a long florescent light bulb, and broke the clear plastic cover and threw it into the corner. Sometimes I think this world is no friend of grace. They woke us at 6am the bathrooms were so full I could hardly squeeze into the door. I wish we didn’t have so much luggage, it is a real bother when a person doesn’t have his own vehicle.

I am beginning to wonder what the Catholic Church has done for it’s people. From the boat we boarded a train to Amsterdam. Very pretty country. There were 4 boys on holiday from England that had come over on the ferry, and they were singing very loud, boisterious and were very vulgar. Loren did his best to witness to them about being born again. They got very quiet when he talked to them.

Saw a prostitute walking down the walk by the tram. She was bare legged clear up to her crotch, and then had slits on either side of her leopard skin skirt. Poor thing I wondered who ever really cared for her, she is a throw away child, or could she have a mother at home praying that her daughter will come home.

We are sitting at the tram terminal waiting for Loren and Ruth to take a tram to the airport and rent a car. We really need to go to the bathroom, and eat, but we don’t want to miss them. They have been gone for more than an hour. It is sort of scary to think what might happen if they don’t come back.

I put my jogging suit on last evening, thinking I would be more comfortable, and didn’t havea chance to change this morning, so I don’t think I am dressed quite right.

I would like to call my cousin to let her know I am here, but I don’t want to mess up Loren’s plans. Nearly 6 pm, and everyone is dog tired, and it’s bed time, and it’s not dark yet, and I am afraid I will not sleep we had a hard time finding the place. We mistook a number 9 for the letter g…. not much difference but make a lot of difference trying to find where to go. Not having any luck contacting my relatives, no phone number, and the number I have no one answers. These are pretty cheap looking beds for the price we had to pay.

We went to a little shop down the street and got hamburgers and ice cream. I found about 200 Warmerdams in the phonebook.

Oct. 2nd, Sunday. I called Louis and told him we are going to church, got his address and told him we would see him after church. Went to where my dad was baptized, then to another church and found an Aleda Warmerdam in the bulletin. Then to the rest home to find her. A Warmerdam from Australia showed us the way. Called Louis and he told us how to get to his house. (Amsterdam the Grotstraat, the City built on sticks when you loose the way?) Had lunch in the Panneken Haus. Very tastey. We spent the whole afternoon looking for Louis, back to the rooms and trying to find Tina…she had heard we were here and had been to church. Her candles were lit and the tea cup and hot water. Her 2 daughters and family came, more tea, coffee and cookies. Had a nice time.. Home to our rooms, tired by happy.

Oct. 3rd, Monday. Went to the bank for money, then picked up Tina and went to Vollendam, saw many water boats and stuff. Loren and Ruthie got their picture taken, and we ate in a little lunchroom. Then back to Haarlem to Corrie Ten Boon’s house, then to the market, then to Sonja’s house for supper. She served us tea before supper, we had saukraut and mashed potatoes with wieners on top. And soft yogurt and bananas, I liked it very much.

Loren Ruthie, Sonja and Birgetta went to Amsterdam to take a boatride. They brought us home as we were ready to call it a day. Birgetta is trying to earn enough money to come to the US. She seems like a nice girl. They all smoke and it isn’t very nice.

Dear Lord, Please take care of the world, people need you so very much, help me not to get so carried away with stuff till I forget what is really important, I love you. I want to live for you and to be a blessing for someone. I really try to do your will, Amen.

While we were eating our mashed potatoes, saukraut and wieners, john told the story about how my father cooked cabbage and that was all we had for dinner. And I told my dad when I got big, and had children, I would give them at least 2 things to choose from.

Oct. 4th, Tuesday. Up and had breakfast and went to Tina’s for tea. She had small peanut pastries. Then we went to Bumik to Jos. ……. She served tea, coldcuts, bread, visited for quite a while. She showed us her late husbands painting. Then we came to Josie and Hermans in Laurs..more tea and biscuits, then cheese and nibbles… We went to a huge Oriental Restaurant. John and I both had a whole chicken. Herman paid, brought Tina home and we said goodbye. We have a promise that they would think about coming to see us in the USA in June.

Oct. 5th, Wednesday Up and on our way to wherever???? Had a hard time getting out of Amsterdam, Loren gets tired and disgusted.

Oct. 6th, Thursday. Started towards East Berlin and finally saw the Berlin Wall. We walked up on a high platform and looked over. I prayed the Lord would bless the poor people who were emprisioned behind the wall. Last night we slept 4 stories up. We slept under a feather bed. It was very expensive for the little that they offered. I was very cold, and John was colder. We tried to sleep in the same bed with the feather bed on our feet. In the middle of the night we both awoke very uncomfortable. The feather beds are either too much or too little. It seemed Loren had to make a pilgrimage to the Berlin Wall. Seems when he arrived he was ready to return home.

Oct. 7th, Friday, slept in a real nice place, and was very comfortable last eve. Seems I am more interested in my body and what I have to eat, than in the places I am seeing. My heart hurts for the people who live behind the Wall. I kept praying that the Lord would hasten the day, when there will be Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards men. Oh Lord, How long will you allow this to go on. Loren called Mark last eve and looks like today may be the day we will part with Loren and Ruthie and head for home. It will be nice to get home, but nothing compared to the day, I’ll take a trip on that old Gospel Ship, wherever it is. I keep thinking about my mother like she will be there to tell her all of the things I have seen, and how the family all asked about her and Walt, and we talked about Banke, (my father). We went by Hanover where my dad lived and worked. I’ve really tried to keep in an attitude of prayer for everyone in this OLD country, that is what my dad used to call this place.

I know Loren is very tired driving, driving long through rain and heavy traffic. Then when we get to a place to sleep, he has to drive round and round, and then go look for a place, then carry our heavy luggage up 4 flights of stairs. We are now Helmstead Germany… We have seen several crematoriums. Lot’s of beautiful country. Ate lunch close to Kassel. Ate at a little place where we had to stand up to eat. We had buttermilk, chocolate, milk sodas, salad, pastries. We parked the car in a port under the village, walked around and got sweaters for Doug and Beth for $29.50

This is such a nice country and a lot of people driving Mercedes Benz. Loren is wondering how the people here have that kind of money. People in west Germany seem much more prosperous than in East Germany.

Yesterday when we went through East Germany Customs, Loren had to pay 20 Marcs to get into East Germany, and on the way out, they made him park his car, and he disappeared. I sat waiting about as long as I could stand it, and finally Loren came. He had to pay 20 more Marcs..and here came a guard who told Loren to go back to the checkpoint, and give them all our passports, and the passports ran through a tunnel, the guard said to wait 5 cars then move out. Four different times they looked at our passports and then at our faces. Made Ruthie take off her sunglasses, told Dad to roll down his window, four times I smiled at the 4 of them, they never smiled back. So now I’ll put that behind me and get on with my life. And be excited about what God and I are going to do next.

There was no restrooms in Germany, only bushes and the curb, and it was wet but not with sweat. But the 15th letter of the alphabet. Stopped for the restrooms.

Saturday Oct. 8th. Three years ago today, Walt Dunivan died. It took us nearly the entire day to get from where we were, to get to Frankfurt, Germany. Loren, Ruthie and I went to the ticket counter to check everything out. It was wasted time, but how did we know. I guess it helped to know what a huge place this is.

It rained a lot yesterday and Loren went round and round in maize Germany trying to find a place to stay. Finally found a Chinese Hotel and breakfast. There were 3 single beds, so I took the 2 cushions from one, and made myself a nice bed. I put my feet up on John’s bed, and rolled up my sweater for a pillow. I like to think I can cope better, than a lot of people. I slept in my jogging suit. The night before I slept under a feather quilt, and got so hot I had to strip to the skin, and I didn’t like to sleep like that in case of fire.

Yesterday we shopped for the last time. This morning the same thing for breakfast. Hard tough buns, cheese, and lunch meat and coffee. Last evening we went to a luxurious Chinese Restaurant. Ate by candlelight, Chinese Soup, egg roll, rice and the works. Chinese Tea.

There are a lot of Middle East people here. It looks like they live here. Sleeping all over the place. Wet towels and laundry strewn around. I am sitting on the floor next to a Middle East young boy, he is fast asleep on the floor with a table cloth over him.. He has kicked of fhis dirty plastic blue thongs. And he is curled up like an embryo. I wonder if he has anyone caring for him. He is coughing quite badly.

I am praying we can get on this plane, when things go to suit me, I think God is answering my prayer and helping him. And when things don’t quite suit me, I think then that God is not listening to me. Aren’t we humans funny people. So here come the folks trying to go to Dallas. They rich and 1st class will go, and we who remain will take our turn. Hopefully we’ll go straight to Dallas, if not, the Lord will make a way for us. How PEACE reigns in one’s heart, whose mind is stayed on Jesus. Got on the 925 am flight. Thank you Jesus.

I am sitting next to a man and woman who are very unhappy with the world. The baby cries and they complain. They wanted a window seat, poor thing. Next to me is an Indian boy, and he told me his position on religion. So, Mark…thanks for this nice trip. Love Mother..

The pilot said we are going over Greenland, but I can’t see, as I am not close to the window. This is a 9 hour, 45 minute trip. Loren and Ruthie don’t have to be home until next Thursday, but I think they are getting anxious to go home. I don’t think we are people who know how to relax and be lazy. There is always an urge… Does a Mule Make Noise in a Tin Barn. Is the Pope Polish?

When we arrived in Dallas at 2 pm. Mark was there to meet us. So good to see him. Had a nice time being with Andrew, woke up at 6 am.

Monday Oct. 10th, Here I sit in the Dallas Airport, Mark brought us to the airport yesterday and we missed two flights, so we came on standby again this am. We had a pleasant day yesterday as we stayed at home with Andrew, while Mark and Nancy went to church. We have about run out of anything to wear. Andrew is a nice little boy. Nancy had a real nice dinner, bean soup and corn bread. We went to a yogurt place to eat last evening, it was real nice.

Nancy gave me some stuff she didn’t have a place for. John is out walking. He is really wanting to get home. Wendell is supposed to bring Mickey to the Tulsa airport to pick us up. If it doesn’t work out, we can always go on Phillips 66, Limousine service to Bartlesville. Dallas is such an interesting place to sit and watch the people go by.

Eleven am, we missed the first flight, now boarded and headed for Tulsa. It is a lovely day after being in Europe where it was cloudy and cold. It seems so good to see and feel Sunshine. I cleaned out my purse, and a nice lady age 73 came and sat beside me. I dropped a picture of my family on the floor, and some souvenirs from the trip. She picked them all up for me, I think I am taking good care of my stuff, that is something I suppose I would have never missed…

I keep wondering after this trip if I could run a Bed and Breakfast. This could be a real ministry for us. Tom’s house would be a perfect location for this.

I am getting real tired of sitting, I went back in the plane to see John, and he hasn’t moved out of his seat. I would like to know where people get all of the money to ride these planes and drink like they do. I keep thinking about Tina and Jo, and Josie and Sonja, they were so nice to us. It is a sad thing I didn’t get to see Martha. That was the saddest part of the trip. When her father came to see us in Hutchinson in 1933, that was a BIG trip for him.

This Indian boy has been real nice. But these people to my left are nuts.

Landed..end of journal…..