Today, we leave the town of Red Bluff, California and travel west for what our GPS says is roughly three and a half hours on California Highway 36, a little-known piece of the state highway system that passes through the bustling metropolises of Beegum, Platina, Forest Glen, Mad River, Bridgeville, Dinsmore, Carlotta, Hydesville, and Alton where it joins Highway 101. If you straightened this road out, you could probably travel it in half the time, but I guarantee there will never be a straight road through this mountainous country. Chandler and I can’t wait. We love routes like this.

It should be quite scenic, passing through the Trinity National Forest, running for quite some time along the Van Duzen River, and by McClellan Mountain. And then there are all these slow little towns. I will want to stop in a coffeeshop in every one of them.

So far, however, the highlight of this trip has been the people we have met. In Modesto we had lunch with Wayne Bridegroom and his son Josh. In Sacramento we had coffee with Wayne’s other son, Ben, and in Oroville, we had dinner with Pam Mark Hall. For each one of these meetings, Chandler has been the focus, as it should be, and everyone has offered excellent advice as to his career choices as well as providing contacts to help him gain more information.

We also visited Butte College, a community college outside of Oroville that has many of the programs Chandler would be interested in, including a separate academy for training students seeking a career with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which is Chandler’s main interest. Chandler is realizing there are a slew of people who care about him and want to help him reach his goals.

It’s been somewhat frustrating not finding people we can talk to in any of these venues because of COVID, but still, there is no substitute for being there in person. The college was empty, but we walked around imagining it full (there are 17,000 students) because, Lord willing, it will be by the fall. And maybe Chandler will be one of them.

Thank you for your prayers. Two days ago I had a little relapse from my recent surgery but your prayers got me through it, and I was so glad I didn’t have to go to the hospital. I appreciate your continued prayers for us on this journey, not only for safety, but for God’s hand on who and what we see, and our own conversation on the remainder of this trip. Lambert Dolphin is on our agenda for sure, probably tomorrow.

To Our Catch Community Citizens:

In these challenging times, our Congress passed a sweeping stimulus package to throw a buoy to the economy that is sinking under the coronavirus outbreak.

For those within our community who have been greatly impacted, this is an essential lifeline for keeping their families fed and housed during the outbreak and the resulting economic turmoil.

Beginning as early as March 2020, a consequence of the pandemic continues to be a consistent increase in the Catch Ministry’s services of care while contributions from those in need have significantly decreased by more than 30% overall.    

For those who are afloat and may not need the extra cash to tide them over until this outbreak passes, we ask you to come along side us to extend the Catch Ministry’s beacon of hope, the only one many can see in their sometimes dire struggle to live out their convictions and their relationships with Christ or the anchor the Catch represents for those who respond in very personal ways to the Gospel of Welcome — Grace Turned Outward.