Halloween is here and election day coming Tuesday

 Hi everyone,

Time marches on with the end of October arriving with many things on the horizon.  We have the time change this weekend which will affect us in various way.    For some, sleeping will be more difficult with it lighter longer at night.   We are glad we do not face the dark afternoons, having to drive home from work after sundown.   There are some perks of our golden age but we are still trying to find out why old age was ever referred to as the golden age.

We have not had rain since the hurricane, but our weather has been beautiful.   Nights are down to 68-69 and days between 83-87.    Our air conditioner has only come on a few times in the last two weeks.  Grass is green and things are beautiful again after the debris has been cleaned up from the hurricane.  

I was sure life would be much easier, simpler and slower once we move to Florida.   Not traveling all the time in the RV or making trips to Asia, was a welcome change.   But, our workload continues even though it is via computer.    The expansion of our work continues as Save Asian Souls continues to help more and more girls as our workers locate girls who need help.   

The good work at the orphanage in the Philippines continues even though some children give up the wonderful opportunity to go back home to live in poverty.   I help with their secretarial work due to their very busy schedule. 

We continue to have baptisms as the girls learn the Word of God and are convinced that the Bible is true and God exists.    While we want to help them physically with clothing and food and give them an education for a better life, teaching them the gospel is our main goal.   Just last Sunday, one of our girls was baptized along with a relative (and friend) who she has taught herself.   

Ronald and Gigi are in the U.S. reporting for both SAS and Philippine Mission.   The travels are extensive and their rest time very little as they try to cover as much as they can in two months' time.    Last spring, they sold the house we lived in for three years during Covid and reinvested in a condo this week.   It is located in Cartersville, GA as they continue to fly into Atlanta each time they come to the U.S.   They will move their things from storage to their new condo at the end of November when they return back to GA from Texas.   This condo will give them a permanent home in the U.S. to satisfy immigration for Gigi's green card qualifications.   It will give them a place to enjoy as home for a few days when they arrive and in between their travels to various states.   They will go back to the Philippines on December 10 to be there for the Christmas holidays with the children.   We will not get to see them this time but look forward to a visit in 2025 when they come again.

After the hurricane, alligators were spotted in our drainage holding pond for the first time anyone can ever remember.    I first heard that a 3' baby alligator was there but I was sure there was a mama close by.  Now, they say there is a large alligator and two smaller ones in the pond.    This is a picture sent by our HOA as a warning to be careful.   

Our swimming pool is enclosed with a fence so they won't be swimming in it.   A new heater has been installed in the pool and it will be heated until May 1st.  

Ron has begun swimming a few days a week for exercise.   Sometimes, I swim too but its a great relaxation to sit in the shade and read as I watch him.   Usually, there is no one there but us.  He is careful and picking up strength each time he swims.   On other days, we are taking a 30 minute walk around the condos where we have excellent sidewalks.   We are blessed to be located in a safe and convenient area.   Leigh Ann did a great job finding this condo for us.    We moved here a year ago on September 11th.   

I have not decided if I can stay up to watch election results on Tuesday night.   At our age, I think this could be our last presidential election and I am very nervous as I feel the stakes are at the highest level in my lifetime and the election is so very close.   I am concerned about our country whichever way it goes but I know things are not good for future generations with the economy, crime and risk of war.  Praying is all we can do after voting.    While voting in Florida has been steady during early voting, we did not have to wait on the day we went.

We are waiting for new prescription glasses since a yearly check up last week revealed a change in our eyes.   Ron also had a first visit last week with a new Parkinson's Disease doctor in St. Pete.   The trips to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville will become more difficult so we are trying to see if he can get good care closer to home.    He will see a specialist in mobility related to Parkinson's Disease in February.  In the meantime, Ron is doing some physical exercises along with our walking and swimming.   I think he is doing well.  

Please continue to pray for us and for our work.   We can be reached by email at any time and would welcome your input or questions.     ronbrown20@gmail.com or patbrown10@gmail.com

God bless you all!

We are safe and give thanks to God

The hurricane had a direct hit at Sarasota, Florida about 9 p.m. last evening.    Within a few minutes, we lost power.   But, we knew the eye was 60 miles south of us.   That was a critical bit of information for us.  We knew the wind and rain would be strong but not the same as having a direct hit.   It had rained all day with some wind but almost immediately the wind and rain came in like expected.   The ground was already saturated and the back of our condo began looking like a river.  

We have new storm doors and windows but only wind proof up to 77 mph.   Milton came into land at 120 mph.   We expect the wind around our condo was close to 100 (at least gusts were that high).   Ron spent two days preparing the windows and doors so only the patio door leaked (underneath and from the top).  We piled up old bedspreads that I used for packing around mirrors and furniture when we moved last year.    There was nothing more we could do without power so we went to bed.   We could hear the wind and rain pounding on the windows.   I awoke a couple of times and checked to be sure the sunroom was not flooding.   Ron said he also got up twice and checked it.   

When I woke at 7 a.m. hardly a leaf was moving and there was no rain.   The sun came up and it has been a beautiful day but the wind came up strongly again.   It was good for me to spread out the bedspreads over the lawn furniture so it could dry.   When I can, I will wash them to use again for some purpose.   They certainly came in handy this time.

My next door neighbor said they had the same problem with their back door and several other condos had rain come in also.  It hit our end of the building first and water poured down the wall, causing rain to come in from the top of our doors.  

Leigh Ann and Tatum never lost power in Tampa but she did have a window in her guest room to blow out.  They put a mattress and furniture against it to prevent flooding.

We spent the day without power but opened windows so we had a very comfortable day.   We did some clean up.

We are just hearing that another storm could potentially form next week.  It is just too soon to know but Florida has been beaten with storms this year.     

Thanks to all who wrote and asked about us, phoned and even offered to come get us.  But, we did not feel we were at great risk as we were not in an evacuation or flood zone.   Traffic was at a 2 mph leaving to drive north the last two days before the storm.   Gas was low at many gas stations and hotels were full so we could not risk being stuck along the road in the storm.   Almost all of our neighbors in our building decided to stay for the same reasons.

We are blessed.   We are thankful.    We are doing fine but hope we don't have to go through this again this year.

With love and much appreciation!

Milton is heading toward us!

Please continue to pray for us and the residents of Florida as this big hurricane is heading toward us and gaining strength.    Wednesday and Thursday will be bad days and we will probably lose power.    Leigh Ann is going to stay with Tatum in Tampa.    Most residents in our building are staying put so we will do what we can to be prepared and hope for the best.   We have new storm windows and doors on this condo but with the strength of this hurricane, it may not be enough.  We have plenty of food and water and supplies that are recommended.    

I will post when we have power.   Leigh Ann will be posting on Facebook if you want to check her posts at Leigh Ann Dotson.

Thank you for prayers.