Summary of our 35 Day Trip

Beginning odometer reading 30,047
Ending odometer reading 37,007
Total mileage 6,960

35 days on the road
18 different beds - only 2 hotels
20 states
2 Canadian provinces

$661.52 total gas price
37.8 average miles per gallon on RAV4

34 Visits with Avant Retirees
17 special dinners
18 gift bags handed out

15 visits with supporters
6 visits with SAM missionaries
32 friends and conversations
5 Letterboxes found in VA, IN and Canada

The purpose for our 5 week trip was to visit the Avant retirees who live in the northeast such as Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maine and states along the way. I would communicate with the retirees before hand coordinating when we could visit with them, then treat them to a special dinner such as Texas Road House, OutBack Steak, etc. It would be completely free for them, our treat. We would pick them up at their house and drive them to the restaurant of their choice. I also had a gift bag full of goodies which would include small books, thank-you cards, lotion and miscellaneous items. I would enclose a note of appreciation. Generally around the table we would ask about their first years on the mission field, what were some of the challenges living over seas and who were their close friends. As time permitted we would ask about their current family situation and ask about their adult children and grandchildren. We also discussed about the challenges of living on their retirement income and if they had problems with medical needs.

So besides taking the retirees out for a meal, we expressed our appreciation for their years and years of service. We would take a selfie photo and have them sign my “mobile guest book”. Everyone we visited expressed their appreciation for us taking the time to visit, to listen, to ask questions and to genuinely be interested in their lives.

In summary:
1. The retirees are grateful for our visits, the special meals and gift bags we gave them
2. The retirees are grateful for their years of service overseas, be it either South America, Europe or Africa, etc.
3. The retirees are still very active in a local church or organization even into their age of 80+ years. We use the term “active retirees”.
4. The retirees are prayer warriors, seeking to pray for the younger generation.
5. The retirees have adult children or grandchildren that have struggles (divorce, life-style change, drug and mental illness)

This trip was life-changing as we were able to build upon our relationships with these warriors for the Lord. We had divine appointments and conversations with the retirees and individuals along the way. We were blessed to be able to visit with dear supporters and friends who lived along our route. We connected with 3 couples whom we had met on previous cruises from 10+ years ago and also reconnected with a couple from Bolivia that we hadn’t seen since 1998. We chatted with 3 gals at an ice cream shop who loved hearing our story. We rode in a Tesla in Canada and a red convertible Miata in Pennsylvania. We walked through history at Mt Vernon and Valley Forge. We ate at countless restaurants, stopped at numerous roadside park for tunafish sandwich picnics and stumbled across a Bolivian store front that served our favorite Saltena. We spent the night with friends, new friends, one time we had 6 days by ourselves in empty house and many times we had the guest bedroom in the downstair basement. We learned how to quickly determine where to plug our CPAP sleep machines. And finally we prayed for these heroes of the faith over our meal and as we were departing. We heard their joys and felt their pain.

This is the best job in the world. Providing Member Care to the Avant retirees.Leer más