(Flying home on April 29 from Fresno)

Thanks for putting up with us these 5 full weeks!  Thanks for all your smiles on the roads, at the super markets, in the church, on the phones, on my daily route on the so called “Old Town Trail”, in short:  everywhere!

We´ll be missing your sun, your flowers, your palm trees, your singing birds, nay, all the exuberance that makes this golden state so special. 

Thanks also for all the loving concern shown to me on the roads when you stopped your cars, pulled down the window and asked me, “Are you okay?” because I was limping a little.  Even from the playing children polite questions like that were put to me.

A thank you also to the wonderful service we always got in the stores and in the public service, by far the best anywhere.

And thanks also for every fellow Christian I met inside and outside the church walls.  I always feel it especially encouraging when it happens out in the open under the big blue dome.

The individual contacts and the friendships thus developed have been precious.  What a privilege to sit down with friends in an American home to just share our hearts with one another.  Not all American homes are that open, but an elderly couple I got acquainted with expressed their sincere wish to see me again.  “Our door is always open”, they assured me.  This was one of my new “witnessing contacts”.

With some I´ve had early breakfast at some fancy coffee house, and I look back at those happy moments with gratitude.  My dear wife has usually stayed home in the house to help out with many, many things.

And so a special thanksgiving, of course, to our loved ones and to our three grandkids, Amelia (6), Anna (3) and Rebecca 17 months (one of these days).  Their enthusiasm and affection for their grandparents have been uplifting, indeed.  We´ve also been close to the children´s excellent pre-school system, which is probably the best in the world.  At the attached file you may have a glimpse of the kids with their old grandparents.

Above all I thank the Lord for His presence in solitude day and night, and also for His leading me to so many new people I could talk to or at least hand out my gospel card to.  I know I´m going to miss this ministry, but new challenges are waiting for me at home.  But my pro-American attitude remains with me.

Your itinerant friend,

Jørn -    P.S. My dear wife, Solfrid (Sophie), also greets you!