Day 84 / August 23, 2010 [Woodville, MS - Baton Rouge, LA]
Rose up a little later than the 5:30 I had my alarm set for....about 6:15.....we were sleeping so GOOD!
It was starting to get light outside, so we packed up and said our goodbyes to Al, after meeting his aunt next door who raised him (who wondered what these strange contraptions were sitting in her carport!).
Headed back to the convenience store where wee were last night, and filled up on ice. Again, we had the opportunity to explain our Mission Tour to the morning patrons.
We continued south on 61....the rain cooled things off little, and it was nice riding early in the morning.
We soon came to the Louisiana state line (again).....(a little easier to see this time!!!):
This, then, will be our final state line crossing.....are we excited??!!!
We stopped at the State Line gas station/restaurant/casino for some breakfast, and met some more people who became friends of God's Hands Agency. THANK YOU ALL!!
FARM EQUIPMENT LAWN ORNAMENT alert!
Not quite sure what this is....a cultivator? Any "more-mature-timers" have any idea what this is? [Aunt Joanita made me say that!]
Oh-oh....as we approached St. Francisville, we entered a major 10-mile-long road construction project....this is going to be a challenge, because we lose our shoulder, and there is lots of truck traffic on this road. Help us, Lord!
Even along the construction, though, there were gas stations where we could get more ice, and engage the patrons in discussions about deafness.
Continued on through the construction zone. Someone got the bright idea to put rumble grooves on our single-lane side of the road (have they been collaborating with the guys in northern Illinois?....hmmm), so we had to cross over these each time semis wanted to get around us. [Of course, we let them!]
Finally got past the construction zone, and the road flattened out as we got closer to Baton Rouge.
Saw some interesting cuisine signs....is this what they serve in southern Louisiana?
As we came into Baton Rouge, we went past the Exxon/Mobil oil refinery....what a huge operation!! We went past this for at least 2 miles!
Stopped at a Jack-in-the-Box and had something to eat. We're following the route suggested by Google Maps for those on bicycles (it is in "not-quite-ready-for-prime-time" beta right now), and it actually is working pretty well for us.
Saw this pretty rainbow downtown (Mr. Alvin....I was talking with you on the phone when I took this picture!):
We saw an MRT sign down by the levee, and the Google Map route took us up on to that path on the levee.
The levee trail took us right under the Interstate 10 bridge.....it is HUGE (Earline....really....wouldn't you like to go over this bridge?)
Just past the bridge we met Gavan Jackson, with the Baton Rouge paper, The Advocate. He had been following us, taking pictures, and got some information from us. He said the article would run in the paper the next day, but maybe the editors nixed it. We haven't been able to find it. Can anyone out there see if it ran in the paper? Thanks.
We went past the LSU campus, past this eating place [Reggie, you didn't tell us you had moved to Baton Rouge??!!.....
] and then scurried a few more blocks as it was getting dark, and came to the First Deaf Baptist Church of Baton Rouge.
] and then scurried a few more blocks as it was getting dark, and came to the First Deaf Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. Betha Estes, and eventually her husband Walker (who had originally contacted us several weeks ago when someone sent him a link to our web site) met us at the church. Theirs is a totally independent Baptist church that a group of Deaf started themselves over 10 years ago. (Here is picture I took the next morning):
These folks opened up their church for us, brought us some food, and told us to make ourselves at home (a roof and a clean dry floor....wonderful!! Here's where we set up our bed...in the nursery!)
What a wonderful thing, to see an independent Deaf church....and right next to the Louisiana School for the Deaf. Walker, who is Deaf and works for the school, set it up so that we will be speaking there tomorrow night. Great!
Lord, give us wisdom as we prepare to speak to those kids, and thank you again for providing a place for us to stay.
TGG,
jon
What an awesome couple! We were glad to have them staying in Baton Rouge for 3 nights! Great and powerful message that they shared at LA School for the Deaf and the First Baptist Deaf Church. God is indeed among us. Thanks!
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I love you all do this is one thing that I know has to be a calling from God, Getting American attention, and you all are the one to do it. God bless you in all that you all do My Prayer are will you all on the next trip.
Continue to Be Light!!! in a Dark and Silent world.
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