Golden California

 Hi everyone!

We are now at a stopover somewhere in California's central cost - in Monterey, to be exact.  It's a nice town with beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.  It's different from the East Coast - because of the forests and the cliffs that drop dramatically to the ocean's crashing surf.

But let's rewind to Fremont!  Sunday morning went very well.  David Fair was able to help us to get five minutes with the hearing congregation, and we were able to tell them all about our mission trip and why it is important to help deaf orphans in their struggle.  Many of them responded well.  Very friendly people!

Alexa was able to come up with me, but I couldn't take pictures of her because I would then be with her onstage!  She usually comes up with me to answer questions and all.

After church, we ate at a BBQ place.  A NFL game was on TV inside, and Alex was shocked to see that it was already the fourth quarter.  California time really is different - three hours earlier than Eastern time!   We knew this, obviously, but the NFL game really showed the difference.

David and his wife, Jane then took us to San Francisco.  WOW!  That city sure is cool.  We only were able to pass through all the landmarks and visit the bridge, but we would love to come back another time to really get to know the city, eat at some of their restaurants and check out Chinatown.

On Monday morning, we said goodbye to the Fairs and set off on our way down to the next stop - Bakersfield with Omar Ruiz.  But we had a couple of days to spare, so we decided to stop somewhere on the coast to spend some time with each other, as we were so busy with the drive from Utah and the mini-rally and then all day in Fremont/S.F.

That's all for now!  We will be going down to Bakersfield tomorrow and meeting with Omar and Jeff Jackson and their congregation.

For those of you who might not know, we are on a road trip to visit different churches and people that we know so we can tell them all about our goals to help deaf orphans in Eastern Europe and fundraise for this.  We leave on January 20, 2011 and will be staying in Eastern Europe for a year or more.

Thanks for your comments and encouragement and donations!  God bless!

As always, enjoy the pictures below

Alex talking about ODO in front of hearing members on Sunday morning

At the deaf church.  David Fair, the preacher and our host, looks on.  

We really enjoyed meeting this awesome group of people in Fremont!  

On our way to S.F. - we passed Oakland Raiders' NFL stadium.  They were playing the KC Chiefs then.  

San Francisco.  If it snowed here it'd be a ski resort!  

S.F.'s offerings.  We didn't get to see all of those, only could pass through.  

S.F.'s famous trolleys.  

Winding down Lombard Street.  

Fisherman's Wharf.  Check out the rainbow!  The original one, not the S.F. version. 

Fisherman's Wharf.  You could tell right away that it wasn't a copycat place, but that it is original in concept and design 

The Golden Gate bridge behind us.  Beautiful.   

Us with our hosts!  They did a great job guiding us through S.F.  Miss them!  

The next morning - down California State Road 1

Point Lobos State Park

At Pebble Beach

Bird Island - check out all those sea lions on the top!  Yes, they are sea lions.