:: on the backside of the desert ::

 

When you have a dad that works for the airlines, you never know when you and your family might go on a spur-of-the-moment day trip across the country!  Which is exactly what we did this past weekend. :) On Saturday morning it was mentioned that since the first Jubilee message of 2014 was preached in Sierra Vista, AZ, we should go out there for church on Sunday! (can you guess who's idea that was??! ;P) So Saturday morning around 11 o'clock, after checking flights, the decision was made, we were going to Sierra Vista for church!  We packed a few carry-on bags, loaded up into the van, and by 3 p.m. we were on our way to the Philly airport to catch a 6 o'clock flight to Phoenix!  After arriving in Phoenix Saturday night we drove to Sierra Vista and Sunday morning we attended church at the home of Bro. & Sis. Isaacson where we listened to the Jubilee message, "Shalom."  (Jubilee Messages are sermons preached by Brother Branham exactly 50 years ago to the day.  50 is the number of Jubilee and last year the 1963 sermons lined up perfectly with our 2013 calendar.  In 2014 the sermons will be on the exact dates until the end of February.)

 After church there was a potluck at the pond.

 

Bro. John & Sis. Connie
Brother John was four years old when Brother Branham preached Shalom at the Baker home.

After the potluck about 50 of us went to the site of the Baker home,
about 10 miles east of Sierra Vista, where Brother Branham preached, "Shalom."

 From where we parked the cars it's about a two mile walk in to the site.

The house burned down 13 years ago but you can still see some concrete slabs remaining there on the right.

Remains of the sidewalk going to the house.


A few of the Strite's were able to attend church at the house two times before it burnt down.  Here Jaylon explains to Dad where the buildings were.  All that is left is a few concrete slabs, a pile of bricks, and the propane tank.


There is a huge uprooted cottonwood tree there that the kids enjoyed climbing on.

 At one time this was the largest tree in Arizona, measuring 42 feet in circumference.

 

 All the young people/Sunday school class climbed up and sang some songs while we were there.

 Enjoying a snack before hiking back out to the cars.

We left Sierra Vista at 7 p.m. and drove with the Strite's to Benson where we said our good-byes.  We continued on to Tucson where we stopped for a few minutes to say hi to Aunt Robin and her family.  Our flight left Phoenix at 11:45p.m. and we arrived home in PA by 6 a.m.  It was a really short trip but it was so much fun!  We all had an awesome time with our friends and it was such a blessing to be able to visit the site where Brother Branham preached the powerful message of "Shalom."

~Kaitlyn