Day 20 visit to Future Men in Kirbyville, MO

Today we relaxed at the campground this morning.  I took a walk and Vernon got the truck serviced. We've put on more than 6000 miles on our trip starting out from Florida and going to California and now heading back east.
After lunch we headed to Future Men -- a Christian boarding school for boys.  It is in Kirbyville, MO about  1 1/2 hours south (through Branson) of Bolivar where we are staying for the 3rd night.

Future Men is where my son, Jake finished out high school.  He stayed for 9 months before moving back home after Vernon and I were married. Now Jake's married to a lovely young woman, Emerson and and got a four year old little girl in the deal!!  Samantha is adorable, So as of 6 weeks ago, I have 2 grandchildren!!

The 9 months that Jake spent in Missouri, most of them at Future Men, was time well spent.  He had several strong men who mentored Jake and the other 15 boys about his age. They were required to do maintenance chores around the 'campus' and the cooking and cleaning in addition to their studies.
They had Bible study and read a chapter from Proverbs every day.

Jake was there 5 years ago and has kept in touch with the director, Aaron Boldman. The school is still full  to capacity (16 beds).

We met some of  the boys who are currently attending and saw the new gym that was recently completed to give the boys something to do during the winter months.

Tonight we enjoyed having Kate and Landon over to 'our house' for Spanish Rice.  I took a picture of us enjoying the yummy 'Peanut Butter Fingers' that Kate brought for dessert but the memory card wasn't in the camera!  Rats.  \
We had a nice time together having dinner outside on the picnic table on a beautiful clear evening on the first day of spring!

Vernon, Solomon (a current student), and Aaron Boldman, Director of Future Men

Mr. High, administrator and mentor who was there when Jake was.

The new gym on the campus provides the boys with activities like volleyball and basketball during the winter.  I wish I had taken a picture of the setting where Future Men is located on a hill overlooking the Bull Shoal on the White River.  A beautiful setting in the woods.

The last picture should be of dinner on a picnic table outside our camper with Kate and Landon, but the memory card wasn't in the camera.  Oh well.

                                                  Day 20:  side trip (south) to Kirbyville, MO -- 170 miles

Tomorrow:   Bolivar, MO to Rt 66 east toward St. Louis