March has gone. It was an interesting month. It came in like an lion and the lion stayed to the bitter end. It left right on schedule. It delivered Daylight Saving Time on the 13th, and we celebrated St Patrick's day on the 17th. Spring began in mid March. We do not miss those cold windy March days. It seemed that March knew its responsibility. It did it well and is now gone. However, we are not alone. April is here. We have beautiful flowers all around us. The trees are in bloom ad the birds are looking for material to build that special nest. I read that this is National Humor month - I like that. I plan to honor it. Will you join with me to honor National Humor month? Easter is late this year. We observe it April 24. April is known as the month of new beginnings. Perhaps, we all need that. Winter has gone--Spring has sprung--new things greet us each morning. I love new things: new ideas, new friends new commitments--and now new news from your BSU friends.No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

NEW NEWS ITEMS

This should put a Twinkle in your Winkle

1. Thanks Helen, I always enjoy your letters. I think all of us are glad to see a little warm weather, although we still could see some bad stuff but maybe it won't linger. Anyway lets enjoy it while we have it! Happy Spring to you. I was just glancing over this list, please add John's name here with mine and also I don't see Don & Ann Davis or Leona Davis. Thanks so much. Agnes (Don, Ann, and Leona are on group BSU group 2)
   
   
2. 1.Three-- New email addresses
   1. don-esther_donley@sil.org---DeAbbot
   2. "wmfccci@comcast.net" Bill Fulkerson
   3. morayodl@gmail.com Ray and Mildred Odle
   
   
3. We are writing to inform you that we are changing e-mail addresses from rayo@midwest.net to morayodl@gmail.com. Please change your information to reflect this and send us a reply so that we know you have received this e-mail. We will be deleting the old one and closing that account within the next few weeks. Thank you, ~Ray and Mildred Odle (Helen has done this).
   
   
4. Dear Helen - Darrell Molen was the 2010 recipient of the Bi-vocational Pastor of the year 2010 of IBSA on Nov. 10 at the Pastor's Conference. He has served in that capacity 56 years, and was honored to receive it. He is in his 4th year as pastor of Bunker Hill B.C. ~Betty Molen
   
   
5. Helen, I haven't been to the church Phronsie attends for awhile and have not talked with her. My daughter who is wife of the pastor of that church would have let me know if Phronsie wasn't doing well. Yes, I'm concerned about Libya although that wasn't the country where we were. We were in Liberia farther down the coast of Africa, at the south end of the big bulge, right on the Atlantic. It is so sad that Libya and those other countries in North Africa are in such a difficult time - especially Libya where Gadhafi is having his people slaughtered even as he says they love him. It is especially sad to realize that North Africa was once the strongest Christian area and produced some of the greatest theologians. I appreciate all the news you keep us current with about BSUers from days past. I lived at home near the Giant City Road and didn't drive so wasn't involved in as much as many. Then, after graduation I moved to New Orleans for nursing school. Married the day after graduation from Mather School of Nursing. We were in Little Rock for about a year and then to Los Angeles and lived in that area for seven years. Sailed to Liberia in 1964 and we're there until evacuated in 1990 and finished our missionary career in Ivory Coast. ~Pat Bellinger
   
   
6. Helen: a brief update before the 2011 reunion which Carol and I hope to attend. Carol and I are retired missionaries from the HMB, appointed in 1977 in Christian social ministries. We served in Louisville, KY and Atlanta, GA. In 1983 I was reappointed to work in language ministries, from which I retired in 1997, when the HMB ceased to exist. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in August of 2009, like so many of our friends. Carol is retired from the Federal Reserve Bank, but is working again at a bank in Decatur, GA. I keep busy doing citizenship classes and translation work. We hope to be at the Lakeland reunion in September. Bill Eidson started the work as a mission of Walnut Street and I followed him and was the first Pastor of the Lakeland Baptist Church, of which we are so proud of their growth and ministries Health wise, we are like most of you - diabetes, heart, overweight, and right now Carol has the shingles - so pray for her comfort. Again, it is good to keep up with so many friends. See you in Carbondale! ~Bill Fulkerson
   
   
7. This is to inform all of you that after 5 days at the hospital and recent falls it was clear my mom (Irma Swope) could no longer stay at home. She is now at Pleasant Meadows Christian Village in Chrisman Illinois, room 100. Her phone number is 217-463-4271. We will be closing out her computer at the end of the month if any one wishes to reach me my address is Diana Rogers 11 South Shore Drive Paris Illinois 61944. My phone number is 217-251-5590. She is very frail and not walking at the present time but we hope with therapy she will regain strength and be able to walk again with a walker. She is still sharp as a tack and enjoys her cross words puzzles. They have a wonderful chaplain there that I hope she will enjoy, he is a wonderful preacher (although not Lee Swope calibur) and they will have services there for her every sunday. I will try to keep you updated. Diana Rogers
   
   
8. Change the address for Irma Swope to Pleasant Meadows Christian Village Chrisman Il. room 100. her phone number is 217-463-4271 OR use Diana's address 11 South Shore Drive, Paris IL.61944.email address: iswope@joink.com phone number for Diana 217-251-5590.
   
   
9. Here is a note from Frank Gericke ----Husband of Dorothy Gericke one of our oldest BSU members. She died several years ago. I have shortened his letter. (If interested I can send the whole his letter to you). Helen
   
   On , March 14 when a friend came to visit and she took me to the ER Where I was diagnosed with cellulitis and I had a serious infection They started me immediately on 2 "powerful" antibiotics intravenously 24/7 and kept me in the hospital until March 25. The little toe o n my right foot was amputated along with the metatarsal bone which was also infected.t. I must go to the hospital every day at 10:00 AM where I get infusions from 2 to 4 hours of both antibiotics Delivered through a "pick" into the upper chamber of my heart. I will do that until March 30. Later . the toe next to my big toe on the right foot dried up and turned black so I had that toe removed also. I was also told that I have congestive heart failure so I am using 2 liters of oxygen 24/7. The first Caregiver that I had for Dorothy happened to be looking for a job. She is caring for me now. God does provide. HUGS. Frank's email address is frankg@swiftaz.net
   
   
10. Let me remind you that the Annual BSU Reunion will be held Sept 29-30 at Lakeland Baptist Church in Carbondale. Ginger will have a good program planned with you in mind.
    
    

See Quotes and notes below--For your reading enjoyment

        Love to you all,
       Your BSU President, Emeritus
       Helen Galloway

Words of Wisdom from Helen:
If you can't afford a doctor, go to the airport - you'll get a free x-ray and a breast exam and, if you mention Al Qaeda, you'll get a free colonoscopy.

A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle.'

While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs... One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'

A little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'

NOW IF THIS DIDN'T BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY, GO BACK TO BED AND FORGET IT