Thank you, Redeemer congregation, for a wonderful welcome. As we work with Mark Mummert (Project Manager), we are very excited to get this building moving ahead for you. We’ve come to Delta from different areas and backgrounds. 

While we’re here this is our home. We’d love to get to know you and get involved with the congregation. Each workday we have devotions and snack at 9:30 in the large gathering room in the church. Please come join us. Also, on Thursday evenings we like to fellowship at a local restaurant and encourage you to join us. Any week you’d like to join us please contact Debbie Howard 334-202-3279 so we have a count. Volunteers are welcome on the job site. We especially look forward to seeing you on Saturdays. 

Gary and Cindy Trombley are from Harrison Township, MI just north of Detroit. Gary spent his career working at the Huron Clinton Metroparks which is a regional day use park system on the Huron and Clinton Rivers. Cindy has held a number of jobs including a stint at TACOM (Tank Automotive Command) in Warren, MI. We have two sons. The oldest, Michael and his wife Celeste have homes in Ferndale (also near Detroit) and Round Lake (north of Chicago). Our grandson Mike (15) is into karate and has his learner's permit. Ben and his wife, Jennifer, live in Tracy, CA with our other three grandchildren: Ethan (10) and Liam and Ellie (8 - twins!). In retirement we have traveled extensively including spending a summer wandering around Alaska. We heard about Laborers 15 years before we were able to retire and be on our first job. We are very happy to be here! 

John Strasen lives in Washington, Missouri. He was a math teacher in a public school before becoming a missionary with Lutheran Bible Translators (LBT). In service with LBT John was a Translation Advisor in Namibia and Boswana Africa. He has participated with eight Laborer builds. 

Keith and Gail Marsh are both retired Lutheran teachers (40 years) having taught in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Florida. Gail writes curriculum for Concordia Publishing House and is a writer for CTA. Their home is in Pacific, MO. They have three adult children and grandchildren. This is their eighth Laborer project. 

Charles and Debra Howard live in Montgomery, AL. They have served on twelve projects with two of those lasting two years. Charles is a retired Air Force Officer. Debra was a Lutheran and private school teacher. After teaching she worked with missionaries and mission agencies around the world. They have four adult children and one grandchild. 

We are thrilled that seven volunteers from Laborers for Christ have arrived and already are working hard on our new school building! Mr. Althaus’ 5th & 6th grade students interviewed and wrote about these very special people. The class is sharing their articles so we can get to know more about them. 

Gary & Cindy Trombley – Mr. Trombley, who is 72 years old, has been volunteering with Laborers for Christ for 10 years and has worked on five projects. Mr. and Mrs. Trombley are from Harrison Township, Michigan. He grew up in St. Clair Shores and loved to go fishing and camping. What made them decide to work with Laborers for Christ is because of Mr. Trombley’s skills, and both of them wanted to expand Christ’s kingdom. They have built two schools while working for Laborers for Christ. The Trombley's stay in a camper while on a project. They really enjoy working on the construction projects and they love expanding God’s kingdom. They have visited western Colorado while going through Grand Junction on their way to Moab, Utah. The first building Mr. Trombley built with Laborers for Christ was in 2014. (Written by Teagan and Paxton) 

Charles & Debra Howard – Mr. & Mrs. Howard have been married for 42 years. They live in Montgomery, Alabama, and have four children and one grandchild. Mr. Howard grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is 67. He grew up in a Lutheran church and attended a Lutheran school until 7th grade. He has one sister. Before Mr. Howard started working with Laborers for Christ, he was an Air Force Officer. He was a Second Lieutenant and also was in the ROTC program. He has been retired for 17 years. Mrs. Howard grew up on a farm in Ohio. She was an only child and showed cattle and did barrel racing. She grew up in a Catholic church. Before Mrs. Howard worked with Laborers for Christ, she was a Lutheran school teacher. The Howards have been on 12 jobs together. They love to do things for Christ, and that is why they do this. (Written by Isa, Cooper, and Alyna) 

Keith & Gail Marsh -- Mr. and Mrs. Marsh have worked on seven or eight projects with Laborers for Christ. They wanted to be Laborers for Christ after they retired, but they did not have a truck or RV. Amazingly, God blessed them with both. They live 35 miles outside of St. Louis, Missouri, in a small town called Pacific. Mrs. Marsh grew up on a farm in northwestern Iowa. Mr. Marsh’s father was in the Air Force, which caused their family to move a lot. He lived in Tucson, Arizona for 11 years and then in Las Vegas, Nevada until they got married. Both Mr. and Mrs. Marsh taught at a Lutheran school for 40 years. They have three children. The Marshes live in a 5th -wheel RV that feels like home because of the amount of time they spend in it. Mr. Marsh misses a full-size shower. Mrs. Marsh misses their grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Marsh have a Bible passage from when they got married and it says, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). They’ve been married for 48 years, and said they feel blessed to be here because everyone has been so kind. (Written by Ryan, Cezar, and Macey) 

John Strasen -- Mr. Strasen is 75 and has done eight jobs with Laborers for Christ. His home is in Washington, Missouri. He grew up in northeast Ohio and lived in the country. He has a lot of experience in construction. At one point, he was a high school math teacher. After that, he became a missionary. Then he started working with Laborers for Christ. Mr. Strasen said he chose to do this type of work because he enjoys it. Mr. Strasen is staying with Mr. and Mrs. Holden while he helps build our new school building. (Written by Isa, Alyna, and Teagan)