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Marlin
spends much of his time managing the farm. This
includes merchandising genetics, overseeing the hog
barns, taking care of the bull facility, and grain
farming. The rest of his time is spent playing sports
with the boys, camping and traveling with the family,
reading to the children, and being a busy husband and
father.
Becky,
a full-time homemaker, stays busy at home educating the
children, cooking, and gardening. In her spare time she
enjoys reading, scrap booking, and sewing. She also has
taken up the study of nutrition and the whole family has
benefited greatly from it!
Chelsy
(17)
enjoys
music, photography, writing, babysitting, and teaching
piano lessons. She mostly keeps up with the laundry,
and cooks wonderful meals for all the hungry chore
boys. After getting
her driver’s
license last year, she has enjoyed driving and especially
going to town to run errands for mom or dad. Chelsy
also came home with first place in her division at the
piano competition.
Mitchell
(15)
loves sports, reading, and driving. He has started
helping with many important breeding decisions, and
seems to excel in that area. Mitchell does a wonderful
job with the evening milking.
Allison
(13)
is the baker, florist, and social girl of the family.
She loves helping out with some of the secretarial
aspects here at Shema Holsteins, as well as working out
in the barn occasionally. Violin is a great love of hers
and she has started giving a few lessons from the home.
Carson
(12)
is in charge of feeding the cows, and he often can be
found out in the barn milking in the wee hours of the
morning. In his spare time, Carson likes wood-working,
basketball, playing his bass guitar, and fixing things.
Joshua
(10)
spends much of his time reading, piano, playing with
the cats, and storytelling ( we have recently discovered
that he tells stories that are almost better than
dad’s!). We are also very proud of Joshua for winning
his level in our district piano competition this year.
Joshua is in charge of the calf-chores, and does an awesome
job.
Denver
(8)
enjoys reading, playing sports, and TALKING! He
has also recently started taking violin lessons from
Allison, and really enjoys that. Denver’s chores
on the farm include helping feed the calves and feeding
the kitties. Learning to milk is
his most recent hobby.
Taylor
(6)
is a good help to his big brothers with the calf chores
and also has various chores in the house. He likes making
toy farms, riding with daddy in the combine, and being
with his brothers.
Elizabeth
(4)
Is a mommy to her family of dolls, and spends much time
dressing, feeding, and playing with her many dollies.
She also loves playing with Taylor and Hudson and doing
whatever her big sisters are doing, and is thrilled to
have a little sister.
Hudson
(2)
Is an active little boy who loves bugs, toys and FOOD!
He enjoys riding along with daddy in the pickup, playing
with Liz and Taylor, and being with his big brothers.
Rebecca Shania (1/2
year)
Rebecca was born on September 9, 2007. She has her
daddy’s black hair and her mommy’s name. She
is a good baby and already gets lots of attention! Of
course, her favorite activities are eating, sleeping,
being held, and her newest activities include crawling
(well, almost!) and scooting. Rebecca
is now the baby of the family and Hudson has already
felt that there now seems to be a lack of attention
given to him!
The Bontrager Family
enjoys singing as a family and they are excited to see
what God will do with this ministry in the future. In
the meantime, the children practice their instruments
regularly and love to sing and play
together. They have performed at nursing homes, street
missions and soup kitchens, prisons, and churches.
The older
family members provide their own music to accompany the
family’s vocals and play guitar, keyboard, banjo,
violin, and bass guitar. Being together as a family and
sharing God’s love with others is the best part of their
ministry.
Click
here to visit our family ministry site.
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