DURING OUR GREAT ADVENTURE, God led our family to an elderly man who was  staying at a campground in Arizona.  Arriving in Parker, AZ, we had gotten our rig settled and were planning to take a drive around the area.  Sitting down for lunch on our first day, we noticed an elderly man sitting all alone outside of his travel trailer, staring at us.   Kris suddenly had the urge to invite him to lunch.   He declined lunch but came over and joined our family at the picnic table.  As we ate tuna sandwiches, the man ate a cookie and told us many stories.  Malvin, Mal for short ("not Mel...Mal," he informed us),   instantly became our friend during our four-month stay in Parker.  The kids fished with him, visited him, and when they, with their short attention spans, got tried of hearing Mal's stories, Dad would sit for hours, patiently listening.  When Mal chose to return to Nevada for the summer, we said goodbye, sadly knowing it would probably be the last time we would see him, as we had to return to Minnesota.  He was 78 years old.

 

Mal and our family kept in touch through letters over the next two years, and we often wondered how we could make it happen to see him again.  We had even invited him to come and visit us.  Of course, being in his late 70's, and eventually  early 80's,  Mal declined.

  

But one day...

 

David and Kris received a letter from Mal and didn't show it to any of the children.  Mal expressed interest in coming to Minnesota.

 

Then life changed...

 

After church one April Sunday in 2005, our family had been enjoying a good lunch of tuna sandwiches (not that we live on tuna, it just looks like it!) and were making plans of going to a park later.  We have a large sliding glass door in our kitchen, where  Kris happened to be looking outside at the beautiful sunny, spring day.  An old blue GMC pickup pulled up alongside our driveway.  The truck and its trailer looked familiar.  Suddenly, Kris erupted in squeals and tears of  delight, "It's him!  He made it!  He came!"  Then the rest of the family realized:  it was Mal from Arizona! 

 

In the mysterious letter, Mal said he was coming to "visit us" for "two weeks."  He had asked David and Kris to not tell the children about his trip from Nevada to Minnesota, just in case something happened to him along the way.  It was a complete surprise, and the family knew their lives would never be the same.

 

That "two week visit" has turned into a stay for the rest of Mal's life.  He had previously lived in his travel trailer on our land with just electricity, no water or sewer, until it became clear that  he couldn't live out in the trailer any more.   He had lived his entire life as a bachelor,  and for various reasons had no connection with his extended family, so we have  "become" his family.  In 2007,  we built a 26' x 26' addition onto the front of our house which we call "Mal's Room".  He now lives in our home with us.  We take care of washing  his clothes and bedding, daily cleaning, helping him shop, taking him to the doctor,  etc. 

 

It has been a learning and rewarding experience assisting Mal through the many ups and downs  of life.   We  ask for prayers for Mal and strength and grace for us as we continue to stand by him.   

 

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Photography by the Garms Family unless otherwise noted. 

 

 

The Story of Mal

 

This is the amazing story of our friend Mal.  God's hand is seen in how He "sets the lonely in families." (Psalm 68:6a)  Mal continues to live with us and enjoys working outside, petting our cats, and spending time with the Lil' Adventurers.     

 

As it is intricately interweaved  with the Great Adventure story, make sure you read the full history!