VW Camper Magazine

Hello All,

Well, due to popular demand, and perhaps more so to the 4 page spread recently published in VW Camper - http://www.volkswagencamper.co.uk/   --- we have decided to elaborate on the adventures we have had, and on the adventures we are still on.

It is now February 2013, which would make for almost 2 years traveling in the bus, but to be perfectly honest we have been stationary for some time now, while we attending Bethel School here in Redding. So we can't drive south to avoid the cold, and with no heater in the bus the frosty nights can be too much. Reminds me of our times in the desert of New Mexico when we woke to snow covered cacti.

So many times people have asked us to write down our stories in a book, and I suppose that may be a good idea. Had we been a couple that had a large bank roll to back us up while we traveled that would have been nice. But that was not the case. We had just both gone through a hellish season in our personal lives as well as our professional lives. Bankrupt and broke, we had just started our design firm without any clients. There is quite a back story to that part of our story and I won't get into that right at the moment, suffice to say, it was a stormy season. A divorce of mine that went on and on, did not help matters either.

But it was prior to this storm and a year after my divorce began that Tracey and I met. I don't think many times in life you meet someone that you can connect with in such a special way. I suppose evidence of that strong connection is the fact that we have been by each others side now, day and night, for nearly 6 years. It has to be love, for two people to share a VW Bus, and call it home, for as long as we have. It helps that she has two black belts in Karate, arguments are settled rather quickly. lol. Actually we never argue. I know that sounds ridiculous to some reading this, but it's true. We simply communicate very well about anything. I guess that's the key.

Back to our pre-story story. Without any clients and maintaining a 3000 sq ft home overlooking Georgia Strait on Vancouver Island, with three, nearly adult, kids living with us - the monthly bills and financial demand was straining. Having just gone through a lawsuit by a embittered ex-employer who did not want us in the same business, yet had deeper pockets than we did - we were drained financially.

Now the strangest things can happen when you feel your down and out. As the referee is making his count to 10, you can get a second wind. As we lay there, we recognized we were also on a journey of the spiritual kind. So listening, Tracey felt like we should do something - start a publishing company. That's what she heard. So she thought about that and wondered, what would it be called. And just like that (snap your fingers).... ok... just like that, she felt it should be called "Olive Tree Publishing".

So immediate action is required when this kind of thing happens to you.


Shall I continue this story... do you want to hear the amazing things that happened next? Let me know.


Yes... more to come indeed.

Update from Mark and Tracey

Dear Friends and Family,

Hello from Redding, CA! As many of you know Tracey and I have been traveling for some time now. We left Nanaimo in May of 2011 in our restored VW Bus, and after circumnavigating North America, from coast to coast to coast we have settled for a while in Redding.  Our long trip has been filled with adventure and blessings as we have met wonderful people and shared a moment in their lives. 

Our trip is not over. We are here at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). Things are really taking off this year and we have dedicated our time to helping people as well as keeping our design business going. We have worked with feeding homeless people here in California, and we have been invited to speak in Los Angeles recently over the New Years. Just a few weeks ago we received this email from a sweet lady we shared some time with...

Dear Tracey and Mark,

I trust you are being totally blessed these days, and learning more and more of God’s grace and love!   

Just a couple of updates in my life:  My book has been published, and as soon as I get my order, I will send you a copy.  Please send me your mailing address.  Thanks!  Thank you for your kind offer to advertise it on your website!  I really appreciate this so much!  The reality of the whole event hasn’t fully entered my comprehension, and I am truly humbled and amazed at God’s grace and favor in my life to trust me with this responsibility and privilege!

In regards to my health, and Tracey’s prayer for a creative miracle for my missing colon part, I went for a colonoscopy a couple of weeks ago, as a follow up of my surgery four years ago.  I wasn’t sedated, so was able to watch the whole procedure on the TV screen, as the little camera wandered through the tunnel towards the appendix.  I kept thinking “This colon looks as if it had never been used – sort of fresh and brand new.”   The nurse said to the doctor, “You certainly left plenty of colon in there.  It’s so long!”  I said, “I think it grew back!”  The ensuing silence was deafening!  And the report was just as I believed it would be – no abnormalities of any kind.  The doctor listed 7 or 8 things that could have been wrong, but there was no sign of any of them.  I praise God for complete healing, and restoration, and I thank you, Tracey, for praying and believing for this miracle.  What a blessing you both are!

With love, and thanksgiving, 

Eunice Porter, Calgary

We will be traveling this spring to Central America to participate in supporting groups down there that help the poor and homeless as well as working with Iris Ministries to rescue girls from life on the streets. This trip, through BSSM, ultimately reflects the vision of the Bethel Mission Trips Department.

Any help you can be to us on this trip would be so wonderful. Financial gifts may be made online at  https://missiontrips.ibethel.org. This gift is tax deductible and you will receive a statement at the end of the year for your tax records. If you wish your gift to be anonymous, please check the anonymous box.  

Thank you so much for being a part of our life!  Feel free to send us an email if you have a prayer request, testimony, or just to say “hi”. Look forward to hearing from you!  

I’ll keep you updated on what is going on in our life and would love to hear what's going in yours as well.  You can watch our blog at http://olivetreepublishing.blogspot.com/

or our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/markandtracey.hutzler. Recently I have completed a intensive 5 year study to finish this publication as well... https://www.facebook.com/FullBibleTimeline?bookmark_t=page

Two of a kind

A thoughtful gift to hold our memories, a sister VW for our beloved Olive. I am not sure what we'll name our new addition but it is a cute little guy, don't you think? Thank you Erin, Laura and family. :)

If you click the photo to enlarge it, you can see that the headlights come on our new flash drive when you plug it in.

I thought this would make a nice picture.

You can also see a wedding picture of us on the facebook page for California Import Parts...
https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaImportParts

The time had come to leave Kelowna once again. This time instead of heading east across Canada, we are heading south through Washington State and Oregon into the sunny hotspot of Redding, California.

We decided to cross at the Osoyoos border crossing on a warm summer evening with the full moon rising over the hills, the clear moonlite penetrating the still blue sky.

Twisting our way along the mighty Columbia River we are treated with some landscape we haven't seen since Arizona and New Mexico.

I never would have thought that such rough terrain would be featured in Washington State. Following the twists and turns of this surprisingly mighty river was a real treat. We'd be driving, riverside through lush orchards and next be driving through dusty fields elevated above the river as it carved it's way through the rock, etching out valleys below.

Dirt devils twisting up in the dry fields to our right as we followed highway 97 south through small towns that captured the heart of the real America. I would highly recommend this drive if you have the time to avoid the speedy decent on Interstate #5.

As we left Washington State we wound our way around lakes towards the coast again to hook up in Portland Oregon to make our way south to Redding.

Oregon is a absolutely beautiful state and is a real attraction to both Tracey and I. After a night in Portland we continue our drive, leaving Oregon, driving through mountain passes we find ourselves crossing the border into California and are immediately hit with the heat. It was very surprising how quickly the temperatures rose. The distant horizon was opaque with the smoke of many fires, obscuring our view of the mountains around about us.  We never actually saw the fires but we given the treat of the smoky drive.  The heat was intense as we began to experience 95+ degree temperatures, less as much as we climbed to heights in the passes and more so was we descended into the valleys. A couple of times we were concerned for our air-cooled bus, as I would stick my arm our the window and feel the hot arm moving over it. But faith-fully our beloved Olive made the drive without difficulty and we arrived once more in our RV park in Redding. The rushing creek that was the home to hundreds of frogs when we were here in the spring, was now a dried up bed of grass and rocks waiting for the spring thaws to once again be a torrent of water bringing life to so many.

Thanks for reading. We'll keep this more up to date moving forward.

Kelowna - part two

Our time in Kelowna included time spent with our lovely nephew Ethan and niece Olivia. Luckily, I remembered to finally bring out the camera for some quick shots on our day in the park with Tracey's sister Laura.

We were able to take in Laura and Olivia's birthdays as well as precious time spent with our kids. 

Kelowna

Excuse me... privacy please!  To continue with the animal theme we find Oz, our daughter Haley's cat, doing a free table dance for us. It was an awkward moment for all involved.

Batman is the name of their massive Great Dane, who we spent some real quality time with, considering he is our only grandson. Not that we are complaining at all. He is a large sap and loves being with people.

It seems funny and somewhat sad that all this time spent with our family and kids we managed to get pictures of the animals and not the family... what's wrong with us???

Goodbye Vancouver Island

Although it was so nice to be back on the island visiting our kids and folks again, along with Diana, dressed in her summer digs. (The barber and Diana have a fight every summer and the razor wins out.)

The time came too quickly for us to move on to Kelowna and a visit with the rest of our family. 

Firstly, we stopped in Duncan to spend a day with Uncle Mark and his crew of animals. I suppose we could call this the 'Cat Post' - here is a picture of his Fat Cat. The name of the cat... is actually Fat Cat. Do you suppose she has a complex?

We were blessed with a wonderful time in Victoria with our good friends Luke and Erin. They recently purchased a very large heritage house just a couple of blocks from the Parliament Buildings. It was nice to stretch out in the King size bed in their garden suite. After our visit we said goodbye to Vancouver Island, heading up to Kelowna.