Annette writes:
Our story starts with the Cornford family. Tom and Kim Cornford were friends from our church in Bakersfield. After they came to Hume as full-time staff, we stayed connected when possible. Tom called Kirk one day and asked if he could put together a few volunteers from our church to come up and help build Wildwood. Well, that was the beginning. Kirk and several men from our church spent the weekend at Hume and helped move materials for the tent platforms, etc., for Wildwood. He also helped repair some sprinkler lines throughout Hume. After that weekend… every time we spoke with Tom…he would always say, “Kirk, you need to be here!”.
Later that spring, we attended a weekend called “Catch the Vision.” We had such a great time and learned much about Hume’s ministry. After this weekend, we felt God was asking us to be open to coming to Hume full-time. But was there a job? No, not yet! So we prayed and tried to stay available for God to show us where He wanted to use us. The next time we visited Hume was for a “Servants Week.” Kirk helped out in Maintenance, and I got to help in the Gift Shop. We met so many great people, and again we prayed and waited. After that week, Kirk put in an official job application. This was in October.
Time went on, and we heard nothing. But we kept praying. There was a job but NO housing …so we continued to wait. We finally thought that God was teaching us always to be available. Our kids attended Wildwood Camp in the early summer of 2000. It was such a special week for them, and they got to see firsthand the camp that Kirk helped with. At the end of that week, Kirk was asked to meet with Mike Drake when we were picking up the kids. There was a JOB, and now there was a HOUSE! A week or so later, Kirk was officially offered a job, and he accepted! So we shut down businesses, had yard sales, and rented a U-haul.
We arrived at Hume on the evening before Country Fair in 2000. Kirk and I, along with 3 of our kids. It was an exciting time. Broc, Brittany, and Sean were beginning their junior year of High School. We were already a “homeschooling” family, so we were all set to finish the last two years of high school. At that time, the Hume school only went up to 8th grade, so we joined with other families and were able to continue homeschooling.
We moved into a little cabin at the bottom of Azalea Street. All 5 of us into the 900 sq ft cabin! And I will tell you we loved that cabin. We spent our entire time at Hume (12 years) in that cabin. We will always consider that little cabin home.
I stayed busy teaching the kids and had the privilege of working part-time, coordinating the weekend workers. I loved that job. I met so many great kids who would travel up to Hume and work for the weekends. During the summers, I helped in the front office. Our kids were happy to be able to work after school and in the summers on summer staff. As time passed and the kids graduated, I started working full-time in Support Services. It was a great time and a lot of HARD work. But I loved every minute I got to be the “S.S MOM”. During my off time, I was blessed to be able to use my trade as a hairdresser. I turned my kitchen into a small hair salon. I had so much fun offering services of cuts, colors, perms, etc. I had the privilege of giving lots of first haircuts to some full-time staff kids.
In 2006, I moved out of Support Services and started working in Human Resources. I learned so much and met many great summer staff kids. Working with all the SCS kids was the highlight of every summer. I also loved being able to help take care of full-time staff. There are so many people that had a great impact on my life while I was at Hume. I could never name all of them. These people and all the memories hold such a special place in my heart. I now work for an Optometrist.
Kirk began his job in Maintenance. He was in the Grounds Department. His years of being a landscaper paid off, and he was able to use his skills to help in so many areas. He soon moved up to the role of Ground Supervisor. He has many stories of the people he served with and ALL the summer staff guys and gals that worked with him. It’s wonderful that so many of those summer staff stayed in touch with him and me. Kirk spent many hours in the snow plow, keeping camp open during storms. He said those times were definitely “God” times. Alone on the Hume road in the snow, he was being guided by God. He still says there is no other time that he felt closer to God than when he was in the plow, just as the storm was ending, and he was looking out over the canyon. He would say every time, “Our God did that.”
In 2012, Kirk was offered a job as a wastewater treatment operator with the City of Tulare. After much prayer, we felt like the Lord was leading us onward. Although it was sad to leave our friends and face the “real” world again, we knew God was leading us. God had prepared us for this, so we were ready.
Visalia was our home for almost two years; then, a job came open in Shasta Lake City. Kirk applied, and he was offered the job. We moved to the North State in June 2014. We love “North” California. So many blessings have come our way.
All 4 of the kids have had the pleasure of serving at Hume full-time.
Our oldest, Daniel, worked in Support Services, and after he got married, his wife Michelle came on staff also. Daniel and Michelle now live in Oregon with their two boys. Daniel is a Police Officer for a city in Oregon.
Broc met his wife Amanda at Hume (Amanda worked in Support Services ). Broc worked part-time in Maintenance, then went to college and soon returned with Amanda, and he worked as a cook in Ponderosa for several years. Broc and Amanda and their two kids now live in Missouri.
Sean worked in Maintenance while finishing high school and then returned briefly while working full-time in Maintenance. Sean now lives in Bakersfield and works in construction. Underground Utilities.
Brittany was known as the “flower girl” and worked many summers in Maintenance, caring for the flowers and keeping Hume looking good. She also returned after college and was a teacher at the Hume Charter School. Brittany met her husband, Tyler, at Hume, and they now live in Visalia and stay busy with their 2-year-old daughter. Brittany is an Art teacher for a virtual Charter school, and Tyler is taking care of the areas around Hume as a Fish and Game Warden.
Hume Lake and the time we served there will always hold a special place in our hearts—so many memories for us, our kids, and our grandkids. We will always be thankful we were part of this special ministry. God was, is, and always will be doing incredible things in and through the lives of all who are touched by Hume Lake Ministries. We know we are forever changed by this ministry.