Farewell Paradise

Well, we are finally on our way.  We were told not to look for our visas until Wednesday the 28^th.  Last Friday I volunteered at the church after a morning of snorkeling.  Miles chose to stay with his brother and lo and behold here came the Fed EX truck.  God knew that Miles was beginning to worry about catching him since we weren’t at the condo any more.  Again down to the minutia we are taken care of.  We leave Sat Oct. 1^st @ 7:30A and arrive in Sentani @ 2:30P Monday October 3.  In Sentani we are 12 + 2 hours ahead of you so it will be around noon thirty on Sunday Pacific Time.  We are routed through Manila with a 6 hour layover there before we head to Jakarta.  Four hours in Jakarta then on to Sentani.  Our biggest concern is that our luggage get checked all the way to Sentani, otherwise we have to store our baggage in Jakarta and the “Team” will pick it up and send it as cargo at a later date.  We are fine no matter which way God has planned as He has proved Himself over and over that He is indeed in control and though it might seem to the world that He should have sent them all along with us, He will have a greater plan and we are fine with whatever He has in store.  Who knows who we might meet a few weeks later when our bags come?

We have had a great time with Miles brother Darr and his wife Kim.  This extended time to spend together was both refreshing and healing as we shared together about their sister who is home with the Lord.  Kim and I enjoyed shopping for our grandchildren together.  I was in need of some girl time it was great to talk “girl talk” with her for a couple of days.  We spent several sunsets together over meals.  Sunset here is around 6:30.  We found out from a local that he had done extensive research into the fact that once the sun touches the horizon it is only 2.9 minutes ‘til it is all the way down.  It seems to be true over here at least. J Check it out at your longitude and let me know. Once sunset is over everyone seems to go to dinner.  It is very different for us to eat dinner around 7PM.  We have been adapting to changes and will adapt to whatever the customs in Sentani. 

A fun note is that the men we have been spending our Sundays with from Haggai Institute will be traveling with us to Manila.  The ones from India will go on from there, and we met one who lives in Jakarta.  He will continue on with us.  We are so blessed to have met these mighty men of God who are going to their home countries as leaders to begin or support what God has in store for them in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

More when we arrive!  Wahoo!  We're on our way!  I want / need to run in every direction at the same time I am so excited!

Visas and personalized care

Rejoice with us brothers and sisters in Christ!

Our Visas have left the Indonesian government, arrived at headquarters, and were sent to the American Consulate in LA. Headquarters told us that they were planning an October 1st or 2nd arrival in Jakarta.  We realized there was going to be a problem as Mile's brother, his wife, and another couple were coming over for a stay from the 20th - 29th.  Nobody thought that we would still be here by then.  This condo is too small for 6 people so we prayed then looked into the cost of renting another condo or a hotel to stay here.  We also looked at going back to the mainland and told MAF via E-Mail that we might have to leave for Indonesia from another location and we would get back to them once we knew.  We were thinking maybe we'd go to San Diego and visit Josh & Allyl and be there for their daughter Ainsley's dedication service on the 25th, visit our daughter Jennifer, her husband John, and our 4 other grandchildren: Jerrod, Dakota, Johnny, and Gabrielle, then back up to Portland to see our youngest son Trent and his wife Kristie and their new house.  Of course we would visit friends all along the way.  We would be tired but happy at God's provision of a last visit before we leave.

We shared our dilemma with our new brothers and sisters in Christ over here knowing that no answer was "right or wrong", we just wanted God's direction.  One couple just off the bat offered, "Why don't you house sit for us?  We are going to the mainland on Monday."  We gasped at the wonderful offer and promised that we would pray about it and get back to them in the morning.  We prayed that God would show us "Why" we should do one or the other.  It seemed to us that God had made a provision for us before we even knew we had a need.  After much prayer and discussion we decided to take them up on the offer and contacted MAF and told them that we were indeed staying and we would let them know the address where we were staying for sending our visas and passports.  MAF responded with a, "That's good that you are staying since your visas are coming to you at the condo and it is too late to change the address.  Hope that doesn't cause any problems for you." 

Wow!  God even knew that piece.  It was the answer to our prayer as to why.
We love and serve an awesome God!

Two weeks ago we met 6 professional men from India that are here attending the "Haggai Institute".  Haggai trains nationals to go back to their home country and evangelize.  These Christian men are doctors, a magazine publisher, and other profesions that are highly respected.  They came to Hope Chapel, the church where we have been worshiping and helping out.  They didn't have a car and since we "drive on the wrong side of the road over here" they had no desire to rent one.  We have been using Mile's dads car that holds 5 comfortably.  We piled them in and took them sight seeing that first Sunday, then took them to the beach on labor day (they had that day off from studies) where Hope Chapel had a baptismal service.  They rented snorkeling equipment and we taught them to snorkel.  We had a grand day!  They were so excited to see the bottom of the ocean!  One cannot see the beautiful colors of tropical fish, corral, and sea anemones without worshiping the creator of the universe!

Tomorrow we are taking them to the top of Haleakalah for a beautiful sunset dinner. 
We are sad to be leaving Paraise behind by the 1st of October but we are glad to get going to our new life in Indonesia.

Meandering in Maui

		Well, We’ve been here for over 3 weeks now.   Miles Visa has cleared and Dion’s’ should clear next week.  If not for the Indonesian Govt. closing down the entire past week for Ramadan her visa might have cleared this week.  It will take  up to 2 weeks for MAF to process us once they  have both our Visas.  It seems we have 3 weeks  to go.    In the picture to the left we are half way down from Mt. Haleakala at Sunset.  We have seen so many truly awesome sunsets while we have been here.  The north western MT on Maui and part of  the Isthmus between North and South Maui are behind us.  Both of these mountains are usually shrouded in clouds.
My Cousin Rhonda and her husband, Lance, in front of their home is the next picture to the right.  I hadn’t seen Rhonda since I was 8 years old.  It has been great to get to know them.  They have been a great resource for telling us of things to do for free and inexpensively.  They have lived here for over 40years.  What a great gift of family they are since we are so far from family and friends.              This is a new experience for us.  God is stretching us to understand that we have family and friends everywhere.    We have been attending Hope Chapel Maui since we got here.  Dion is volunteering at the church office two – three days a week.  We started attending an Ohana group (Home Bible Study).  The family of God has opened their arms to us.  You too can be welcomed into the family of God if you open your hearts to God, and get involved in a local family / church.
			This was taken during a sunset cruise  by our waiter.  We have been snorkeling,  walking on the beach, spending time in God’s word, and prayer both alone and  together.  It is so refreshing to have all the time in the world to spend together with each other as well as the one who loves us  most and best, Jesus Christ!         We are learning more and more about each other and learning new communication tools.  We have never spent this much ti me together in all of our 35 married years.    What a joy to rediscover each other and find that we truly do like each other.
We couldn’t resist this shot of Miles in front of the Bubba Gump restraint in Lahaina.   It is a photo op which includes Forrest Gump’s suitcase, shoes, socks and the ever popular “Box of Chocolates” which is what our life is like right now.  You never know what you’re going to get.       It has been hot and muggy here but the breeze that picks up in the afternoon is delicious.  Staying in the pool or the ocean helps to keep us cool.  Seeing sea turtles, having picnics are the things that make it interesting.  When we were on Haleakala at Poli Polli state park for a picnic it was so cold we almost needed a jacket, which of course we didn’t bring since it was over 90 degrees when we left the house.  We are hoping that this will be a good half way point to get acclimated to the heat and humidity of Indonesia.
	The pictures to the left were taken from the Iao Valley.  The airport is in the background which shows that it is not far from civilization.  The jutting rock to the right is called the needle.  It is where Maui warriors stood as look out during an especially fierce battle between the Mauians and King Kamehameha and his warriors before the islands were united.