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Monday, June 7, 2010

Summer!

Summer is finally here! One of the perks of being a teacher almost anywhere in the world are the breaks. At HIS, we get almost 3 months of summer vacation, a month for Christmas break, four days to celebrate Easter, and many more holidays throughout the year. By the way, HIS is in need of teachers :) But, seriously, summer break comes with many mixed emotions. Friends leaving, friends returning, and a chance to build better relationships with those that are here. Here are a few things from my "hope to do" list.

-I hope to start running again.
-We hope to move into a new house next month.
-We hope to make new friends.
-To do the above, we hope to be bold to ask people to hang out or have families over for a meal or game.
-I hope to get to know some of the highschool girls that are here this summer a little better.

I'm sure that list will continue to grow as I get further into summer.

We returned from a week vacation in the beautiful, world famous, Bali. If you're on the other side of the globe, chances are you have never heard of this place. Don't feel bad, we had no clue what it was when we got here. It was great! We stayed in a hotel, ate at western restraunts, watched two movies in theatres, ate ice cream at mc donalds, went to a bookstore that sold books written in English, and read those books by the hotel swimming pool. It was fantastic! No, we didn't do very many touristy things. No, we didn't go to "waterbomb" (the waterpark that all my 6th graders said that I HAD to go to!). I started thinking about what a vacation is. Is a vacation where you run around trying to squeeze all the sights in during your stay? Is it going swimming every single day, all day long like it was when I was a kid? Is it relaxing by the pool reading a good book? Is it doing nothing at all or is it doing everything you want to do (which might be nothing at all)? Is it a time for renewal or refreshment? Yes, to all of the above. Vacations can be all those things or none of those things.

So, we returned to Sentani on Sunday afternoon. Josh went on a flight today. His summer is shaping up to be a busy one. He is busy with work and partnering with our potential new landlord to design and build this house. He's doing a great job and working really hard.

This summer I'll be a helping hand wherever I'm needed. I started scanning some of the stories that have been translated into Indonesian that teach about health issues like providing sufficient food for a baby. It's really cool to read some of the stories and see the pictures.

So I leave you with this- Take a vacation for whatever reason you want to. It'll be good for you :)

Friday, May 14, 2010

Comings and Goings

***Random sidenote*** Because we live in Asia, blogger.com automatically assumes that we speak/read Indonesian. This makes me feel really good, because I know which buttons to push to make it continue to think that :) It also makes me feel like I'm fluent, while in reality we're waaaaaay off from that!

It's that time of year where most of the people are "going" instead of "coming". They are going on furloughs, summer vacations that last anywhere from 1 week to 3 months, and some are going home with no plans of return. It's the last group that I'm sad to see go.

It's strange, because we have many aquaintances and a few that we would consider friends. We don't live in a place where all of us are in the same spot. We are spread out all over town... and even though our town isn't that big, it's kinda scary to brave the traffic... and by traffic I mean motorbikes coming the wrong direction on your side of the road, wait what side of the road is that? right or left? Exactly...

The school year is winding down. This is great, because ALL of us are ready for a break :) Some of my students are already on vacation, and while I want to slip into that mindset, it's my responsibility to remind them "not yet" over and over daily.

Students are going on furloughs, too. Friends are going home for good. I think this is one of the most difficult things that I have had to/am/will continue to face during our time overseas. Nothing is permanent- duct tape melts, liquid evaporates much quicker here, even permanent markers can be rubbed away. People are no different. Last year when we arrived this had no effect on me, because we didn't know anyone. How can you be sad when you have no relationships? This year is different. Our closest friends are returning and not coming back. Strange enough, they are in their late 40's and early 50's, but they like the same things we do... same tv shows, same movies, same jokes, same foods. So, for this reason, I'm not looking forward to summer.

It's intimadating inviting new families for dinner, because I have no idea how much to cook if it's more than 2 people. How do you entertain children when you want to get to know their parents but you don't have toys or kids of your own? Seriously, we might be the only couple in the province without kids by choice (at this point in our lives, and we are happy :) ). This makes it difficult to have that instant connection.

This summer could change all of that. We want to have people over for dinner and to play games more often this summer. We want to make ourselves more available to hang out. I want to build up enough courage to say,"Hey, want to hang out even if it's at your house?"

So pray for us, because I believe summer can be an exciting time but it can also be very lonely. No one likes to feel lonely.

We're going to a going away party tonight. I made a video of our friend's 18 years of service here. I've never made a video before, so it was fun to learn something new.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Life = Busy

When we get into our "grooves" or "routines", it can be REALLY easy to think that no one cares what you're doing because it's the same everyday. I think that's how I've been feeling as of late. I get up, get ready, teach for a few hours, have lunch, take a nap, read a book, make dinner, watch tv, read, go to bed. This is my daily "groove" with minor changes depending on what day it is. Even tough the day-to-day might seem mundane, there are many "Wow Moments" (for those of you American Idol fans).

-Wow Moments in the midst of routine-

1. Many of you received our newsletter introducing you to a family that was near the end of their project. At the end of the month of March, they had their NT dedication. We just saw the video that was put together of the dedication with some really amazing photos of those that were once in darkness being introduced to THE Light in their heart language. WOW!

2. Josh is very busy with his different duties at the office. He's pilot, accountant, and in charge of making and maintaining correct info on ALL the runways that we fly to. Who knew what he was capable of! It's interesting to see how God will use you (if you're willing!) to be apart of what He's doing in many different ways. Josh recently got checked out at four different strips in one day! Wow! :)

3. School is almost over for the summer!! (That in itself is a "Wow Moment", but I'll continue.) My class is special to me in many ways. I think they'll always be important, because they're my first students. Yes, it was hard! Yes, I had to be flexible. Yes, I had to deal with things that I would rather ignore. Yes, I cried. No, no one was hurt. :) God shaped my small class of 6th graders into a close group. I was thinking of this just the other day. It's not unusual for some of my students to meet up with me and talk after church, at the Friday night game, or after a meeting. This past Friday, we had a movie night. The movie was their choice, not mine (although, I confess, I love this movie!) The Sound of Music. It was full of popcorn, sing-alongs, ice cream, and a tooth falling out. I can really see how God has used this time with my students to gel with missionary kids (MKs). It's not just with my class either. The high school students and I connect too. Yes, I'm here supporting the work of Bible Translation, BUT my target, my focus, my goal is working with MKs. Wow, what an adventure :)

4. Summer is comin' around the corner! I think at different times throughout my life I have dreaded summer. What will I do, what friends will be here, will I be at home by myself all day?? These things I asked when I was a kid, and I find myself asking them again as an adult! Life here is very transient, not many people spend more than 2-4 years here at a time before they return home for a 6 month-1 year furlough. This is the first summer that people we've gotten to know will go home for a furlough or permanently. This is sad for me. I make quick acquaintances and slowly develop deep and meaningful friendships. It's hard for me to say see you later. It's hard for me to think about what this summer of upcoming year will be like without those friends. God has provided something for me to do! :) There is another woman who has been here since the mid-70's (wow!) and she is overwhelmed with paperwork. I am going to help her scan documents and file things. It's not the most amazing thing ever, but it's helping someone that really needs it. I'm also hoping to take some online courses to help me with the renewal of my teaching certificate. So, although people are coming and going, God has provided an opportunity for me to get to know people that are out of the routine that I'm involved in. I'm very excited, because I can't wait to hear the stories :)

5. This is a moment of honesty. I like where we live. I love what I do. Yes, I do miss you. At times, I miss you more than you'll EVER know. I miss your during the tragic times- unexpected deaths, cancer, divorces. I miss you during the times of rejoicing- new relationships, marriages, babies. I miss just hanging out with you. This "Wow Moment" happened just the other day during the "read before bedtime" part of my routine.

18 And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to(AF) inherit eternal life?" 19 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" 21 And he said "All these I have kept from my youth." 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." 26 Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" 27But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." 28 And Peter said, "See, we have left our homes and followed you." 29 And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life."

How many times have I yelled out exactly what Peter said (just in the last few weeks if I'm being honest)? His words brought peace. Yes, we're missing hospital visits. Yes, we're missing holidays. Yes, we're missing weddings. Yes, we're missing births and birthdays. BUT we're seeing light bursting into and through darkness. We're seeing the advancement of God's coming kingdom on earth. We're making relationships that are eternal with Indonesian believers. Jesus says," Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life." Wow, what a promise.

I challenge you...
This is a side note, but today I was challenged by a first grader to a game of tether ball.
So, I challenge you to examine your routine or grooves and search out the "Wow Moments" from God. I think you'll have more than you think you do.

We miss you. We think of you all the time.

-Amber (for Josh)


This is the first picture Josh and I took together. It was the orientation where we met. :) Wow!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Adventures in Flying with Josh



I started my flight and maintenance training for the purpose of supporting people like these pictured above. Although being a pilot can be viewed as a romantic occupation, the basic purpose of my position here is to serve the people who are working directly with isolated people groups. Whether I am working in the hangar performing routine maintenance, entering data in the billing department, or flying a load of supplies into an isolated village, I get a chance to serve some of the neatest people in the world.



This picture was taken on final approach to an airstrip located at a village called Okpahik. There is a national mission school in Papua that is training up national evangelists, teachers, and pastors to go into the interior and minister to the many villages scattered throughout the island. Okpahik is one of the locations were people from this missions school go to fulfill their practical experience before they graduate.



One of the people from Okpahik that came out to greet us after we landed.



This is a common scene at the aircraft anywhere we land. It can get a little crazy sometimes as you offload the aircraft, load it up again and brief the passengers. This picture was taken in a village called Obokui. There is a national translator as well as the community that is supported by our aircraft. There are no roads or major rivers that come anywhere near this village.



This is one of our ramp agents from our home base in Sentani helping us get the next load of passengers on the aircraft. We had extra room in the aircraft that day, so we asked him if wanted to come along for the flight. Pius is a great guy and is always ready to help.



This picture of bananas was taken in a village called Pasema located in the central highlands of Papua. Yajasi supports a ministry called Oikonomos. There purpose is to train the people how to grow locally available produce and then sell it at a city in the central highlands called Wamena. Yajasi provides an aircraft twice a week to fly the produce out of these villages to Wamena where it can be sold. The proceeds from the produce goes back into the villages.



These are a bunch of school children in Pasema that were watching us as we unloaded a half ton of rice, salt and cooking oil and loaded up the bananas.



Two Yajasi Pilatus Porters are parked at the top of the airstrip in Koropun. Yajasi flew in two planes full of people for Koropun's Bible dedication. I remember when I was 5 years old two missionaries came to our church at Camano Island Washington. My grandparents took me to their presentation on Sunday night and I got to see for the first time slide shows of what life was like in Koropun Iran Jaya. Their names were Orin and Rosa Kidd. They were the first missionaries that I had ever met. After working in Koropun for many years, Rosa Kidd began translating the Bible into the language of the people of Koropun. On March 16th, the people of Koropun received God's word in their own language for the first time. It was incredible to see the dedication first hand and meet Orin and Rosa Kidd again. My grandparents have already passed away, but they would have loved to have seen the people of Koropun who they had prayed for, progress in the LORD.



Me and a man from Koropun who is all dressed up for the dedication.







Watching the ceremonies at the Bible dedication in Koropun.




Here are some of the pictures of flying in Papua





Tuesday, January 26, 2010

S O L O

In the life of a pilot, there are some highlights to remember. You’ll forever remember the first time you sat in the pilot’s seat, the first time you flew the plane without an instructor- your first “solo”, the time you passed the exams, the first time your certificate came in the mail, the pie shops that are tucked away in mountains, the time you saw a rainbow form around the propeller, all the breathtaking beauties that can only be seen from the plane, the first time you had a passenger with you, the first time you instructed someone on how to fly a plane, your first job flying, and many more.

It seems like since we’ve moved here we get to celebrate “firsts” all over. The first time Josh went on a ride-along into the interior of Papua, the time he flew animals instead of people, the first time he landed on a grass strip in Indonesia, the first (and hopefully only) time he took Indonesian certification tests, the first time he talked to passengers, and his first solo from Sentani, and many more that are unmentioned or undiscovered.

Last week we celebrated a “first”. Josh flew to a jungle strip by himself! This was the result of months of training. Word flew around cell phones, and a group was greeting him when he pulled up with his passengers. This is a unique celebration, as are many solo flights. Some might get the shirt off their back cut off, signed, and posted on a wall where everyone can see this exciting accomplishment. Well, at Yajasi in Indonesia, clothing can’t just be bought at the local Wal-Mart, so they “celebrate” a little differently. Everyone gathers around with buckets full of “celebration water”, personal water bottles, cups of water, and cameras. Once the pilot steps out of the plane (after being forewarned and leaving behind phones, cameras, and other important items) he is greeted with “celebration water”. There were buckets, cups, bottles, old paint cans, and a water hose. It was all smiles by the parked planes to celebrate the end of hard day of work with rejoicing with their newest “solo-ed” pilot.

I was told that he would be soaked, so I asked if should bring an extra shirt. So I brought an extra t-shirt and a towel. I didn't realize that the towel I grabbed was a small hand towel! I also was unaware of how soaked he would actually be! Needless to say the neither the t-shirt nor the towel were used! :) Enjoy the photos!

Josh in the village his first time as the only pilot.


Returning to Sentani.


He's here!


Filling up the buckets.


Here's some friends that came to support Josh. Baby Esther brought her parents :)


Let...


the soaking...


begin!


Totally soaked but soooooo happy!


I wanted to say how proud I was of him, and I got a BIG wet hug and someone sprayed me with the waterhose!


Here's a towel to dry off with :)




Another pilot congratulating Josh on a job well done.


Hooray! Way to go, Josh!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

We have been apart of one party after another these past few weeks. It has been really different than our holiday experience last year. Last year we were on our way to the beach Christmas day and returned just in time to ring in the new year on our friend's rooftop.

Christmas Day:
This year we had two fantastic meals. We had lunch with some really good friends. This was the first time I had ever tried sweet potato casserole. My grandma always made it, but I just had never tried it. It was yummy- like dessert with your main meal! For dinner we headed to the dorm that our friends run. We had turkey and HAM!!! with friends that we were in Bandung with and some new ones too. It was sooooo yummy. We had a great time visiting and playing Wii.





For the next week, we recovered. I had something really attack my body. I went from having a normal appetite to none at all. When I did eat, it wasn't much. My body was just extremely run down and exausted. We tested for malaria, but it came back negative with my white blood cell count really high. The nurse said that means that I was fighting some sort of infection and put me on an antibiotic. Praise the Lord, a few days later my appetite is back and my energy level is increasting.

New Year's Eve:
We spent New Year's Eve with two families. One lives in the interior village, and the other hopes to go interior when a new family comes available to partner with them. We had great discussions about what they do in their village, the progress that's being made with their language work, saw pictures of their house, and it ended with an invitation to come and stay in their village with them. (Very Cool!)

We drove the less than 10 minute drive from one side of town to the hill the school is on to watch the fireworks. Indonesians live by "rubber time" or "flexible time" because they started popping off fireworks 20 minutes before midnight! Driving through town felt like we were in a warzone. Fireworks going off over the street, in the street, on the street when you pass by. The remains of fireworks were all over the city. We made it to the school just in time to watch the fireworks go up in smoke. Literally, after about 10 minutes of fireworks all over the city the entire sky was FULL of smoke! You could barely see some fireworks going off unless they were colored. It was soooo exciting. We were in t-shirts and shorts with friends ringing in the new year together. We went home around 12:30, but the neighborhood party continued until atleast 3 AM. Fireworks, music, laughter, and homemade pipebombs making huge, deep booming noises made this night unforgettable. I can only imagine what next year will be like!

Housing Update:
In recent posts I've asked for prayer about long-term housing options. We had our name on a house of a family that had to return home due to their son's sickness. Another family, who had their name on another house, was on the list in front of us. Within a few days, God unfolded events that allowed us to move from third to first on the list. The family announced that they would not be returning due to health reasons. Family #2 announced that they were going through with contract negotiations on the other house. Family #3 (the Harrington's) became Family #1- the only family on the list. So, the next step is to talk with the landlord and attempt to negotiate a fair, reasonable rental price for the house. Please pray with us that a rental price can be negotiated that is within our set budget. This house is literally right down the street from the curret place we're living, so it should be relatively easy to move :) (I hope!)
 
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