Life – how does it get so busy? When will I ever find time to just get caught up?

I don’t think we will ever be caught up, life just has a way of moving along at an alarming rate of speed. And then all of a sudden……. as you are speeding along trying to get somewhere……… they close the freeway!

Last November we were working along here in PNG and then were advised that if we wanted to get a break – out of country in the next 12+ months – that we needed to go immediately. So we quickly called our trusted travel agent Journey’s by Jan who once again found an incredible deal – and within a few days we were on an airplane to the USA arriving the night before our only grandchild’s 7th Birthday. What a special time with family and a few local friends.

It was a whirlwind trip which included American Thanksgiving and Christmas with family and then thanks to a last minute flight cancellation due to snow in Boise, Idaho. We found ourselves in a rented 4 wheel drive heading across the mountains in the snow to get to the international airport so as to make it back to PNG in time for the 70th Anniversary Celebration and mini-staff retreat to be held the first weeks of January!

We felt that driving from Boise, Idaho to Seattle, Washington was the only sure way we could reach the airport in time……and then they closed the freeway! Wait – What? Yep! Closed the freeway! We sat waiting for a few hours shivering in the cold then attempted to find a back road to get around…….only to find a Sheriff Deputy’s car parked across the road turning folks around……. He took pity on us and looking at the 4 wheel drive we had rented, decided we could make it across ok, and let us go.

We made it to Seattle after midnight – found a hotel close to the airport and slept a few hours. After the 12 hours across the snow we needed it. Got to the airport – many travelers were being turned away at the check-in counter for not having the correct paperwork/entry permits/documentation of vaccination etc….but thanks to the great work of our team in PNG – we had everything in order and didn’t have any major hold ups. On to Doha then Singapore then Port Moresby and on to Mount Hagen. Including the 12 hours across the snow, it was 78 hours from leaving Caldwell, Idaho to arriving in Mount Hagen.

We landed and went right into meetings – what a blessed time to have all of our expat staff together in one location for some spiritual nourishment and some good old fashioned fun! One of the highlights was that we purchased a viewing of the Ends of the Earth movie that came out in America a few months ago. Although it is about the work of MAF on the other half of this island, it deeply impacted each one that watched it as we sat together with our teammates that have given so much to be there flying and doing their part to reach the isolated. It was a sacred moment. (Well hour and a half.)

Another special time was sharing with the entire MAF team from across the country as we gathered to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of MAF’s presence in PNG. We shared communion together as a team and it was a special time as we reflected on what Christ had done for each of us.

With everyone from all of the bases across the country gathering for the 70th Anniversary Celebration – we took advantage of the situation and had several different gatherings including Ground Ops and Pilots Meeting and National Ladies Conference. Fiona Stevenson, who has been our Finance Manager for the past several years, but is moving to the South Sudan Program, was our main speaker and it was a wonderful time of sharing together with these incredible women of Faith! We also took advantage of being together by getting photos albeit with masks.

Things have settled down a bit now, back to just the normal busy schedule. Up before dawn and out the door early, trying to get things accomplished before everyone else gets to the office – and typically not enough time, so staying a little later after everyone else has gone home for the night to get caught up. It is a daily way of life for us.

The Team that God has blessed this program with is incredible! They are so caring and compassionate, helping each other out when needed. Praying together and doing whatever it takes to keep things rolling along. We have had several new staff arrivals so we are all busy helping them get oriented to the program and the country with the unique way of life here. We have hosted several Sunday morning Brunch/Church gatherings as we wait for Covid numbers to go down so we can meet together at our different churches indoors. Such a blessed time as those who come don’t seem to want to leave and a simple brunch turns into a day event where people laugh and story together for hours.