The Colors of Fall

It's fall! I'm not sure how this happens year after year. Living in North America it feels like every time I turn around it's a new season, either it's warming up, cooling down, freezing, or blistering hot. And it seems to happen without notice. Maybe that's because I don't know the signs of upcoming change, or because I want it to stay this way for a while. I'm not sure, but the changing of leaves has made me ponder other changes in our lives.

Garry is back into the swing of things at Moody Aviation, and the incoming class is changing the dynamics of things in the hangar, as is the lack of last year's seniors. We are thrilled to have the software we have been pursuing, and it means training others in its use and imbedding its use with other safety training. New staff also means things change slightly. These are just a few of the things that are changing as the leaves turn color and temperatures begin to fall.

I am also thankful for the ways I am involved at Moody this year, meeting new students and investing in women in mission aviation. I am amazed at what God has done and how His themes are timeless. I'm also enjoying a ladies Bible study at our church this semester, a new thing for me.

Kaleb is a senior, so this is my last year to make decisions about school for the coming year. The last year to scramble around for curriculum, only to realize I didn't get it right and repeat the process about a month later. The last year to introduce myself as a homeschooling mom. Homeschooling will be one less thing I have to juggle in upcoming years, and the thought is both relieving and terrifying.

Kevin is in school at Moody Bible Institute-Spokane, beginning to build a local badminton program, and doing his best to train for international competition. We are enjoying having him here for this chapter, enjoying his stories of school and learning. He is embarking on yet another chapter in his journey, and it is exciting to see him take new steps in that journey.

The fall colors remind me that summer is gone and fall is beginning. Winter is coming. And that reminder is good because it causes me to stop and reflect on things that have changed and ways I have changed. The ways God has changed me, changed us. We are a blessed family to be on this journey with Him, constantly pursued and in pursuit of the God of the Universe.

Fall is, after all, a blessing. And this MAY be the year I say the same thing about winter, though that may take a little longer, given how current my feelings on being cold are.

Zambia thoughts

I've heard of Zambia most of my life, a place of exotic animals and African safaris. I've seen photos of lions up close and elephants standing in the shade with a safari jeep close by. I didn't believe it, not really. After all, many of the places I've lived are supposedly the source of amazing photos and yet provide a somewhat less-than-incredible reality. However, Garry experienced a real African Safari in Zambia, complete with lions at rest, elephants, many birds, monkeys in the lodge dining room, and many animals I didn't recognize. The tour guides were knowledgeable about the wildlife and the country. The service was exceptional. 

Zambia is, in fact, a beautiful country. And beyond the outward beauty, God is at work! Garry was privileged to spend the majority of his time with folks from Flying Mission Zambia, once more looking into the work that's done and the interviewing the people who do it. Checking out airplanes, accompanying pilots on flights, and looking through the paperwork filled his days. 

What he found was a unique, inter-cultural team of great passion and purpose. He heard their hearts for the people of Zambia and their passion to share the love and truth of Jesus. He experienced some of their investment in this land and the work that God is doing as a result. A young German couple were a special blessing as he is a pilot and she runs the guesthome. Their desire for excellence was outstanding, their hearts for ministry amazing. 

Another blessing of Garry's time in Zambia was attending a local church and fellowshipping with believers. He enjoyed the sermon and was challenged by it. After church there was a fellowship time on the lawn, and Garry heard from a couple how God is allowing them to be involved in the country with high-level government officials. 

Far back in the history of Zambia is colonization by the British, and the British influence remains. So, also, does much of the infrastructure that the British built in Zambia. Soon after discussing this with Garry I was listening to the radio and heard a statement to the effect that God has left His people on earth to colonize it with His people. I was challenged by the thought, challenged that what we do can make a difference in a hundred years, and what we build in truth and justice can last. 

Angola Reflections

I didn't go to Angola, but I love hearing Garry's stories. I've laughed and I've cried. I've been shocked by the pain and by the good that has arisen in that country. I'm impressed by what MAF Canada is doing in there. I love that Garry got to meet a doctor whose family spent the years of civil war there, helping victims.

To be honest, before Garry went to Angola I had no idea where it was, beyond that it was in Africa. I had no clue that getting a visitor's visa would take months or that it would require such an investment of time and paperwork. I didn't know it was a relatively closed country or that civil war had destroyed so much of it. I'd never heard about the land mines that cover much of the agricultural land or the many people who have lost limbs to the mines.

The missionaries who serve in Angola do so in a very difficult environment. They face unique pressures and unique joys. The team is multi-cultural, blending nations on a relatively small compound and reaching out from there. Garry stayed with a young Dutch couple, people of passion and purpose who are giving their lives to share Jesus and help the people of Angola. He was offered meals by others in the mission community. He spent days talking with missionaries and local employees, walking through the hangar, and flying with the pilots. What a privilege to encourage each of these people toward knowing and loving God more and serving Him with excellence!


As Garry shared what he learned on his trip, I was struck by the fact that this is home to about 21 million people, and yet to the rest of us it is a distant land, a name on a map, or less. But for 21 million people, their home and community in Angola is their life. And God knows each of them by name! And this is true not only of Angola, but many countries in the world that we are not familiar with that God is invested in. And He is not only invested, but also at work. The further we go, the more places we visit, the bigger God becomes in my mind. Not because He is growing, but because I am becoming ever more aware of what He is doing and the vastness and uniqueness of this planet where He placed us for a few short years.

Life's Reality

Garry has had some incredible opportunities in Africa. He's met amazing people and seen amazing things. He's journeyed for two weeks primarily with people he would never have met without this trip. He has looked into two flight programs and interviewed various people within those programs. He attended a local church in Zambia and met passionate believers, some of them missionaries, who do a variety of things. He went on an African Safari and saw incredible wildlife from close range.

This week we at home had a first when Kaleb was beat up and his bike stolen at a local park. He wasn't exactly overpowered, but rather caught off guard. The bike is important to him, and his biking has been a great opportunity to connect with kids and minister to them. We were shocked and hurt. Some stranger had taken advantage of one of us, and in so doing, offended all of us. We called the police and were surrounded by badminton friends as we looked through security camera photos and filed the report. 

News from Venezuela, the land of my birth, has been double-sided. Peaceful protests took place yesterday, and many prayers were answered as protesters went home without the bloodshed that could have happened. Yet the reasons for the protests are heartbreaking, the reality of everyday life in that country alarming. We grieve for what is and ask God for mercy and grace for this country.

The Philippines is also making the news as a new president begins his term and reportedly battles drug abuse. His methods inspire fear at many levels. We pray from here and wish we could do more, but we have no clue what that would be. 

As I look at the photos of Africa, it looks different, and yet so similar to places we've lived before. And I wonder why we are so blessed. You see, when we faced the mugging and theft, friends were somewhat shocked. Police showed up. The process reminded us of all the ways we are blessed and the obstacles at-risk kids in our country face as they grow up. In many other countries, a great percentage of the population is at risk, facing danger and difficulty we can barely imagine. God must weep at what evil has done in this world, and lately we've been reminded of His heartbreak as our hearts break at the evil, pain, and suffering we see. 

The tears have reminded me once more that light is greater than darkness, that good has the capacity to overcome evil. My resolve to live in light and righteousness has been strengthened by the stories I am hearing and living. My prayers for others have grown longer. My view of the battle going on all over the world has shifted, my appreciation of what God's people are doing has grown. My heart to see God's people fight evil with good has deepened. 

Family, Summer 2016

As the summer draws to a close and the school year looms closer I am thankful for our little family of four, our extended family, and a great circle of friends who bless and encourage us. Life in our family is changing as it is in yours, and I thought it might be time to get a short update on our blog.

Kevin is studying at Moody Bible Institute here in Spokane this fall, continuing to pursue a degree in communications. He started classes on Monday and is enjoying his profs and getting to know a few other students. We are enjoying having him live at home and being a part of this journey with him. Kevin also continues to pursue badminton and is investing in the program here in Spokane. Earlier this month he had the opportunity to attend a great training camp in Vancouver, BC.  This summer he has had various jobs, currently with Parks and Recreation. He's enjoyed helping in summer camps for kids and looks forward to working in other areas where Parks and Rec runs programs during the school year. His time quickly fill with coaching, training, and international tournaments.

Kaleb will start his senior year in just over a week. He really enjoyed working at our church camp in Canada for a week this summer as well as connecting with friends in Manitoba. He loves people and loves to encourage and help his friends. On our way back to Spokane  we stopped in Montana to ride a single-track trail Kaleb found online. It was incredibly beautiful and a great thing to do together. Since we returned to Spokane Kaleb has met a number of other riders and has enjoyed hitting some of the bigger jumps and riding with more experienced riders. His next Lego story is nearly scripted, and set building has begun, so the living room once more looks rather like a studio. He also continue to spend time at the local studio where he is currently interning.

Garry is enjoying a couple of weeks in Africa, doing aviation safety audits. The team he has been helping this week has been great to work with and he has shared several stories of all that God is doing and has done in Angola.

I'm thankful to be able to hold down the fort at home. Since we arrived back in Spokane I've been busy catching up on office work, reconnecting with friends, and doing the normal things of life.

We are on an amazing journey together and love the places where God has planted us and the ways He is growing us.

Home and home again

We arrived home in Washington last Thursday after spending a just over three weeks at home in Manitoba. Yes, from home to home it's been. Each place we've lived has become home, and Manitoba has been our home base for nearly 25 years now. Sometimes I think I miss out on having a home, and other times I am reminded that instead of just one home, I have many homes. This summer has put me in the "many homes" mindset once more.

I will try to add a few more posts about our time in Manitoba, but for now a few random thoughts and a couple of photos of our trip back to Washington. We were blessed with sunshine and open roads on the way home. We had decided to do a few fun things on the way, and actually did that! We stopped at a mountain biking train Kaleb found near Butte, Montana and I did my best to keep up with the guys on the beautiful trail. We listened to radio dramas and talked about new memories we made in Manitoba. We had coffee at a local shop in Bozeman. All in all, it was a great trip!

We've been unpacking and repacking as Garry prepares to leave for Africa on Friday. He is going to do aviation safety audits in both Angola and Zambia, a great opportunity to encourage those serving in challenging situations. He is also hoping to learn more about mission aviation in those countries and some of the challenges and joys that are common there.

The other fun we're having this week is meeting new students here at Moody Spokane. Student services hosts several events to allow us as staff to connect with new students, and we signed up to join a couple of those. Monday evening we joined a large group at a local park for a BBQ and on Thursday we plan to head to a camp that is about an hour away to spend a bit more time with new students. These are great opportunities to get to know students and hear what kind of dreams they are entering the program here with.

As Kaleb and I settle back into life here in Spokane and Garry prepares for his time in Africa, we are blessed to know that we are not in this alone. We have a great team of people behind us, cheering us on and praying for us each step of the way. Thanks for being that kind of team!

Travels and Camp

Two weeks ago today we were at home in Washington, packing our bags. Wednesday morning we hit the road, and it's been a bit of craziness and a lot of fun since then. On the way we stopped and met a couple of guys who were selling used bikes. It was standing in the sunshine in Banff chatting with an Aussie that I realized Kaleb is at "that point", the place where dirt jumping is serious and he's in it for the long haul. At the drive-in burger joint in Calgary we ordered a shake because Kevin had a great one there last year, and I was amazed at the parts of the country we have explored. Stopping beside the road in Saskatchewan I felt quite at home cramped in the front seat trying to get comfortable to sleep. And somewhere in the blurriness of dawn I realized that friends in Manitoba are some of my longest-time ones.

Our first days in Manitoba have been awesome. We enjoyed working at our church camp for a week, helping in the kitchen while Kaleb was a counsellor. We met new people and experienced a bit of camp for ourselves. (More about that in another post!).

Since getting "home" we've enjoyed many great conversations, too much good food, and many cups of coffee with family and friends. We've caught up with some of our family and a number of friends. We have been reminded both that we belong and that we don't. We have laughed and tried to hold back the tears. We have shared and listened.

In it all, we've been reminded that we are a Body, a team. Our lives are intertwined with so many, and we are blessed by that reality.

Summer's Shaping Up

Summer in Spokane is lovely! Some days are quite warm (some might think it's really hot) and many days are cool. Everything is green. People are enjoying the outdoors, and walking around the neighborhood has become an relationship-building experience. Lots of friends are camping, and we are looking forward to doing some of that later this summer also. We are also planning a quick trip to Manitoba to visit family and friends next month. Yes, summer is shaping up beautifully.

We are finding a different rhythm working at an aviation school, a rhythm that is mostly energizing and constantly on the move in a somewhat repetitive manner. With the complexity of maintenance and flight training, summer is just two weeks without students. One week is prep for the coming semester and the other week is instructors'  vacation week. This week one of Garry's main goals is to prepare a training session for in-service, training staff to use the new SMS software we have! While his presentation will not be long, it is challenging to know what is most important to share first and how to implement a complex program in the simplest possible way.

Since my last post we have been busy with end-of-year events and gatherings. Somehow I had forgotten how many events there were. And this year there are extra things going on as we celebrate (and cry over) Cec's retirement as the head of Moody Aviation. Plus, we know more people, some of whom have kids graduating and some of Kaleb's friends have planned special things for the end of the year. All in all, it has been an event-laden few weeks, and we have a few more to attend. Each event has provided good opportunities to celebrate, invest, enjoy, and learn. And now, I am ready for the part of summer that includes BBQs in the back yard, bike rides, iced tea with friends, and picking what I hope will grow in the small garden we planted.

I am also looking forward to getting caught up on office work, particularly with some of the things I help Garry with at Moody. Garry is enjoying setting up the software for the most part, and that process is opening many great conversations with staff and students. As we look to the future, we are excited about the potential this software has to help mission aviators be safer and more effective in what God is calling them to. 

Soon I should be able to blog a bit more... there is lots going on for Kevin and Kaleb, but I'll share that in another post.