Family Conference

We enjoyed a wonderful family conference last week. Thanks to Kevin and Linda Swanson for making the long journey over hear to share with with us from the Word. We really were blessed by that! Here's our awesome MAF Kalimantan team.

The kids had a blast in VBS. Thanks to the MAF gals that came all the way over here to do a program for the kids. I don't know how they do it...as you can see, there's a TON of energy in this group!!!

Aren't I a lucky (blessed) guy?!

Guess what? They opened up a new movie theatre in Balikpapan! Don't worry, we don't have one in Tarakan. But once a year, when we go to Balikpapan, we can see a movie...that is, if there's anything good showing. Joy and I took a little date there one evening, and guess what they had? Diet Coke fountain drinks and popcorn with extra butter! I think Joy would have bought a ticket just to get a soda and popcorn, even if she had to sit in the lobby all night. She was pretty excited!

As for the kids, they were excited about the dolphin show. Dolphin show??? Yeah, that's what we said. What dolphin show? When I was jogging one early morning I saw a random sign between buildings advertising a dolphin show (almost like a traveling circus in the U.S.) It was pretty sad really. They basically dug a big hole (well not very big) and put a plastic liner in it, filled it with water and put some kitchen style vinyl around the sides. Then they erected some makeshift stands and a tarp roof and charged $3 per person to watch the dolphins, a sea lion and some otters do tricks.

Hudson was chilling with his buddy Seth.

I had to show you this...b/c it totally captures what we go through on a daily basis. Here we are at a dolphin show--IN BALIKPAPAN--I mean, when was the last time they had a dolphin show here. And what are the people beside us most interested in? Not the dolphins. No, they couldn't get enough of the little white kids. They kept standing up and taking pictures and video of our kids...what dolphins? Check out these strange white kids! Get some video of these creatures! :) I'm thinking we should make a big tent, teach them to do some tricks, and sell tickets to people to come watch us. What do you think? :)

I didn't take my good camera along to conference--to much other baggage. That's why the movie and dolphin pics are so grainy. But a special thanks to my friend and fellow pilot and awesome photographer, Tripp Flythe, for our new family photo below, and the top three photos above. Tripp and Heather are our newest family here in Tarakan. This week I started working with Tripp to get him checked out to fly solo in the Krayan region of northeast Kalimantan. I'm sure I'll share some photos of that soon.