tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24271363037181606802024-03-05T10:47:42.447+03:00The Forney FlyerDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.comBlogger415125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-71105840925091336232021-09-25T14:52:00.002+03:002021-09-25T14:52:25.807+03:00More From Liberia<p>I've really been enjoying being busy helping with the MAF flight operations in Liberia. </p><p>Shortly after I landed at a remote location one day, our other aircraft, piloted by Ulrich Müeller, also landed (below) at the same airstrip.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7e_SCogauTqyntMAF3lGXhTzYrtxM6qBr6AcXZrv-belm9y5DvpetpJIGq9oaalDLyVNirnoEcOa5Dn8HleTdXVp7csbcWgkrcUwll8U1Y7UVo8tGZlsWSM_jS63b6fWUEkm5UCQvWfqE/s1600/210913_P1003165.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7e_SCogauTqyntMAF3lGXhTzYrtxM6qBr6AcXZrv-belm9y5DvpetpJIGq9oaalDLyVNirnoEcOa5Dn8HleTdXVp7csbcWgkrcUwll8U1Y7UVo8tGZlsWSM_jS63b6fWUEkm5UCQvWfqE/w1600-h1067/210913_P1003165.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was about to load up two medical patients into my aircraft. But since Uli had just arrived, he gratefully offered to help with the loading, so that I could take some photos. Don't worry... we had previously already acquired permissions from all involved to be photographed. Personally I do not like to 'stage' photos, and I don't like to ask people to slow down, or pose, or whatever. It just feels fake. So if I'm photographing, I like to do my best to blend into the background, or at least out of the way, and then just shoot whatever is truly happening, as it happens in real time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Practically speaking, that means that it's often very difficult or impossible for me to get good photos of the activities around a plane, when I'm the only pilot--because my first priority is of course always the safety and security of the plane/flight. So it's a rare but great opportunity when I have the chance to photograph another one of our pilots in action. And again, just in case you might think it would be awkward for a patient, or medical personnel to be photographed, I'll put your mind at ease by saying that we always explain that MAF is a not-for-profit mission, and there are many people who pray and give to help make these flights possible. It is important that we can also share with those folks how the aircraft are being used to bless people in remote locations. And most people are very understanding of that, and very thankful for the help, and very happy to be in the photographs. Even-so, I always try to be respectful and discreet in the way I photograph or show people (especially patients) and of course, that we always do have their permission first. So don't worry. ;-) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCaaoUWIPhLxSsQY8mKGh2MzAtk-z7MJnpYhhbgwaIkGvqAsIrc1UFYZSvfBKUyLk6ptVkNcWItHUOEg9Ju8-ASQercErrezCHBQkAo_AGGwQQDwBg2kg2Hvn4lg3oWTABkzq-K1NaESS/s1600/210914_P1003227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCaaoUWIPhLxSsQY8mKGh2MzAtk-z7MJnpYhhbgwaIkGvqAsIrc1UFYZSvfBKUyLk6ptVkNcWItHUOEg9Ju8-ASQercErrezCHBQkAo_AGGwQQDwBg2kg2Hvn4lg3oWTABkzq-K1NaESS/w1600-h1067/210914_P1003227.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was an additional patient, already loaded, and seated in front of the stretcher patient. Here, Uli is carefully strapping in the 2nd patient for the 1.5 hour flight that I would make to take both patients and the medical personnel accompanying them, to the capital city for treatment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcjSyvyGxxGOQrfDkqwCRaybiV3f5a-KZoFGn0fw-uAJkwBuX2L9HXq9NyseQgWh0GpRwBJecc4mwwRXCf2hTfuOYmcbHb0fnKkJi4wC6Ku0sHW3PyIS1w2fZG3qF9NNs2vfLVspAge61/s1600/210915_P1003253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcjSyvyGxxGOQrfDkqwCRaybiV3f5a-KZoFGn0fw-uAJkwBuX2L9HXq9NyseQgWh0GpRwBJecc4mwwRXCf2hTfuOYmcbHb0fnKkJi4wC6Ku0sHW3PyIS1w2fZG3qF9NNs2vfLVspAge61/w1600-h1067/210915_P1003253.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Upon landing in Monrovia, I was met and assisted, as usual, by the very capable MAF team.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0H8ns7fxdsAIxS3_pwRNBXQMhxyJzIKJPwvnXfx-D9l4qY9pdEFHZDU68cEbpIWljWsvGJJ9zQElsobbZBJ3su492XpM2QTKrIydG03Rhgf4pRcFktFArEWbCCuo1TEr8GIKcEuhuL4s/s1600/210916_P1003397.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0H8ns7fxdsAIxS3_pwRNBXQMhxyJzIKJPwvnXfx-D9l4qY9pdEFHZDU68cEbpIWljWsvGJJ9zQElsobbZBJ3su492XpM2QTKrIydG03Rhgf4pRcFktFArEWbCCuo1TEr8GIKcEuhuL4s/w1600-h1067/210916_P1003397.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most patients are very happy for us to pray with/for them, which we did both before and after this flight. Here, the serving MAF country director, Leon Prinsloo, prays with the two medical patients after they have been loaded into the ambulance, and before they go to the hospital. It's worth noting that I had previously asked some of the local people in the remote town where I had picked up these two patients, "how long would it take to drive from there to Monrovia?" They laughed at the question and told me that it is not even possible to do that--not at this time of year anyway--not during the rainy season. They said that sometimes it might be possible, but it would be many days of tough travel, but right now they said the jungle roads are totally impassible. And it's also worth noting that both of these patients were actually in quite serious condition. I was very glad that MAF was able to provide help to transport them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUtp0HQZ0wsJVlho0F6MnjELVFdQwGeYKzEHnB7pomLS7MG9xhVbYmK_1_7IzcaWz3RcZSJWKCg9bfPH-I5dtIOxnavOqUclPf9jt-opSkNj7cU2BNMiJ29S6mY9KLRk7bLYOu06jCoJy/s1600/210917_P1003418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUtp0HQZ0wsJVlho0F6MnjELVFdQwGeYKzEHnB7pomLS7MG9xhVbYmK_1_7IzcaWz3RcZSJWKCg9bfPH-I5dtIOxnavOqUclPf9jt-opSkNj7cU2BNMiJ29S6mY9KLRk7bLYOu06jCoJy/w1600-h1067/210917_P1003418.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Switching gears... here is a shot of downtown Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Pho2EOG9Wi4f8sYACoyXAsV8UHwmXuqk345wLpoTnPZC2zooqfdFftBj0zBz0ZDWSvBhGu8NFYSB8Hi4kpoNGA3SgvaPQxvCeoZrVMi6g11zwARHmgHMyvWFvGChTmRdqkqwLHYpbuCi/s1600/210918_IMG_7779.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Pho2EOG9Wi4f8sYACoyXAsV8UHwmXuqk345wLpoTnPZC2zooqfdFftBj0zBz0ZDWSvBhGu8NFYSB8Hi4kpoNGA3SgvaPQxvCeoZrVMi6g11zwARHmgHMyvWFvGChTmRdqkqwLHYpbuCi/w1600-h10676/210918_IMG_7779.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's a shot from just nearby the above one, which shows markets along the roads where people are buying and selling stuff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5UHsR12q_dmg36yBzcuJQUJFKFVVl_GD66RL9qcMXZ-uAGkCOdho6bqx4sYtmvXO5IdZyE-KzXBidiZ8vgzQ8VqNbfCEa6e_71r_SlRrRdqciPjfcbWyEIZDSQ4Gmj0eGgwygnnM1z25/s1600/210919_P1003606.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5UHsR12q_dmg36yBzcuJQUJFKFVVl_GD66RL9qcMXZ-uAGkCOdho6bqx4sYtmvXO5IdZyE-KzXBidiZ8vgzQ8VqNbfCEa6e_71r_SlRrRdqciPjfcbWyEIZDSQ4Gmj0eGgwygnnM1z25/w1600-h1067/210919_P1003606.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is not at all an unusual scene on departure from our 'home' airport here. The rainy season offers some challenging flying!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIY00ljICC2WftDzNdDNoj7QZ_U_WdHE6QRWYn94hiKu_N2eDNYwOXopnn5L1iPi6eS-kRGq4xwqn3BXJntomZt3i2Wn2zhUCIqXURONctk6c4TP4D7IBI_gJ3hn-X-pPsAKIC4DhyphenhyphenQDNb/s1600/210920_IMG_7880.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIY00ljICC2WftDzNdDNoj7QZ_U_WdHE6QRWYn94hiKu_N2eDNYwOXopnn5L1iPi6eS-kRGq4xwqn3BXJntomZt3i2Wn2zhUCIqXURONctk6c4TP4D7IBI_gJ3hn-X-pPsAKIC4DhyphenhyphenQDNb/w1600-h1067/210920_IMG_7880.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But it has the potential to look like this!... although, in the past 5 weeks of flying here, I've only had about 2 days like this. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTHDC5qPw2gfQpQzcy9lcAbGh6DrHrNoBSSKzIXodbGt9-u8QmOByGJ3R0atLNfh_ACsiIqOQO8frp_KfwH5SJ2IZY9HUXHqdCWuq5HfPkigIJEdkZ7az9tUbrnqFarmcAE_mcArJznhd/s1600/210921_IMG_7809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTHDC5qPw2gfQpQzcy9lcAbGh6DrHrNoBSSKzIXodbGt9-u8QmOByGJ3R0atLNfh_ACsiIqOQO8frp_KfwH5SJ2IZY9HUXHqdCWuq5HfPkigIJEdkZ7az9tUbrnqFarmcAE_mcArJznhd/w1600-h1067/210921_IMG_7809.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a few more shots from the air showing the remote and rugged terrain over which we fly...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkydkfNOvXCvyoWCNPKQY2p9EyOmUjJASPOxM39fBpjEuP6AKUvqMBQjP88rCHahUotwKNZKVQ0FQneDQsh_JejsaTMRiXZ2nWc1nUpr2qoplRFz0o8BzVpTBqQEjQ3IZclFawzRuGR9c/s1600/210922_P1003076.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkydkfNOvXCvyoWCNPKQY2p9EyOmUjJASPOxM39fBpjEuP6AKUvqMBQjP88rCHahUotwKNZKVQ0FQneDQsh_JejsaTMRiXZ2nWc1nUpr2qoplRFz0o8BzVpTBqQEjQ3IZclFawzRuGR9c/w1600-h1067/210922_P1003076.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWgwJcOkOt2jSnszxyriK0gGP96rSORbUzps2TWy4z9yH_U-b2eihyWB7EIDhocxoP2T4w_qycgyMQ2KGRFUuZvLQ1srusYaJYk-l34IJihBdA3C3R14rj7k_O94ePAFsjbx4ynI2qNHD/s1600/210923_P1003513.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWgwJcOkOt2jSnszxyriK0gGP96rSORbUzps2TWy4z9yH_U-b2eihyWB7EIDhocxoP2T4w_qycgyMQ2KGRFUuZvLQ1srusYaJYk-l34IJihBdA3C3R14rj7k_O94ePAFsjbx4ynI2qNHD/w1600-h1067/210923_P1003513.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I'll end with a nice sunset after the rains cleared out a few nights ago...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZDaIO99no7U_I-wNJQ3Gi98fOr4N6BAkvK4y7Es4j_B70Q91KMSzGoPLvjXRJctKP_OqTNLwhsxrRJaf2douYAbs38A_3yZp7Bg1ZPLrsmD8tVpB2bvFqnnTrSAW_QC20_QJL3IKuBwo/s1600/210924_IMG_7836.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZDaIO99no7U_I-wNJQ3Gi98fOr4N6BAkvK4y7Es4j_B70Q91KMSzGoPLvjXRJctKP_OqTNLwhsxrRJaf2douYAbs38A_3yZp7Bg1ZPLrsmD8tVpB2bvFqnnTrSAW_QC20_QJL3IKuBwo/w1600-h1067/210924_IMG_7836.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-44308945210307803302021-09-05T12:33:00.002+03:002021-09-05T12:33:19.112+03:00MAF Liberia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few weeks ago I was asked to pop over to Liberia (on the west coast of Africa) to help with their flying for six weeks. Our Liberia program has been short on pilots and very busy with flying, so of course I was happy to help!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJ5nfjZAl_ZdXhQuMdtbuxZsW8kGL5FnVzS0evtxoek4innieaDoGjmTGzpemXwkAGUAjxb0y2iuXEuwNS8AaDxllhpo-qu-b7ncg3gXRgku-j6q5qYGT1zwnk2-nt3HK357wdbqy2vj2/s1600/210901_P1003143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJ5nfjZAl_ZdXhQuMdtbuxZsW8kGL5FnVzS0evtxoek4innieaDoGjmTGzpemXwkAGUAjxb0y2iuXEuwNS8AaDxllhpo-qu-b7ncg3gXRgku-j6q5qYGT1zwnk2-nt3HK357wdbqy2vj2/w1600-h1067/210901_P1003143.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Above is a shot of a bunch of Covid vaccines and other medicines and medical supplies that I delivered to a remote hospital in a town at the very southeastern tip of Liberia. Below I'm unloading cargo before picking up two serious medical patients (you can see the stretcher behind me.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z4efKQtWEj1hIoV0PpvkEnT2L-KhsdRBURCJlf5Do7PTqXQnJfchLGltdYVuduT6vCNu910RsQMtO_hkRZBB4OFVVszKo8yLxXWWYy0xyytj1axNctL5xub3Xa_8cQZBsMJHltStNwYy/s1600/210902_P1003138.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z4efKQtWEj1hIoV0PpvkEnT2L-KhsdRBURCJlf5Do7PTqXQnJfchLGltdYVuduT6vCNu910RsQMtO_hkRZBB4OFVVszKo8yLxXWWYy0xyytj1axNctL5xub3Xa_8cQZBsMJHltStNwYy/w1600-h1067/210902_P1003138.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is one of the airstrips that we frequently fly to... as you can see it is very close to the ocean.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoiQyWPANf1-K-pu_cqgWtrsQdvj4OFgoVXR9A23wUzJRTOFi99NWQQrCdRPejoqfcx4PzfNab0E0HRAAG_0UfrY1WzoLvGBZUXO8eN4YqhG6FmmMOGU-tUYtgawwsHlXyLeGXMvDaODk/s1600/210903_P1003100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoiQyWPANf1-K-pu_cqgWtrsQdvj4OFgoVXR9A23wUzJRTOFi99NWQQrCdRPejoqfcx4PzfNab0E0HRAAG_0UfrY1WzoLvGBZUXO8eN4YqhG6FmmMOGU-tUYtgawwsHlXyLeGXMvDaODk/w1600-h1067/210903_P1003100.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are a number of towns/villages situated just along the coast, but frankly I've seen virtually no roads along the coast. Occasionally, near a town I'll see a few muddy narrow 'roads' branching out a few miles from the town, but then they seem to vanish. So, for the most part it's just rugged coastline that merges into jungle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD58xpGEQf7TAknTI_1FD55oBkSdtW3p6GBXwzj3mDG29CsQYqJ-1LgIcls7dgNUOpTLCEosTBqPmXLb5It-u1zxsPqTeKDXxYNlZ4C6nyCAnAcnt-u-hZni-YQ9KHY7kdqtK34zHAsZtK/s1600/210904_P1003306.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD58xpGEQf7TAknTI_1FD55oBkSdtW3p6GBXwzj3mDG29CsQYqJ-1LgIcls7dgNUOpTLCEosTBqPmXLb5It-u1zxsPqTeKDXxYNlZ4C6nyCAnAcnt-u-hZni-YQ9KHY7kdqtK34zHAsZtK/w1600-h1067/210904_P1003306.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I've also seen no large ships, though I'm sure they must come to/from the capital city from time to time. But up and down the coast I've seen nothing other than a few small canoes and very small wooden boats. And if you pan the camera just a few miles in from the coast, then it's nothing but dense, sopping wet jungle. In short, it's definitely a place with vast geological barriers where the need for the plane is obvious!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_k-hoEXUabBqQgzOOHnXs91dbuZpvWHl_N3RP_alDsvefKlLsjFNepn4dHYdwlndgG-ZxjdCeQrHgVenJxO6HxiEvkU2BPcCWKJyF2OgSSirQp8einhjEgnqjVau4SyPgUSfEH7-vb3s4/s1600/210905_P1003088.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_k-hoEXUabBqQgzOOHnXs91dbuZpvWHl_N3RP_alDsvefKlLsjFNepn4dHYdwlndgG-ZxjdCeQrHgVenJxO6HxiEvkU2BPcCWKJyF2OgSSirQp8einhjEgnqjVau4SyPgUSfEH7-vb3s4/w1600-h1067/210905_P1003088.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now that I've shown you the 'nice' shots of what it <i>can</i> look like when the sun is shining (which in my short time here seems to almost never happen) now let me show you what it usually looks like...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oOzdTE8BBbZQEAN7M6sft08Gr9TKN1W72-QsOhgg0bEusGRLxAy4YP3Ttx6kjSDnJBWsy3ORTFE6R9BHsYADDC4IXj0vZd_GysDei9xGF42VHO__uEzYrrhOgWbGQ5TnIPx-D6mmmYul/s1600/210906_IMG_7729.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oOzdTE8BBbZQEAN7M6sft08Gr9TKN1W72-QsOhgg0bEusGRLxAy4YP3Ttx6kjSDnJBWsy3ORTFE6R9BHsYADDC4IXj0vZd_GysDei9xGF42VHO__uEzYrrhOgWbGQ5TnIPx-D6mmmYul/w1600-h1067/210906_IMG_7729.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6NWEKYP3McP8uoHQqe_t0G18ynmVb5D4wcsjx5fUVeGbUjmm5XGphyphenhyphenbCeGV5ct8zmc33i49fBtt0CI9aw94stG9m_wEN9WkUGbmDMwPczkx4h43cM7oY0xI5Okq9Psjdf2EaGXHyxNDD/s1600/210907_IMG_7718.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6NWEKYP3McP8uoHQqe_t0G18ynmVb5D4wcsjx5fUVeGbUjmm5XGphyphenhyphenbCeGV5ct8zmc33i49fBtt0CI9aw94stG9m_wEN9WkUGbmDMwPczkx4h43cM7oY0xI5Okq9Psjdf2EaGXHyxNDD/w1600-h1067/210907_IMG_7718.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Actually, even the above two shots are not really accurate, because most of the time I can't see the ground at all once I'm at an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) altitude. It's rainy season here right now and it's an understatement to say that it rains a lot. I've lived and flown/worked in a lot of places around the world, but I've never seen a place that can put out so much relentless, pounding rain day after day after day, most of which is not even tied to thunderstorms. It's just sopping wet atmospheric stuff. Incidentally, it seems that this is where the brewing begins for those storms that build into monster hurricanes that cross the Atlantic and eventually slam into the Americas this time of year. Fun fact: Monrovia (where MAF Liberia is based) is the wettest capital city in the world! They apparently get about 15 feet of rain a year, and I believe it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqzsDpK8NYRZPheuWv_c4MrnJfkp8mD9sob5uXWZJKivzGf8BbJ06Z1cswSomdp1gg-BNc8atG7K_Kni4PQGesePHomXadRjSTp_Gvm6U2G1qYgcjNmyKmspwpgUOxBr754esRaA31Q8R/s1600/210908_IMG_7737.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqzsDpK8NYRZPheuWv_c4MrnJfkp8mD9sob5uXWZJKivzGf8BbJ06Z1cswSomdp1gg-BNc8atG7K_Kni4PQGesePHomXadRjSTp_Gvm6U2G1qYgcjNmyKmspwpgUOxBr754esRaA31Q8R/w1600-h1067/210908_IMG_7737.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's obviously challenging weather to fly in, but frankly, I've been enjoying it. It reminds me a bit of some of the flying I used to do in Indonesia. I've definitely done quite a number of low-pass runway inspections before landing here, just to make sure of the condition of the surface--b/c of all the mud/rain. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJmmSahG5hU65Zt1uRbZckpIZK7LWVlRtZu9KfY702j0ydkRq9dHSDikKLNHGDeOClmnUDfT7q6ckKtGpgZtir7YQZWBtpr44QkWOTbC8-jEVGZzTBzqEFQH1mefFBjXF-Kh0NHaIRP-Q/s1600/210909_IMG_7731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJmmSahG5hU65Zt1uRbZckpIZK7LWVlRtZu9KfY702j0ydkRq9dHSDikKLNHGDeOClmnUDfT7q6ckKtGpgZtir7YQZWBtpr44QkWOTbC8-jEVGZzTBzqEFQH1mefFBjXF-Kh0NHaIRP-Q/w1600-h1067/210909_IMG_7731.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But if you maintain margins and are careful, it can still be done safely in the rain. And a little rain never hurt anyone, right? I've enjoyed seeing, and being a part of, the wide variety of strategic flights that MAF does here--from 'traditional' mission flying to critical medical transport flights, to humanitarian and community development etc. This past week I was the only MAF pilot in the country so I was flying every day and really enjoying it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9mE3mXeQ8FzZADEWaK80UYfdCsyggGNUq-vU6OqVTRxaaR6Q_OcfWj4Sp8Aqipmp7BsFt3OUGpyMkJ_wkG7Po7dLboAFYLfO7R4qaPTfQN-glqfE03Vz4g1ccxxKWNUFuszo_n0JbGFe/s1600/210910_IMG_7734.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9mE3mXeQ8FzZADEWaK80UYfdCsyggGNUq-vU6OqVTRxaaR6Q_OcfWj4Sp8Aqipmp7BsFt3OUGpyMkJ_wkG7Po7dLboAFYLfO7R4qaPTfQN-glqfE03Vz4g1ccxxKWNUFuszo_n0JbGFe/w1600-h1067/210910_IMG_7734.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Earlier this week Henk Jan (below, right) who is the MAF-International Africa Regional Director, dropped in for a two-day program visit. He has an extensive and distinguished background/career in aviation, including (but not limited to) many years in MAF. I was privileged to have him join me for a flight interior, and I was glad that the weather cooperated that day--in fact it was the nicest day, by far, since I've been here. (Below, Henk Jan talks to missionary, Kim Smith, about his ministry while I was waiting for my return load/passengers back to Monrovia.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kgYrG7KwQL9rCrVMoYRyM_nmgt-BNyJOVr88A9XAK28ibgPzZB980DjtJcMivt3yC990HZC076evxNqY6UrrhSYDLGWfxNUxpizu1R2c6YL1KSFc5RZjBtSYRu8AXeBCgilWkRpWERtT/s1600/210911_P1003429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kgYrG7KwQL9rCrVMoYRyM_nmgt-BNyJOVr88A9XAK28ibgPzZB980DjtJcMivt3yC990HZC076evxNqY6UrrhSYDLGWfxNUxpizu1R2c6YL1KSFc5RZjBtSYRu8AXeBCgilWkRpWERtT/w1600-h1067/210911_P1003429.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One rare evening when the sun popped out for a few minutes before it set, I walked down the beach. No, I haven't jumped in yet, but I'm guessing I will before I leave in a month. That said, because of the nearly constant storms, the surf is really rough, and there are also many hidden rocks in the surf, and I'm told there are also strong undertows and rip currents in this area. Plus, the water is muddy brown and full of seaweed because of the winds/storms. So I need to wait for the right place/time so that I don't become shark or shrimp food.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhisVJAxRaSp3GKL3ab8FbCVtppSZvymEvIzktVRoSe_XPStLL__XBEDmbiiCEunk8amO3RKHx0zQAWu6vHoaGWPjMl-DZhaCbeWAv4vGrC9nlYbv2_ncxDfQTDizyufHrXdYN1QyXE3n/s1600/210912_IMG_7697.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhisVJAxRaSp3GKL3ab8FbCVtppSZvymEvIzktVRoSe_XPStLL__XBEDmbiiCEunk8amO3RKHx0zQAWu6vHoaGWPjMl-DZhaCbeWAv4vGrC9nlYbv2_ncxDfQTDizyufHrXdYN1QyXE3n/w1600-h1067/210912_IMG_7697.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-91848510099660893542021-08-10T12:23:00.002+03:002021-08-10T12:29:06.350+03:00From the Flight Line<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's some random shots from the flight line. First, one of our Cessna 208B Grand Caravans taking off from our home airstrip in Kajjansi, Uganda. This aircraft is now serving in Liberia.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_G4PeLsXkq8FTVAIvy4z0K3zWT2LfUjlZkb7_Tl_nvFqdRN7L9I064k90sFZDA3L6ao0rX7K4kjyy33vCbI33E9TBt1_3ZC7lUDKzl0qd7H5p_JeDHWSaldcAOf5ePYVBT5BcIBbOQ0v/s1600/210801_SS6A9647.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_G4PeLsXkq8FTVAIvy4z0K3zWT2LfUjlZkb7_Tl_nvFqdRN7L9I064k90sFZDA3L6ao0rX7K4kjyy33vCbI33E9TBt1_3ZC7lUDKzl0qd7H5p_JeDHWSaldcAOf5ePYVBT5BcIBbOQ0v/w1600-h1067/210801_SS6A9647.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've always loved watching the sky and the weather. Last week I was out of the city and had a chance to see the milky way in all it's glory. Maybe sometime I'll share some of those pics too. But in the meantime, here are a few shots related to the sky/weather, from the flight line, as I was pre-flighting airplanes in Kajjansi. These first two are photos of the rising son, through fog. I obviously took (and am sharing) two versions of this, b/c as you can see, in the first one I focused on the sun and intentionally threw the MAF logo out of focus, whereas in the second one I made the focus the MAF logo itself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjgb-sHiiZ4b6pT1APoPn4GAAQPakCj4G-TUGlxntIsgmxmWGILvkx-xdCKc7I_vhG-KXVJjgTEZItNJ9GuyuE1lvG5up2Y2CCRYQtW4ustqIgFP-pqZ-FTXtRDYYSyHrKGF9AfOY5FO3/s1600/210802_P1001788.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjgb-sHiiZ4b6pT1APoPn4GAAQPakCj4G-TUGlxntIsgmxmWGILvkx-xdCKc7I_vhG-KXVJjgTEZItNJ9GuyuE1lvG5up2Y2CCRYQtW4ustqIgFP-pqZ-FTXtRDYYSyHrKGF9AfOY5FO3/w1600-h1067/210802_P1001788.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFft3-bl3qzcrc51YpvgPkOf5bWxx51T8cy8Vk1clmUNX9u7x-ISUeVVD-qFQVwCBQiTfD_xNvbHyJUJMcU3hshkuACKDrIzQ3An0UDbgYQ_STbcznA98DUq5s3d5sWB5ePmNyDz1vDaDB/s1600/210803_P1001796.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFft3-bl3qzcrc51YpvgPkOf5bWxx51T8cy8Vk1clmUNX9u7x-ISUeVVD-qFQVwCBQiTfD_xNvbHyJUJMcU3hshkuACKDrIzQ3An0UDbgYQ_STbcznA98DUq5s3d5sWB5ePmNyDz1vDaDB/w1600-h1067/210803_P1001796.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's one taken only a few weeks apart, and it is also in the morning, but this time it's obviously the moon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60g0W1gkFwz-Ez-N4sMo8uhri_RTEtSuRgTPR1gxhM0oH7K-BQIauHemVzz8vuCpW6lK_ucJ2mC9BBghBfZ920Jsr52xqsdZEy15enrHDXg-F90jCRpYzKVQzRNET5Y2ciFSxbk3aAxfG/s1600/210804_P1002037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60g0W1gkFwz-Ez-N4sMo8uhri_RTEtSuRgTPR1gxhM0oH7K-BQIauHemVzz8vuCpW6lK_ucJ2mC9BBghBfZ920Jsr52xqsdZEy15enrHDXg-F90jCRpYzKVQzRNET5Y2ciFSxbk3aAxfG/w1600-h1067/210804_P1002037.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Haze and smoke are quite common here in our part of Uganda, but fog in our area is not so common. Here's another shot of the flight line in some very thick morning fog.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Z9t767fQu8-ElzMmilzkRo0yiXZEi-iQZnqzjVeEc-tztLVbcDiIkmbWIbA9UhbryJQnZHGwBzwwwi-cVYWECA8hcVf6IYX_Zp10M199eF3k0il1fd9LLtYuZaffTdmHL6dGuHTyyTLy/s1600/210805_P1001801.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Z9t767fQu8-ElzMmilzkRo0yiXZEi-iQZnqzjVeEc-tztLVbcDiIkmbWIbA9UhbryJQnZHGwBzwwwi-cVYWECA8hcVf6IYX_Zp10M199eF3k0il1fd9LLtYuZaffTdmHL6dGuHTyyTLy/w1600-h1067/210805_P1001801.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's what it looks like on a more typical morning, with nice skies, and a dissipating thunderstorm out over Lake Victoria in the distance.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFskkBfrX3q_2hX2N_TPXDCKVmwZm6WRRO1qh3OYDg-dkq2JiSdNaS4Yv68aXxjy987FQ0mKB6mvmT8QKfGP_l9mpAUanh1-pqZ9oTsJsTxVGPMIIIoRKLlXlTMUlznSo2VsT1dabMq30x/s1600/210806_P1002053.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFskkBfrX3q_2hX2N_TPXDCKVmwZm6WRRO1qh3OYDg-dkq2JiSdNaS4Yv68aXxjy987FQ0mKB6mvmT8QKfGP_l9mpAUanh1-pqZ9oTsJsTxVGPMIIIoRKLlXlTMUlznSo2VsT1dabMq30x/w1600-h1067/210806_P1002053.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a shot of the Karamojang landscape in Northeastern Uganda. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsVCvrKtbz0JovkJkegE1zjJMKH7gZUuUm4-NTMbea8_SN-o4pqojfl-QiTfQMOw5jTcTPmeABJbs8EOBC21S-aAKs7ht6TuFcR4mmP1heBGJap3avv9DzxchQZNcp4Hh-6LlA883lnuX/s1600/210807_IMG_6666.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsVCvrKtbz0JovkJkegE1zjJMKH7gZUuUm4-NTMbea8_SN-o4pqojfl-QiTfQMOw5jTcTPmeABJbs8EOBC21S-aAKs7ht6TuFcR4mmP1heBGJap3avv9DzxchQZNcp4Hh-6LlA883lnuX/w1600-h1067/210807_IMG_6666.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's a shot of the steep, lush slopes of the eastern edge of East DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and the western edge of Lake Albert which separates EDRC from Uganda.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsTuM9Db1A1nzMrZIh2ux_oWnf9mdesEUQ2RUk7OH1p4jMQPl20OGuIZpZ9dCYt525k5_p8OKxfFOm4y4il6mji7CtoF0x7x3KREKFAFBMxPvitPi8DbqT2J_JLk-q-MMKA_NKSZ2bny5/s1600/210808_IMG_6777.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsTuM9Db1A1nzMrZIh2ux_oWnf9mdesEUQ2RUk7OH1p4jMQPl20OGuIZpZ9dCYt525k5_p8OKxfFOm4y4il6mji7CtoF0x7x3KREKFAFBMxPvitPi8DbqT2J_JLk-q-MMKA_NKSZ2bny5/w1600-h1200/210808_IMG_6777.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's a young chap who was eager to have his photo taken in front of the plane... just like I'm sure I would have done if I had the chance at his age. :-)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-F9dfF9jrwjW1mpEzwjmTGdkwUt1_3IocHRwZjM4gFsCNKWlzeIDFJqJlz6F8KsGBBNrvaOBoMowe1duxJU0JIhLQRUtgpaVEwpgV-rNEYBCfbthPwUOICFVQLMdKGe7iKmD1ZdSakau/s1600/210809_P1002162.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-F9dfF9jrwjW1mpEzwjmTGdkwUt1_3IocHRwZjM4gFsCNKWlzeIDFJqJlz6F8KsGBBNrvaOBoMowe1duxJU0JIhLQRUtgpaVEwpgV-rNEYBCfbthPwUOICFVQLMdKGe7iKmD1ZdSakau/w1600-h1067/210809_P1002162.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-88588591347953029352021-07-03T15:09:00.000+03:002021-07-03T15:09:11.635+03:00Recent Stuff<p>A few weeks ago we (fellow MAF pilot Andrew and I) landed at Amudat airstrip for the first time in a very long time (below).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-eGR1BeJotpPvQlHqJryTuna6r5tHokfCeoVejVJqFCYA90m57eyABpdaDbWrU-BUhPBBiMMMco7Sqw0EMk5bhP7n2tjjM6Rjw5k-94mfS7i18czjUk-QiAF-FzA2pF1RKwjMxpD54VI/s1600/210611_P1002148.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-eGR1BeJotpPvQlHqJryTuna6r5tHokfCeoVejVJqFCYA90m57eyABpdaDbWrU-BUhPBBiMMMco7Sqw0EMk5bhP7n2tjjM6Rjw5k-94mfS7i18czjUk-QiAF-FzA2pF1RKwjMxpD54VI/w1600-h1067/210611_P1002148.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the past year and a half quite a few of the upcountry airstrips in Uganda (especially in Karamoja) deteriorated so badly that we had to stop using them. There were several contributing factors, mostly related to the Covid lockdown and lack of flying for so long, but also due to various organizations and users being short of staff and funding. The next two photos show the Amudat runway from the air (from both directions) during the time that it was closed. It actually got quite a bit worse than this later on, as these were taken soon after it was closed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCo-VsJdjBTEGw0TK1KB1CahS9_Ec8GP1P9BnD0BEpTIeS93YDTcCIROHrIgDe7xROTMfMQFfUJWo0x6sMu5PHjCxZsLxBNQ4MPyO-k7Do3b0FPofW5Z8qT2j1kwDw8Zwyn3nvg4DsGKK/s1600/210612_P1001891.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCo-VsJdjBTEGw0TK1KB1CahS9_Ec8GP1P9BnD0BEpTIeS93YDTcCIROHrIgDe7xROTMfMQFfUJWo0x6sMu5PHjCxZsLxBNQ4MPyO-k7Do3b0FPofW5Z8qT2j1kwDw8Zwyn3nvg4DsGKK/w1600-h1067/210612_P1001891.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamGboVML05FkiOSYw6r6ijtY9qs19xxKInmSsoIIqLGfNoCKDDAY8texApBtyNMRv5d7uomazKBKUkaq-6R3QIBn4R3_HpDGlB-xZdwaA-0DHh5_cIfVzlykDzPhhm6WETjq3fTSqNy6v/s1600/210613_P1001969.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamGboVML05FkiOSYw6r6ijtY9qs19xxKInmSsoIIqLGfNoCKDDAY8texApBtyNMRv5d7uomazKBKUkaq-6R3QIBn4R3_HpDGlB-xZdwaA-0DHh5_cIfVzlykDzPhhm6WETjq3fTSqNy6v/w1600-h1067/210613_P1001969.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our sending church in Oregon gave a very generous gift to help facilitate the reopening of several of the closed airstrips. MAF sent a work team to oversee the project in Amudat. Here is a photo of the cleaned/repaired/improved airstrip, just before we landed there a few weeks ago.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IYBtw0bWi7ejRjxfi1TBp8drjlYCz6SGR_e_3SttuFYn1ve71D_5SzoUQCYJzQzf4UTefTijAzlszPQ2Z_wYwZkUJ5aS6UyHVvivhdY1iBzMyBlgBDjrpm4h2TFm7NSed86gLOijk7Vx/s1600/210614_P1002105.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IYBtw0bWi7ejRjxfi1TBp8drjlYCz6SGR_e_3SttuFYn1ve71D_5SzoUQCYJzQzf4UTefTijAzlszPQ2Z_wYwZkUJ5aS6UyHVvivhdY1iBzMyBlgBDjrpm4h2TFm7NSed86gLOijk7Vx/w1600-h1067/210614_P1002105.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a shot of Andrew and I with the MAF guys that oversaw the project. They also hired many locals to help with the work (which was also a great way to help the people during these very difficult times when it is SO hard for them to find a source of income), and purchased some tools that will be used for continued upkeep of the strip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE50uBcSWXaEn66Msb3pmr2jDHhgKN12EkwdumW1PKs-O7A-NoezLRthxVamiAvaJVMUfpP3pvapX1D2vutlbotJbP3Ds20EAaruB7TXWkmGFH_zi1LkCnrTZfFDRsHoeJqS1VwvGjuZZZ/s1600/210615_P1002204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE50uBcSWXaEn66Msb3pmr2jDHhgKN12EkwdumW1PKs-O7A-NoezLRthxVamiAvaJVMUfpP3pvapX1D2vutlbotJbP3Ds20EAaruB7TXWkmGFH_zi1LkCnrTZfFDRsHoeJqS1VwvGjuZZZ/w1600-h1026/210615_P1002204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anytime a plane lands, especially after it's been a long time, people will seemingly suddenly appear out of nowhere to watch. This time was no exception.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCE71uzi4Xn_JVqwN6Bn4rBd1j7jqvWHMy0_yjcZfnjUsWUBp26QPY49lyr3CBXdFh4hDcYyUJDi2xktR9oyM07U85oXPotHPYd_ytUW2A4SIyYTIHj8Tp8hN6Lvr5H0QOgplDnOGCvhir/s1600/210616_P1002132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCE71uzi4Xn_JVqwN6Bn4rBd1j7jqvWHMy0_yjcZfnjUsWUBp26QPY49lyr3CBXdFh4hDcYyUJDi2xktR9oyM07U85oXPotHPYd_ytUW2A4SIyYTIHj8Tp8hN6Lvr5H0QOgplDnOGCvhir/w1067-h1600/210616_P1002132.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's some random shots from the air that I've taken in the past month or so. This first one captures sort of the classic northern Karamoja.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganU_z-ZOtRnquk2M2gyErDvHbX-600HqEwIJszgbA84wmijmHpBB0RCrsJLkADUI2BfP9Zziqrua9oyfExxMHnw7lfGQUl3cqbfNYDE5azE2jwgaUaKlh5yS5GmBVr16zAUOb_Rt7ukee/s1600/210617_P1002962.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganU_z-ZOtRnquk2M2gyErDvHbX-600HqEwIJszgbA84wmijmHpBB0RCrsJLkADUI2BfP9Zziqrua9oyfExxMHnw7lfGQUl3cqbfNYDE5azE2jwgaUaKlh5yS5GmBVr16zAUOb_Rt7ukee/w1600-h1067/210617_P1002962.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is the very point where the Nile leaves Uganda and enters South Sudan. In this photo the water is flowing from the lower left corner to the bend on the right, and then continuing up towards the upper left corner, on its way South to North. The brown (left) side of the river is South Sudan, and the green (right) side of the photo is Uganda. Just behind/beyond the bend is the town of Nimule, South Sudan. It might strike you as odd that the brown and green are so distinct. It is not always like that. And it's certainly not normally that abrupt of a change between the two countries. It's true that parts of South Sudan can be much dryer than Uganda, but in this region it is generally a much more gradual transition. The reason it's like this here, in this photo, is because the Uganda side is very flat and swampy, hence the greenery, whereas the South Sudan side is the higher ground, and thus dryer, when this photo was taken. But for much of the year both sides are equally green.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUX_sYVr0FK3AvFvkGKOD9UhExTGgXtfk6pPTjOnj31xjwfn0RUF5xIpsAhq89nRVzRR06TWegjaCkgZHKRhjRtxVU_oZvR2Zr0YvRYawW0U596wpfEpzg6-5HFA-HDjcCqTlDiv3cnod/s1600/210618_P1002102.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUX_sYVr0FK3AvFvkGKOD9UhExTGgXtfk6pPTjOnj31xjwfn0RUF5xIpsAhq89nRVzRR06TWegjaCkgZHKRhjRtxVU_oZvR2Zr0YvRYawW0U596wpfEpzg6-5HFA-HDjcCqTlDiv3cnod/w1600-h1067/210618_P1002102.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of green, this was a very odd (algae?) green floating mass of something that was on top of the Lake Victoria water for several weeks, not far from the shore. I have no idea exactly what it was, or what caused it, but it was almost an iridescent green. It's gone now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3See5jSzlrt232jM679jOLEmNDgn_U_idBDaVAh3DxDoQFRmoftwyli_Z04UjRnr_33KMtSeaBwrkyr1lhHNWLUVXtDpj70kzJ6Edlk7lw7ZvUvaLH4NGjng3NNLGpBxkKH2ymENUMqH/s1600/210619_IMG_6526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3See5jSzlrt232jM679jOLEmNDgn_U_idBDaVAh3DxDoQFRmoftwyli_Z04UjRnr_33KMtSeaBwrkyr1lhHNWLUVXtDpj70kzJ6Edlk7lw7ZvUvaLH4NGjng3NNLGpBxkKH2ymENUMqH/w1600-h1200/210619_IMG_6526.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-18248041520861143762021-06-13T13:51:00.003+03:002021-06-13T13:51:27.465+03:00Subsistence Living, Way Back When<p>Well, it's been forever since I've posted and I won't even begin to make excuses. But before I try to start posting stuff from East Africa, I figured I'd finish that series I had started over a year ago about <i>Way Back When</i> we used to live just north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska.</p><p>In the small village where we lived, subsistence living was the way of life. There was a small store in the village, but it had very limited items--canned or pre-packaged stuff that had no shelf life, or at least a very long shelf life. There was rarely fresh produce available, or anything like fresh milk or stuff like that. And there was no fresh meat. Instead, we had to go find our own meat to eat. I realize that there are lots of strong opinions out there regarding hunting, but let me just say this--what I'm talking about in this village was not 'trophy hunting'. This was hunting for food. Below, a shot of me, on my snow machine, with my rifle, far out in the wilderness.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lSMzb9evQWpcfrPxUQT8aqdklepdXEUl1pVsN66fYSy3KhB6ti85ZcHkeRXUO8kYqYmXNIRw8DnK2KFJcB8L2s83WM8HLvX89FqDBSZrth1-8MQM9Z0apdZQu7Pevr7_8GHQ-jbi2-le/s1600/210601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="2000" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lSMzb9evQWpcfrPxUQT8aqdklepdXEUl1pVsN66fYSy3KhB6ti85ZcHkeRXUO8kYqYmXNIRw8DnK2KFJcB8L2s83WM8HLvX89FqDBSZrth1-8MQM9Z0apdZQu7Pevr7_8GHQ-jbi2-le/w640-h421/210601.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During the very short summer, folks stocked up on salmon, cleaning and drying/smoking it to put away in large quantities for the long winter. We were a very, very long way from the ocean, so the salmon were extremely tired by the time they got to us. What that means is that they were not as fat/rich/tasty as the salmon down on the Yukon, or other places closer to the sea, so often these salmon became the main source of food for the dog teams that require a lot of protein throughout the winter. Then, folks in our village would often trade other types of meat that we could get more easily, with friends/relatives further down river, or out near the coast, and in exchange they would be given the nice, fat salmon for eating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNEOnYqarg47i5hPjRfdeJxBT92v5aDcBEkiwu_LYXqL9i4ptqOvA3erP3YqTozpYAQBgIEkSs5zw6dpJvLy_gb4qHw2hNcny_D9aDSbBCKIJHsRYzGmjd1InzncDhZagJtb48B_IHOmH/s1600/210602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNEOnYqarg47i5hPjRfdeJxBT92v5aDcBEkiwu_LYXqL9i4ptqOvA3erP3YqTozpYAQBgIEkSs5zw6dpJvLy_gb4qHw2hNcny_D9aDSbBCKIJHsRYzGmjd1InzncDhZagJtb48B_IHOmH/w640-h480/210602.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the winter I helped some men build a fish trap that was frozen into the river ice. Then we would go check it at least once (or often twice) a day and almost without fail we'd find a good number of large fish in there. Depending on how cold the temperatures were, we would have to chip away several inches to even a foot of ice from the hole, before we could peer into the fast moving water. And yes, that is me gaffing the fish, and no, it is not in the middle of the night--it's just dark most of the time there in the middle of winter since it's so far north.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BwNBfhKsZVGhk1FP8kiAVvV4j6KsL1VGJbCnmquo8VsDy6u-DdX01l7__GrrKDkeIGYWLsFdamy1RQ5uf2uf1iAN8YI5VTncHdLYLAk6Zo-W8XaOEV9jofJBkAb-AmcJArc2zCBuYeTo/s1600/210603.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BwNBfhKsZVGhk1FP8kiAVvV4j6KsL1VGJbCnmquo8VsDy6u-DdX01l7__GrrKDkeIGYWLsFdamy1RQ5uf2uf1iAN8YI5VTncHdLYLAk6Zo-W8XaOEV9jofJBkAb-AmcJArc2zCBuYeTo/w640-h480/210603.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A very big source of food there was moose. It basically served as the 'beef' of the far north.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqKjXNvpoKCKWGxJ5s9TmR82ERmlY05Q_NQ_vdJl72ES9ttU5-dOYR0b9t6tZP1gSjUKAN5ivGgrobaLzWR_RurwxI3cVjcLLH9EN4quoGzFRaL813hdoKx3dYPm0P1M70riviCtaR8vj/s1600/210604.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqKjXNvpoKCKWGxJ5s9TmR82ERmlY05Q_NQ_vdJl72ES9ttU5-dOYR0b9t6tZP1gSjUKAN5ivGgrobaLzWR_RurwxI3cVjcLLH9EN4quoGzFRaL813hdoKx3dYPm0P1M70riviCtaR8vj/w640-h480/210604.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And caribou was a real tasty treat when they came through the area.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe8Z39VEGojF6089_MKENDbBfz1HEhRsOQ1-NqZkgSGhS9FgZmwpX6JB6pnuJsKxABGlIvzaVNQB65XGfMQ1ZTmiyIGRC5-eswJbe8UneEOx-odrNWszNA-y0HkNQGj3MQd4LiNPjFK2y/s1600/210605.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe8Z39VEGojF6089_MKENDbBfz1HEhRsOQ1-NqZkgSGhS9FgZmwpX6JB6pnuJsKxABGlIvzaVNQB65XGfMQ1ZTmiyIGRC5-eswJbe8UneEOx-odrNWszNA-y0HkNQGj3MQd4LiNPjFK2y/w640-h480/210605.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also hunted bear (which is what we are doing below)...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLbr2qb5nXFiYbAyFC8w8G1EHNaZWIDCNCGBJx3iThBTZ7SqUbfuMy7pHJObJ_0GDeAdH2keG3F7NJ15oygmaKbcnr3D4bDLhSxvSjvutddv6jM5u_QSZuPilQKXMf-NdVwN7BaRxo5Qo/s1600/210606.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLbr2qb5nXFiYbAyFC8w8G1EHNaZWIDCNCGBJx3iThBTZ7SqUbfuMy7pHJObJ_0GDeAdH2keG3F7NJ15oygmaKbcnr3D4bDLhSxvSjvutddv6jM5u_QSZuPilQKXMf-NdVwN7BaRxo5Qo/w640-h480/210606.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And trapped beaver (below) and other fur animals. The folks would sell the furs and/or tan the hides and prepare the furs themselves, which they would then turn into the best winter clothing, mittens, mukluks, etc.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIiFoNQrzV7QdR_bVGSiLG0luAwSO3E4P7tIGa1PwZlg9Z-OeZOrqwlCtLJhAy13mHtt2Td9Us7WKE78GzuBqTzvOHI7WoamAdZj3D3o9u9AYLbPogrA6e0I13Wq2hC1O_USbSvoMCWbK/s1600/210607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIiFoNQrzV7QdR_bVGSiLG0luAwSO3E4P7tIGa1PwZlg9Z-OeZOrqwlCtLJhAy13mHtt2Td9Us7WKE78GzuBqTzvOHI7WoamAdZj3D3o9u9AYLbPogrA6e0I13Wq2hC1O_USbSvoMCWbK/w480-h640/210607.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even though it was extremely cold, and often dark, I was blessed to often be out in very remote, rugged and beautiful wilderness, which had an astounding surreal beauty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBQARWn_EVp1cPVbLWCUw1Po18FyPjuob9V3DMOT3GxkvrGOvs-5wGpOGn3WJGpl9lkATPWQh4cgVsaqw15RHvgt2-zbvvSFm6XH6ShRRsagKh_01r1tZeigE7ESfPm09fj-FGXrxBu8x/s1600/210608.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBQARWn_EVp1cPVbLWCUw1Po18FyPjuob9V3DMOT3GxkvrGOvs-5wGpOGn3WJGpl9lkATPWQh4cgVsaqw15RHvgt2-zbvvSFm6XH6ShRRsagKh_01r1tZeigE7ESfPm09fj-FGXrxBu8x/w640-h480/210608.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH32Xu6uI17JnZljDjbRC7ylaDlECGUklVHNS3sABryItcaS3S_bk7HTbP9zHdWi1LPi7K8ZIX9wM664K9T0UFvsCT78FF5HlINQ8Gloqs42MXYgU_E0tM6vo6y5bmnI12aRRW3TtRWfaB/s1600/210609.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH32Xu6uI17JnZljDjbRC7ylaDlECGUklVHNS3sABryItcaS3S_bk7HTbP9zHdWi1LPi7K8ZIX9wM664K9T0UFvsCT78FF5HlINQ8Gloqs42MXYgU_E0tM6vo6y5bmnI12aRRW3TtRWfaB/w640-h480/210609.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the far distance (in the picture below) you can see some snowcapped mountains. Those are the foothills the to Brooks Mountain Range and the Gates of the Arctic National Park... the most remote National Park in the U.S.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk42BFBugfmc8aggMc30JB97LJ0XoWrbfv6OO8_bljl3hxoI22Abdy6RB8BxBa03YZ-C-eiSjeAGl0iqVPAkSFWsazfcyxhrHoTezmc-EY4ltSO-x9uFs9aW92ZdHn3C8xFc4pugepBFSg/s1600/210610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk42BFBugfmc8aggMc30JB97LJ0XoWrbfv6OO8_bljl3hxoI22Abdy6RB8BxBa03YZ-C-eiSjeAGl0iqVPAkSFWsazfcyxhrHoTezmc-EY4ltSO-x9uFs9aW92ZdHn3C8xFc4pugepBFSg/w640-h480/210610.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, that finally concludes my "Way Back When" series. Now I will try to post some much more current stuff soon...</div><p></p>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-29926887526655181912020-11-09T21:28:00.002+03:002020-11-09T21:28:36.563+03:00Northern Scenery, Way Back When...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today I'm returning to the "Way Back When..." series, highlighting some of the surreal beauty we enjoyed in the boreal forests of the far north.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzfO8NXDPt1fXF7uWd4-z-wSVXRPIm5JVNoPgGsYw605bcajsbzPUz19Sl7qVYp_LAFuAkVqryQ-I52ewH6cAA1Z6vzsLuBv6QAaHAJQ4Q7ha64BVXuhtNvgv-wZw_26hk5ZnddkFr_o-/s2000/201023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzfO8NXDPt1fXF7uWd4-z-wSVXRPIm5JVNoPgGsYw605bcajsbzPUz19Sl7qVYp_LAFuAkVqryQ-I52ewH6cAA1Z6vzsLuBv6QAaHAJQ4Q7ha64BVXuhtNvgv-wZw_26hk5ZnddkFr_o-/w1600-h1200/201023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Obviously most of these photos feature frigid beauty. That's because it was cold and snowy/icy much of the year. Also, there were no roads going anywhere outside of the village itself. So during the very short summer, we were basically trapped in the village, since we didn't have a good boat with a reliable motor. So the long winters was when I was actually able to get out and about.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4gbtnSvzFSDCFFiD2LFFL0bHGusqsTU5CvASeCAW0xmk6VcRY2iuoDAQTrDtF-MqLouc4EB5DhWAwGvaezwlGLT29cqfkIUegx127f8Os5mreY-rDXyTn6Um0WFxK0UMd8TX2iZHJBkZ/s2000/201022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4gbtnSvzFSDCFFiD2LFFL0bHGusqsTU5CvASeCAW0xmk6VcRY2iuoDAQTrDtF-MqLouc4EB5DhWAwGvaezwlGLT29cqfkIUegx127f8Os5mreY-rDXyTn6Um0WFxK0UMd8TX2iZHJBkZ/w1600-h1038/201022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>During the cold months I could go just about anywhere on my snow machine. I made trips to the "wood yard" to cut wood for our stove, accompanied local guys on their traplines (to get furs that they tanned and used to stay warm in winter) and hunting for food, and did some long trips to other villages when there were dog races (I helped pull loads of dogs and/or dog food).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87U7wNzvpOC1EG8Q-Dlqta5StgmXcqyaB4_LShW3U5p05FiCOHEIUHkCPSxVpMlooOob6NyibSDOryPUMm0hlQpEsjjmbQyva9IPipFJGJo8bJ9odGVT59nDgUHEyl6e98rT369R8mUCQ/s2000/201021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87U7wNzvpOC1EG8Q-Dlqta5StgmXcqyaB4_LShW3U5p05FiCOHEIUHkCPSxVpMlooOob6NyibSDOryPUMm0hlQpEsjjmbQyva9IPipFJGJo8bJ9odGVT59nDgUHEyl6e98rT369R8mUCQ/w1600-h1049/201021.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zhXDC3BHiENbrvd5hyphenhyphenMk1ZvRHq27BqAok_FGO14446n6HL7L8TPqIN-nuqOuZjwDrW42ureWE0b_vvL2ug_7N2YmWxrEFrJDg1RjM7Sk2XNrDN9vs-kaphMl2jPnrsLpe3450Yp-XkoY/s2000/201020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zhXDC3BHiENbrvd5hyphenhyphenMk1ZvRHq27BqAok_FGO14446n6HL7L8TPqIN-nuqOuZjwDrW42ureWE0b_vvL2ug_7N2YmWxrEFrJDg1RjM7Sk2XNrDN9vs-kaphMl2jPnrsLpe3450Yp-XkoY/w1600-h1058/201020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TWUsku5pPknPRWRhXQwRR3QdTvmFKP-nFaZFp7S2IipvDiJYs7BegbtvXT-TiIiLSTOYIgggt3teTdxu2bkgqFQwa6s7-90lbvny9x9jL5aCKQIx6e_uAAstmu5cAvSU9FfocUFdKOxm/s2000/201019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TWUsku5pPknPRWRhXQwRR3QdTvmFKP-nFaZFp7S2IipvDiJYs7BegbtvXT-TiIiLSTOYIgggt3teTdxu2bkgqFQwa6s7-90lbvny9x9jL5aCKQIx6e_uAAstmu5cAvSU9FfocUFdKOxm/w1600-h1200/201019.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When I look back at these photos I have to laugh a bit. The beauty in the landscape is quite obvious. But it's a bit embarrassing to see the poor quality of the photos. I was still shooting with film cameras in those days (usually shooting slides) but I had also just purchased my first digital camera, which was a huge joke compared to even the cheapest cell phone camera today. Some of these shots, like the one below, were taken on slide film, and many years later I scanned them, complete with dust and marks, into digital. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2e74OjLbfc1XO5-10H0IgOc7K2W_xXsO52W9uNJMU7AznvxFk8l_cH8439vvg0fmYjAKDx24FYHOLshTXNJDUQ_NCjnx8NQHA7HbusnNG5s3GkMpJDIBigGKT-R5wfY9BaYHVP73yfES/s2000/201018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="2000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2e74OjLbfc1XO5-10H0IgOc7K2W_xXsO52W9uNJMU7AznvxFk8l_cH8439vvg0fmYjAKDx24FYHOLshTXNJDUQ_NCjnx8NQHA7HbusnNG5s3GkMpJDIBigGKT-R5wfY9BaYHVP73yfES/w1600-h1071/201018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Rci8zcXyDNVclIlGus3SHbFNI67jq4-vFH1VY2Z1r7YDrz2U_cH37rbckdguP8IhEQkwOsDDtf5MRfe7lm7QyRvAPJBo0laSJcsujy9TY-DPkkQmYAnjLFDwIHGImcU5rHMJDoffvcWv/s2000/201017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Rci8zcXyDNVclIlGus3SHbFNI67jq4-vFH1VY2Z1r7YDrz2U_cH37rbckdguP8IhEQkwOsDDtf5MRfe7lm7QyRvAPJBo0laSJcsujy9TY-DPkkQmYAnjLFDwIHGImcU5rHMJDoffvcWv/w1600-h1200/201017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcn15QlN-Bbr_GRfYMdTP-QHk3Y754KbqCK5ZbKT0fUD1330JQ8qP-bIzepo_w2NTlcmLhWl0xUEeohVIGLSpzx2brEjO1ETdlZgIlkhR2LMfIgTfpk4Ei6uHOk0npUeei5cn0D5AQqukw/s2000/201016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1323" data-original-width="2000" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcn15QlN-Bbr_GRfYMdTP-QHk3Y754KbqCK5ZbKT0fUD1330JQ8qP-bIzepo_w2NTlcmLhWl0xUEeohVIGLSpzx2brEjO1ETdlZgIlkhR2LMfIgTfpk4Ei6uHOk0npUeei5cn0D5AQqukw/w1600-h1200/201016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This was called 'blue ice' for obvious reasons. I didn't see it very often, but ran across it this time on a long trip to a different village. It was really creepy because although it was very thick (probably 5 or 6 feet or more) you could pretty much see right through it. But what made it really unique was how slick it was. Most of the rivers and lakes froze solid and then got covered with snow. Occasionally the ice would crack under the weight off the snow (as the water underneath depleted, leaving the ice hanging above like a bridge) and then when the weight of the giant slab of ice would push down onto the underlying water, it would push the water up through the cracks and flood the ice. But the overlying water would 'hide' under the snow creating 'overflow' which was actually quite dangerous. There were signs to spot overflow if you knew what to look for (they taught me) but if you got into it unexpectedly, it would very quickly fill your entire snow machine with slush and water, which would instantly freeze, and within seconds you could find yourself so stuck that you would never get your machine out again until it thawed in spring and fell right through, sinking to the bottom of the lake. </div><div><br /></div><div>But in the case of this blue ice, it was so slippery that snow didn't seem to stay on the surface, but would instead just blow away. And I found out that if you try to drive across it, you don't get very far before you come to a very long, sliding halt. Then, when you try to push the machine, both you and the machine slide away in opposite directions, almost like you're in space or something. Weird but cool.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielwzoZesrQkwLs2C3Z8nMXwKOjtV_n5miSSYmzoUAERMxj1g05fHkqfmFdkO0FfmxR0KKpv5qkaODlUFQFZ6mdP7Xv0j9CZOBrxER0fj0rxYeSXWu-pqV_TEZluvcvN9gZu1_6n65wX0f/s2000/201015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="2000" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielwzoZesrQkwLs2C3Z8nMXwKOjtV_n5miSSYmzoUAERMxj1g05fHkqfmFdkO0FfmxR0KKpv5qkaODlUFQFZ6mdP7Xv0j9CZOBrxER0fj0rxYeSXWu-pqV_TEZluvcvN9gZu1_6n65wX0f/w1600-h1200/201015.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The northern lights were insane. We saw them so often and they would light up the whole sky. Green was the most common color, but we also saw shades of pink, purple, red, blue, etc. Sometimes you could hear a crackling type sound, or almost 'feel' them as they were so intense. It was difficult for me, back then, to get good shots of the lights, b/c my digital camera had way too small of a sensor to take photos at night, but my film camera had other challenges. I found that the film often got 'exposed' directly, right through the camera case, by the intensity of the aurora borealis. Somehow my slides would come back and there would be vertical lines spaced evenly across the entire role, each fuzzy line overexposed. In fact, even in the photo below you can see some of those lines at the very top, spaced evenly all the way across. But often they extended all the way down across the image, rendering it useless. If I had a chance today, I'd love to re-take some awesome photos of the northern lights.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73CC1BUG_vWdwpxsxMtV8loCkLL-vZG9zN5_DhqeNW4KhtMWJkGu6neYSo2H8LttVH3hwX1syQoxp1l2D2NA90K68950HikkQ1hOwK00obHXpWFu-QcnnqHnOnSJyDco0LG9041sCG6U-/s2000/201014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="2000" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73CC1BUG_vWdwpxsxMtV8loCkLL-vZG9zN5_DhqeNW4KhtMWJkGu6neYSo2H8LttVH3hwX1syQoxp1l2D2NA90K68950HikkQ1hOwK00obHXpWFu-QcnnqHnOnSJyDco0LG9041sCG6U-/w1600-h1200/201014.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzfWIZ2wp0IiKdgQfgmfxWacf7ojktmceIKBa9Q-8eIhwBklcAASXUJ35xPvYUJ4lnszlPuBJntP3aC_HOaAvrIhusV2hrcOroio8k_y_XgBz_F7fDIdYEnpNeKCEW3pl9jn9vlU3Ch2L/s2000/201013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzfWIZ2wp0IiKdgQfgmfxWacf7ojktmceIKBa9Q-8eIhwBklcAASXUJ35xPvYUJ4lnszlPuBJntP3aC_HOaAvrIhusV2hrcOroio8k_y_XgBz_F7fDIdYEnpNeKCEW3pl9jn9vlU3Ch2L/w1600-h1200/201013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Here's a few 'warmer' photos.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92WY8_IqJqRGgFMUabs-iHIhz27edp28g0NolrAW11a0JaXgo5sgtlMH1BnioBmIx2YcFBXMOgQRhyphenhyphenRpk_7Akc0ZpMa1FZPWKbKc7Ww10ausQh7eTC7NMDjW7HWkwhsxly64LxS0GPQKz/s2000/201025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92WY8_IqJqRGgFMUabs-iHIhz27edp28g0NolrAW11a0JaXgo5sgtlMH1BnioBmIx2YcFBXMOgQRhyphenhyphenRpk_7Akc0ZpMa1FZPWKbKc7Ww10ausQh7eTC7NMDjW7HWkwhsxly64LxS0GPQKz/w1600-h1200/201025.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBP0klyKxvcgrOyOl7E4wFQ4qJVvCyjuavmoj0ItJfNqU1aYy6UDoPeLIWaOpyGcW2z0EJvQ7CTZwsHDm1eJcrW__NeT1puawSdBpPviqHOgUE_GKLoleGip1fGFced6d4rT7KqSd-RVvF/s2000/201026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBP0klyKxvcgrOyOl7E4wFQ4qJVvCyjuavmoj0ItJfNqU1aYy6UDoPeLIWaOpyGcW2z0EJvQ7CTZwsHDm1eJcrW__NeT1puawSdBpPviqHOgUE_GKLoleGip1fGFced6d4rT7KqSd-RVvF/w1600-h1200/201026.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next time I'll show you some of the subsistence-living shots... some of the hunting and fishing that we did to be able to eat and survive up there.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-36766503445262903752020-10-18T09:59:00.008+03:002020-10-18T10:00:52.783+03:00Rib Day - 2 Year Anniversary Celebration!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Two years ago, on October 17th, this happened...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKTsMBNwFMhdgGKPR7-cmuRhBA69R3xskNqkULm0tAM9siZFqKd5dVCEePx27oDQposlpGbGpAVp7J70yZh_WY9GEMWWhfFekOK6zyqL0WAa-w6nDm8LOeqZLgSrU1zQ5c8WOdM98LSOR/s2000/201001_IMG_0672.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKTsMBNwFMhdgGKPR7-cmuRhBA69R3xskNqkULm0tAM9siZFqKd5dVCEePx27oDQposlpGbGpAVp7J70yZh_WY9GEMWWhfFekOK6zyqL0WAa-w6nDm8LOeqZLgSrU1zQ5c8WOdM98LSOR/w1600-h640/201001_IMG_0672.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Long story short, I got knocked off my motorcycle by a drunk driver, and then a different vehicle, a large Toyota Landcruiser (SUV) promptly drove over me, right across my torso. I should have died right then and there, and many other times in the minutes and hours that followed. But for some reason, God chose to keep me around here on this earth a bit longer. Those were tough days on my family. Joy and the kids carried a HUGE burden in making many decisions related to my care, that could literally mean the difference between life and death. The family was split between the hospital, the home in Uganda, and eventually the U.S., after I was later flown back there for further care. Many of you chipped in to help us in so many different, practical, meaningful ways during that tough season, for which we will always be grateful!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZgocl3RnMoijtGhrhBIlvGs8GQ-W4iv3Zg2KTr6u85TPQOB_ATBEvHOtbPc0f-LWYHShs5GHny4srb0D5DLRs7jRHWvc5x3OKeikbZQ62Qehk6c7zkAy9wkdG41iqsRVVt-Gc4cfvuvm/s2000/201002_IMG_0671.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZgocl3RnMoijtGhrhBIlvGs8GQ-W4iv3Zg2KTr6u85TPQOB_ATBEvHOtbPc0f-LWYHShs5GHny4srb0D5DLRs7jRHWvc5x3OKeikbZQ62Qehk6c7zkAy9wkdG41iqsRVVt-Gc4cfvuvm/w1600-h480/201002_IMG_0671.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In some ways it seems so long ago, and in other ways it seems like it just happened. But yesterday was the two-year anniversary of "The Squishing". In addition to our strong faith in Jesus and his sovereignty in our lives, our family also has a bit of an odd sense of humor, something that really helped us through some of those tough days. So it's not too surprising that we came up with a bit of a weird, new family tradition last year (on the 1-year anniversary of "The Squishing") to commemorate the event. Rib day! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Along with many, many other broken bones and serious injuries, basically all of my ribs were broken, either in the front, or back, or both. Therefore, we thought, what better way to remember and commemorate the event, and God's miracles, than to enjoy some racks of ribs every year on the anniversary? And thus a new family tradition was born. Rib day! :-)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Right now, for a variety of reasons, our family is actually scattered all over the world again. Hudson and I are here alone in Uganda, so we had our own small rib party. (By the way, I noticed later, after I took the selfie, that I was actually wearing a shirt that my sister had given to me, which says "Unbroken Bones are Overrated". I didn't plan to wear it for this on purpose--but it's a comfy, old t-shirt that I often wear around the house--and pretty good coincidence to be wearing that specific shirt on Rib Day evening, don't you think?"</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vA66RAg7OtKB0Grqn0bWtU2CqVYFQndEuRFDFFxhyC2HcZylm9C5eXsZX3Jff6iXwl1eg25FA18JUpolbtfUv51noz0jPhUQ2EPo5umVPIQVTUBpLITDguazsW7vRnViOCjJEtHXIzl7/s1600/201003_IMG_5355.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vA66RAg7OtKB0Grqn0bWtU2CqVYFQndEuRFDFFxhyC2HcZylm9C5eXsZX3Jff6iXwl1eg25FA18JUpolbtfUv51noz0jPhUQ2EPo5umVPIQVTUBpLITDguazsW7vRnViOCjJEtHXIzl7/w1600-h1202/201003_IMG_5355.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Joy and the younger kids are in Oregon, USA, right now, where Joy is getting some much-needed medical attention and also taking care of some adoption stuff for our daughter, Sanyu. So they got together with the grandparents and cousins there for a big rib party! Thanks guys!!! Wish we could have been there too, but so fun to see you all enjoying some ribs together. :-)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTba5_fcXNDPoAxKRX1yfYNtSNrwlMQTIHlQAXucUceWqkKItXADlMfoYYZ-QVE8CZldA2b6Jv6b7gUIBWS37tMleXDcog1MpTbiKEx6z4N2lImA_WnmQ4jYByWGckIDkC2A0ZQCB1-puM/s2000/201004_IMG_5360.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTba5_fcXNDPoAxKRX1yfYNtSNrwlMQTIHlQAXucUceWqkKItXADlMfoYYZ-QVE8CZldA2b6Jv6b7gUIBWS37tMleXDcog1MpTbiKEx6z4N2lImA_WnmQ4jYByWGckIDkC2A0ZQCB1-puM/w1600-h480/201004_IMG_5360.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I noticed that in the nice picture they sent me, below, that they had a green vegetable, green beans. That did make me feel a bit guilty. I need to start feeding me and Hudson some more healthy veggies. We did have coleslaw with our ribs, baked beans, and fries. Does coleslaw count?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzph5e5l4ANhmTmsZqYNRY3kFExY6LlBPet5c7PdGJxf8DYltmw9d_MoL-MgiFJFwmp4gMm1e7I2R4HHvHJUP_5H8VaLMds_-xWKSaHpPKu4ucpOhROtsxKUWyWm5eaA5Yn48tEs2oxmL/s2000/201005_IMG_5359.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzph5e5l4ANhmTmsZqYNRY3kFExY6LlBPet5c7PdGJxf8DYltmw9d_MoL-MgiFJFwmp4gMm1e7I2R4HHvHJUP_5H8VaLMds_-xWKSaHpPKu4ucpOhROtsxKUWyWm5eaA5Yn48tEs2oxmL/w1600-h640/201005_IMG_5359.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, Britton was chowing down on ribs over on the East Coast of the USA. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPT2QJsMyIpEz_qCLeVcm1Fh1QlQbJurRli5W69RFFoyK8AHSFJrLBWF18FPDR6fFyXhGV6bBKKXz5kW19NiPznRwCgW_XxlcpVMSe5hyphenhyphen7bMLRU5DYo2SS4NjuwfHp4IGIXJ2O2MHIKeq/s2000/201006_IMG_5358.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPT2QJsMyIpEz_qCLeVcm1Fh1QlQbJurRli5W69RFFoyK8AHSFJrLBWF18FPDR6fFyXhGV6bBKKXz5kW19NiPznRwCgW_XxlcpVMSe5hyphenhyphen7bMLRU5DYo2SS4NjuwfHp4IGIXJ2O2MHIKeq/w1600-h640/201006_IMG_5358.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He happened to be hangin' with his really good friends, the Morris's, who are a blast, and so kind and generous, and apparently whipped up some really awesome ribs for the occasion. Thanks guys!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hannah is at University right now, so she is stuck with whatever they fed her there. But next time we get together with her we'll have to try to make it up to her. :-)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmLWqf3i6aXhOPxOA9jL9yz-t2V6GjIhypOO5pYe43G1KIfqyHTIodLSKB99cv9tgRThWEKyNrA__QXWKOZntabVcnROqPJ5ck1laFX3nftl87atrXbLFiigUB1cTUG4ndOiJnJte7gHh/s2000/201007_IMG_5357.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1503" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmLWqf3i6aXhOPxOA9jL9yz-t2V6GjIhypOO5pYe43G1KIfqyHTIodLSKB99cv9tgRThWEKyNrA__QXWKOZntabVcnROqPJ5ck1laFX3nftl87atrXbLFiigUB1cTUG4ndOiJnJte7gHh/w1600-h480/201007_IMG_5357.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, this past week was Hudson's 'fall break' (even though there is no autumn season here) from school, in Uganda. So he and I enjoyed a few excursions out of the city, to get some much-needed soak-up time in Nature. One thing we did was a birding cruise in a small boat through a swamp on the edge of Lake Victoria. It was so much fun. We saw a ton of different birds, including several of the elusive, and very strange looking Shoebills, which are currently listed as vulnerable, and declining, on the IUCN Red List. Maybe when I get a chance to look through my photos I can share some of them here on the blog.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-ugO_fbtQlatMuDp4YZu-6BBD5W80DvLYh3pjdV8_G8EJ9dYtJUaHENk8C6oFwq-eZV6ko9mX7JUiTN1VgXpSGIG5IaTqLd-U0ZPiDD3Yf85P2B-5CnoHDPyu_7ZHG1cRGeS0kPoBmex/s1600/201008_IMG_5336.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-ugO_fbtQlatMuDp4YZu-6BBD5W80DvLYh3pjdV8_G8EJ9dYtJUaHENk8C6oFwq-eZV6ko9mX7JUiTN1VgXpSGIG5IaTqLd-U0ZPiDD3Yf85P2B-5CnoHDPyu_7ZHG1cRGeS0kPoBmex/w1600-h1202/201008_IMG_5336.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We also did a few days of camping up in the remote Kidepo Valley National Park. The weather was insane--tons of rain and horrible roads--but that is a story for another day. Most of the park was cutoff from vehicle travel due to flooding and/or overgrown nature that has been claiming back the park in the many months that Uganda has been 'locked down' due to C-19, without any foreign tourists. It is just starting to reopen, so hopefully things will improve in that regard. However, we definitely had the campsite all to ourselves--well, at least as far as people go. It didn't look like anyone had camped there in a long, long time, and the animals seemed to be very comfortable just sort of meandering through our camp at any time of the day or night. All kinds of animals...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xQ-_zm57xfBIpX_kMswrkBuEXsb_2Rldotu1jZHjhn3oZjbuZk7cdA42lTMya9ieLEvL7AW1emPD1TCYHHsJwrcth74FPGBLpu-wBQl83Yki94y8KhuIu0Iw1Pu3XcC1uFivCS42mkWv/s1600/201009_IMG_5262.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xQ-_zm57xfBIpX_kMswrkBuEXsb_2Rldotu1jZHjhn3oZjbuZk7cdA42lTMya9ieLEvL7AW1emPD1TCYHHsJwrcth74FPGBLpu-wBQl83Yki94y8KhuIu0Iw1Pu3XcC1uFivCS42mkWv/w1600-h1202/201009_IMG_5262.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>... including many buffalo and yes, even a pride of hunting lions. But that's a story for another day as well. All I'll say for now is that it definitely gets your blood pressure going when you're sitting in the dark by the campfire, just you and your son, (at least you think it's just the two of you) and then you hear a strange noise and looking around with the spotlight you realize that there are dozens of buffalo all around your camp--in between you and the vehicle, less than 15 feet away, staring at you. But that was only the start of an exciting evening. Shortly thereafter we heard the loudest lion growl/grunt, and the closest, that we have ever heard. And within seconds they started to appear inside our camp, including a huge, maned male who walked right in like he owned the place, and was really not happy with us, or afraid in any way. There's a lot more to the story, but that's for another day. I'll just show you a picture, below, of us just after we transitioned from our hammocks that we were planning to sleep in (and had slept in the night before) to our new sleeping quarters inside our vehicle. And yes, the lions continued to roam around and through our camp, making lots of noises throughout the rest of the night. :-)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfabgDQaqC2lyvotD24e2LdYCsbI7xKb7bh2g1q_BuUYNo1TKqQrml3qOt8yG8rOlPHUZDzpuQkaf4RVz3MiAnaxefiXkIl6S7Ou-EI_ToBpt4olJsX-bIER8BtWWgAu5EB300qZNfPHl/s1600/201010_IMG_5267.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfabgDQaqC2lyvotD24e2LdYCsbI7xKb7bh2g1q_BuUYNo1TKqQrml3qOt8yG8rOlPHUZDzpuQkaf4RVz3MiAnaxefiXkIl6S7Ou-EI_ToBpt4olJsX-bIER8BtWWgAu5EB300qZNfPHl/w1600-h1202/201010_IMG_5267.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We discussed the option of leaving early the next day, and abandoning our last day in the park, but decided to stay, despite (or maybe because of) all of the lovely wild creatures that were sharing our camp with us. However, we were a lot more cautious the rest of the time there. ;-)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdQ8iUzFi6FQkmIcTzS3TGFhUUZ2XWAOnmmNUC_uv_q_SCuwgD9sY8vy8zQ64ieb2EGmVf3VpwITA9dMcLNZb1ssIMPuiXynEIQE0HjOhVvhnRXoydy0vCJcFrO9Kqe8CFc0YIbWJE-yS/s1600/201011_SS6A9944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdQ8iUzFi6FQkmIcTzS3TGFhUUZ2XWAOnmmNUC_uv_q_SCuwgD9sY8vy8zQ64ieb2EGmVf3VpwITA9dMcLNZb1ssIMPuiXynEIQE0HjOhVvhnRXoydy0vCJcFrO9Kqe8CFc0YIbWJE-yS/w1600-h1067/201011_SS6A9944.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a parting shot of us standing on the 'lion rocks' late one afternoon. Just behind us, down in the grasses, you can see a bunch of black spots, which are buffalo. In the background, the blue mountain is in South Sudan. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_l77prMmrj5lUM4DPuqE-JlQHMJGI6q5sc6RSOKw5Rv40bb3CW5BgwgG2nE5QF0mPRxKWbw5jF3Q2aHNXM9sY8YLp29Ge-EPO96VNeZjCULjB7Iza44vjvHVbrmZW3XrwBWJKxKf7sRP/s1600/201012_SS6A9912.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_l77prMmrj5lUM4DPuqE-JlQHMJGI6q5sc6RSOKw5Rv40bb3CW5BgwgG2nE5QF0mPRxKWbw5jF3Q2aHNXM9sY8YLp29Ge-EPO96VNeZjCULjB7Iza44vjvHVbrmZW3XrwBWJKxKf7sRP/w1600-h1067/201012_SS6A9912.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some day maybe I'll show you some of the photos of the flooding, muddy, horrible roads, and some of the amazing animals we saw up close and personal during our little camping trip. Good memories!</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-54963225853444607402020-09-02T13:58:00.000+03:002020-09-02T13:58:28.168+03:00Living up North, Way back When<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a shot of the little village where we lived for several years. It was nestled on the banks of the Koyukuk River, just above the Arctic Circle, not too far South of Gates of the Arctic National Park. There were no roads to the village. You could only get there by airplane from Fairbanks. Or, if you had many days, I guess, you could have theoretically taken a boat upriver from the Yukon, hundreds of miles to the south.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6nByVDc_bghFEzdfdCcgIWhyphenhyphenYAWeCySoJJfluVazYtaK6utoaIwTrSFmuvbHLshr5Aa89-srMnP3FTbM1ZTuZ-PsdpKQ1lgpfDkAFIcf8FbVFyIn0IAtc9uK-B2xVOR_epdND7BI7kqS/s2000/200901.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6nByVDc_bghFEzdfdCcgIWhyphenhyphenYAWeCySoJJfluVazYtaK6utoaIwTrSFmuvbHLshr5Aa89-srMnP3FTbM1ZTuZ-PsdpKQ1lgpfDkAFIcf8FbVFyIn0IAtc9uK-B2xVOR_epdND7BI7kqS/s1600/200901.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>And this was our home, a little 490 square foot, one-room log cabin on the edge of the village.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmfsRPlBwHwEJAGErQV4Y7MNB1XSjk59QiyVZlSYpBQts7PDoyBdEymv7bwdGLbT5HYqa8h8kfZ7TpfE0bA9b69gxfI_e8AvCIPHVje4iq36OioSmNtzNQirTszaihKuoHosTb5clWir2/s2000/200902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmfsRPlBwHwEJAGErQV4Y7MNB1XSjk59QiyVZlSYpBQts7PDoyBdEymv7bwdGLbT5HYqa8h8kfZ7TpfE0bA9b69gxfI_e8AvCIPHVje4iq36OioSmNtzNQirTszaihKuoHosTb5clWir2/s1600/200902.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was pretty rustic at first... not much furniture, not well insulated, the door didn't properly close, etc. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0RMWrSiXippVXqCrC0L7JErs_wyTW48eSyw_c0wi_yTYdo64GZnuY8GuGWg8Kw2K3Dsc5Lopqhq-q7yDBTWBWEoL7iTokJBIQWZ4Mn5iorGX9eoU5bd7Rv5TyOCZku_4y0kiw_eYOC-p/s2000/200903.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0RMWrSiXippVXqCrC0L7JErs_wyTW48eSyw_c0wi_yTYdo64GZnuY8GuGWg8Kw2K3Dsc5Lopqhq-q7yDBTWBWEoL7iTokJBIQWZ4Mn5iorGX9eoU5bd7Rv5TyOCZku_4y0kiw_eYOC-p/s1600/200903.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But before long we had it snugged up, which was good, because winter came fast and early, with a vengeance. In the dead of winter, there was very little sunlight, seeing as how we were above the Arctic Circle and the hills on the horizon also blocked some of the light. This is what it often looked like in December and January, although many times we had brilliant northern lights and/or stars to enjoy. I'll show you some of those pictures later.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdubXjn4YSO_i24x5v2OBCTDUjbubGnMqib-zy_4Lw9z5Yg_WYud-Nxg1c81t9FimdmiDs7Zrg7ha6y6sd80pM6DShdI0GK9sY98wVFIVomeqsRo9TKsnUAX-09cgV9wJRL6-3HvP_XNOm/s2000/200904.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdubXjn4YSO_i24x5v2OBCTDUjbubGnMqib-zy_4Lw9z5Yg_WYud-Nxg1c81t9FimdmiDs7Zrg7ha6y6sd80pM6DShdI0GK9sY98wVFIVomeqsRo9TKsnUAX-09cgV9wJRL6-3HvP_XNOm/s1600/200904.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>If you live in the far north you need a sled dog right? Yes! Well, sort of. Our dog was a super handsome purebred Siberian Husky, but he was much better at snuggling and looking good, than he was at pulling sleds. That said, when it got <i>really</i> cold (as in minus 60 and even minus 70) we did use him to pull a sled to haul our water. At those temperatures, even the snow machine didn't want to run, but Tonwashte was living his dream in those cold temperatures.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOLd_lZH0F73QtJrvmC2N0FEaE2ABGEvX5Z-tJDoJIygMcLXGO0641AYGyiJjAiHF91XoO85pP-ugFxaPodo09H0jaAOKhYfgj2O01MDCp8GJOxHLY0mElAMdjfGogHCDD8VdvqwspmTZ/s2000/200905.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOLd_lZH0F73QtJrvmC2N0FEaE2ABGEvX5Z-tJDoJIygMcLXGO0641AYGyiJjAiHF91XoO85pP-ugFxaPodo09H0jaAOKhYfgj2O01MDCp8GJOxHLY0mElAMdjfGogHCDD8VdvqwspmTZ/s1600/200905.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a few more shots of Tonwashte.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0atDWpsonu68io_aNB28v5N06YgMWZSziYkQjDDaJHHtzuIZldzjlzimKKpvfn5m4UQK_SPdD9A9fiwy5dqlyI8Pw_0T96OHMVr0WHIekycjmxvkUgPtu68FYXybNCg3vhOlCCLx84dV/s2000/200906.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0atDWpsonu68io_aNB28v5N06YgMWZSziYkQjDDaJHHtzuIZldzjlzimKKpvfn5m4UQK_SPdD9A9fiwy5dqlyI8Pw_0T96OHMVr0WHIekycjmxvkUgPtu68FYXybNCg3vhOlCCLx84dV/s1600/200906.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVfkDMnGcrqU0DHQz_h4MCDcFRfhyphenhyphenPrBZenRNAaFVhgm7EVIA1coXSjK3j8ysG9JbPi0T1W7iRyt2EThcakfW2x3893exAzFp2gYmAzGhnouSzz-FT-5blKYABd7kl5nmswItyxudRQ6j/s2000/200907.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVfkDMnGcrqU0DHQz_h4MCDcFRfhyphenhyphenPrBZenRNAaFVhgm7EVIA1coXSjK3j8ysG9JbPi0T1W7iRyt2EThcakfW2x3893exAzFp2gYmAzGhnouSzz-FT-5blKYABd7kl5nmswItyxudRQ6j/s1600/200907.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Aside from building relationships with everyone, with a deeper end-goal in mind, we were also really focused on the youth. So as things got colder, we often found our ATV (and trailer) or snow machine (and sled) overflowing with kids who wanted to come over to our cabin for weekly Bible Clubs, or to just have a safe, fun place to chill and play.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj632bC1kHcaqdgdR_CDik7gQCj4WPVUYxwl3Q-t8IuhMBT8zEfmVxzKHzBwu42lrdy3hZWDtZBNtat1dlSAm4e8wDilzQtRsYf9iMSzTfPR4NtvNDx6NIdw1AZgEqgh9Dn2loqvfNOmmx2/s2000/200908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj632bC1kHcaqdgdR_CDik7gQCj4WPVUYxwl3Q-t8IuhMBT8zEfmVxzKHzBwu42lrdy3hZWDtZBNtat1dlSAm4e8wDilzQtRsYf9iMSzTfPR4NtvNDx6NIdw1AZgEqgh9Dn2loqvfNOmmx2/s1600/200908.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Over time, I made some improvements to our little cabin, putting a stove in the corner (instead of the barrel in the middle of the room that tended to burn people when they bumped into it) and adding some windows, carpet, better insulation, an insulated front porch, etc. Joy also made curtains, painted, and worked her magic to make it feel warm and cozy like a home should feel. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEAtYobdVPkHt98qrhvVXCrzBkbxmzjWThgABgeHlct0_pfIPyypx3cQKX_KI_409aFR89TmINdL54Dmw5EvAsGrbXs4FZEsVJUeykmiv6ceaRndUstgZropV2HgqjlcJAAp_YLt4Rd_O/s2000/200909.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEAtYobdVPkHt98qrhvVXCrzBkbxmzjWThgABgeHlct0_pfIPyypx3cQKX_KI_409aFR89TmINdL54Dmw5EvAsGrbXs4FZEsVJUeykmiv6ceaRndUstgZropV2HgqjlcJAAp_YLt4Rd_O/s1600/200909.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But we still had no running water, which means that yes, we did have an outhouse (pictured below). That said, I built a super tiny bathroom in our cabin, and put a little 'honey bucket' in there (actually it was a nice little flushable pot designed for camper trailers, that some friends bought for us) so that we didn't need to run the risk of getting frost bite in places where you don't want to get frostbite when it got really cold outside. Every few days I had to empty that little 'bucket' and I have some great (actually awful) stories about what happens when you dump a very warm and stinky pile of you know what, into an outhouse when the temps are -50 or colder. Someday you can ask me about that, but I probably shouldn't write it out here as it's pretty gross. Although, looking back, it's also pretty funny. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once a week, usually on Saturdays, I hauled extra water and Joy would heat it on the stove/fire so that we could take a shower, one at a time. I had a little 5 gallon jug into which I installed a shower spout, and I would lift it up high onto a shelf and we would stand in a metal pail and open the shower spigot just a tad, so that it would last as long as possible. When it was finished, I would have to dump all the dirty water into another bucket (the metal pail was too big to fit through the tiny bathroom door) and carry it out and dump it. Again, I've got some interesting tales of what happens to that warm water when you throw it out at minus 70, or what happens to my wet hair at those temperatures, or...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8ZCOxdRfMlayPcCEaAdwjKjxDc5Nl1uFJS1feN4FlihCGJNoRsgeczttrGlSh0BJ1ORrNdUmeB-BnLSt8R0EtQa7hkCSQgXz80oZChilddSltjxfLdfVp9LP_GfpSrWJAoWN13gtwV2O/s2000/200910.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8ZCOxdRfMlayPcCEaAdwjKjxDc5Nl1uFJS1feN4FlihCGJNoRsgeczttrGlSh0BJ1ORrNdUmeB-BnLSt8R0EtQa7hkCSQgXz80oZChilddSltjxfLdfVp9LP_GfpSrWJAoWN13gtwV2O/s1600/200910.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you've already figured out, we had a long, cold winter, which means everything would freeze. It was actually good when things froze up, including the river, because then it was easier to travel around to places. This is the 'road' across the frozen ice of the river.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubIb1eTSj4GMWf34Hf0aLyBQltsPdPp8OqTseDMSfxR6vgtsEkFHY-iGAZ8rvPYTN5jWzL33GnNsJkS4rG3bVxENRl3lcq0jLhDAmmMddTfBycOn0DCinzX9UJ1s-niYMBmPQ0ENlSXQe/s2000/200911.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubIb1eTSj4GMWf34Hf0aLyBQltsPdPp8OqTseDMSfxR6vgtsEkFHY-iGAZ8rvPYTN5jWzL33GnNsJkS4rG3bVxENRl3lcq0jLhDAmmMddTfBycOn0DCinzX9UJ1s-niYMBmPQ0ENlSXQe/s1600/200911.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The main method of transportation in the winter was snow machines. This is me, driving down the frozen river on my way to cut some wood for our wood stove.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVwkUpQao_ThqwW8ak6T3e42b-dgGC1FMP8S28a3qS9zaUazlHQbKqBDYAuoL6GTq04h9NRKZbf7ZoqHU-Mp2Ve3Y5uu2X0BKDXiALkWVINbwvr9_owtCEC9YxTSStBfT7QXXGempHEBW/s2000/200912.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVwkUpQao_ThqwW8ak6T3e42b-dgGC1FMP8S28a3qS9zaUazlHQbKqBDYAuoL6GTq04h9NRKZbf7ZoqHU-Mp2Ve3Y5uu2X0BKDXiALkWVINbwvr9_owtCEC9YxTSStBfT7QXXGempHEBW/s1600/200912.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Often I came home looking like this after cutting wood, or hunting and trapping with the men in the village. Actually, it often got a lot worse than this, but then I would have been wearing a fur rimmed hood, and it would have been too cold to take a photo. So this was probably a rather moderate temperature day for winter.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF23Vk0yKiZP4lI48flLbYJ-T5kklx2okcLhlQnK5jmSR9lD67dIcBb6Ab7t06_C58vo8-sooE2DtzezxFQAX1WVuNLPwpIIlCVhAcVpcw_y5vbn_7oSFUpwdmom2KdZGUSiD9PehXVw-/s2000/200913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF23Vk0yKiZP4lI48flLbYJ-T5kklx2okcLhlQnK5jmSR9lD67dIcBb6Ab7t06_C58vo8-sooE2DtzezxFQAX1WVuNLPwpIIlCVhAcVpcw_y5vbn_7oSFUpwdmom2KdZGUSiD9PehXVw-/s1600/200913.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Aside from snow machines, some people used dog sleds, although not very many anymore. Historically, that is what everyone used, but not so much anymore. It takes a lot of dogs to pull a sled with a big load. And it takes a lot of work to feed, and house, and care for, and train those dogs. So not many people do it today. But there are still a few. And every year the village would participate in, and host, dog sled races, and other fun stuff like that. Here's a shot of Britton when he was 2 or 3, riding a one-dog sled in a race that the village held every spring. Yep, it's spring. Can't you tell? </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_-ZSIqZQis7NuF-RvqM7pyth7Bk4yDkIdEIVft360TJv2EwoeCwdRFaiNfq2a54wOgbbZ25kuHz0IM4usxXZVKnI64j92fg42Gse-3cXOQ43kVaEFZ7pz9Y5eK1jueH5iDIfHgGavsaP/s2000/200914.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_-ZSIqZQis7NuF-RvqM7pyth7Bk4yDkIdEIVft360TJv2EwoeCwdRFaiNfq2a54wOgbbZ25kuHz0IM4usxXZVKnI64j92fg42Gse-3cXOQ43kVaEFZ7pz9Y5eK1jueH5iDIfHgGavsaP/s1600/200914.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But the main way of getting around the village in winter was just walking. You can tell it's not very cold (probably somewhere around zero to twenty below) in this picture, because no one is bundled up too much. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdGqkvBgMy3walrhS_Wm5aBEibxSz4AqcFg5-Su38nrR0xhJLV6kr0pjGL9HZUqz3jiAMsKSK1XVrJa8t4pXFSAUOtG30xWYBIRjBjhs52iQyhNiI-n2cckAARKLOs6UqF9ocuQ8Bv5nj/s2000/200915.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdGqkvBgMy3walrhS_Wm5aBEibxSz4AqcFg5-Su38nrR0xhJLV6kr0pjGL9HZUqz3jiAMsKSK1XVrJa8t4pXFSAUOtG30xWYBIRjBjhs52iQyhNiI-n2cckAARKLOs6UqF9ocuQ8Bv5nj/s1600/200915.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But in this one it's a bit colder... maybe 40 below or so. When it got really cold, the best stuff to wear was the stuff that the village women made from various animal hides and furs, which way outperformed anything from NorthFace or any other fancy brand.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMxCVpQQUx3udPw_RMu-kURSJ5ajvVIW-75LLW7AYtHv7fD_n_jqQeV3Yp4MYixK6nKa3cJ19KnP_oHQbGUeuuAnAudiG8lB2cwfkmgotDiLT5rggpVI7lAtHJiPXmGOAhD_Eqbs9zvUY/s2000/200916.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMxCVpQQUx3udPw_RMu-kURSJ5ajvVIW-75LLW7AYtHv7fD_n_jqQeV3Yp4MYixK6nKa3cJ19KnP_oHQbGUeuuAnAudiG8lB2cwfkmgotDiLT5rggpVI7lAtHJiPXmGOAhD_Eqbs9zvUY/s1600/200916.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I spent much of my time building relationships with the men in the village. That meant hunting, fishing, trapping, cutting wood, telling/listening to stories around fires and/or food, etc. And when I wasn't doing that I was usually fixing broken stuff--either at or in my house, or in my little shop where I also helped other people with broken snow machines, ATVs, etc. I also helped Joy with the Bible clubs, and we helped lead a church service in the village. Joy was kept super busy with Britton, who was 1 year old when we arrived, and Hannah, who was born the following year, and all the many kids who hung out in our house day and night. Occasionally, but very rarely, we had the opportunity to sneak away as a family from the busy village life, like this time in spring, when Joy and the kids road the snow machine with me to the wood yard. Joy got a kick out of doing the lumber jack thing for a day. :)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq30wFE7JNx8pQkWJCoyetl0mSGVrr6DkQk3tnOvpx7RrwNvMylZxxHy23ejDnitHW5nOyHTQpTKpcHu5g6ac8zkTZ2DCzYbDBdSmBfIkYAY4lC39KfNNT5tDllaPXq9ZNna2vn-RNXm6/s2000/200917.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq30wFE7JNx8pQkWJCoyetl0mSGVrr6DkQk3tnOvpx7RrwNvMylZxxHy23ejDnitHW5nOyHTQpTKpcHu5g6ac8zkTZ2DCzYbDBdSmBfIkYAY4lC39KfNNT5tDllaPXq9ZNna2vn-RNXm6/s1600/200917.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>During the very short summer, everything changed. The sun would never set, everything warmed up and we found it hard to go to sleep, even in the middle of the night. Showers could be had anytime down at the river, or outside with my shower jug on a stump. :-) People would fish, and make repairs on things that were buried under snow in the winter, and prepare in any way they could for the coming fall and winter. It was a busy, but fun time, buzzing with excitement (oh, and billions of giant mosquitoes!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3SyU14LEU_yzcqKsrspg0-0mk1S3256oucobkpXg7RAw-459Y7th-ba-PQ392s5y4R6oenTbKBgg-NpQHhgwUzwa3EnB77p-tNHz6VGfSyVksBF2h2z5a3G8Q8kZp0lPG4tg_z57M_C9/s2000/200918.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3SyU14LEU_yzcqKsrspg0-0mk1S3256oucobkpXg7RAw-459Y7th-ba-PQ392s5y4R6oenTbKBgg-NpQHhgwUzwa3EnB77p-tNHz6VGfSyVksBF2h2z5a3G8Q8kZp0lPG4tg_z57M_C9/s1600/200918.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On a side note, as a pilot with MAF, I have flown many hundreds of medevac flights over the years, most of them when we lived in Kalimantan, Indonesia. In many of those cases, the patient was critical, and would likely have died if the plane was not able to arrive in time. Sometimes, due to bad weather, or other issues, I was forced to delay an arrival for several hours, or even until the next day, knowing full well the potential consequences to the patient and his/her family. I used to tell my friends in Indonesia that I never took those decisions lightly, because I have been on the other side of that situation. Yet, I always have to make the safety of the flight the first priority. Because if I can't land and takeoff safely, then I can't help anyone at all... and in fact, I could make the situation a whole lot worse. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we lived in Alaska, twice we had to medevac our son, Britton, to Fairbanks. Both times he was in bad shape, and getting worse fast. Both times we had been on the satellite-linked phone out of the village to a doctor in Fairbanks, with the doctor saying that if little Britt didn't make it out today, he would likely not be alive tomorrow. And both times the weather was bad when the plane was coming, and we didn't know if the plane would make it in to pick up our son and save his life. We praise God that in both cases the plane did arrive, and Britt did get to Fairbanks in time and was obviously treated and recovered. But all that to say, I clearly remember what that feels like--to feel completely helpless on the other end, knowing that your child needs advanced medical care, and the only way to get it is if the airplane can make it in time. So I can very much sympathize with those who are on the other side... and I can appreciate the hope and help that is represented on the wings of MAF to people who are in those types of situations. I'm SO thankful that I've been able to play a small part in brining that tangible help and hope to many people over the years that I've flown with MAF, and not just in medical evac situations, but also in many other ways as well.</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-70141576187129344532020-08-04T16:52:00.000+03:002020-08-04T16:52:24.893+03:00Making the Most of Being Stuck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm taking a quick break from the series I was doing about our past, to update you on what's going on here right now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I mentioned a while back that I would update you regarding our summer plans when we knew more. Well, the uncertainty has persisted throughout the summer, so I kept delaying any sort of official announcement that we had given up on our plans to go the U.S. Yet here we are in August, and the international airport here is still closed, and there is no sign that it will open any time soon. So I think it's now safe to say that we are stuck in Uganda for the duration of summer--which means that we will NOT be able to come to the U.S. to help our daughter transition to University, or visit churches and supporters. That obviously makes us sad, but we trust God, and will continue to evaluate future plans as the situation changes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMitcuUPNitUNsU6x1m0_o9nNHDnclbhb3uvZ7s0ktoeheb9P2rbVyG8cAgCqf7pKWll4W7wOI0AZSbXcAe14p1Zvo-zwq1Q91G-VP9IpNVzK7GUJWTqYVyVDKQnro94BKgIjtA1vyRTc/s1600/200801_P1001165.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMitcuUPNitUNsU6x1m0_o9nNHDnclbhb3uvZ7s0ktoeheb9P2rbVyG8cAgCqf7pKWll4W7wOI0AZSbXcAe14p1Zvo-zwq1Q91G-VP9IpNVzK7GUJWTqYVyVDKQnro94BKgIjtA1vyRTc/s1600/200801_P1001165.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, seeing as how we are stuck here right now, and since we had not taken a family vacation out of the city of Kampala in well over two years (since we were in the U.S. last summer), we decided to take a few days to get out of Dodge, and breath some fresher air.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWXLtfmB2-dJQh_Na1hHOyTeIrxOEp9YiX_t7VKuL6V3znDPCdv9o0AsTGHRBR3tCaQ45NQv4M_wdWdKYLqrtc3bBQA1dMpoznyqPuscSC-fyrzOhVbunIUu1wYroNyi15RWG_Jna4tuu/s2000/200802_P1001149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWXLtfmB2-dJQh_Na1hHOyTeIrxOEp9YiX_t7VKuL6V3znDPCdv9o0AsTGHRBR3tCaQ45NQv4M_wdWdKYLqrtc3bBQA1dMpoznyqPuscSC-fyrzOhVbunIUu1wYroNyi15RWG_Jna4tuu/s1600/200802_P1001149.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some MAF friends of ours own a small rustic cottage in Western Uganda, that they rent out for very affordable prices, nestled in between two small crater lakes. There is a bunch of wide open space with hiking trails, grassy hills, and the sounds and smells of nature... just what we needed!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1-Ez0beg8h-n9hzZujmg7uwC4wrwe2qOx9HZap1ASZoY3bQBm2wYy5T1j7uWxB0T3RebIqncI61PG0ftmard5AFS0J99X86oQKQVZYHFgZsa4HeducSQu3-wEOiALS5XYgvBbXe57Iz5/s2000/200803_P1001162.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1-Ez0beg8h-n9hzZujmg7uwC4wrwe2qOx9HZap1ASZoY3bQBm2wYy5T1j7uWxB0T3RebIqncI61PG0ftmard5AFS0J99X86oQKQVZYHFgZsa4HeducSQu3-wEOiALS5XYgvBbXe57Iz5/s1600/200803_P1001162.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is the view that we enjoyed from the front porch of the cottage, as we ate our home-made dinner. Those mountains in the distance are the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountain range--the highest mountain range in Africa. They are on the border between Uganda and Congo, and although the ones in the picture are only 7-8,000' high, they actually get much higher just a bit to the south, reaching heights well above 17,000', with permanent snow and glaciers. Some day I would love to climb them, but it is very expensive to hire the required guides, so who knows. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We enjoyed watching the sun set behind that cloud, which looked to us a lot like a nuclear mushroom cloud. We joked that maybe some people just got so fed up with the Covid-19 stuff that they just decided to set off a nuke... thankfully it's not quite that bad, yet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30TA6lnbIsyAc683YZgPTEct0pVCNmKndET0ZgFu2ZEXO8ml-h2PJsEH4oBNLKg6d9HC0L1MefiQs4X7Mp0w3xg_eUDCgpySbcC2v03kS_UudnnyPEHNIM81L3qxmBkTuz1M-cotsCL_l/s2000/200804_P1001120.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30TA6lnbIsyAc683YZgPTEct0pVCNmKndET0ZgFu2ZEXO8ml-h2PJsEH4oBNLKg6d9HC0L1MefiQs4X7Mp0w3xg_eUDCgpySbcC2v03kS_UudnnyPEHNIM81L3qxmBkTuz1M-cotsCL_l/s1600/200804_P1001120.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While we were there, Hudson turned 16! We celebrated by taking the family to dinner at a restaurant in Fort Portal. Being a large family on a tight budget, we don't often get to all go out to eat, so this was truly a rare treat. Hudson enjoyed a crocodile burger. Yes--it really is real crocodile. Don't worry, there were also plenty of chips (their word for fries) and a pizza, to help fill him up. ;-)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kaoLIrS6GDWDo4NzeLefGEPpK-AtdJdMHg-XQIiL5-syd0RsKGrqAY-pw_6oQ0lkXOkYiTzzbbgeO7BRdJ6yj28Y9qdvFVBm_neClID0_CM8wwjNgavl9E8V4ccgo9AQB99_0CRaZWF2/s2000/200805_IMG_4801.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kaoLIrS6GDWDo4NzeLefGEPpK-AtdJdMHg-XQIiL5-syd0RsKGrqAY-pw_6oQ0lkXOkYiTzzbbgeO7BRdJ6yj28Y9qdvFVBm_neClID0_CM8wwjNgavl9E8V4ccgo9AQB99_0CRaZWF2/s1600/200805_IMG_4801.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I mentioned that the cottage is nestled between two crater lakes. Here's a panorama showing the area. Tanner and Sanyu are on the edge of the rim of one of the craters. If you're interested, you might be able to click on the photo to enlarge it and see more detail.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAUpZK4ZXsbe1wHihPTgF3Y8A1Tlkx7oYDyvA8sYjnPB36hT7CiJbb5NjGOZ60aeZ9kwonuOH38k9FWI7YiNfmfJ1HOwYInvTqcuMBzPnsdkk700viRKXRAqE4kGCXxXn2r0q-yDqhPz4/s2000/200806_IMG_4819.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAUpZK4ZXsbe1wHihPTgF3Y8A1Tlkx7oYDyvA8sYjnPB36hT7CiJbb5NjGOZ60aeZ9kwonuOH38k9FWI7YiNfmfJ1HOwYInvTqcuMBzPnsdkk700viRKXRAqE4kGCXxXn2r0q-yDqhPz4/s1600/200806_IMG_4819.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The boys always dream of fishing, but very rarely seem to get the chance. There are HUGE nile perch available to catch up in the protected areas of Murchison National Park, but that is crazy expensive. In normal times, people fly here from all over the world to take part in fishing competitions there in the dry season. And you can also hire expensive guides and boats to go out onto Lake Victoria for trophy perch. But we were just happy to have a hand at catching some small tilapia in the quiet waters of the local lake. The boys were very persistent and patient, and eventually they all caught a few.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GoTVxU289pc6TksLABh7518BlhZYb0v6o_qHrslpoY3NDK5uIjUX9Ki_sKElCpi21WEFotU4EthcgaNnaPEXNVFN33GBUawNaIeZR9mYWgYlXMIqftnZycBnx1gUk3X9nSbJWAmNKOTw/s2000/200807_P1001127.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GoTVxU289pc6TksLABh7518BlhZYb0v6o_qHrslpoY3NDK5uIjUX9Ki_sKElCpi21WEFotU4EthcgaNnaPEXNVFN33GBUawNaIeZR9mYWgYlXMIqftnZycBnx1gUk3X9nSbJWAmNKOTw/s1600/200807_P1001127.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also enjoyed swimming in the cold waters. The lakes are very deep, and so the boys thought it was fun to swim in the 'creepy', dark water. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxtXe4kq4bFfXJmLUWHxRUBS9hsG__0Lm_5Vn_OX2HElgUpZKuQ_lGJoJexfEI6USq-byDRT1qYD2RAFzl9CMvQRYa2pyQupGviDHuFFAQxiiYkOQoxdvdGagDuPKk6HnZo8kdVJ88ENkH/s2000/200808_IMG_4793.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxtXe4kq4bFfXJmLUWHxRUBS9hsG__0Lm_5Vn_OX2HElgUpZKuQ_lGJoJexfEI6USq-byDRT1qYD2RAFzl9CMvQRYa2pyQupGviDHuFFAQxiiYkOQoxdvdGagDuPKk6HnZo8kdVJ88ENkH/s1600/200808_IMG_4793.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also did some paddling around in a little raft. If you look closely, you can see Sanyu also along for the ride.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVMei0Et0Zn6aC1HMEY7jBB8LjkN-nksJ_qzQwtloP_uB9tMe1-8EnSlnusPW2OrGR9IDeoIT_KdESWn3IvCUpJ9ptC4CaFWW0kGRMK9aoWnhpjBtEs6fOylXsOQh-_33BOoNec8ytPGs/s2000/200809_IMG_4714.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVMei0Et0Zn6aC1HMEY7jBB8LjkN-nksJ_qzQwtloP_uB9tMe1-8EnSlnusPW2OrGR9IDeoIT_KdESWn3IvCUpJ9ptC4CaFWW0kGRMK9aoWnhpjBtEs6fOylXsOQh-_33BOoNec8ytPGs/s1600/200809_IMG_4714.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In truth, it was mostly just Joy and I that paddled the raft around--the picture below is one of the rare times that the boys were actually using the raft in the way it was intended. Normally they were using it as sort of a floating "king of the mountain" thing--seeing who could get onto the raft and control it, without being pushed off or flipped over by their brothers. Good fun!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQft4F-K5UWziJk2wuUF3whHmwL_Hx2Qv4FGtLhsuHPOmwGGNsnYiw-3Oz2IB7RL8mUFm539OCRK7p7geie61cHN2qBDx4e9ms0v-uBYh8IFhC-jqY7WgDDtsHOleg4D84pG6ImYDVpO-/s2000/200810_P1001133.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1333" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQft4F-K5UWziJk2wuUF3whHmwL_Hx2Qv4FGtLhsuHPOmwGGNsnYiw-3Oz2IB7RL8mUFm539OCRK7p7geie61cHN2qBDx4e9ms0v-uBYh8IFhC-jqY7WgDDtsHOleg4D84pG6ImYDVpO-/s1600/200810_P1001133.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of our favorite things was just to go for long walks... something that is definitely not doable (at least not with the peace and quiet and beauty of nature all around) in the city of Kampala.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthgceiZogq96noGUuAHOrL50IZCyATJwtrTpmhtVl2qsKoG1fIr2KleOuQP1PtW0x5XLTWmKtWsaJoB17J_o9RG_U9_pCxHnMuR-Tbw8-IPwH7GiMHfieqEOhbdTSOanVgT3sywG0LROV/s2000/200811_IMG_4830.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthgceiZogq96noGUuAHOrL50IZCyATJwtrTpmhtVl2qsKoG1fIr2KleOuQP1PtW0x5XLTWmKtWsaJoB17J_o9RG_U9_pCxHnMuR-Tbw8-IPwH7GiMHfieqEOhbdTSOanVgT3sywG0LROV/s1600/200811_IMG_4830.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One morning Sanyu (who absolutely loved hiking and climbing the 'mountains' around us) and I got up early and climbed to the top of a steep, pointy, peak, several hundred feet above the lakes. Once on top, we enjoyed a breakfast picnic of hot chocolate, cold dry cereal, and apples, as the sun rose.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBgQ7swobo1hyphenhyphen9hJsoPZs2KWTO7lLvQ1uwIcuYrqX6a-Ma8Hk3M2EHuPhZgBy0Oe0PY4TCm2yAwGKWITGYSrtwM0MzN_fnmIUC_HX8olf4g9WWqiS415ER0l9-jMrVSWVrJGlZ_0DIkfq/s2000/200812_P1001222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBgQ7swobo1hyphenhyphen9hJsoPZs2KWTO7lLvQ1uwIcuYrqX6a-Ma8Hk3M2EHuPhZgBy0Oe0PY4TCm2yAwGKWITGYSrtwM0MzN_fnmIUC_HX8olf4g9WWqiS415ER0l9-jMrVSWVrJGlZ_0DIkfq/s1600/200812_P1001222.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then Sanyu, who is extremely coordinated and flexible for her age, decided to do some stretching and then started doing cartwheels right up on top of the peak, with a tremendous view in all directions. It was totally epic!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOa4XqSvWCEThdtifz6CiQIKipOfw-qGa3c-gFxvrHCL9XxZbqouvSJw1QOeNfQXY_s2pzMjGpY7dRvk1xzZ6MJEp9ve29T6WngNbwFhL2fdTYBwZo_fS5Mt1UbLutWIcL0J6eyxT6NTT/s2000/200813_IMG_4865.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOa4XqSvWCEThdtifz6CiQIKipOfw-qGa3c-gFxvrHCL9XxZbqouvSJw1QOeNfQXY_s2pzMjGpY7dRvk1xzZ6MJEp9ve29T6WngNbwFhL2fdTYBwZo_fS5Mt1UbLutWIcL0J6eyxT6NTT/s1600/200813_IMG_4865.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of epic, the sunsets were pretty awesome when the haze cleared. Below, Joy and the kids are walking in front on me on the rim of a small crater, overlooking the farmland and forest leading to the foothills in the distance.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmNhSbLMHahg4qRmsfxkRR-H1sYbOPtnj6-fXZbIr1h8L6dLvT75fwK4DMdOC3c3ErmIiqrQZUaEt6JXorKa37C-0IK-KYtFxu1hj2zMpCTWmhXhBScXYSVfladP3w-k55h1j3zXQPmT0/s2000/200814_P1001187.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmNhSbLMHahg4qRmsfxkRR-H1sYbOPtnj6-fXZbIr1h8L6dLvT75fwK4DMdOC3c3ErmIiqrQZUaEt6JXorKa37C-0IK-KYtFxu1hj2zMpCTWmhXhBScXYSVfladP3w-k55h1j3zXQPmT0/s1600/200814_P1001187.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And this is just a classic one--Tanner and Sanyu, walking hand-in-hand as the sun sets in the West. So cute!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dJbY0-HjKzQCMwjDobeAs1jq28ofWROLCML0D6dZu0ZeuAqc8iPP5rUpyPUJmMs2CMXh3X6Vw9JQhtpd2tE7keb1SRowkHh6rJZFtvC3FTjl3DXQvrwgFDFi4MAT-TkhwOQevhrnbIBz/s2000/200815_P1001180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dJbY0-HjKzQCMwjDobeAs1jq28ofWROLCML0D6dZu0ZeuAqc8iPP5rUpyPUJmMs2CMXh3X6Vw9JQhtpd2tE7keb1SRowkHh6rJZFtvC3FTjl3DXQvrwgFDFi4MAT-TkhwOQevhrnbIBz/s1600/200815_P1001180.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok, well I hope you enjoyed those photos as much as we enjoyed making them. We were way overdue to get a breath of fresh air, and it was SO worth it for our sanity! Next post I'll return to the little series on how we got to where we are today.</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-56431801750839376852020-07-17T13:15:00.003+03:002020-07-17T13:39:17.711+03:00Heading North, Way Back When...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As promised, I'm continuing from my previous post about way back when... </div>
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After I graduated from University and flight school, we briefly moved to Oregon as we prepared for future, cross-cultural work/ministry. That fall I had the opportunity to go on a short vision trip to a very remote part of north central Alaska, to an area where we felt that God was leading us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUS_YgJxnGMXjeZcCWUK-xKSmL44kAFHsyfC5Lux89pE8jQwi0kZlMlPDSBCobxQbiIa9aMFAy6IuWUik2EbmdCYB5p0bQ7hBglpM_NYCd7r0_5lv9z1fM-YBfZuxs_tyev0iM3eUl0KOG/s1600/200717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUS_YgJxnGMXjeZcCWUK-xKSmL44kAFHsyfC5Lux89pE8jQwi0kZlMlPDSBCobxQbiIa9aMFAy6IuWUik2EbmdCYB5p0bQ7hBglpM_NYCd7r0_5lv9z1fM-YBfZuxs_tyev0iM3eUl0KOG/s1600/200717.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Joy had spent several summers up there, volunteering at a small Christian camp. But I had never been there. I spent a few weeks with this wonderful family, who kindly hosted me and took me all over that part of Alaska. Since it was the time of year for bringing in the meat, I even joined them in their family moose hunt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhJY6ImBkQT2pc4kkPwLX8OF3F56pEfZkcdvMvP9hXsuLvUoSdAESTBYBEQMgL-zuVAwT0ZBb-iK8cZ2u7g8OGU1M3h1LSRYXlVbNq4ijrgTXg62-7t3vU9y97pkLMesQxkcxnAsz7DUQ/s1600/200718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhJY6ImBkQT2pc4kkPwLX8OF3F56pEfZkcdvMvP9hXsuLvUoSdAESTBYBEQMgL-zuVAwT0ZBb-iK8cZ2u7g8OGU1M3h1LSRYXlVbNq4ijrgTXg62-7t3vU9y97pkLMesQxkcxnAsz7DUQ/s1600/200718.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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He was not only a very widely known and respected Athabaskan elder, but also a pilot. So he took me around the region in his Pacer. That's when I started to see how immensely vast and wild Alaska truly is... we flew hours upon hours and saw nothing but wilderness, among which were scattered a few, isolated villages along the main rivers. There were no roads whatsoever.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfjQFKhGuumRK1Gc0qhX412Pqeio4n9waVhZ3_Ghk90JYffIR5HGjkSosqpYFgKEdWvwyvmriD5zRg3Oxyr3Q4_5HAbST_WEIz5bCzkLRNe1tbhXB4v7z55Ev1KXfiUOrwpQ2q_0m-VMq/s1600/200719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfjQFKhGuumRK1Gc0qhX412Pqeio4n9waVhZ3_Ghk90JYffIR5HGjkSosqpYFgKEdWvwyvmriD5zRg3Oxyr3Q4_5HAbST_WEIz5bCzkLRNe1tbhXB4v7z55Ev1KXfiUOrwpQ2q_0m-VMq/s1600/200719.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We visited several different Athabaskan villages, all very remote and isolated.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRDagL2zHfdSI_roeJFE5r2dZeDEt1zlcoqqlLzVOeN-_U97mZQbwNARN_5Ev_hvB1TleZtikyPAn1iLNgV0Y_NG4EwocRxnMdXqVq-FmmFkpN7p_MIAoct-oq2pb1p5eg4giZy3tJqX4/s1600/200720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="1600" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRDagL2zHfdSI_roeJFE5r2dZeDEt1zlcoqqlLzVOeN-_U97mZQbwNARN_5Ev_hvB1TleZtikyPAn1iLNgV0Y_NG4EwocRxnMdXqVq-FmmFkpN7p_MIAoct-oq2pb1p5eg4giZy3tJqX4/s1600/200720.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was drawn by the rugged, harsh, and surreal beauty of the land and her people. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xCACA_eBto7cx4clJ2pym0bkZpVDTOElgUIUKEO9lDasKt8Ei8peQ6saV4RPVUdx4n2nlninKnaLHXfFOiThHGBQjdsyCTSBJC8FohxmJTPdWnsSylTxvD_oreDNKyDc2D_H-25VyYWI/s1600/200721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1600" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xCACA_eBto7cx4clJ2pym0bkZpVDTOElgUIUKEO9lDasKt8Ei8peQ6saV4RPVUdx4n2nlninKnaLHXfFOiThHGBQjdsyCTSBJC8FohxmJTPdWnsSylTxvD_oreDNKyDc2D_H-25VyYWI/s1600/200721.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3Uh7m1qMKanC_6tRkV94ysH-wWXSCYPOGllQNTi-qgDOei_SGxCTLy9UfdSpEUfb7_3zJSZGX39n6Dv2ObAp2Jdz7l-rcy2fTUBqgV7ulIATaTUrmvYRy6BAlqsw3n4N_vT70sarT9HB/s1600/200722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3Uh7m1qMKanC_6tRkV94ysH-wWXSCYPOGllQNTi-qgDOei_SGxCTLy9UfdSpEUfb7_3zJSZGX39n6Dv2ObAp2Jdz7l-rcy2fTUBqgV7ulIATaTUrmvYRy6BAlqsw3n4N_vT70sarT9HB/s1600/200722.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Long story short, God confirmed His calling in our hearts, and Joy and I eventually made the decision to join a small organization and head to the far north. The plan was to move into a specific village that was located just north of the Arctic Circle, building relationships with the elders and others, while specifically working with the youth. The idea was that eventually we would incorporate a small plane into the ministry. This was my very first visit to 'our' future village, which I got to see (photo below) during that vision trip way back when.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJO4-Tb_4Bt5OupGOqlFUg4KQer5mucS51P5mY9fUE9gV2HtDD1u6s2wdg2_t9Kpt1OPdLX3k4JgzbCIBXO9oxLToj7xW8aV1-DXLN0sjXXTVkC5_mfNabKIVXf4tMqqsLljSXcDXUTVwB/s1600/200723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJO4-Tb_4Bt5OupGOqlFUg4KQer5mucS51P5mY9fUE9gV2HtDD1u6s2wdg2_t9Kpt1OPdLX3k4JgzbCIBXO9oxLToj7xW8aV1-DXLN0sjXXTVkC5_mfNabKIVXf4tMqqsLljSXcDXUTVwB/s1600/200723.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Before we just up and headed off, we first had to get a group of churches and friends to commit to both pray for us, and also to sponsor our 'work' there. We also completed some additional training in several different areas. It was a busy time--we were constantly on the go, traveling, speaking in churches, meeting and sharing with people, and moving and moving and moving again. Come to think of it, we've never really stopped doing that for the past 20 years. :-) </div>
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Anyway, a very short seven months after the vision trip mentioned above, we were off to Canada, where we underwent another 3 months of training focused towards helping to prepare us culturally, and in other ways, for living and working among "First Nations" or Indigenous people of North America. Part of that time was dedicated to an extensive wilderness training program in the Churchill River system, which was nothing short of a blast.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz0tIvqKR12QZucjcJ_cSDzd0YChyod4nt7DAPMEpO67winpC3MQA9qD_yc5QvcLvK_LSpl-fujNecmqZm5YBEU4RcCllCJ6NciZfo-4lPyUC5xoXroXtxpDkTov_wVkay1S-qSdKH8jB/s1600/200724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz0tIvqKR12QZucjcJ_cSDzd0YChyod4nt7DAPMEpO67winpC3MQA9qD_yc5QvcLvK_LSpl-fujNecmqZm5YBEU4RcCllCJ6NciZfo-4lPyUC5xoXroXtxpDkTov_wVkay1S-qSdKH8jB/s1600/200724.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I especially loved it when they marooned each of us, individually, on our own separate island, without food or any survival gear, for 24 hours. I wish it had been longer, as I had a lot of fun with that. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqDx9pvzFzinY-Q1gl_cwQfZnP9vcnscd88LT7H0efPpyNl_dgrYqV7U0d1NCtri__sKW0Va2Td3XTlURM6u9p0ZLLc0whpoZwAImYhnSvkgctXaFVIMFgzFyR4wII0xXuZsbX7XSbz86/s1600/200725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1184" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqDx9pvzFzinY-Q1gl_cwQfZnP9vcnscd88LT7H0efPpyNl_dgrYqV7U0d1NCtri__sKW0Va2Td3XTlURM6u9p0ZLLc0whpoZwAImYhnSvkgctXaFVIMFgzFyR4wII0xXuZsbX7XSbz86/s1600/200725.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, Joy was not allowed to do the full wilderness training, since we had an infant who needed her full-time care. But I'm sure she would have loved it also. Here's a shot of her and Britt, latter that summer, soaking up nature (and mosquitoes a plenty).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyejl1r7Y9JMKKaXVOtyni0Sk_egDqGh1j9vAx96pfka8ZruOmA0VMZlvl1EbChuLswWs1JYxSI1KsvGoWmICULzCPSj7jLJiGZ54_suDCf_BPgy6B6VfzAEBJWTZAA70TU2SsuN510ReU/s1600/200726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyejl1r7Y9JMKKaXVOtyni0Sk_egDqGh1j9vAx96pfka8ZruOmA0VMZlvl1EbChuLswWs1JYxSI1KsvGoWmICULzCPSj7jLJiGZ54_suDCf_BPgy6B6VfzAEBJWTZAA70TU2SsuN510ReU/s1600/200726.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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From there we continued directly to Alaska, where we spent the initial few weeks helping at the same Camp where Joy had volunteered many times before, on the banks of the Yukon River.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyy-RPS0_CS_VGyMPOfJXfZAjMWfNtL8GuI9wxE_hF2BXN9bwF1ZmVZe8vZyJr2UqDopfn3FyA295noI86cElzGhR0dwboMbPasb3MoWdwZC_GIYh1p14mF-Vzy3_T3DBiNw7KtT5cZO-n/s1600/200727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyy-RPS0_CS_VGyMPOfJXfZAjMWfNtL8GuI9wxE_hF2BXN9bwF1ZmVZe8vZyJr2UqDopfn3FyA295noI86cElzGhR0dwboMbPasb3MoWdwZC_GIYh1p14mF-Vzy3_T3DBiNw7KtT5cZO-n/s1600/200727.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5olNGewa-lgEA4ru2v-_8OsOJNyeJ40igUYW9AD4YBhKLOaAa9Txt2MBjH3OXrAhrr5vgtzZd2HMHhuhpu_MJD54CkAhnUCXtuIy9QAMzIbDycQgT0VKMT3lXVr8BL49hpEYGHD9jhuTI/s1600/200728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5olNGewa-lgEA4ru2v-_8OsOJNyeJ40igUYW9AD4YBhKLOaAa9Txt2MBjH3OXrAhrr5vgtzZd2HMHhuhpu_MJD54CkAhnUCXtuIy9QAMzIbDycQgT0VKMT3lXVr8BL49hpEYGHD9jhuTI/s1600/200728.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Joy was able to reunite with many of her friends from previous years. She was really in her element, both living in the 'rougher' conditions of the camp, but also and especially, in building relationships with the Athabaskan youth, whom she so loved.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIg5LY7wGIYEb1PWLDOG2uv3u9A0N8_OqRBm22fldaDnd4LivAH7JSTy2bhrS_gRE7gL2dbWkkKSmCRxLnWwocs7mSFSr9-jQ0FMj5FIlsWsjpLO37CmfpJSQZz9PVmgftsThmxJYUpwu/s1600/200729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1224" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIg5LY7wGIYEb1PWLDOG2uv3u9A0N8_OqRBm22fldaDnd4LivAH7JSTy2bhrS_gRE7gL2dbWkkKSmCRxLnWwocs7mSFSr9-jQ0FMj5FIlsWsjpLO37CmfpJSQZz9PVmgftsThmxJYUpwu/s1600/200729.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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We were involved in a myriad different tasks... from teaching and mentoring, to helping with the grounds and maintenance, and construction, cooking, cleaning, and on and on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrTncroHaZFgrGbNMKM0NNXKfliSXDDlI44zYMk4ecaa-nz1v0iRjZTsnGUkwKENgUp8QloS9j2ubQrGdVEl2owGkRIfuBbZ685XsKiRaR08uz3S0NSNnSWcnUZ26lZVEGOVLeAMcuAjE/s1600/200730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrTncroHaZFgrGbNMKM0NNXKfliSXDDlI44zYMk4ecaa-nz1v0iRjZTsnGUkwKENgUp8QloS9j2ubQrGdVEl2owGkRIfuBbZ685XsKiRaR08uz3S0NSNnSWcnUZ26lZVEGOVLeAMcuAjE/s1600/200730.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEocxsGvJjmV4UBLbVwWq0qH1tkNVT_VaLcHEX25rY73rxLQSsdoT49DDfY2am1f_iBkwOQk6b67Ar1DqUaKcfh6FhR8QYNl7xocsGnx_xSb5AlCeCajncQWcBRhOR3vkV9zZ-ZrQF2-VK/s1600/200731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEocxsGvJjmV4UBLbVwWq0qH1tkNVT_VaLcHEX25rY73rxLQSsdoT49DDfY2am1f_iBkwOQk6b67Ar1DqUaKcfh6FhR8QYNl7xocsGnx_xSb5AlCeCajncQWcBRhOR3vkV9zZ-ZrQF2-VK/s1600/200731.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Joy even got to be an 'exterminator' at one point, when a pesky porcupine kept eating various parts of the camp buildings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOgxo_wuhyphenhyphenTLmRWlgh2YYOFAznJn38DNy1ErISyWsiBOZ2tv6GqG3yx2mcW0IINnqhDSY2e7xHt8laYHXF__DeRsiTzgMLAGFga20oSNJXs38aKEeJ6qiOj9All3wi9579daA4Yi5IzNS/s1600/200732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOgxo_wuhyphenhyphenTLmRWlgh2YYOFAznJn38DNy1ErISyWsiBOZ2tv6GqG3yx2mcW0IINnqhDSY2e7xHt8laYHXF__DeRsiTzgMLAGFga20oSNJXs38aKEeJ6qiOj9All3wi9579daA4Yi5IzNS/s1600/200732.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After the camp we spent a few more weeks with our manager, who was also a pilot, and who's family lived in a remote village much further north, about halfway between the camp and where 'our village' was located. He flew a Cessna 180 on floats, skis, and wheels, depending on the time of year. Here's a picture of his plane, out behind his cabin, on a small lake from where he operated.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlgZhg3ooYKc9DCxxZLKT597DXmEwgJtr5PRr3Jkxcg9rr65ww65wM5sSMp10tWjXLUGaSn89nveviPaYSLMl1-RrOaRdkRQp0cvfJAYgkeEqFWULqzIyMPvtRISLJMCYizThTFu4iTMh/s1600/200733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlgZhg3ooYKc9DCxxZLKT597DXmEwgJtr5PRr3Jkxcg9rr65ww65wM5sSMp10tWjXLUGaSn89nveviPaYSLMl1-RrOaRdkRQp0cvfJAYgkeEqFWULqzIyMPvtRISLJMCYizThTFu4iTMh/s1600/200733.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A few weeks later, near the end of summer, he took our little family (Joy, Britton, and me) and a few of our belongings, up to our future home, dropping us off on the river bank of our little village.</div>
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This is a shot of his plane departing... and there we were. Home.<br />
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Britton had just turned one. The ice was already freezing on the puddles at night. Fall and winter were rapidly bearing down on us like a runaway freight-train, and we were setting up our home in a tiny, dilapidated, one-room cabin, on the edge of one of the most isolated villages in all of North America. We needed meat, fire wood, and water, forthwith, for our very survival. This was a subsistence village, where you hunt and gather much of your food, and haul ALL of your water to your cabin from a central location in the village, or from the river. But equally important for our emotional wellbeing, we needed friends and relationships. </div>
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We were young and energetic and willing... and WAY in over our heads. But we didn't really know it quite yet, which can sometimes be a good place to be. Over the next two years we would learn, in a hyper-intensive way, just how incapable we were/are on our own, but how <i>more than capable </i>our God was and is. The lessons we learned were invaluable. The relationships we developed were unbreakable. The adventure had just begun.</div>
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Stay tuned for more...</div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-80288975788367785842020-07-10T14:45:00.004+03:002020-07-10T14:59:53.988+03:00Way Back When<div>
Our flying has been quite slow lately because of the Covid-19 situation. I have, however, recently done several maintenance and test flights from our home airstrip, which as you can see, is about half underwater from the high levels of Lake Victoria. In fact, this is better than it was for the past few months when the water was even higher (it's actually been going down for the past few weeks). You can see near the middle where they have dumped many loads of murrum (the reddish gravely dirt so common here) to build up our taxiway, and also make a bit of the middle part of the runway useable. </div>
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What used to be an 1,100 meter long runway is now only about 580 meters short, which can still be used safely, with all our required margins, but certainly not with a fully loaded plane. If I'm being totally honest, it's actually a lot of fun, and reminds me of a lot of the strips I used to operate from in Kalimantan. </div>
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Well, thinking back to Indonesia got me thinking back a lot further, and I decided it might be fun to dig some photos out from way, way back when... way back before I joined MAF. First, just so we set the stage properly, here are two very recent photos. This one was taken just about a week and a half ago, the same day I took the airstrip photo above. Yes, I had gotten a bit lazy with the razor during the past few months of lockdown.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHFOoLlbTyZgEavWaYl5MviuCzRDiWSMJJbmmkiFvsxniaGXPH-C8NGb2tqxzcobQMqCdyfAyz5eLF2HqWk1DzeJaWQlVOBuKBaovNH-qFDSPBUFy-6CRj76sZoNdBsTVk9gBnTEMY35U/s1600/200702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHFOoLlbTyZgEavWaYl5MviuCzRDiWSMJJbmmkiFvsxniaGXPH-C8NGb2tqxzcobQMqCdyfAyz5eLF2HqWk1DzeJaWQlVOBuKBaovNH-qFDSPBUFy-6CRj76sZoNdBsTVk9gBnTEMY35U/s1600/200702.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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And this shot of my good friend (and our MAF Uganda Chief Pilot) Greg Vine, and I, was just taken less than a week ago, by Greg's wife, Jill. As you can see, I have sheered the dead yak from my face, which makes my wife happy, but my daughter sad. 😂 </div>
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So how in the world did I wind up here in Africa with MAF? Well, that is a very long story of God's amazing sovereignty and direction throughout my life... a story that is too long for my blog. But I thought I might just give you some snapshots into my younger life, before MAF.<br />
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Recently, my sister was helping my parents convert their old slide photos into digital photos and she sent me some of those good ol' photos from my childhood. Here are some of those...<br />
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I was raised in the jungles of Brazil. Not literally in the jungle--but we were pretty much totally surrounded by it, and the jungle was definitely my playground. My parents were with a similar organization, doing similar work as I am doing... only not directly with aircraft. It was very important and meaningful work--focused towards eternity, and towards helping people. Of course, as a kid, I probably didn't always fully grasp the bigger picture, but I sure did have a lot of fun living a very adventurous life in the Amazon basin. I was especially into fishing!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxfiBE0672LZrE5d87hsbqgjRgCbq2WOBmr6LaNI47A-11v3KmRp_el2-WNW3-OvEaCi947w_lXvP4WCS_LE0QZfweQZhxY9ZyY0K6hT1jvQ6MmD9-27q7JRzO0NCe6M6xvjAiDeAWiph/s1600/200703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxfiBE0672LZrE5d87hsbqgjRgCbq2WOBmr6LaNI47A-11v3KmRp_el2-WNW3-OvEaCi947w_lXvP4WCS_LE0QZfweQZhxY9ZyY0K6hT1jvQ6MmD9-27q7JRzO0NCe6M6xvjAiDeAWiph/s1600/200703.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So here's the thing... when you catch peacock bass and piranha like this, you can pretty much rock whatever short shorts you want to rock. But you definitely wouldn't catch me wearing those today! 🤮🤣<br />
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My dad was my superhero. He was not only able to build and/or fix anything in the world, and he was not only the guy that everyone else called for help when they had a wild animal like a venomous snake, or a giant anaconda nearby, but more than that, he was the one who took me and my sisters camping and fishing. He was always super hard working (still is) but yet he always made time for making memories, like these.<br />
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Yep, they have big catfish in the rivers down there. Here, my big sister and me are checking out whether we could have been swallowed whole by this fish, before he gets turned into fillets. And in case you are curious, yes, they came even much bigger than this one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstZv1lvQFI03b3m3fK1KulzRXe2yGGeonVEb00yvs8WdnZOWPm3UKjqNA1_XAruM8DXWyqtRskvGqBoTpjYnjZluSAysRNlYnSkNE05qq47gt-YOWHxFreDuaCJ4UBd0Httn-plMlhhHn/s1600/200705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstZv1lvQFI03b3m3fK1KulzRXe2yGGeonVEb00yvs8WdnZOWPm3UKjqNA1_XAruM8DXWyqtRskvGqBoTpjYnjZluSAysRNlYnSkNE05qq47gt-YOWHxFreDuaCJ4UBd0Httn-plMlhhHn/s1600/200705.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My mom was my other superhero, raising three kids in a not-so-easy place to live, and keeping us not just alive, but thriving. In my earliest memories she was always into hospitality (and still is), always baking and cooking and hosting people and having them over for meals all the time, while always being our biggest cheerleader in whatever we were doing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqq1dNB45X6fEXgyBTKd0P1pP2jBU_HVSJrf1BRIKqjqO3654-Mp2fqRvZa4rhlkyXwATMruKFnRMnK0PaWTiWZfBrLfPdvohnt3IWcnXZdjNVB-_oJ5B1gia2hO_FNkq20snAhBTPX9W/s1600/200706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqq1dNB45X6fEXgyBTKd0P1pP2jBU_HVSJrf1BRIKqjqO3654-Mp2fqRvZa4rhlkyXwATMruKFnRMnK0PaWTiWZfBrLfPdvohnt3IWcnXZdjNVB-_oJ5B1gia2hO_FNkq20snAhBTPX9W/s1600/200706.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My parents always had a garden, and grew lots of the fruits and vegetables that they ate (and they still do).<br />
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Looking back, I admit that I am almost a bit surprised at how much adventure they actually let me have as a little guy. The boy in this picture looks pretty innocent, but within a few years I was out with my machete and/or pellet gun, doing full-day adventures on my own in the jungle, or with my friends... catching, killing, and eating snakes, birds, lizards and fish of every kind. The rule was, if I killed it, I had to eat it. Let me just say that I ate a lot of weird stuff!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eIzSKyqT80s7YnNT3cO2zCCn9A-_WCbPEbeSysx6eiOh2APsRhsavV7NsMzmzUiMGlINZWRHiKxysvmGlyVovEjIRIEc2daIUNSpF95Q_00brgLsF3k4kiNoZq3t1i9XFROWF0bg_GV8/s1600/200708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eIzSKyqT80s7YnNT3cO2zCCn9A-_WCbPEbeSysx6eiOh2APsRhsavV7NsMzmzUiMGlINZWRHiKxysvmGlyVovEjIRIEc2daIUNSpF95Q_00brgLsF3k4kiNoZq3t1i9XFROWF0bg_GV8/s1600/200708.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We always had fun pets too, like this parrot, and a monkey, and so many other interesting things. I liked that about our family--that they let us soak up our surroundings to the fullest.<br />
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Here I am with my little sister, going for a ride in the ingenious motorcycle trailer my dad designed and made. If you look closely, you can see that I'm sporting some medical tape on my forehead. That was one of the many (I think 9 separate) times that I had to get stitches for one reason or another. Like I said, I kind of went flat-out, all the time. The motorcycle accident I had a year and a half ago just added to a long list of broken bones and other injuries I've had during my life, and although some of those scars were definitely the result of not-so-smart decisions on my part, I can say that I don't really regret any of them. Life here on earth is too short to live cautiously and boringly. :-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWP0xNso4VeBjX6h7IlFdz7AVfVFDD2OMZJldswls1It5IlOnXN8o2nV9Yw9tG_xc4fFLvxxdoZfPwwrCKWv1bgztnmJ5nBU-v9_x4ZzyAGM5aIMnaT-gJkVCSpJZzyfWocMEpjO3gjLVP/s1600/200710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWP0xNso4VeBjX6h7IlFdz7AVfVFDD2OMZJldswls1It5IlOnXN8o2nV9Yw9tG_xc4fFLvxxdoZfPwwrCKWv1bgztnmJ5nBU-v9_x4ZzyAGM5aIMnaT-gJkVCSpJZzyfWocMEpjO3gjLVP/s1600/200710.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ok, well, now I'm skipping all the way to my university years. We came back to the U.S. when my older sister got very, very sick over a long period of time and nearly (probably should have) died as a result. So I finished school in America. But I don't have any of those photos in digital (or any other) format over here in Uganda. So we're just jumping right to my college years.<br />
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In the last few years of High School I was pretty gung-ho to head to the U.S. Naval Academy. I wanted to fly fighter jets. My other possible career choice at that time was to go into trauma medicine. I was pretty stoked about either option, so long as I wasn't stuck at a desk doing something boring all day every day. But in the early 90's I had the opportunity to join a work team for a summer to Papua New Guinea, to a little isolated village called Iteri, deep in the jungles of the Sepik region. We worked on lengthening a short, jungle airstrip so they could bring a bigger plane into serve the missionary families who lived and ministered there and in surrounding villages. That was a hugely impactful summer in my life, and God used it to change the direction I was headed. Maybe sometime I'll tell more of that story, but it was really amazing how God wove everything together to get my attention. Incidentally, it was MAF who flew me/us out of the jungle at the end of that summer (I wish I knew who the pilot was all these years later, but I have no idea).<br />
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Make no mistake--I still would have loved to have served my country flying fighter jets, or to have been involved in trauma medicine, both of which I think are very honorable professions. But instead, God got me stoked about flying planes for Him in remote places all over the world. I wouldn't trade what I've been able to do for anything. It has not been an easy life--in fact it's been crazy hard at times! But I am so blessed to have a wife who is just as adventurous as me, willing to go all over the world with me, and making crazy memories over the past 21 years. (Yep, yesterday was our 21 year anniversary!)<br />
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So, back to the flight stuff--at that time, the "Top Gun" of bush flying schools was Moody Aviation. They trained something like 65-70% of all the mission/bush pilots in the world at the time. It was an extremely intensive, highly focused and difficult 5-year flight training program (including the two years of Bible and general education courses at the main campus). So, long story short, that's where I wound up--2 years at the main campus in Chicago, and 3 more years at the flight school in TN.<br />
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Here's the only shot I have from the 2 years I was in Chicago at the main campus--to my left is my good friend and roommate at the time, David, and to my right is my good friend Paul, who also eventually became a pilot with MAF. In fact, Paul and I lived next door to each other in Indonesia for a number of years, and did a lot of crazy adventures back in the day--not just on motorcycles in the U.S. and Indonesia, but also on foot and canoe throughout the jungles of Borneo. Good stuff! And yes, for some reason I had dressed up like Elvis that day, but I can't quite remember why... but I'm sure there must have been a good reason.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdiCetDVLoNkBqD2EsBME9w0Lq9BcQzuT0abtj_3cLhxEZEwiimtiwr_4rXqf0S2ihetNg6oVtdofj4dQjOGQa3XbiT-P0Vh7pFU4LS-9n8DKrUdbAWpj07vd-rldAR8wyzyjA1LD7zOA/s1600/200711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdiCetDVLoNkBqD2EsBME9w0Lq9BcQzuT0abtj_3cLhxEZEwiimtiwr_4rXqf0S2ihetNg6oVtdofj4dQjOGQa3XbiT-P0Vh7pFU4LS-9n8DKrUdbAWpj07vd-rldAR8wyzyjA1LD7zOA/s1600/200711.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's a few shots of back in my early days of flying, something like 22 years or so ago now. Yep, I'm definitely getting old!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4veCeEECGzmfdbw6bE8wg-uFasKStaDGqWIHPQuCtxRVoYGno0Xjj_O-94Uoo0k5Ary7QVkGxGV2u9nIADMG8bmGeDkt_pufFFUUMKFbQmSPXUU67hR1rnfRDjvHZoJYCyY4WyTcl9Pw/s1600/200712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1600" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4veCeEECGzmfdbw6bE8wg-uFasKStaDGqWIHPQuCtxRVoYGno0Xjj_O-94Uoo0k5Ary7QVkGxGV2u9nIADMG8bmGeDkt_pufFFUUMKFbQmSPXUU67hR1rnfRDjvHZoJYCyY4WyTcl9Pw/s1600/200712.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I loved flying, riding motorcycle, and adventuring in the gorgeous mountains of Northeast Tennessee!<br />
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Moody did a lot of extensive and specialized training in bush flying stuff, including several longer trips out west, where we operated into and out of a bunch of very remote, rugged airstrips, not unlike the ones we would one day encounter overseas. That was not just good training, it was also a ton of fun!<br />
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Obviously my good friend, Dean, and I thought we were pretty cool, but looking back I think we were pretty clearly just a couple of dorks. 🤣<br />
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The last shot I'll leave you with this time is a picture of my graduating class at Moody Aviation. We wanted to do something unique for our class picture--something that would set our photo apart from all the other 'normal' class pictures from years before us. It took quite a bit of convincing our ever-safety-conscious administrators, but we finally got permission to have our picture taken in front of a plane doing a low level flyby just behind us. Now remember, this was back in the old school days of photography, where nothing was digital and you never knew your results until later when you got your film developed. So I took a lot of time setting up the shot on a tripod and figuring out where the plane should be, and how fast it should be going, etc. I wanted to have it a bit blurred, to show motion, but didn't really get the full blur-effect I was looking for. I wish I could do it again--I'm sure I could do al to better now. Oh well. I'm the first in the middle row, over on the left in the dark blue shirt. The original picture is better than this one, because this is a poor quality scan of a slide. And I'm not sure why the lower edge is cutoff in this one--probably part of the bad scan--but you get the idea.<br />
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Next time I think I'll show you some pictures of where Joy and I served first, in our early years, before MAF. Hint: think cold!</div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-37749983650582527542020-06-25T07:56:00.000+03:002020-06-25T07:56:06.074+03:00Flood Relief Flying<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
You may remember that I mentioned in a previous blog post a few weeks ago, that there had been severe floods in Western Uganda (and other parts of the country) in early-mid May. Well, several weeks later, we were given special permission by various authorities to fly relief supplies to the hardest hit region in western Uganda.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CMfAulujsKgq2rsiVrX2-MKybULs2uT_tv3rpY9AVQeR8D84GCR2SWMshC5OVJ3wen9pBlx1Ac2rZPw-H2mo1vksLh5sCmqRnDJKlQYyP7nrg-RzypdGPg0qS20LQgMaRNL8k-_04HGG/s1600/200613_P1000798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CMfAulujsKgq2rsiVrX2-MKybULs2uT_tv3rpY9AVQeR8D84GCR2SWMshC5OVJ3wen9pBlx1Ac2rZPw-H2mo1vksLh5sCmqRnDJKlQYyP7nrg-RzypdGPg0qS20LQgMaRNL8k-_04HGG/s1600/200613_P1000798.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Because of flooding at our own 'home' airstrip in Kajjansi, we had positioned our aircraft to the international airport (which is still closed for international commercial flights) where all of the relief supplies were loaded into our four Caravan aircraft.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiZow1QNqa51FczZJHJqb9QVeU35lrAjGudUbIssJSLWaCBZwswNI2nFOnsSvjffdtcLCd_cYkwESCJcrecOprSFeqv8e2oe42VGa0RYmIxXGB2heXX-c0WOErQxZQV0XBNz-1wTJH5hK/s1600/200614_P1000608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiZow1QNqa51FczZJHJqb9QVeU35lrAjGudUbIssJSLWaCBZwswNI2nFOnsSvjffdtcLCd_cYkwESCJcrecOprSFeqv8e2oe42VGa0RYmIxXGB2heXX-c0WOErQxZQV0XBNz-1wTJH5hK/s1600/200614_P1000608.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Over the next several days we made multiple flights per day in each aircraft.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgtDs_nP_EM8EIGjgXbCDmOoilsigJbfAR9j2oPHIgd_lHEXBNgNWRRdhDJYP7v6x6o8mJAsipnMZpE6tGLmrAhiTd6sqdnTQmRzfjytuyFKo5yONZwrYEch1nFQC87aA2ndjxilf3A_o/s1600/200615_P1000880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgtDs_nP_EM8EIGjgXbCDmOoilsigJbfAR9j2oPHIgd_lHEXBNgNWRRdhDJYP7v6x6o8mJAsipnMZpE6tGLmrAhiTd6sqdnTQmRzfjytuyFKo5yONZwrYEch1nFQC87aA2ndjxilf3A_o/s1600/200615_P1000880.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Each of the four Caravans was usually able to haul a bit over one ton per load, and each one usually did two flights per day. So we were able to deliver about 8-9 tons per day.<br />
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Here's a shot of all four of our Caravans in the parking area at the airstrip where we dropped the relief supplies. Thankfully, when we were flying the weather was mostly dry and sunny, with blue skies. :-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgy4yO8omzUdKINNB4iSQER93Fa9Hy20GEFSscdYmjha3KCLDEcpSV3ac-aEktVw9BauMABE_gG7td08mOK_mkkpsFT94J3qMKA0eiUXY9annXAhyFP8ky66N3FCJaob6bDHTlP1K1mKz/s1600/200623_P1000968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgy4yO8omzUdKINNB4iSQER93Fa9Hy20GEFSscdYmjha3KCLDEcpSV3ac-aEktVw9BauMABE_gG7td08mOK_mkkpsFT94J3qMKA0eiUXY9annXAhyFP8ky66N3FCJaob6bDHTlP1K1mKz/s1600/200623_P1000968.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-81807268560323084812020-06-06T12:16:00.003+03:002020-06-06T12:16:51.182+03:00Congratulations Hannah!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Congratulations Hannah! We are so proud of you!</div>
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Yesterday, one week later than originally scheduled, Hannah's senior class was given permission to have a small, outdoor, graduation ceremony at Heritage International School in Kampala.<br />
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Hannah is such a beautiful (inside and out) talented young woman. I can't wait to see what God has in store for her in her future! In the short-term she will be returning to the U.S. (sadly, without us b/c of the Covid-19 travel restrictions) and planning to attend Liberty University this fall, majoring in Biomedical Sciences (Pre-Med).<br />
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Here are some of her senior photos we took a few weeks ago during lockdown, right here in our own back yard in Kampala.<br />
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-32842095474430944592020-05-29T11:24:00.002+03:002020-05-29T11:24:39.784+03:00Our Summer Plans up in the Air... And a Motorcycle Adventure from Late Last Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I mentioned in a recent letter that we sent to many of you, that you should check this blog for the latest updates regarding our plans to be in the U.S. briefly this summer. Well, as you can imagine, those plans are totally muddled right now because of all the Covid-19 related travel restrictions, both here in Uganda, and around the world. What is clear is that our plans will not pan out as we had originally intended (we would have been leaving for the U.S. this weekend, but everything is still closed here.) So for the time being we are stuck here. When we know more, we'll let you know.</span></div>
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In the meantime, I thought I'd share some fun photos from a little motorcycle adventure I did with some friends a few months ago (seems like a lifetime ago) back in early December. Motorcycles are a great way to decompress in my opinion (so long as you don't get knocked off by a drunk driver and subsequently run-over by a Landcruiser, in which case you can become quite literally 'decompressed'.) You get to enjoy the open road (which can be tough to find in much of Uganda), feel the wind and sun on your face, and feel like you are a part of the world around you, rather than staring at it through the tinted glass of a car window. Plus, motorcycles are very cheap to operate here. Mine only sips about 1 liter of fuel for every 30-40 km. We had 4 guys on this trip... (above, from right to left) one each from Uganda, Scotland, the U.S., and Canada.<br />
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We took a 4-day weekend to ride to the far northeastern part of the country, which is one of my favorite parts of Uganda as far as scenery goes. The wide open vistas remind me of the American west and southwest. I love the huge skies and mountains and grasslands and acacias. And the animals... see the elephant in the background of the picture below?<br />
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Of course, when you have a group of dudes itching for adventure, riding smaller bikes designed for 'off-road', you sort of seek out the rougher, muddier trails, just for fun.<br />
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On our way back to Kampala we took two days to ride through Karamoja, in eastern Uganda. Below is a very typical scene in that part of the country--absolutely beautiful in my opinion. Please pray for the people of Karamoja. Not only are they dealing with all the hardships of the Covid-19 lock-down and loss of income (very difficult for people who live hand-to-mouth day to day) like so many others here in Uganda right now, but on top of that they have been dealing with extreme weather swings, from droughts to flash floods (depending on the area) and even massive locust swarms that are threatening their crops. It's a tough place to live!<br />
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Of course, one of the 'fun' things about a long motorcycle ride like this (we clocked 600km or more on unimproved roads and trails) is the inevitable breakdowns. This one, below, was just a simple flat tire (one of several on the trip), which ironically happened shortly after we reconnected with the modern, paved roads after two days of rough stuff.<br />
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This one, below, was a bit more serious. Despite having two aircraft engineers (well, three if you count me, but I don't really work on the 'fixing' of the planes anymore, so I don't really count) with us, and a lot of motorcycle repair experience among us, we were never able to get the bike going again. It just suddenly decided to quit running and that was that. We worked for hours, and had some local guys trying to help (who work on the local variety of street bikes) but all to no avail. Eventually, well after dark, we loaded the bike in a passing truck and our Ugandan friend went with his bike to the next town, where they were able to repair his bike a few days later.<br />
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This was the sunset we enjoyed as we worked on the bike. It was a classic Karamojang sunset. However, it was a bit of a mixed blessing, because as we watched the sun set, we knew that we were in for some really hard riding in the dark. The three of us who had to continue, still had a LOT of riding to do before we could stop for the night (we had to be back in Kampala by the following day so we could be at work the day after). Our stopping point was on the far side of one of the worst/notorious long sections of road in the country. And to make matters worse, a huge thunderstorm came through just after dark and absolutely soaked that entire area. We started riding again about 9 p.m. and didn't arrive at our destination until about 2 a.m., utterly exhausted and covered in mud from head to toe. (We had started riding the previous morning at about 8 a.m.--a very long day, but still fun!)<br />
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The next morning (or more specifically a few hours later that same morning) we woke up to this view, below, of Sipi falls, which you can see in the distance on the right side of the picture. We only had a few minutes to enjoy it before the early morning fog rolled in off of Mount Elgon, and totally enveloped us. From there we rode the rest of the way back to Kampala, and back into the choking dust and city traffic, refreshed (sort of... but at least with a good adventure fix under our belts) and ready to start a new week of flying and wrenching for MAF the next day.<br />
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Here's a final parting group shot, taken somewhere near Kotido, in the heart of Karamoja.<br />
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-54986419619848674542020-05-14T11:36:00.002+03:002020-05-14T11:39:47.484+03:00Rain Rain Go Away...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This past year has been by far the wettest year since we've been in Uganda. Last year we had a very short dry season, and then the rains came again with extra vengeance. The second, shorter, dry season that is supposed to come about half way through the year--well it basically didn't happen at all. This year's dry season (which would normally start around late Dec or early Jan) was also very short, and the rains since then have been relentless. (The picture below was taken a few weeks ago, on my phone, from our house, overlooking Kampala as a storm builds.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The result of all that rain is that Lake Victoria is now at record high levels. Yesterday it officially passed the previous highest-ever-recorded level. Many homes and businesses close to the lake are flooded. In fact, MAF's own runway was almost half underwater when we were finally able to get heavy equipment in there to start working on it, trying to build it up above the water line. Meanwhile, in both Eastern and Western Uganda, there have been widespread flash floods and landslides. Last weekend, tens of thousands were left homeless in western Uganda as a result. Here is a <a href="https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Flash-floods-cut-off-Kasese-again-hit-Bundibugyo/688334-5544994-7lt69bz/index.html">news story talking about it</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The picture below was taken by my friend and fellow MAF pilot, Andrew Parker, standing from the 'high' position up on the area where the MAF planes are usually parked. The nice, dry bit with the dotted lines on the right side--that's the taxiway to our parking area, which, although it doesn't look like it in the picture, is elevated quite a bit above the level of the runway. Beyond that is the runway, stretching across the picture from side to side. The picture is taken from about the middle of the strip. From there, all the way to the far end of the strip on the right side, the strip is completely under water--almost 2 feet deep at the far end. The water continues past the middle, towards the left side, where you can see that the workers were hard at work piling up loads of dirt, trying to make enough 'useable' runway for two of us to fly two of our planes out before the water levels rose even more. (I describe more of that below.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And all of this is happening while the country is under a virtual lockdown due to the Covid-19 issues. These are tough times for a lot of people around the world, including for sure, here in Uganda. Between the Covid-19 lockdown (and resulting loss of income for many here who live hand-to-mouth), and the flooding, and the locust plagues, this is a very difficult time indeed for Uganda and the great part of East Africa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I mentioned that much of our runway here was underwater. After a ton of effort form a lot of people building up the center of the runway, and creating a new taxiway, our engineers were able to tug two of our Grand Caravan aircraft to the dry end of the runway so that I, and the chief pilot, could reposition those aircraft over to the international airport 5 minutes flight away. The hope is that we (MAF) will be able to bring help and hope to many who are suffering in this region, though we are still struggling through myriad permission issues related to the lockdown. We appreciate your prayers in these matters. Below is a video of my takeoff from our home runway, Kajjansi, to reposition the plane to Entebbe, with about 500 meters of useable runway available (out of the usual 1100 meters).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">At the end of my last post I promised to show you some more pictures of the beautiful people of South Sudan. So there they are...</span></div>
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-63417511193205748182020-04-30T13:25:00.002+03:002020-04-30T13:25:37.747+03:00Run For Radios<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week our whole family ran for radios in support of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/everyvillage/?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARBNA1udXPd8Q3rR28fM3xIDRtNxXrceK0HMNlcYJYrCRAB0O4LmN06_YVmH6d2a1rn25FzAyuCbuEPS&fref=mentions&__xts__[0]=68.ARCj4rXhZsfDIG4XBrX6HKNGyw12IynRItYCMycf6C-YEr1vxz5rBuqhZLq_OtiM5kVAejL9_lYgH8bzsqo7XGkK95VfJbqEIxN5YYZS4yBtkPyVsvTmBV6UXEY3Zv5Np3WI-dDilO2ZWDDOnU95vJEYPpFNQLbpjZVjx7e1ITsiNUBEiZw7T6s_ygW9gq7quptDqdG2m9-N6Vh8AUZtlrX69zu4KQKRYgsugMl-rrJWZLdtRGoYvPxSYFEDYTNnJyQtdL_HJEoSH1PcKtxZvbQl_zQRoX131H6IWmiZlYd_XpBrmV1S293QLQXZfUEJ3a51qQPQqSnXQv6mNi6p">Every Village</a>. If you're not familiar with them, take a moment to check them out now. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HqiDWl19_5rWhdgXS4mp4G_lkoqvmAJo_LgnSASyV-57FlBadieedCIkXCBdDZ2swknL0pm_Xfatj7-f61v9Y3BD6hyM_jKm6yNDdThl8KpfJcmYwE9zeTm-uoxyxoscEzFUbYTuhyH0/s1600/200415_287A4017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HqiDWl19_5rWhdgXS4mp4G_lkoqvmAJo_LgnSASyV-57FlBadieedCIkXCBdDZ2swknL0pm_Xfatj7-f61v9Y3BD6hyM_jKm6yNDdThl8KpfJcmYwE9zeTm-uoxyxoscEzFUbYTuhyH0/s1600/200415_287A4017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joy and the kids walked a brisk (and dizzying) 32 laps around our yard...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfSN5QH9hyphenhyphenNhkZVZ93hWVhZoV2I8EPZYuKbbEFbh4zvHcjmIPdLC18vr2CUbscqF-9PUV0HNGVN8BRYF1WH4hpipH02PBh0f4trvME01oAWCWMaADwMy8WMH6f8Q4Ds21CC4h8WdKQlN9/s1600/200416_IMG_4300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfSN5QH9hyphenhyphenNhkZVZ93hWVhZoV2I8EPZYuKbbEFbh4zvHcjmIPdLC18vr2CUbscqF-9PUV0HNGVN8BRYF1WH4hpipH02PBh0f4trvME01oAWCWMaADwMy8WMH6f8Q4Ds21CC4h8WdKQlN9/s1600/200416_IMG_4300.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...which not coincidentally equals a solid 5K!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxyq8uUg8FKvjUq2Ea1Yb4CPX19YKkMTRFLDIbyb62yR-VMr6hJdKZfwgF-47MgYZcU0f4u_I8AwuuyoHtIIF3b2Zb9c25219EUsdfE2nFzL0Uit2EJIWYVg6w2lyKHyOof_rDyhTtrYD/s1600/200417_IMG_4312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxyq8uUg8FKvjUq2Ea1Yb4CPX19YKkMTRFLDIbyb62yR-VMr6hJdKZfwgF-47MgYZcU0f4u_I8AwuuyoHtIIF3b2Zb9c25219EUsdfE2nFzL0Uit2EJIWYVg6w2lyKHyOof_rDyhTtrYD/s1600/200417_IMG_4312.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I've still been working full-time these days, albeit mostly from my desk during the Covid-19 lockdown, I ran my 5K on the treadmill at a different time. Even Britton did a 5K back in the U.S., along with our niece, Rebekah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(On a side note, last year at this time, I was just starting out on our new treadmill as part of my rehabilitation. About 5 months prior to that I had been run over by a large SUV, after getting knocked off my motorcycle by a drunk. I remember last April that I was barely able to complete one, very slow and painful kilometer at a go on the treadmill, as I could still feel many acute aches and pains from the myriad injuries I had received. But here I am, one year later, and I'm enjoying running 5k several times a week, and chipping away at my times week by week. We continue to praise God for all that He has done in healing me, and for all the people who prayed, and helped in the process.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2NiOg1_jtKmmTY9reD3dnIMaPu1oYN6otCoKT2QyPcNyApc-QHErgOO799QDrDYp3b-Ltwn7C-iDoRDJo0ijYrJjsU5h12li8Z6Utq7uq4exy-hIE9ImRFqs_EEu-F_yxHxv287zRXvq/s1600/200418_IMG_4289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2NiOg1_jtKmmTY9reD3dnIMaPu1oYN6otCoKT2QyPcNyApc-QHErgOO799QDrDYp3b-Ltwn7C-iDoRDJo0ijYrJjsU5h12li8Z6Utq7uq4exy-hIE9ImRFqs_EEu-F_yxHxv287zRXvq/s1600/200418_IMG_4289.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why did we all go crazy with 5Ks last week? Because we love our partner organization, Every Village, and the awesome work and ministry they do in remote parts of South Sudan. Last week Every Village was doing a fundraiser for solar-powered radios that allow many thousands of South Sudanese to hear the Good News in their own language. Each individual radio is listened to each day by an average of 7 people or more, as they often listen in family groups, like in the photo I took below (you can see the little blue radio in the middle). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBDiN0NOHQQUOwo_id-avquiKH9KguDQaULx3ZVFI4hFo-X-exi8CMZuJbc59AFp9STpKJnc8hGte37yEK0NrYQRH_JRwIsU9COA-9WRrQl4x3oTmHgkrYEPEe186Xq8uH_1dFLtfpvUD/s1600/200419_P1070621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBDiN0NOHQQUOwo_id-avquiKH9KguDQaULx3ZVFI4hFo-X-exi8CMZuJbc59AFp9STpKJnc8hGte37yEK0NrYQRH_JRwIsU9COA-9WRrQl4x3oTmHgkrYEPEe186Xq8uH_1dFLtfpvUD/s1600/200419_P1070621.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not only do we love <i>what</i> Every Village does (they do a lot more than radio by the way) but we also love <i>who</i> they are! We are privileged to count many of their staff, both South Sudanese, Ugandan, and American, as good friends of ours. And I have had the privilege of flying for Every Village many times, which are always some of my favorite flights. I was actually scheduled to do some flights for them recently, in March, but sadly those flights were understandably cancelled because of all the International travel restrictions related to the coronavirus stuff. However, I got to spend a few days flying them, and helping with a big radio distribution, a few months back, in November. Here's a shot of the awesome team that I got to hang out with for a few days.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAM7kBWPn-3MTuDj4ZPXma0TadEM8YshwI9AgTy4No05Z1rxT_MFxxl5pzKiiSgi5LUB3azGxfvBtmseI4sYwb40R8vv5uYNGcmK8kAbaedhQd3exxbu6MInp0dItnZooJ4CedQ7G7YhFg/s1600/200420_SS6A8621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAM7kBWPn-3MTuDj4ZPXma0TadEM8YshwI9AgTy4No05Z1rxT_MFxxl5pzKiiSgi5LUB3azGxfvBtmseI4sYwb40R8vv5uYNGcmK8kAbaedhQd3exxbu6MInp0dItnZooJ4CedQ7G7YhFg/s1600/200420_SS6A8621.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here's a shot of me unloading thousands of those radios, which start their long journey in Canada (check out the amazing <a href="https://galcom.org/">GALCOM</a> who makes them, and why), and eventually make their way into the hands of a bunch of very Eager South Sudanese, after flying the last few legs of the journey on the wings of MAF.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxIX5_l1L2ObENq2dJOzuOeAkzuKmJkdJ_rbkg9GmqzzkOJ38zNHVH1_cjioY8rPZspWPVG6V5DtTFT8LJWeK9Fcjw019bhrZJ4q5PlKEJq30cCOH61yDCYZHK0lmoSwnR0TNKxWLSkXJ/s1600/200421_IMG_3132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxIX5_l1L2ObENq2dJOzuOeAkzuKmJkdJ_rbkg9GmqzzkOJ38zNHVH1_cjioY8rPZspWPVG6V5DtTFT8LJWeK9Fcjw019bhrZJ4q5PlKEJq30cCOH61yDCYZHK0lmoSwnR0TNKxWLSkXJ/s1600/200421_IMG_3132.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The radio distributions are always a huge deal to the communities. There never seem to be enough radios to go around--every family is desperate to get one. The vast majority of the cost for the radios are covered by donors (from the company who makes them and from donors to Every Village--like the 5K run we did). However each family who receives a radio is asked to pay a very, very small fee, and as such, they take personal pride and ownership in their radio, which becomes a hard-used treasure that will last for years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here, my great friend Andrew Brown, Executive Director of Every Village, prays over the radios and the days activities, before the well-organized distribution begins. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJKC5XZpfBiESs5Hm2KPQDJV5kZYQv2q9ky6A9SFAIF46PbhOhjy1k-2rQFo7z13Bii7Y7qUdIvbjPXBUH8olguVd50Deq54iILxqOBRnaeAB_xJw2aP7YGjYl3byX4PGElKHNfY0RtAc/s1600/200422_287A3915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJKC5XZpfBiESs5Hm2KPQDJV5kZYQv2q9ky6A9SFAIF46PbhOhjy1k-2rQFo7z13Bii7Y7qUdIvbjPXBUH8olguVd50Deq54iILxqOBRnaeAB_xJw2aP7YGjYl3byX4PGElKHNfY0RtAc/s1600/200422_287A3915.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This radio distribution was fully planned by Every Village's local South Sudanese staff. It was very well organized and orderly. Each of the gentleman you see on the bicycles or motorcycles is a head representative from a church or community. Many have travelled long distances. Each one has come with a list of pre-registered names of the families who they represent, along with the small token 'fee' for each radio, and in a very orderly fashion they line up one by one to verify the above, and to collect their radios for distribution in their own areas.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tX_76JTeyy7HuarhaUlCBVjG-Lak34mqmGtXDeLaL09Q9L4Bh69XWNThB-4gK8MPazn8C4dKAJvhs4bSOTW26vSOqJXBYyhmyhyK1UW90pLgjQyVQWgLnbUaWt5DAXxXCtk-CEMBCaRI/s1600/200423_SS6A8638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tX_76JTeyy7HuarhaUlCBVjG-Lak34mqmGtXDeLaL09Q9L4Bh69XWNThB-4gK8MPazn8C4dKAJvhs4bSOTW26vSOqJXBYyhmyhyK1UW90pLgjQyVQWgLnbUaWt5DAXxXCtk-CEMBCaRI/s1600/200423_SS6A8638.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was very impressed with the planning and accountability that went into this. It was definitely not a fast process (took all day) but time is not something that tends to stress people out here, as it often does in the U.S. No one was bothered but that. They just hung around visiting until it was their turn, and then, after receiving the radios for the people they represented, they each happily left on the (often long) journey back to their village (picture below). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiInqRSyGW72g7dFu0YLdMwUBHkP_nDDb7jX420yBjjTA6Wrgrwswl3U3HeO4qS0OgUxG4__3E5GibGN9so7waVNwrZoscNPPWIk5dQNq2boV6tljJdkDZEmHwN3rkOCUwK-hR9uf7O-ISs/s1600/200424_SS6A8715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiInqRSyGW72g7dFu0YLdMwUBHkP_nDDb7jX420yBjjTA6Wrgrwswl3U3HeO4qS0OgUxG4__3E5GibGN9so7waVNwrZoscNPPWIk5dQNq2boV6tljJdkDZEmHwN3rkOCUwK-hR9uf7O-ISs/s1600/200424_SS6A8715.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes the distributions take place directly in one of the local churches, which draws huge crowds and interest, as in the picture below.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQkVlB5KzQ3CoYc3PqvZirvqgTqAsZTcmHyoRgm9zVn4oAt2_6YHUO9lphi817CA7QwECrdk5SKY2vMuzIp1k5LxSd1VLrSl2kVGOIHo-CSdveQVA6HmNSNu17UfJHDLYj8oKbJ8Jh-1k/s1600/200425_287A4105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQkVlB5KzQ3CoYc3PqvZirvqgTqAsZTcmHyoRgm9zVn4oAt2_6YHUO9lphi817CA7QwECrdk5SKY2vMuzIp1k5LxSd1VLrSl2kVGOIHo-CSdveQVA6HmNSNu17UfJHDLYj8oKbJ8Jh-1k/s1600/200425_287A4105.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a very common sight to see people walking around (like in the open air market below), or sitting in large groups, listening to the radio, which usually broadcasts for a few hours each morning and evening, mostly in their heart languages.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e0nKAYXSKhge561g1Gso1uwy-w0A25IJI_sP6-IMgFXnNlGwv4EKxYBelWIXTF5HmPoo_3FLWklQgn0h5MBp2XrGSX-EsILAaBMzdGDsM5NkID0HLfoIWpjMsGqqaVkeQF9SH767bi79/s1600/200426_SS6A8756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e0nKAYXSKhge561g1Gso1uwy-w0A25IJI_sP6-IMgFXnNlGwv4EKxYBelWIXTF5HmPoo_3FLWklQgn0h5MBp2XrGSX-EsILAaBMzdGDsM5NkID0HLfoIWpjMsGqqaVkeQF9SH767bi79/s1600/200426_SS6A8756.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a much less meaningful note, here's a selfie I took of me and my bushbuck buddy that was always hanging around my sleeping hammock looking for a handout. It was interesting/funny to me that the super-tough South Sudanese dudes who I was chilling with, were actually acutely aware, if not slightly scared, of this bloke. Apparently they know all too well what those very sharp pointy horns can do. I was told that just the week before, this same furry fellow rammed one of his horns clear through the thigh of a guy who apparently ticked him off somehow. Apparently this bushbuck was raised in the compound ever since he was found as a little injured fellow, but my guess is it won't be long (maybe already has come to pass) that he will wind up nicely roasted, and served with rice, as a result of his cantankerous attitude.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZi7UqvgkDcjaJ94EOdyK1eJuHbz1Oaob-tWEf_PwHXiFcmMmoOW3m_s6uf6cT2c76kRYkY8Z9TMriXjW-M2Ybpf0cev4WqSGWScdvabRLbrgjTywWWiSHE9Jh910ts0I3R1-isLDPBoz/s1600/200427_IMG_3148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZi7UqvgkDcjaJ94EOdyK1eJuHbz1Oaob-tWEf_PwHXiFcmMmoOW3m_s6uf6cT2c76kRYkY8Z9TMriXjW-M2Ybpf0cev4WqSGWScdvabRLbrgjTywWWiSHE9Jh910ts0I3R1-isLDPBoz/s1600/200427_IMG_3148.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of things I've enjoyed doing for Every Village, on several occasions when I've been able to spend some time with them upcountry, is to take photos for them. The first photo at the top of this post (which is the one that EV used for their Run For Radio promo stuff) and the top header photo on the Every Village <a href="https://www.facebook.com/everyvillage/?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARBNA1udXPd8Q3rR28fM3xIDRtNxXrceK0HMNlcYJYrCRAB0O4LmN06_YVmH6d2a1rn25FzAyuCbuEPS&fref=mentions&__xts__[0]=68.ARCj4rXhZsfDIG4XBrX6HKNGyw12IynRItYCMycf6C-YEr1vxz5rBuqhZLq_OtiM5kVAejL9_lYgH8bzsqo7XGkK95VfJbqEIxN5YYZS4yBtkPyVsvTmBV6UXEY3Zv5Np3WI-dDilO2ZWDDOnU95vJEYPpFNQLbpjZVjx7e1ITsiNUBEiZw7T6s_ygW9gq7quptDqdG2m9-N6Vh8AUZtlrX69zu4KQKRYgsugMl-rrJWZLdtRGoYvPxSYFEDYTNnJyQtdL_HJEoSH1PcKtxZvbQl_zQRoX131H6IWmiZlYd_XpBrmV1S293QLQXZfUEJ3a51qQPQqSnXQv6mNi6p">Facebook Page</a>, and many others they've been using, are photos that I've been able to take while hanging out with them in South Sudan. I'm glad that I'm able to use my photography to help them out in this way. But that said, I don't often get good photos of myself b/c well, it's not like I'm going to set up my good camera on a tripod to take a high quality selfie... that would be super weird. Sure, I do occasionally take selfies with my phone, like the above shot with my bushbuck buddy, or I'll throw my phone to a bystander and ask them to take a picture (like of me unloading the radios up above) but I don't often get any really great (non phone) shots of me. That's fine, as I'd rather be behind the lens than in front of it. That said, this time there was a really great videographer/photographer along on the team, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/zcallaway">Zach Callaway</a>, shooting some stuff for Every Village. So we traded... I took some random shots of him and he took some of me. Here's one that Zach took of me, catching a break in the heat of midday. If you need a great video, or photos, check him out--he's very talented and willing to travel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next time I'll share a few more photos of the wonderful people in South Sudan.</span></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-5470114773456219812020-04-16T08:34:00.000+03:002020-04-16T08:34:30.746+03:00Life Under Lockdown in Uganda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hey folks. Several of you have been asking how things are going for us over here in Uganda, considering how disruptive the Covid-19 stuff has been worldwide. Well, since my previous blog post (on March 24th) Uganda has basically gone under a virtual lockdown. I took these two selfies while doing MAF-Uganda's last flight (March 27th) before the lockdown was instituted. It was a domestic medevac flight for a couple who live/minister among former child soldiers in Northern Uganda. The patient had a very serious case of malaria, which together with her Parkinson's had left her in bad shape. They were extremely grateful for MAF's help to get them to Entebbe, where they were hoping to catch a special repatriation flight to their passport country a few days later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As you can see in the above photo, the plane was empty on the way upcountry to pick up the patient and her husband. That was one of the many requirements that we needed to follow in order to secure numerous permissions from various agencies to conduct the flight. Upon landing to drop the couple off at Entebbe International Airport, we were all required to wear masks and gloves, and all of us, including even me (picture below), went through health screening procedures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Uganda has been taking this whole thing very seriously. All public transport is banned, and even the use of private vehicles is banned. All stores are closed except those considered essential, exercise in public is banned, and a curfew is in place which prevents anyone from leaving their house for any reason at night. There are a lot more restrictions in place, but suffice to say that the result of these restriction is that most businesses are closed and most people are stuck in their homes. Yesterday we were informed by the president that these restrictions will continue for another 21 days across Uganda.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the total number of 'known' cases of Covid-19 in Uganda stands at just 55. Most of these cases were people who flew back into Uganda on International commercial flights several weeks ago, and who were already under government-mandated quarantine. All of the cases in Uganda are in stable condition, there have been zero deaths from the virus here, and several have already fully recovered and been released. That said, there are many, many people throughout the country who are struggling and/or concerned about their livelihoods--about finding enough food to eat--as a result of the closures and lockdown. The government is trying to help some, who've lost their jobs as a result of the lockdown, with immediate food needs, but things are definitely very rough for a lot of people throughout the country. As this continues, many will get more desperate. So please keep praying for all these folks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is a picture of my friend and fellow MAF pilot, Ping. He originally hails from India (and incidentally is always whipping up super-delicious Indian food, which is our favorite!) and has been an MAF pilot for several years, first in Australia, and more recently here in Uganda. A few weeks before the lockdown in Uganda, I had the privilege of doing some flights with him as he transitioned to the larger Caravan aircraft... which was also a great opportunity for me to take a few pictures. :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All schools continue to be closed in Uganda, including HIS (Heritage International School) pictured below. Hannah and Hudson are continuing their school each day online with their HIS teachers. This is Hannah's senior year--she will be graduating at the end of May. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For now, the school has still not fully cancelled classes past May 5th, (the date of the extended lockdown throughout Uganda) so there is still a small chance that the kids may have the last few weeks of school in person. But otherwise, they will finish online, and their Senior class trip (that they've been working all year to raise money for), among other things, will be cancelled.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Obviously this is not an ideal way to end your senior year, with many things being cancelled, or at risk of being cancelled. Yet, her perspective on everything is solid, and she seems to be handling it well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One side benefit of this lockdown is that we now have nowhere to go and nothing to do in the evenings (usually, although sometimes we do have zoom meetings etc.), which means we have a lot more family time. So we've been playing a lot of outdoor games in the evenings, like croquet...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...and corn hole, among others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you've ever played corn hole you will appreciate the picture below. I was throwing the green bean bags, and I had two of them hanging right on the edge of the hole, when Tanner threw a yellow one and it was caught by my green ones, and just hung suspended over the hole. Despite several more throws from others, none of those bean bags went through the hole much to Tanner's chagrin. Haha. Good times!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh yeah, and the boys and I have occasionally been known to break out the airsoft for an epic battle which often leaves us looking like we have a bad case of the chickenpox.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, Britton was on spring break from Liberty University, hanging out with my family in PA, when things got crazy in the U.S. He's still there, doing his classes online. Like Hannah's situation, it's not ideal, but like her he has a really great perspective on things, and has really enjoyed the time he's been able to spend with his grandparents, Uncle and Aunts, and cousins. He's probably been able to spend more time getting to know them throughout this ordeal, than in the entire previous nearly 20 years of his life, since we've always lived in faraway places, with only a few days or weeks of visits at a time every few years. So this has been a silver lining for him. Joy and I are very grateful for the love and care that my parents and my sister and brother-in-law have been giving him. Thank you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Below, a shot with my parents. They have been taking him out on hikes, and showing him the G-castle vibe (well, as much as possible during Covid-19), where I spent my junior high and high school years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hanging out with his cousins... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before things got really strict, Britt was able to see his Aunt Jenn as well, and was even able to help her release some baby trout she had raised (she teaches biology etc. in a H.S. down near DC). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And he continues to enjoy drawing. You can checkout more of his drawings at: https://www.instagram.com/brittish_arts/</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNl_j7EYswfsbRToMjoso5CpUCvpHWUL6thrqUestYiNZsOYuD4C-itMaYITEncWqb5grOtnvRquyLcAE40BIn6vGF5u_RSwtS1T8EfNenchOPW6_U_7JFeu5Izvh-TjFnTXXOLvlm-9y/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-04-16+at+7.35.16+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1587" data-original-width="1600" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNl_j7EYswfsbRToMjoso5CpUCvpHWUL6thrqUestYiNZsOYuD4C-itMaYITEncWqb5grOtnvRquyLcAE40BIn6vGF5u_RSwtS1T8EfNenchOPW6_U_7JFeu5Izvh-TjFnTXXOLvlm-9y/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-04-16+at+7.35.16+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzKfTPkh0cbaBDrLxFf4Zz1jCm_axMlMOar8X8prKnUrE_QEtEsyUV0K_dpI63W6aNvu-AWkPiEwvnCpRJJxlZZjZuHoa2aLxTBHxLlDYsTjE3CjHPLQbFrloVLKK8S8AJYKAXsWbvDZd/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-04-16+at+7.35.31+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1587" data-original-width="1600" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzKfTPkh0cbaBDrLxFf4Zz1jCm_axMlMOar8X8prKnUrE_QEtEsyUV0K_dpI63W6aNvu-AWkPiEwvnCpRJJxlZZjZuHoa2aLxTBHxLlDYsTjE3CjHPLQbFrloVLKK8S8AJYKAXsWbvDZd/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-04-16+at+7.35.31+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfY2JUFwnL043WvTtmIAtCTQ04Ju7PYAQADohKiVCp2evzUpl8KH1gy-T4vDcffwfHoO1uZN95bqp4cDb3sa635RfrJC4pSqQmKvD6rSUaCYpszXvMKOT3c8OewGvncLzAHg9WuOrsq4k9/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-04-16+at+7.35.53+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1587" data-original-width="1600" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfY2JUFwnL043WvTtmIAtCTQ04Ju7PYAQADohKiVCp2evzUpl8KH1gy-T4vDcffwfHoO1uZN95bqp4cDb3sa635RfrJC4pSqQmKvD6rSUaCYpszXvMKOT3c8OewGvncLzAHg9WuOrsq4k9/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-04-16+at+7.35.53+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In other news, last month we celebrated the twins 13th birthday, which means that we officially have 5 teenagers!... ate least for a few more months until Britt turns 20. Makes us feel really old!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNZRzQ_3zbBA9subeR84CHognicn1TplnkvmQIhR47Q2bitRjdEoksEZFd9y89yP3CMncKRAe0feKBPeGOgr3rX6unPiJhlt0Fg6wnsUFJDyM0eAhe2_rqoFzx42FPdpiZmYGAdqkr1d-/s1600/200412_IMG_4041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNZRzQ_3zbBA9subeR84CHognicn1TplnkvmQIhR47Q2bitRjdEoksEZFd9y89yP3CMncKRAe0feKBPeGOgr3rX6unPiJhlt0Fg6wnsUFJDyM0eAhe2_rqoFzx42FPdpiZmYGAdqkr1d-/s1600/200412_IMG_4041.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And also last month, Sanyu turned 4. There's never a dull moment with her around!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLv9aIzVXHsnpVQ_I_2O9_q95VpQ_hh3KUybW8WM0VfHQDUv8fiS7EV_0YnhCFqZrEYuE2MsQjAatGDsXIpjY7kiF0uN5TteE3XjYZG328yw2_GBRLTWwhovE-azff3Eiv7rlRKzCTWJFa/s1600/200413_SS6A9069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLv9aIzVXHsnpVQ_I_2O9_q95VpQ_hh3KUybW8WM0VfHQDUv8fiS7EV_0YnhCFqZrEYuE2MsQjAatGDsXIpjY7kiF0uN5TteE3XjYZG328yw2_GBRLTWwhovE-azff3Eiv7rlRKzCTWJFa/s1600/200413_SS6A9069.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hannah loves to bake... which incidentally is a lot tougher to do here than in the U.S., as we don't often have the exact ingredients called for, and it's very difficult (or impossible) to control the oven temperature. Yet, she still manages to create really scrumptious desserts one after another. Here is an Easter cake she made--an empty tomb, with a cross on top. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEllpWrJ4mu55ROOpXRj1EpPcuNSdlDMmB0G93GTdeYMGrgImmdi99Y6XYBPzHL4Jj0b5feV5chf6xHavWjfrx_7PpnfTBM1iF8Zlj7N6oxnT97dX0h-MNRzHBDDHWUAtuITl7yZjlbkMF/s1600/200414_IMG_4237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEllpWrJ4mu55ROOpXRj1EpPcuNSdlDMmB0G93GTdeYMGrgImmdi99Y6XYBPzHL4Jj0b5feV5chf6xHavWjfrx_7PpnfTBM1iF8Zlj7N6oxnT97dX0h-MNRzHBDDHWUAtuITl7yZjlbkMF/s1600/200414_IMG_4237.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of you are curious if the Covid-19 stuff will impact our plans to come back to the U.S. for two short months this summer, for a short Home Assignment, and to drop Hannah off at University. In short, we don't yet know, but obviously the longer this stuff drags on, the more likely it becomes that our plans will be impacted. We appreciate your prayers for wisdom as we decide what to do, and when we know more, we'll let you know. In the meantime, I am actually quite busy, working from home, mostly behind a computer (which is not my favorite type of work) doing a lot of MAF-related stuff that is probably important, but not nearly as fun as flying airplanes. Haha. :-)</span>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-48844338127077514362020-03-24T15:03:00.000+03:002020-03-24T15:03:21.530+03:00Latest from Uganda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a picture taken while I was doing an early morning pre-flight inspection 2 days ago, on Sunday, on a remote strip in South Sudan.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0KYziGj1-Q49mu7LavUoxY5LwkUVXqmTqbfZgD2aYLuRkQuMHMc8ktZObSUivIf4ZaLl73pCFqRnhcHpn_xbi6sKg3n2kxUeBcX7JrEIByUbwTLXquJmkE1Gmid9qHs-huLNrUWrMbej/s1600/200313_P1000585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0KYziGj1-Q49mu7LavUoxY5LwkUVXqmTqbfZgD2aYLuRkQuMHMc8ktZObSUivIf4ZaLl73pCFqRnhcHpn_xbi6sKg3n2kxUeBcX7JrEIByUbwTLXquJmkE1Gmid9qHs-huLNrUWrMbej/s1600/200313_P1000585.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not normal for us to do flights on Sundays, but we've had an aircraft stuck in that location for a long time now, requiring some TLC from our engineers. There have been a number of attempts to bring the aircraft back to Uganda, but b/c of various complicated logistics, it hadn't happened yet. But seeing how the world, including Africa was shutting down travel, we all felt better if we could get the aircraft out of that remote location. Thus, I was asked to fly an engineer, and another pilot up to that village on Saturday, with the idea that we would all come back Sunday in both planes. Here's a shot of some test flights the other pilot and engineer were doing in the Cessna 182 aircraft.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXz38x435ZwrzbSqOLOxyY_E-GK_iPiL_t0oubKH-utpqmZ7lbgZtmj4WjGURRuCq4qIh0w-SeGIrHGbOqjm1xOD1nOx_8-pu_f5qdd09WNwDkmuRLftKpCC6imHsq5qRXH5y8yBbmHyN/s1600/200314_P1000542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXz38x435ZwrzbSqOLOxyY_E-GK_iPiL_t0oubKH-utpqmZ7lbgZtmj4WjGURRuCq4qIh0w-SeGIrHGbOqjm1xOD1nOx_8-pu_f5qdd09WNwDkmuRLftKpCC6imHsq5qRXH5y8yBbmHyN/s1600/200314_P1000542.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, late Saturday evening Uganda announced impending closures of their borders and all international flights. There were so many other complicating factors involved in this maintenance-ferry flight, that we and management made the decision to leave that plane where it was, rather than run the risk of having us (or the other pilot) stuck in countries away from our families for possibly extended periods of time. So we hightailed it out of there early Sunday morning (picture below) and flew straight back to Uganda. We were really thankful for the hospitality of the AIM folks there, and their past and continued help in keeping an eye on our little plane sitting off the edge of that runway.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0z0Gwd-ot2c6Va842ZgsYacexo5hsGh6Vwzr3sedjfAbKnU9eW6w7jN6F2Xfw37GuKyi5L7KC5X1i-kr0xdT8K5o2GIKdEt_pWS36qYHlPQGTwKMA6yVuw9kGCDXkfBOQP7-7VkhObCn/s1600/200315_P1000586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0z0Gwd-ot2c6Va842ZgsYacexo5hsGh6Vwzr3sedjfAbKnU9eW6w7jN6F2Xfw37GuKyi5L7KC5X1i-kr0xdT8K5o2GIKdEt_pWS36qYHlPQGTwKMA6yVuw9kGCDXkfBOQP7-7VkhObCn/s1600/200315_P1000586.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, here are some other random shots from the past two weeks... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've had tons of rain, which has led to challenging conditions at a lot of our strips, including both our home strip (b/c Lake Victoria is actually so high that it's flooding over the end of our airstrip) and the airstrip pictured below in Karamoja, Uganda. In the photo below, I was giving a routine proficiency check to another one of our pilots (something we all undergo on a regular basis) and he had to evaluate the condition of the runway where water was flowing over from one side to the other. In the end we 'cut-off' the unusable part of the runway, rather than risk sinking in, and were still able to take off with our required safety margins on the remaining portion of the runway. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-LvQ5F5uXhRmgCtBSkVpkQo8lGjL8afIcLT5EV0q05tTWzp5Gqx5_1hHnq9TomgrypCjJVAMO0o2unhICFHm_47JSQRv0Z48yHH3g4sDei0N4i3KnwMSjOIWMEKEg2jEcUaX6UxgEKqe/s1600/200316_IMG_4106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-LvQ5F5uXhRmgCtBSkVpkQo8lGjL8afIcLT5EV0q05tTWzp5Gqx5_1hHnq9TomgrypCjJVAMO0o2unhICFHm_47JSQRv0Z48yHH3g4sDei0N4i3KnwMSjOIWMEKEg2jEcUaX6UxgEKqe/s1600/200316_IMG_4106.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The past few weeks were extremely busy as MAF not only completed normal flights, but also did lots of extra, last-minute, urgent flights at the request of many people and groups who were afraid of being stranded here in East Africa as international flights worldwide began to get cancelled. I was happy to be able to do one such flight for our friends from IMB who had a short-term group from the U.S. helping out in northeastern Uganda. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9DejjhsLz9C6TLeuJr2IWBxiQb-1lVxPQIK3rC_GxcT7syo4SMO52rpRyz9_70NNqdGeoS-khqV3SJBk-1fceBHRRHRMr8oQQqwrL6ZSxL_9SXtRphjKo5YocJ1Tp3SNZEa8Y3vMSJO2/s1600/200317_P1000436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9DejjhsLz9C6TLeuJr2IWBxiQb-1lVxPQIK3rC_GxcT7syo4SMO52rpRyz9_70NNqdGeoS-khqV3SJBk-1fceBHRRHRMr8oQQqwrL6ZSxL_9SXtRphjKo5YocJ1Tp3SNZEa8Y3vMSJO2/s1600/200317_P1000436.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a picture of the very typical housing setup of the villages in Karamoja, Uganda. For the vast majority of people in this part of a the world, life goes on completely as normal, no matter how the rest of the world is reacting to Covid-19.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFJlzGySAOBBj21S-jyEV3Tcx_r9GK2wrXX-SH9bAVnZmerdtfZypZcHSYw_qbnbCUz_NVmaEIC0KpDUa9KyZe1oMRgli8wi8tu-AOeLN20hMQ5WE5O2R6dCBzlIycoBr0e0IhxN-hZde/s1600/200318_P1000441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFJlzGySAOBBj21S-jyEV3Tcx_r9GK2wrXX-SH9bAVnZmerdtfZypZcHSYw_qbnbCUz_NVmaEIC0KpDUa9KyZe1oMRgli8wi8tu-AOeLN20hMQ5WE5O2R6dCBzlIycoBr0e0IhxN-hZde/s16000/200318_P1000441.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flight from Arua, Uganda to Yambio South Sudan takes us over the northern part of East DRC, a vast area of wilderness.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwGSOlaAQH5803biUZZqDUukkr1NLhG1msBKjkwCCrY1E7bpnAe4UYeTjGOVUmQOxqUHWVRGNxqYKFh3EAaa-v3zBtOlBVco7Pa9gwjf6R-z6DppTpW4C13jbvTCqlw61Axb8xYVslwcz/s1600/200319_IMG_4124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwGSOlaAQH5803biUZZqDUukkr1NLhG1msBKjkwCCrY1E7bpnAe4UYeTjGOVUmQOxqUHWVRGNxqYKFh3EAaa-v3zBtOlBVco7Pa9gwjf6R-z6DppTpW4C13jbvTCqlw61Axb8xYVslwcz/s1600/200319_IMG_4124.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a tea plantation that we fly past every day when we land at our home base in Kajjansi.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJupFKy9umkaJxUH7uLTtgoNgAOsTrHpvOxMg9b2RsAibmptiz4nv0DJbHr_477YP-k_5jR0JIyekQqN0gn3o87R5cPVyLVXdFdbfrg-deUExmpW1TxEPLHtIDAJTlEBonsBtY6vBuTzrX/s1600/200320_IMG_4127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJupFKy9umkaJxUH7uLTtgoNgAOsTrHpvOxMg9b2RsAibmptiz4nv0DJbHr_477YP-k_5jR0JIyekQqN0gn3o87R5cPVyLVXdFdbfrg-deUExmpW1TxEPLHtIDAJTlEBonsBtY6vBuTzrX/s1600/200320_IMG_4127.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An early morning departure out of Kajjansi on our way up to South Sudan...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj78lQYjVLn6ol8Wh89-aprnmzWa6qBHh9JcAKZguaerpo3vO43HSiPCDibdJKJ7y4L13gmEDFlEwdNPhg9bklYE0iBWlRDy8Z5lc38ADfABXxvFlhb4OcgReVYL4otq8LjDl9NSUWf2Jb/s1600/200321_IMG_4119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj78lQYjVLn6ol8Wh89-aprnmzWa6qBHh9JcAKZguaerpo3vO43HSiPCDibdJKJ7y4L13gmEDFlEwdNPhg9bklYE0iBWlRDy8Z5lc38ADfABXxvFlhb4OcgReVYL4otq8LjDl9NSUWf2Jb/s1600/200321_IMG_4119.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was the view from my bedroom window on Saturday morning.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuJcH5oSyPK-kUsEM8ocYxMENGh1OoyUETHcPX_kS9e5XLsvEGkqj4i75AulMgq_1jf6QIUvRHUliNp8ax_-W600EAoJ-5Elz-LMSfydQx19ZHSynCFN9yeBL8ecD4oZaCi_T48dD-wuo/s1600/200322_IMG_4129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuJcH5oSyPK-kUsEM8ocYxMENGh1OoyUETHcPX_kS9e5XLsvEGkqj4i75AulMgq_1jf6QIUvRHUliNp8ax_-W600EAoJ-5Elz-LMSfydQx19ZHSynCFN9yeBL8ecD4oZaCi_T48dD-wuo/s1600/200322_IMG_4129.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've been enjoying our 'family time' most evenings, with various outdoor games like croquet (pictured below) and corn hole, rollers, can jam, spike ball, etc. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD9m80SZ2v_XSf4Axj6D6_diQquntmbQu4_Zf1nHzSmBajNJqoPqaK_bsREcFnImKbbVGk06jBzExzuAyrD6c_TEEEMZFycIvpMvlGoZEsAEBmQkoIO1UPPzwjVWCfbXKWgulXZ1ROGy4/s1600/200323_IMG_4138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD9m80SZ2v_XSf4Axj6D6_diQquntmbQu4_Zf1nHzSmBajNJqoPqaK_bsREcFnImKbbVGk06jBzExzuAyrD6c_TEEEMZFycIvpMvlGoZEsAEBmQkoIO1UPPzwjVWCfbXKWgulXZ1ROGy4/s1600/200323_IMG_4138.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many of you are curious how we are doing (with the Covid-19 situation) and what is going on with that here in Uganda. If you don't care, you can skip the rest of this. But if you do, then I'll give you a brief update.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For what it's worth, MAF has a Crisis Management Team that is meeting daily, and keeping an eye on situations all over the world where they have staff. There are numerous procedures in place to minimize our own risk, while allowing us to continue to provide help to others if/as able. Obviously it's a highly dynamic situation, so things continue to be monitored and often change daily as needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I mentioned previously, we at MAF were extremely busy the past few weeks trying to meet all the urgent flight requests. Many foreigners have now left East Africa, and returned to their passport countries. But some are still here. Most of us at MAF are still here, but our flights have now been drastically reduced, as most people are understandably limiting travel. Last week Uganda announced the closure of all schools, churches, public gatherings, etc. for 32 days. Obviously that had a big impact on families like ours, who have kids in high school--they are now doing school from home, online with their classes and teachers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the weekend the government further closed all international borders and banned all international flights to/from Uganda. So we are here for the duration. Uganda had their first (known) case of Covid-19 a few days ago, and now they have 9. Life for some people has changed rather dramatically b/c of the aforementioned closures/restrictions. However, for the vast majority of Ugandans and East Africans, life goes on as normal, almost as if nothing is happening elsewhere in the world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most people in Uganda live hand-to-mouth, day-to-day, without any discretionary income to stockpile food or even to buy 'excess' stuff like hand soap/sanitizer. They often live many people in one small house or hut, and share a common outhouse, if even that. The idea of social distancing in those situations is ridiculous. Furthermore, they have to continue to sell or do whatever it is they do to get their small daily income--for example, selling street food, or produce from their garden, or eggs, or whatever, so that they have a bit of money to buy food for that day. None of those activities will stop. That hustle and bustle just continues to go on, because it has to, no matter what virus is out there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's worth noting that many people in this part of the world have suffered so much in their lives, often on a wide scale, and often more than most of us will ever suffer in a lifetime. There are certainly those (especially in the city) who do feel fear/panic, but there are many, especially in more remote locations, who do not. They don't really even have a choice. They live life in a raw, gritty, real way that many of us don't understand, and with that they see pain/suffering/death as a very real part of life... not something fun, but not something strange or foreign or to be feared. In other words, they have been facing this type of struggle (and worse) often throughout their entire life and they just deal with it as it comes. Many also have a deep faith that God has already chosen their day, and they have peace in that. We should too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So all that to say that yes--many things have changed here, specifically as it relates to public gatherings and organized things like school, government, and travel. And the next days and weeks do hold a lot of uncertainly for us, as they do for you. But we rest in the peace and confidence that God is in control, and none of this took Him by surprise. </span></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-65551946422234956642020-03-08T08:55:00.002+03:002020-03-08T08:55:23.935+03:00Random Shots from the Phone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This post features a few random shots from the iPhone. Some are from my very old iPhone 5s, that recently died. And some are from the refurbished iPhone 8 that replaced it. As a photographer, I don't buy into the concept that phone cameras will ever totally replace 'real' cameras. That is a discussion for another day, but trust me, there are many situations and types of photos where a phone will never come close... especially if you know how to use a 'real' camera and it's settings. However, it is true that the best camera is the one you have with you, and I don't always have one of my 'real' cameras with me. But I usually do have a phone. So, although they aren't quite as striking, here are some of those phone shots...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1tA-pbMNB6OMf_Xu0Dk-FXCU4VdqHPB-97oyF-4bc1KzADyY2t2l17i44zbcVPc_0XbVJ823IkFAMajZYdiDybhyphenhyphen4N_Aq81k4aXbb9A5fmonV9ETKlDPWujrSSyDqx-Go5BnX42mMoEM/s1600/200301_IMG_3925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1tA-pbMNB6OMf_Xu0Dk-FXCU4VdqHPB-97oyF-4bc1KzADyY2t2l17i44zbcVPc_0XbVJ823IkFAMajZYdiDybhyphenhyphen4N_Aq81k4aXbb9A5fmonV9ETKlDPWujrSSyDqx-Go5BnX42mMoEM/s1600/200301_IMG_3925.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Above, a shot taken late in the day after completing a flight to South Sudan. There was a lot of rain earlier that day which cleared out the dust and haze and led to a beautiful, late afternoon sky. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below, the pilots often get to see some pretty awesome sunrises out over lake Victoria as we pre-flight the aircraft. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI8xEMOSY1sYrbzVLBdRyq67qiibFyEKsB4_p1BbEVzdsdoz9Q1SmPj2SZRS8OgBLVoMj57lkrlm-71W5mgrgJgLVneu7HEChqJ1f7PliDrvqkzFP2VHD_RCTw_a9p4j2OpRaTMB7a0nd/s1600/200302_IMG_3043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI8xEMOSY1sYrbzVLBdRyq67qiibFyEKsB4_p1BbEVzdsdoz9Q1SmPj2SZRS8OgBLVoMj57lkrlm-71W5mgrgJgLVneu7HEChqJ1f7PliDrvqkzFP2VHD_RCTw_a9p4j2OpRaTMB7a0nd/s1600/200302_IMG_3043.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During dry season it gets extremely hazy/dusty and smoky. However, the past year has been one of the wettest on record here in East Africa, and this has been a strange dry season, with lots of intermittent, heavy rains. Here's an early morning shot of the outskirts of Kampala (one of the well-to-do areas) after some heavy rains cleared out the sky.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZcURPtT9-IHmdOe-EcBCS-aGHAiGNDunVqQum_Oad7haCbJefKvySaMMbe-k3ykS9Q4-eGrEwQkOhYOVeBASdB-tLKF3r7OdVem77rJlm_cwaNFSL8gqtDzpsj40MoZ_OagjRE4grEvR/s1600/200303_IMG_3931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZcURPtT9-IHmdOe-EcBCS-aGHAiGNDunVqQum_Oad7haCbJefKvySaMMbe-k3ykS9Q4-eGrEwQkOhYOVeBASdB-tLKF3r7OdVem77rJlm_cwaNFSL8gqtDzpsj40MoZ_OagjRE4grEvR/s1600/200303_IMG_3931.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the places we frequently fly to is called Kalongo. You can see the end of the airstrip in the lower left third of the picture, just below and to the left of the group of blue-green roofed buildings surrounded by green trees. All those little buildings make up a small hospital that sees many hundreds of patients each day from all over the region--people with every type of ailment, injury and sickness you can imagine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aZD46V6GAfJ0j1twJSvh1H49z7G7rWfpnPEW8099NdAJcQ5ngygDQps6as5qsC6d1eqbs7-mAMwTzMMDBUNhyphenhyphen3hkvLuN88-avONCRS5Bnabu7p6eTXsmv-5mD5tWG_IZPzhap-6ZQGjY/s1600/200304_IMG_3940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aZD46V6GAfJ0j1twJSvh1H49z7G7rWfpnPEW8099NdAJcQ5ngygDQps6as5qsC6d1eqbs7-mAMwTzMMDBUNhyphenhyphen3hkvLuN88-avONCRS5Bnabu7p6eTXsmv-5mD5tWG_IZPzhap-6ZQGjY/s1600/200304_IMG_3940.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had the privilege of flying these really great friends of mine, whose organization is doing some really awesome stuff in the remote, northeastern corner of Uganda, and elsewhere.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIJqVjzvJk5OKuQJ3gmu5ncHcVXK2txajyVWhbT9Oi345XgKd5M7fyKEYMPzL6zln0K8eVhy0HARQP35IygmAW9R_yibvt4-EuTlJqj0OlNDTg6rCgeS05FdKrbppJVNNMuAOHTtBswly/s1600/200305_IMG_3250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIJqVjzvJk5OKuQJ3gmu5ncHcVXK2txajyVWhbT9Oi345XgKd5M7fyKEYMPzL6zln0K8eVhy0HARQP35IygmAW9R_yibvt4-EuTlJqj0OlNDTg6rCgeS05FdKrbppJVNNMuAOHTtBswly/s1600/200305_IMG_3250.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, Joy had the opportunity to speak at a chapel service for hundreds of high school kids who had come here from several International Schools around East Africa to play a football (soccer) tournament hosted by our kids' high school. That can be a tough audience--a bunch of teenagers who have no idea who your are and why they should listen to you. But Joy really knocked it out of the park, sharing from the Word, and speaking Truth, while sharing bits of her own testimony and our family story. Everyone was totally tuned in and listening to every word, and the feedback we got confirmed that her sharing had a big impact!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj600lVNrFmFBHSHFTYfeY_qaJEr0zcsceEtR4mJAwKFbndqTaMuBCg_FlbOAOUmefDL-oVL_NY6srlRRvGuJQcghvULvfe0arSuVKvN_4itv0oFNtyPYdEKuHzi9ig198vX_PNKAzQGIFK/s1600/200306_IMG_3968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj600lVNrFmFBHSHFTYfeY_qaJEr0zcsceEtR4mJAwKFbndqTaMuBCg_FlbOAOUmefDL-oVL_NY6srlRRvGuJQcghvULvfe0arSuVKvN_4itv0oFNtyPYdEKuHzi9ig198vX_PNKAzQGIFK/s1600/200306_IMG_3968.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In other news about Joy, the past two weeks have been pretty rough for her. Two weeks ago she started feeling really ill. Long story short, after passing out twice, and with extreme dizziness and fatigue etc., she eventually wound up in the hospital for 3 days here in Kampala. Interestingly, after first being in the ER for a few hours, and then the maternity ward (apparently that was the only place that had a bed available for a while) she eventually wound up staying in the exact same room that I was in 15 months ago after my motorcycle accident. Obviously that brought back a lot of not-so-good memories for Joy. Two weeks later, we're thankful that Joy is continuing to slowly get back to normal, and feeling a small bit better each day, gaining a bit more strength and energy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1sSPdbX8iwwcwpJGGdTBAqEvxlVTTE_xaf8bW_aOUHxhfik_9T7ST3dMoNkaWrUL1O2haGqpGSrD_xFUv4M8w0gqdjBtQ7FV_1jHe5lPEPEsPxEkxgh8sl9gXlxAxlUV2bKJfdDZ0RB4/s1600/200307_IMG_4016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1sSPdbX8iwwcwpJGGdTBAqEvxlVTTE_xaf8bW_aOUHxhfik_9T7ST3dMoNkaWrUL1O2haGqpGSrD_xFUv4M8w0gqdjBtQ7FV_1jHe5lPEPEsPxEkxgh8sl9gXlxAxlUV2bKJfdDZ0RB4/s1600/200307_IMG_4016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was a daddy-daughter date with my beautiful big 'little girl' Hannah. She's no so little anymore but she'll still always be daddy's 'little girl'--she's a beautiful, amazingly talented young lady who will be graduating from Heritage International High School this May, and will be starting university this coming fall in the U.S., studying pre-med. Her and I am a lot alike in our personalities, humor, likes and dislikes... which, yes, includes riding the motorcycle. Several times she has thanked me for giving her such a vivid demonstration of the medical world (by getting run-over and squished by an SUV) so that she could see first hand that indeed she does like trauma medicine and most likely wants to pursue that as a career. Haha. See... we both have an odd sense of humor. I thought it was funny. Anything for you Hannah... it was the least I could do. :-)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuErOY3PA8D2kzwblnEl9nRpw2iO5qXatxVq3gP9JR9YqTecExOhQM4ox7cm4q4jkdFrFN_oa2WuiWhyHdaBzgJbvCv3S4ybJf5ei98lmU723YvlAxxRCf_pAQTYKYyOv61Z8vGmghUD28/s1600/200308_IMG_5634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuErOY3PA8D2kzwblnEl9nRpw2iO5qXatxVq3gP9JR9YqTecExOhQM4ox7cm4q4jkdFrFN_oa2WuiWhyHdaBzgJbvCv3S4ybJf5ei98lmU723YvlAxxRCf_pAQTYKYyOv61Z8vGmghUD28/s1600/200308_IMG_5634.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here's my other beautiful little girl, Sanyu. I always tell her that she's daddy's favorite little girl, so when she heard me telling Hannah that Hannah was daddy's favorite big 'little girl' Sanyu burst into tears. Through her sobs, with big alligator tears streaming down her face, she asked me why she wasn't my favorite little girl anymore? Then we had a good talk where I explained that she was daddy's favorite <i>little</i> 'little girl', and that Hannah was daddy's favorite <i>big</i> 'little girl', so they were both my favorites, and then everything was ok. That made perfect sense to her and the tears stopped and the smiles came back. :-)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinI1V-Hg3K1amkzGeM1t-PEAMWhn_frP0wTFbkJumj-2n0udlHFs2NxmaHnqCIUbvdbmK12hkLXvZiEHJPbbcfOOXFqPaJeFOxA00Kr18XLhgE7kY_1dL2AdTxqfeoormjNcBeRL30QDu0/s1600/200309_IMG_3207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinI1V-Hg3K1amkzGeM1t-PEAMWhn_frP0wTFbkJumj-2n0udlHFs2NxmaHnqCIUbvdbmK12hkLXvZiEHJPbbcfOOXFqPaJeFOxA00Kr18XLhgE7kY_1dL2AdTxqfeoormjNcBeRL30QDu0/s1600/200309_IMG_3207.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She loves to be daddy's little helper with anything and everything that I am doing, including making pizzas. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoHZ_4MebzUL0Ni2MBFXlvW9aGIzS1ollrzxGhRhglzAC8ELGMGzehEJedoYzCQvJiI1L-WSB-fJkvTT0RZUnlQ6f2qU9g-2MwnnHCSlkBeMrx0ox5sQyUSynV8_cVHwohsrpYDTejQyN/s1600/200310_IMG_3216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoHZ_4MebzUL0Ni2MBFXlvW9aGIzS1ollrzxGhRhglzAC8ELGMGzehEJedoYzCQvJiI1L-WSB-fJkvTT0RZUnlQ6f2qU9g-2MwnnHCSlkBeMrx0ox5sQyUSynV8_cVHwohsrpYDTejQyN/s1600/200310_IMG_3216.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking of food... fried grasshoppers are definitely 'closed-eye-worthy,' a term that we coined after our son, Tyler, always used to close his eyes every time he bit into something that he thought was super succulent. So now we often do that to emphasize something that is super tasty, which is what Sanyu is doing here as she enjoys this seasonal treat--crunchy on the outside, and squishy on the inside. Yummy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG6BOiRmW_IhlPIul6PEBr5rOsy49H1rd4OkcEEUHEYrHAE1XH_uktfrqMRYx9tEnq2NhScwMMZan-zNMFTINLjRjL2OW1w2J15_gP7aglUrYihTbBSp3yWhTC3vaO19CnZePMFvCpwlC/s1600/200311_IMG_6091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG6BOiRmW_IhlPIul6PEBr5rOsy49H1rd4OkcEEUHEYrHAE1XH_uktfrqMRYx9tEnq2NhScwMMZan-zNMFTINLjRjL2OW1w2J15_gP7aglUrYihTbBSp3yWhTC3vaO19CnZePMFvCpwlC/s1600/200311_IMG_6091.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And since we are on the subject of food, last week I whipped up another batch of my famous (well, it's at least famous in my own house) hot sauce. The base for my pepper sauce is a variety of the scotch bonnet pepper, grown locally, which is much hotter and tastier (in my opinion) than an average habanero. Then I throw in a few other types of chili peppers, some onions, lots of garlic, and a ton of cilantro. All of that becomes a pepper mash, which I carefully weigh to the exact gram, so that I can add just enough salt and vinegar to allow it to age in corked bottles on the shelf. The longer it ages the better it gets. This made about 10 liters, which will probably last us about a year and a half or two. How hot is it? Well, it's not even comparable to any of the average Tabasco's, but if you've ever had the Habanero Tabasco, then it's probably at least about 2-4 x hotter than that. It's not as hot as Dave's Insanity Sauce though. What I (and some of my kids who also like hot stuff) enjoy about it is that it not only has just the right amount of heat, but also has a very complex and delicious flavor. We put it on just about everything. :-)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdtSIsokiffGxnaGDk0iYWPOpCvj2dsQeb-yGGs6u0UbvHKrwirGSJoYpE2g0EWCxgBjD0utfKpJv9Z5dd97Ovcx_SZxeQaJoCOfq8xmdsI5lZvNH_GNa1WMdZZO_y5nNh6ldNWVm7YR0/s1600/200312_IMG_4023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdtSIsokiffGxnaGDk0iYWPOpCvj2dsQeb-yGGs6u0UbvHKrwirGSJoYpE2g0EWCxgBjD0utfKpJv9Z5dd97Ovcx_SZxeQaJoCOfq8xmdsI5lZvNH_GNa1WMdZZO_y5nNh6ldNWVm7YR0/s1600/200312_IMG_4023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-85585198276364268862020-02-14T11:27:00.000+03:002020-02-14T11:27:56.762+03:00And Here We Go Trying Yet Again...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are so many good reasons/excuses I could give you as to why I did just one blog post last June, with indications that I would start consistently blogging again, and then I disappeared... again. I could tell you that life has been super crazy busy, and that by necessity some things just don't get done. And that would be true. But it sounds like a lame excuse. I could tell you that I have been (and continue to be) in a season of 'work' right now where (for reasons that I can't really share here) I am not able to talk quite as freely on this open blogging forum about some of the exciting things that happen because of the MAF flights that I get to do. That would also be true, and is probably the biggest reason that I have struggled to keep blogging. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It definitely makes it a bit frustrating for me, b/c if I can't share details I feel like I'm just sharing very generic, boring stuff and wasting your time. Yet, some of you who used to check my blog have indicated that you miss seeing the posts. So here I go yet again...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4GCwGG_AcWyVK3HwzF76MPUECMhTX0p9j5oVBKXmbxpWUlgx20xVqVMp0PcQpAnydB-jIrRPD13e3IXLAS94MWB3FXatSnZNcmJ5bXh-HIwtzXglyefbBXDgzTJbVrw58Y981gOBieh-/s1600/200201_IMG_3137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4GCwGG_AcWyVK3HwzF76MPUECMhTX0p9j5oVBKXmbxpWUlgx20xVqVMp0PcQpAnydB-jIrRPD13e3IXLAS94MWB3FXatSnZNcmJ5bXh-HIwtzXglyefbBXDgzTJbVrw58Y981gOBieh-/s1600/200201_IMG_3137.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I said above, my posts will continue to be quite general and generic for the foreseeable future, as they relate to who/what we fly, and why. Hopefully you can understand and read between the lines. Cool stuff is happening, but you'll just get some pics and generic descriptions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Above, and below are shots from a flight to South Sudan. I really enjoy being able to serve a variety of organizations who work in difficult and remote parts of that country.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzWX6YBr8_YwKNsJm8bvG3avWUSlEa56L7sTLbp-nP9U0TO7CgjtW2I_z-Lz88ok0ezGgiqi-ZFM4vg_jQ9rJcIcY42qKNiR2mum6nmg8D_wxziW5DxLiEqfCXSTKaTYJBFnuS7Ho4x17/s1600/200202_IMG_3120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzWX6YBr8_YwKNsJm8bvG3avWUSlEa56L7sTLbp-nP9U0TO7CgjtW2I_z-Lz88ok0ezGgiqi-ZFM4vg_jQ9rJcIcY42qKNiR2mum6nmg8D_wxziW5DxLiEqfCXSTKaTYJBFnuS7Ho4x17/s1600/200202_IMG_3120.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The next 3 shots are also from South Sudan...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjioJTTLLAbxVM39GZ1J5tRJ4iQsGarTl-sg2Ix_c2AoXx1A-JfwsjWvtGmsmaw_zErllDxOCpDGTy79CSmB7rqPR82yYXQYfhCvOF_s0Ss0voADWdW1_ti2NQloW1gN8In4Ne5bHgkPY/s1600/200203_287A4084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjioJTTLLAbxVM39GZ1J5tRJ4iQsGarTl-sg2Ix_c2AoXx1A-JfwsjWvtGmsmaw_zErllDxOCpDGTy79CSmB7rqPR82yYXQYfhCvOF_s0Ss0voADWdW1_ti2NQloW1gN8In4Ne5bHgkPY/s1600/200203_287A4084.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINPEThUUAxY-Gl_mgoXKbKdxFhX1WAEa8r2jFooVkEAuZueF80XDXQCe7KG1YKtYrZ769Uf5TFmhApXKg4490iPUjZ-h9bqZA3mX67ExSeGauSJoNh9yKSttaOTJzsSj21_jCS54OwGDA/s1600/200204_287A3874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINPEThUUAxY-Gl_mgoXKbKdxFhX1WAEa8r2jFooVkEAuZueF80XDXQCe7KG1YKtYrZ769Uf5TFmhApXKg4490iPUjZ-h9bqZA3mX67ExSeGauSJoNh9yKSttaOTJzsSj21_jCS54OwGDA/s1600/200204_287A3874.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wU0ykU_90L7l47uqRviVY6gug9ABAZXSPzw6THVrGHdfoS8XmVTRLEOr9xhwv6nTPDo_a6ARLXv3S_K6lA2R5WXiBj2Q7YZfc2CswxYXd_eBg6ypPMdgSq5trFGkT992iPfVHDfsJr1M/s1600/200205_287A4036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wU0ykU_90L7l47uqRviVY6gug9ABAZXSPzw6THVrGHdfoS8XmVTRLEOr9xhwv6nTPDo_a6ARLXv3S_K6lA2R5WXiBj2Q7YZfc2CswxYXd_eBg6ypPMdgSq5trFGkT992iPfVHDfsJr1M/s1600/200205_287A4036.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are 2 shots from Uganda. The first was taken a few months ago when it was still green-ish. You can see a little family village down there, in the shape of a circle with dividers. They form these from branches of acacia, which have huge thorns. That helps to keep both predatory animals (and people) out, and also at times to keep their cattle and goats in the innermost part of the circle at night.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjTMDCDCPhr_I3edzIw5SL_9JvdGmUFtw3tlXr4KEe5NsaKuJ9S7drQFtMm9Y3bjSUlhr4ZoL2nteIGGb9I4UJJ-Z3i5918Udf7u-2FcTVVX4N3pAH9xv36gHrEp2DIImlNSgyveUU69y/s1600/200206_P1000380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjTMDCDCPhr_I3edzIw5SL_9JvdGmUFtw3tlXr4KEe5NsaKuJ9S7drQFtMm9Y3bjSUlhr4ZoL2nteIGGb9I4UJJ-Z3i5918Udf7u-2FcTVVX4N3pAH9xv36gHrEp2DIImlNSgyveUU69y/s1600/200206_P1000380.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was taken just a few weeks ago. As you can see it's starting to dry out as we are now in dry season. It will continue to get more and more brown until the rains return. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKuN_KX2Rvq6hiERDnoRxf4tHp3gA23HMdlBsvd_YjS4uU7Dk5YcZgc9_rQbYAA5-8o2ecZM69g-JIgNs_nXwwljzP_VDOX-ZOjVVW5_pE310dLd30TN4tdAuHlkMPGe0-iVPdsSYOYKek/s1600/200207_IMG_3646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKuN_KX2Rvq6hiERDnoRxf4tHp3gA23HMdlBsvd_YjS4uU7Dk5YcZgc9_rQbYAA5-8o2ecZM69g-JIgNs_nXwwljzP_VDOX-ZOjVVW5_pE310dLd30TN4tdAuHlkMPGe0-iVPdsSYOYKek/s1600/200207_IMG_3646.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope that I'll be able to actually follow through on my intentions to post a few times a month going forward. You'll just have to bear with me and expect photos, but not so many behind-the-scenes details. The flights I get to do are facilitating some really exciting work through many awesome organizations and people. I wish I could tell you all of the individual stories in detail, but perhaps that can happen someday when we are face to face. :-)</span>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-34566355565480677212019-06-01T15:23:00.001+03:002019-06-01T15:23:53.495+03:00Still Here... Again.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Folks, I'm still alive! I don't just mean that figuratively, I mean it literally. It seem like I've made a lot of excuses on this blog over the past year, for the chunks of time where I seem to disappear for a while. Well, this time I really had a good excuse! </div>
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Last October I had a bit of a 'mishap' while riding my motorcycle. That sort of put me out of commission for a while. But now things are back to normal. (There's a lot more to the story, but if you don't already know it, and want to hear more details, then write me an e-mail.) </div>
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Here's our latest family photo, taken in April.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQh0BCtdS5nqjcxUaOdIRpjpiqqmefSPd5Ttf5ShgCreUb818Efwbe3Wp9Y6zG7Lo2pdXc_aswlvs3Yo4XOQbcCjELRDFy8-fZr5WOIc8iMUO9TBmQtig6UmqerqJABAkB6a-BXsDTcPwF/s1600/190601_01_SS6A8320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQh0BCtdS5nqjcxUaOdIRpjpiqqmefSPd5Ttf5ShgCreUb818Efwbe3Wp9Y6zG7Lo2pdXc_aswlvs3Yo4XOQbcCjELRDFy8-fZr5WOIc8iMUO9TBmQtig6UmqerqJABAkB6a-BXsDTcPwF/s1600/190601_01_SS6A8320.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Since I've been gone from the blog for so long, and wasn't flying for a while, I thought I'd start by showing proof that I'm back in the saddle again. :-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0WrkPGFnJZzBacegL0ff16G20Tt0HJOBLwuvbIG-XIiUb1udJy1dtFhlwNwUSCvRRF7wiWQO-yIDzARdlywO7_7zzr5fYy-uvmsq46-b1sH18RBfYayujQzlEESijJvOWGNp-PU0ndSP/s1600/190601_02_IMG_1553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0WrkPGFnJZzBacegL0ff16G20Tt0HJOBLwuvbIG-XIiUb1udJy1dtFhlwNwUSCvRRF7wiWQO-yIDzARdlywO7_7zzr5fYy-uvmsq46-b1sH18RBfYayujQzlEESijJvOWGNp-PU0ndSP/s1600/190601_02_IMG_1553.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A huge thank you goes out first to my wife and kids, and our families back in the U.S., who've been such a huge support and encouragement throughout this 'stretching' season in our lives. And second, we'd like to thank my amazing DPT, Nicky, who gave SO many countless hours helping Joy and I to retrain my body to do what it is supposed to do, and in the process has become our great friend as well! And of course my brilliant surgeon, Dr. M. in the U.S. who did wonders to fix some seriously busted stuff. And all the other docs and nurses who helped in so many ways. And of course our MAF team here in Uganda and around the world, and so many others here in Kampala and elsewhere who encouraged and prayed and helped in practical ways. We are so grateful for all of you!<br />
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But make no mistake, I am here today ONLY because of God's grace. I should have died... several times. But for some reason, that only He knows, I'm still kicking. And not only that, I'm back to 100%. A lot of people deserve credit for helping me get here, but ultimately, all the glory and credit belong to my Creator and Healer!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTKhLbz7uiSdMFqwJgO9_StJksgDd6ksqpImgEWT-nbYyov86NNrhNyoacq-j2C8YajzNffo5P7szfeLwDDlD7w3mcGIR99D_PHVnxdPw_-1ASLhfRaLMkYrzwCK4ekK9ODr7rV9T4G1o/s1600/190601_03_P1120903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTKhLbz7uiSdMFqwJgO9_StJksgDd6ksqpImgEWT-nbYyov86NNrhNyoacq-j2C8YajzNffo5P7szfeLwDDlD7w3mcGIR99D_PHVnxdPw_-1ASLhfRaLMkYrzwCK4ekK9ODr7rV9T4G1o/s1600/190601_03_P1120903.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's been great to see so many friends, like Celestino in Yambio, South Sudan, after being absent for so long. He, and so many others like him, were praying for my family and me a lot over the past months.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYZWUkGj-r78smWe0HIkOOSMLaFxE2hLTqtAJ42aTdpjacvxitkFLcVlJtZLIRW9aKHKU08Ux5feGz4V8GorkcHDfpRcCdy3LFvC3VLJ8tXGHXqz6Eb0AxyLpBiUk5jiuYVrP8XVH5Sc1/s1600/190601_04_P1120898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYZWUkGj-r78smWe0HIkOOSMLaFxE2hLTqtAJ42aTdpjacvxitkFLcVlJtZLIRW9aKHKU08Ux5feGz4V8GorkcHDfpRcCdy3LFvC3VLJ8tXGHXqz6Eb0AxyLpBiUk5jiuYVrP8XVH5Sc1/s1600/190601_04_P1120898.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And in case you're curious... yes, I'm riding my bike again. That was a given. I was already riding several months ago. And yes, Joy is fine with it. The truth is, Joy, understandably, did have quite a bit of emotional trauma to work through as a result of all of this. And I certainly wasn't going to push her to let me ride again soon. But she also knows me well, and she knows that I don't live my life in fear of what <i>might</i> happen, or what <i>did</i> happen. Life if far too short for that. Plus, I love riding... been riding motorcycles since way back in flight school twenty some years ago. And a little knock-down ain't gonna change that. There's more to it than that, but for now, you can just believe me when I say that Joy and my kids are all fully supportive, and I'm so glad to be back on the bike again. :-)<br />
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(Incidentally, I've gotten a lot of flack from a few people--even to the point where some have indicated that they feel betrayed, or even angry at me, for riding again after they have prayed so much for me to recover. It's like they take it as a personal offense that I would have the gumption to ride again--like I take all of this for granted. I don't. But there's more to it than that. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but if you're upset at me for riding again, it's not going to do anything to change my mind. I <i>am</i> sorry you feel that way, but I don't live my life, however short or long it might be here on earth, trying to make others happy with me. I <i>am</i> definitely concerned what my wife and kids think, but aside from that, I do what God gives me peace to do. And that's basically how I role. I hope you can understand.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wKRyrtfaT2bCkijOeWUr-YCY69lc0vQbnM9AD-X-F_ovw4urm5buXkTD239encIqChnw6NfEOWU9yMiYB0GuztLVhLQU6I3EcMngHXTuLlwnrVa0LjF_6Yfcu4o9vqfiYkCxgSiJrxiW/s1600/190601_05_IMG_1467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wKRyrtfaT2bCkijOeWUr-YCY69lc0vQbnM9AD-X-F_ovw4urm5buXkTD239encIqChnw6NfEOWU9yMiYB0GuztLVhLQU6I3EcMngHXTuLlwnrVa0LjF_6Yfcu4o9vqfiYkCxgSiJrxiW/s1600/190601_05_IMG_1467.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In other news, a big congratulations to our oldest, Britt, who graduated yesterday from HIS (Heritage International School) in Kampala, Uganda. We are so proud of him and can't wait to see what God has in store for him in his future!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrl1K6LfrHgCPbTd1wFZ_10kLMUtIIwMUTQV3rVdxEquBz7Lh60ysSafKPVQe1M-JPYNnkRUNZGez-OhFUeQQvtf0B1KCRxOL277vxsUPraeI0ALyD5Gem0EgUnQJGwj5bckgG7QTQYp7e/s1600/190601_07_SS6A8351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrl1K6LfrHgCPbTd1wFZ_10kLMUtIIwMUTQV3rVdxEquBz7Lh60ysSafKPVQe1M-JPYNnkRUNZGez-OhFUeQQvtf0B1KCRxOL277vxsUPraeI0ALyD5Gem0EgUnQJGwj5bckgG7QTQYp7e/s1600/190601_07_SS6A8351.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Britt will be starting at Liberty University this fall, majoring in Zoo and Wildlife Biology.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEGVjLfQETiGw3TReBK1VBOSbGd5PM3Dg7BVwiX6Eg47jNeFw6JAnQNqNl9YoWIeECeofRCl5Piv8wgJPwkEjfge43yFO-GFeYnxdJGF0lwiX7rtFlA2v3kTQ4o5zw8kz7apNgrnRXoQW/s1600/190601_08_SS6A8497-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEGVjLfQETiGw3TReBK1VBOSbGd5PM3Dg7BVwiX6Eg47jNeFw6JAnQNqNl9YoWIeECeofRCl5Piv8wgJPwkEjfge43yFO-GFeYnxdJGF0lwiX7rtFlA2v3kTQ4o5zw8kz7apNgrnRXoQW/s1600/190601_08_SS6A8497-Edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Over the next few weeks I'll try to fill you in on some of the other things that have gone on over the past number of months.</div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-87722548387158376512018-10-09T16:19:00.003+03:002018-10-09T16:19:36.133+03:00I'm Still Here<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Wow, it's been nothing but crickets chirping here on my blog for quite a while, but I'm still here! Those long periods of silence on my blog are indicative of how super busy it's been here. The summer was a blur, and it hasn't slowed down since. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iGFoI4KNpxTDHUOG7islj19ffNEJSt-CplMwt0wR1qUCrz7ESFBbslX4bikPYc5rAb2mB-VzJIipmp0TUMjard5vmIK9D62Uv8fx3BaLLagy8qXv9m6jFluVyWrBI6TI_hiCFD0lp1u9/s1600/181001_01_P1120740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iGFoI4KNpxTDHUOG7islj19ffNEJSt-CplMwt0wR1qUCrz7ESFBbslX4bikPYc5rAb2mB-VzJIipmp0TUMjard5vmIK9D62Uv8fx3BaLLagy8qXv9m6jFluVyWrBI6TI_hiCFD0lp1u9/s1600/181001_01_P1120740.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here are a few random shots from the past few months. Above, a flight I did for Every Village from Tonj, South Sudan. Below, I flew a team from World Vision Korea to Kaabong, northeastern Uganda.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UtPdsin9mfxbJyYBLbOT8fEC9QoM92AJYCQ5LVohVTv2GfXxQinn5tdS1Rzt3THMsfLtqvTcGI5E8ceHGOsoPNDQU7gkdwtP01e-QlSwXBZ2Ys3J2A6YnyXK4ONflQD2C36LMuXx0IG4/s1600/181001_02_IMG_0253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UtPdsin9mfxbJyYBLbOT8fEC9QoM92AJYCQ5LVohVTv2GfXxQinn5tdS1Rzt3THMsfLtqvTcGI5E8ceHGOsoPNDQU7gkdwtP01e-QlSwXBZ2Ys3J2A6YnyXK4ONflQD2C36LMuXx0IG4/s1600/181001_02_IMG_0253.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is one of several Congolese refugee settlements that has sprung up on the Western side of Uganda in the past six months or so (on the Eastern shores of Lake Albert.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FA6HIOikkP-V0LiCSsUSw5dBx0u1zyNxvZRX0-2zsTzJSGJKItP_XT9CRmKDRsbnw4iBaAza5dmBd6IqndPL2G0qWi6fRqu84vhS06_zO0UzYS4wS1Vvx2raCgArz33hk0NzpwT5Jm7L/s1600/181001_03_P1120625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FA6HIOikkP-V0LiCSsUSw5dBx0u1zyNxvZRX0-2zsTzJSGJKItP_XT9CRmKDRsbnw4iBaAza5dmBd6IqndPL2G0qWi6fRqu84vhS06_zO0UzYS4wS1Vvx2raCgArz33hk0NzpwT5Jm7L/s1600/181001_03_P1120625.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The pink (magenta) line is my intended flight track. There's a good reason why my plane is off to the left of the intended track. All of those yellow marks represent lightning strikes up ahead--indicative of a massive, and very 'hot' thunderstorm. We have to give a wide birth (even up to 25 miles or more) to large convective weather like this, which is not all that uncommon in the tropics.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWftiSxBjs-DPwg8nZsgyYfTeSczMoetIb_ePq4LrT1nCEyRmnEvd1dZVMb14cNSZW6Md8X9UTsK-WZMcy9Ms46qFYRqSAuddWNIF45xZOnQuWtwRXJO4KDi52sm6uQm2rQsdSr6s3Fso-/s1600/181001_04_IMG_0274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWftiSxBjs-DPwg8nZsgyYfTeSczMoetIb_ePq4LrT1nCEyRmnEvd1dZVMb14cNSZW6Md8X9UTsK-WZMcy9Ms46qFYRqSAuddWNIF45xZOnQuWtwRXJO4KDi52sm6uQm2rQsdSr6s3Fso-/s1600/181001_04_IMG_0274.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Someone brought this cute little critter up to my plane. It was on a leash. The guy then let it go, and it promptly ran underneath the cargo pod, where it nibbled the grass in the cool shade.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HtPfM8euSUymyHZuFHgqyEWbQUd6D6soMHffzaJW0Ki7-StW8WlQ1w4upQP_VeLjyDGHVFIbImoR2slOAto1Q_vX1hykF2aT7D9ptQn5ldw3uA2rXFLBnXd745WtSWl71-h401Mv52Di/s1600/181001_05_IMG_0277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HtPfM8euSUymyHZuFHgqyEWbQUd6D6soMHffzaJW0Ki7-StW8WlQ1w4upQP_VeLjyDGHVFIbImoR2slOAto1Q_vX1hykF2aT7D9ptQn5ldw3uA2rXFLBnXd745WtSWl71-h401Mv52Di/s1600/181001_05_IMG_0277.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This summer we were blessed to have my younger sister and two nieces come to visit us here in Uganda for a few weeks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdawPg_ChhsIklzVYIu5Js5FqP_2vkzhw-YB69pXgCB9V72-6MQHLbLBnaWQeQUC-m6wEn__ddQvscbahuZYq3TpC0V-zcf269Oa1dQpR3dTFn1YlcMFhRyFZluzIV3PCVwVPFLZTpl3s6/s1600/181001_06_P1120551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdawPg_ChhsIklzVYIu5Js5FqP_2vkzhw-YB69pXgCB9V72-6MQHLbLBnaWQeQUC-m6wEn__ddQvscbahuZYq3TpC0V-zcf269Oa1dQpR3dTFn1YlcMFhRyFZluzIV3PCVwVPFLZTpl3s6/s1600/181001_06_P1120551.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was able to take them along for day of mission flying throughout Uganda. Above, they are posing in front of the big rock at Kalongo. Below, there are always lots of kids to greet the plane in Kotido.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhELiSbl9fzahFHCXANlp1jHprY6N4sZZ7AQkFvgZ_s4y4OFD43pKPkY2rjPVCBiC3IRoJ_NeQCxnxUtLpAcGYBBC7JPt7fRCurp4c6iwUs5XcImpis6QztT-HAzBcUrggZw5IEQzTP0g/s1600/181001_07_P1120575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhELiSbl9fzahFHCXANlp1jHprY6N4sZZ7AQkFvgZ_s4y4OFD43pKPkY2rjPVCBiC3IRoJ_NeQCxnxUtLpAcGYBBC7JPt7fRCurp4c6iwUs5XcImpis6QztT-HAzBcUrggZw5IEQzTP0g/s1600/181001_07_P1120575.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hannah got to ride along on that flight day as well, which also happened to be her 16th b-day. (I'm sure you already spotted her in the above photos.) Here we are posing in front of the vast, East African grasslands. She might be 16 (and thinking she's going on 25) but she's still daddy's little girl.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqpbu5d51o_eNHgSdtB7qHiqK6_59SbcohpFcvokC_HRA2OAycPdo6xfGhtKQGZXuid8LZdXsoJl0fk5zsQvhAFw29MmVOQw42rPbrHQIB0czJSrBNNHKgMF4gK00mqUzcffurhCTtEFe/s1600/181001_08_P1120577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqpbu5d51o_eNHgSdtB7qHiqK6_59SbcohpFcvokC_HRA2OAycPdo6xfGhtKQGZXuid8LZdXsoJl0fk5zsQvhAFw29MmVOQw42rPbrHQIB0czJSrBNNHKgMF4gK00mqUzcffurhCTtEFe/s1600/181001_08_P1120577.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And speaking of Daddy's little girl, here's my other little girl, Sanyu. She was very, very excited when Joy brought her to visit me at the airport. She got to sit in 'daddy's airplane' (on the ground) which she hasn't stop talking about for weeks. I can't imagine how excited she'll be when she takes her first flight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHte9KIrBcagUi4SYulbYLpjtrSxN1m5QY5Nvxg6yAh2aX8KPflijJjQINJS3MJRxxVzWNHXG3JRf5UH1xynqDQNPgDqT6hpKKubGMGn5mVyDcLd-zLi9hgTtEl3ecweex1RXu7DUcuOcf/s1600/181001_09_IMG_0477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHte9KIrBcagUi4SYulbYLpjtrSxN1m5QY5Nvxg6yAh2aX8KPflijJjQINJS3MJRxxVzWNHXG3JRf5UH1xynqDQNPgDqT6hpKKubGMGn5mVyDcLd-zLi9hgTtEl3ecweex1RXu7DUcuOcf/s1600/181001_09_IMG_0477.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-58792047760029883682018-07-09T07:30:00.001+03:002018-07-09T07:30:28.617+03:00Nineteen Years of Joy, and Counting!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Nineteen years ago today, I married my best friend, Joy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNZbtxKWBUH9dchYTDNezSuLA4MmwUdfY3QCKZQVlgGRlLnCJdDPCI-r3XDRc-CsUk5WUBaVdSNECR8I0U-CBzRq94Z3uIATQGvoy-wh6gQrJLhxDvquAvzLZBiEf9SDwv_SPlKu2RdR6/s1600/180701_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1160" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNZbtxKWBUH9dchYTDNezSuLA4MmwUdfY3QCKZQVlgGRlLnCJdDPCI-r3XDRc-CsUk5WUBaVdSNECR8I0U-CBzRq94Z3uIATQGvoy-wh6gQrJLhxDvquAvzLZBiEf9SDwv_SPlKu2RdR6/s1600/180701_01.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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One year later our first child was born...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QKBQ25bh6LeJuITG866o_yIlWeNNYjIXJGp2Wvf6f9KPkWNTzN8v2yGNynnLlHD9T1FBSZb5tOaV47WJltw5_J-5-EHPlXgNJfpmT0zeW6oyd6eLaCRplyg7pwrXxTGO_lsg2pS4EtWb/s1600/180701_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1268" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QKBQ25bh6LeJuITG866o_yIlWeNNYjIXJGp2Wvf6f9KPkWNTzN8v2yGNynnLlHD9T1FBSZb5tOaV47WJltw5_J-5-EHPlXgNJfpmT0zeW6oyd6eLaCRplyg7pwrXxTGO_lsg2pS4EtWb/s1600/180701_02.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
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... and well before his first birthday, we were commissioned by our church to head to the mission field. That was 17 years ago, and we've spent the vast majority of our married life since, living and serving in cross-cultural contexts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLaxYPlbG93q86I3bt9uE7iVz_whonjn810RnPoQ8fFsPnVJQwX96Y2K_7b29JQfRbMQLq6gE0JRarTe0eXCElZMeosj2bYEX6xqZh5uBwlZCbfufObGKaRUjT7IyPIr__E2CR_-rYM3t/s1600/180701_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLaxYPlbG93q86I3bt9uE7iVz_whonjn810RnPoQ8fFsPnVJQwX96Y2K_7b29JQfRbMQLq6gE0JRarTe0eXCElZMeosj2bYEX6xqZh5uBwlZCbfufObGKaRUjT7IyPIr__E2CR_-rYM3t/s1600/180701_03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Everywhere we've lived, whether for a few months, or many years, (and that has been many, many different places over the years) Joy has expertly and lovingly worked her magic to make our house a home--a safe, warm, and loving place for me and for our kids, of which we now have six. This was our first home, a 390 square foot, one-room log cabin, in a small Athabascan Native American village, just north of the Arctic Circle. We were there for two years, during which time God allowed us to be broken in our own strengths and skills, but where we learned to completely rely on Him and His strength. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7LJHTKsUR3HdktlPH96KGH-KSZdut1G6doZouzOSDNFvKRlKOoftOi9FeJg0LqchgEPqElTH1OMRxR5jN0asTFg_5gPQmkIfTfPwDTIzlujLR6Vq2bw1RfrSYMdkX18cu2tG6USr86J_C/s1600/180701_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7LJHTKsUR3HdktlPH96KGH-KSZdut1G6doZouzOSDNFvKRlKOoftOi9FeJg0LqchgEPqElTH1OMRxR5jN0asTFg_5gPQmkIfTfPwDTIzlujLR6Vq2bw1RfrSYMdkX18cu2tG6USr86J_C/s1600/180701_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Six months after that, we were well on our way to joining MAF, and a few months later, it became official! Our first assignment with MAF was to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. </div>
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But first we had to learn to speak Indonesian... which meant almost a year of language school in Java. </div>
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Then, until the summer of 2013, we served as a pilot/mechanic family, based out of Tarakan, Kalimantan.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oEuVVaydHeYEI5iftNZhygBvkpPMakv5evYqlGkG_uwxWqWKNjhOXXPcUXkZGTrGCcW9hQqTLBnGWZ3bjZq4TMeepxMRT1Y4Cti5VdZolatykKbfl_gtnncdsXtfdZr6Xxi7Pf4heLus/s1600/180701_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oEuVVaydHeYEI5iftNZhygBvkpPMakv5evYqlGkG_uwxWqWKNjhOXXPcUXkZGTrGCcW9hQqTLBnGWZ3bjZq4TMeepxMRT1Y4Cti5VdZolatykKbfl_gtnncdsXtfdZr6Xxi7Pf4heLus/s1600/180701_07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Everything was not always easy during those years. In fact there were many challenges along the way--but always, I had my best friend, my Joy, with me, and we faced those challenges together, anchored in our faith in God, and our commitment to each other, and by His grace we really enjoyed and thrived during those years in Indonesia. To this day, our kids still view Indonesia as their true 'home' since that is where they feel they 'grew up' and in many ways the same could be said of Joy and me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGjuDRgVC03E4h2S1JAJ9JTGDavdBUjxH0Xdr90qPw9tcMZycptdbHh9TOfUv8SC4Tda1O5zVZEVST88WgKE68yZYVjnpQbs-yf_iMgLmUdy0ZIhRd44GXoQn7adXaM7MU5BxyiYo5f5I/s1600/180701_08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGjuDRgVC03E4h2S1JAJ9JTGDavdBUjxH0Xdr90qPw9tcMZycptdbHh9TOfUv8SC4Tda1O5zVZEVST88WgKE68yZYVjnpQbs-yf_iMgLmUdy0ZIhRd44GXoQn7adXaM7MU5BxyiYo5f5I/s1600/180701_08.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here are a few shots of me and my Joy, during those years. Thanks to my good friend, and great photographer, Tripp Flythe, for taking the all of these next shots, except the one where I'm in the green shirt, and Joy in the pink.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfuJ0wHJdskEKdhMQPx27TnpyNjEdFBGRVR5gH3CWv88lVCAygvXceRoXc4aVvRyNWYwVq6xMGdHUd6tlVR3hpMCmaemdVPx6ncvxLBYilAooR2CdQ3mFrzPD965eLAVgDt7qATsf4IX4/s1600/180701_09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfuJ0wHJdskEKdhMQPx27TnpyNjEdFBGRVR5gH3CWv88lVCAygvXceRoXc4aVvRyNWYwVq6xMGdHUd6tlVR3hpMCmaemdVPx6ncvxLBYilAooR2CdQ3mFrzPD965eLAVgDt7qATsf4IX4/s1600/180701_09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgD263nlbWrsyFp_vqcWxNeYiQqq4zcvelojwy7IglIqcXDdq-_prF3ooYP3JYkb8Syok7DQ8Y53kFr3xIoglLopx5OJB8lwf5qmZMT-GOhS4eIBqDjoGguOaF2sPN1UBV6jUJW0oAJpCR/s1600/180701_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgD263nlbWrsyFp_vqcWxNeYiQqq4zcvelojwy7IglIqcXDdq-_prF3ooYP3JYkb8Syok7DQ8Y53kFr3xIoglLopx5OJB8lwf5qmZMT-GOhS4eIBqDjoGguOaF2sPN1UBV6jUJW0oAJpCR/s1600/180701_10.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVtTOkNA4oibXcPUKCcjcYfzld-Xuu6wf_ak9Z_sAnxgBh3en47CZnyFTr9NME2dgZVCaWaYqQ6Vrgvt58H1rwUI-TgBQeli5PScHNnV4_6UQDKm1b0GzgnpTd6bK1wga5hugoQ2IlvS_/s1600/180701_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1218" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVtTOkNA4oibXcPUKCcjcYfzld-Xuu6wf_ak9Z_sAnxgBh3en47CZnyFTr9NME2dgZVCaWaYqQ6Vrgvt58H1rwUI-TgBQeli5PScHNnV4_6UQDKm1b0GzgnpTd6bK1wga5hugoQ2IlvS_/s1600/180701_11.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQ8ELMaE_c9mDqudXXXDyHrXkVjkTAsciafwdGYf3fne1Unr0xUpx5bL2u7oijeTTF80wInESW9oU6lLNGiA7i2e64K4K8U0R_WnjQfdlXbIBSBTmB_5jcgw6bCfDTOEClzpxUuckjw5F/s1600/180701_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQ8ELMaE_c9mDqudXXXDyHrXkVjkTAsciafwdGYf3fne1Unr0xUpx5bL2u7oijeTTF80wInESW9oU6lLNGiA7i2e64K4K8U0R_WnjQfdlXbIBSBTmB_5jcgw6bCfDTOEClzpxUuckjw5F/s1600/180701_12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWPNFMJJ1MKIxT4M9CI7fANarUcnteChjPHoPcwgT838L0sRYvr8dzBogGGCfmAsRbLwvMJdwClI8MO0Km2v5qFQTg34Qhl1nK7jIet0qNYdM21kp0Z4IRT2KJVY1eWSxBleTCi_NjUVb/s1600/180701_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWPNFMJJ1MKIxT4M9CI7fANarUcnteChjPHoPcwgT838L0sRYvr8dzBogGGCfmAsRbLwvMJdwClI8MO0Km2v5qFQTg34Qhl1nK7jIet0qNYdM21kp0Z4IRT2KJVY1eWSxBleTCi_NjUVb/s1600/180701_14.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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After our time in Indonesia, we transitioned to a new assignment with MAF in East Africa. But first we had to do some training with the MAF International office in England... a place Joy has always loved!</div>
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The next few months, before we moved to East Africa, we had a bit of time to recharge our spiritual, emotional, and physical batteries.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGileprz353tE5blCyoHhgGAxymykieomfcVYxmLRDNhv7FCk7ERjcPYlb6WsfksrU5v-3DH8ItND0DZhfv1TbNAOEbwfAphlNuH8KZwygH4vkRmki9Xq8-ooXWYPdtjLG7NbAA_YfbzAN/s1600/180701_17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGileprz353tE5blCyoHhgGAxymykieomfcVYxmLRDNhv7FCk7ERjcPYlb6WsfksrU5v-3DH8ItND0DZhfv1TbNAOEbwfAphlNuH8KZwygH4vkRmki9Xq8-ooXWYPdtjLG7NbAA_YfbzAN/s1600/180701_17.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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As we tried to process, both individually, and as a family, the myriad emotions we felt saying goodbye to Indonesia, a special highlight for all of us was the 5-week tent-camping trip we took through the American West, visiting many National parks, and just decompressing in God's beautiful creation.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLSmyhHNzbcC9uDaWW7xCy6D3Siz-R6IPAX1tWxc2YNOyqOdicNifuQOvcaFgp7TIUnuaFFCF6E5mFFUOnxT7gvt43Hcu4lBIc8qn8v9R1jruDCdwurJxlJnL9C60b7Fol3sgAEH9Or35/s1600/180701_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLSmyhHNzbcC9uDaWW7xCy6D3Siz-R6IPAX1tWxc2YNOyqOdicNifuQOvcaFgp7TIUnuaFFCF6E5mFFUOnxT7gvt43Hcu4lBIc8qn8v9R1jruDCdwurJxlJnL9C60b7Fol3sgAEH9Or35/s1600/180701_18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In early 2014 we arrived in Uganda, East Africa...</div>
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... where we continue to live and serve today!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNpE_B5MH-b-aZ2pzKN50Stu7OtQj0XFIBJmhGr37-dxmkn1hrVDv9ZwZSxXSVmiNEQ1dp1m8fxiQLZyotpRCDfmKPxrPkV3xCHj5udz9LX88td0_yWa63M9Lugu5icomf_D0uM5h-XrO/s1600/180701_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNpE_B5MH-b-aZ2pzKN50Stu7OtQj0XFIBJmhGr37-dxmkn1hrVDv9ZwZSxXSVmiNEQ1dp1m8fxiQLZyotpRCDfmKPxrPkV3xCHj5udz9LX88td0_yWa63M9Lugu5icomf_D0uM5h-XrO/s1600/180701_21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This was a huge transition for our family, but as usual, Joy quickly made our house a home, and has always been the biggest cheerleader for both me and my kids. AND, she still likes to ride my motorcycle with me!</div>
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My Joy is an amazing woman! She has a huge heart to serve, and feels empathy and compassion for ALL who are suffering, on levels that I will never understand. She is especially drawn to the 'least of these' -- people whom many others might be even be a bit <i>hesitant</i> to approach, b/c of the disease they carry, or the dirt or smell or disability they have. But not Joy--she always jumps right in and loves them the way Christ would. And she loves me and my kids the same way, despite all of our equally daunting faults and issues! My Joy has been my best friend and cheerleader all these years--from the mountains of Northeast Tennessee, to the Boreal forests of the Arctic Circle, and from the Jungles of southeast Asia, to the Rift Valley of East Africa. During this time, I have often travelled to serve in many additional places, for a month or more at a time, and Joy has held always encouraged me to do so, happy to hold down our fort, alone in my absence--no small job in the U.S., but all the more challenging in the places where we've lived. I think there are probably not too many women who would be happy to live a life like the one she has. She is an amazing woman--my Joy! I'm so blessed to have had her by my side these past 19 years, and I look forward to what God has in store for us in the years to come!</div>
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Happy 19th anniversary to my best friend!</div>
<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-61834205101858020432018-06-10T07:39:00.002+03:002018-06-10T07:39:21.444+03:00View From My Office Window<div>
I never cease to be awed by the beauty and diversity of God's creation. Over the years, I've flown/worked in quite a number of regions/countries, and had the unique privilege of enjoying many awesome landscapes in some of the most remote and isolated parts of the world... and all of this from my office window! :-) Here are some shots I thought you might enjoy, from a different part of the world.<br />
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For a bit of perspective on the first shot below--those white dots in the lower left corner are a flock of birds. And yes, it really was that yellow. The rest, I'll leave up to your imagination.</div>
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11737487647086955427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2427136303718160680.post-22583330723400511132018-05-03T05:59:00.000+03:002018-05-03T05:59:25.371+03:00South Sudan Photo Archives<div>
Here's some shots from South Sudan from the archives. These first three shots were taken just a few months ago, when I flew a Caravan load of medicines up to a remote health clinic in South Sudan. This is the only clinic that offers <i>actual</i> medicine and medical treatment in that whole area.</div>
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The rest of these shots are in no particular order, and were taken over the past year, in a number of locations that we serve throughout South Sudan.<br />
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