Oops

OK - I was off a day. I had a phone call from Talia this morning about 11. She was just on her way to the airport. The final word was that the flight (not counting layovers) was expected to last 24 hours. Think of her. And then, of course, I don't know what day it will be when she gets there. Not tomorrow, but maybe Friday? That's my best guess.

I gave her the phone number here in MN so she can call first thing when she gets into Phnom Phen. That's the GE rule. They guarantee at least one phone call. Usually at 2 or 3 a.m. When the kids arrive safely in the country.

I'll let you all know what I hear.

b

Good-bye Girls

Well it's official. Talia is in Texas - not again, but still. But instead of going to class and doing her internship work, she's training to go back to Cambodia. They fly out on Tuesday and arrive in Phnom Pehn, I'm not sure when.

Kate flies out from Minneapolis to LAX next week. She'll spend a few days with her Auntie Mary - hurrah - and then they'll travel from LA to China. How exciting is that!!!

I'll keep you posted.
b

Hello Again

So...here we go again. Kate is getting ready to go to China. Talia is planning another Cambodia trip. And I'm planning on writing their story again. It's so much fun.

Right now, we're in the craziness of the end of the school year. Daniel's GED graduation was Thursday. Kate's high school graduation is 2 weeks from tomorrow. Then we'll have no more kids in school. Can you imagine that?

If you haven't been keeping in touch, and heaven knows I haven't been, you might not know that I've been living and working in St. Cloud while Phil holds down the fort in Dickinson. We've sold the house here and started looking at houses there. (I'm staying with Donna and Loren right now. Where would I be without them?) But our house closes on June 5 and then I guess we're done with Dickinson. It's hard to believe - 13 years and innumberable friends later.

So this brief introduction is just to let you all know that the girls are on the road again this summer and so we're back in business.

Pix from Africa

Thanks to Kate, I have a few pictures to share with you all. Enjoy :)

I'm sure you all remember Kate and her team started out teaching school to Zulu teenagers in the hills. Here are a few members of one of her classes.


When they were working in the squatter camps (Diepsloot?) they learned how to wash clothes without electricity or running water. Here Kate and one of her teammates are washing a blanket for one of the ladies they met.


And of course, who are we to resist a picture of a twin with a teeny twin? The baby's sister ran home and brought her to play with Kate, but the sister wasn't sure which twin it was. Nobody but the mom could tell them apart. Sound familiar?

Have a good day,
b

Better Never Late?

So a month after meeting the girls at the airport in Minneapolis, I'm finally sitting down to fill you all in on that day....

Phil and I drove to the cities on Friday, sadly the air conditioning stopped working, the sun shone enthusiastically in through the windows, and we just about melted. But other than that, we had a nice visit, and I was able to get a little knitting done in the car.

Their plane arrived Saturday morning, and we arrived at the airport about an hour early. I just hated to take the chance that we might miss them or that they might end up waiting for us. It was okay; Starbucks and a crossword puzzle took care of us nicely while they waited. As the minutes ticked down, I found it harder and harder to concentrate on the clues and ended up just getting myself covered in newsprint and not ever solving the silly thing.

But then they were there. Hurrah!!!

We hugged, we cheered, we all talked at once, and then we gathered their bags up from the luggage carousel and wandered over to the car. Donna was there too since Talia had decided she would go nanny for Donna for a few months while she decides what she wants to do next. And since we weren't going to take both girls home with us, we all went over to the Mall of America for lunch and a visit. Stories, laughing, talking, and good food filled a couple of lovely hours; and all too soon it was time to hit the road if we were all going to make it home before it got too late.

The girls hugged one last time. There were a few tears and another hug or two, and we separated the girls. It was hard. For them and for us.

Now, a month later, Talia's been home for her first visit. The girls stayed up late every night for a week catching up, and then we put Talia back on the bus to head back to Iowa. Life feels very different this year.

However, just so you all know that they really did make it home all in one piece, here they are:

Aren't they beautiful?

Later,

b

Update Number I'm Not Sure

Another day, another phone call. Hurrah.

Talia called from Thailand. It was so good to talk to her. I knew she was going to call; she had called this morning while we were at church and said she'd try again this evening. I'll admit I didn't wander too far from the phone as the afternoon wore on and the evening began.

First she called asking permission to be baptized. They're having a special service at one of the rivers there, and she'll be baptized by one of the team leaders she's grown to admire. Of course I said that would be fine. I know she was baptized just before she was confirmed, but I think this has a little more personal meaning for her. She told me she would come home with a picture and a certificate, so you'll all get to see the picture here.

And she said her time in Thailand is almost over. She's spent her weeks there planting rice (which was very fun she said), teaching English, working with orphans and with old folks and doing lots of shopping. What size shirt do you wear Loren?

Tomorrow (today in Thailand) is their free day and after the baptismal service; they'll be riding elephants, watching an elephant show and going bamboo rafting. Then I think they have one last day in Thailand before they board their plane for Texas, and a few days later for home.

The newest news? She's hoping to live with Donna and Loren in Iowa for a bit, working and saving her pennies, and then she's considering art school or Bible school. She's so much like I was when I was her age -- she changes her plans about every 10 minutes :)

Anyway, same as last post, there probably won't be any more entries until I've actually squeezed her to pieces. I'll give both girls hugs from all of you until you can see them yourselves.

Later,
b

News from South Africa

This morning (a lovely, warm, sunny North Dakota morning) as I was drinking my coffee, the phone rang. It was - surprise - Kate in South Africa. It was so lovely to talk to her. She sounded healthy and happy and like she's having the time of her life.

Since they finished teaching school, they came back into the slums around Johannesburg and starting doing "hut-to-hut" ministry. I think it's been an enormous eye-opener for Kate. They basically spend their time as part of a small team (usually 4 kids) going from hut to hut in the slums doing whatever needs to be done. They clean. They wash clothes. They take care of small children. In small, electricity-free huts. Kate tells me she's gotten very good at washing clothes by hand. They are also doing VBS part of the time, but mostly they're just helping people and talking with them and trying to form relationships.

The only time Kate hasn't been 100% healthy was when they were teaching school. Then she says she had a terrible cold and couldn't even talk. Luckily they were team teaching so she either drew illustrations on the chalk board or had someone repeat what she said in an audible voice. They also did a lot of individual tutoring, trying to slide the gospel in when it was appropriate.

Next week will actually be her last week in Africa. Monday they're going hut to hut in the morning and packing their bags in the afternoon. Tuesday they're going on safari. Wednesday they're flying back to Texas. And on Saturday they'll be coming HOME!!!

Hurrah.

I'll post pictures when Kate gets home with her camera. And hopefully a few stories of some of her adventures.

Next time you see me, I'll have my girls home again.

Later,
b

P.S. A couple of quick notes: She said it was REALLY cold when they were out in the bush. Like 20 degrees at night and 40 to 50 during the day. Luckily it's warmer near Jo-berg, about 70 degrees during the day; and, sadly, she did manage to get sunburned.

She also said that one of Talia's leaders in Cambodia had come to South Africa and was leading one of her group's smaller teams. Cool, eh?

P.P. S. I am posting one picture of the area where they're working that I borrowed from the Global Expeditions website. Yikes.