Saturday, October 20, 2007

Stateside

Our send-off from the Guam airport was very special. Here are some PIBC guys who sang, "Is Your Home in Micronesia?" which is the first song we heard and learned when we arrived in Micronesia 29 years ago. Oh, by the way, I'm dressed in a sports jacket because we were given buddy passes to fly in Business Class, and I needed to look "businessy." I DO NOT look forward to having to wear one of those things with a tie! After checking in, we went upstairs and were met by some PIBC gals, who continued to bless us with cards, leis, and prayers!










We spent some time with our North Carolina family, the Talatos from Guam. We ate breakfast with Sonia and her niece, Tiffany, a freshman at UNC Greensboro, at a place where they serve grits! The next day I flew to our Liebenzell Mission headquarters at Schooley's Mountain, New Jersey, checked out the apartment we'll be moving to after my 'eye thing' and got a P.O. Box at the Schooley's Mountain Post Office. Mike and Jane Galley took me out to lunch for Chinese food!









After visiting our moms in Virginia, we arrived in Newark (pronounced 'New Ark'), in the northern tip of Delaware. We've been here in Newark with our host family, Don and Anne Rodgers, for about 2 weeks now. Don is a friend from our Campus Crusade for Christ days on Guam. He was in Guam with me from about 1980 to 1983. I remember one time Don accidentally shooting a spear from his spear gun through the front door of his apartment when he as living across from the University of Guam. It's funny what 'stick's out' in your mind about someone after 27 years! He's been working with the U.S. Center for World Missions for a lengthy time, where he also met and then married an Anne.


There are a few perks living with a family who are connected with the U.S. Center for World Missions. We got to attend a session and spend some time with its founder, Dr. Ralph Winter, who was in the area last weekend. While there, I met another long-time Crusade friend - Tom Newhouse. OK, get ready all you PIBC students who are interested in missions - he said it would be fine if we sent a team to work with him in Cambodia. He prefers a longer term commitment, though. Anyone interested?


One of the things I had to do immediately after arriving here was cancel the appointment I had with the corneal specialist on October 10. The reason was I needed first to find a doctor here who would write me a referral - it's required to go see a corneal specialist. I finally found one, he gave me a referral, and now I have another appointment to see the corneal specialist on October 30. Whew! Finally!


One of the things we've been doing is getting ready for winter - I've been told it gets cold here! The Rodgers use a wood stove to keep warm during winter, so guess what we did? Chop wood! Stack wood! Haul wood! Wood! Wood! Wood! For 3 days! It was great!






Did I forget to tell anybody that I love NASCAR? Yep, I've been an automobile racing fan ever since I was riding a bicycle. There was a special dinner at Dover Downs, a NASCAR speedway. The first thing I'm going to do when my eyes are fixed is GO FAST!