We are staying in the village of Ajalvir, just a few miles NE of Madrid.  It’s small, and rather quaint, with rolling fields just a few minutes’ walk from our hotel.  I really enjoyed walking around the farm country and getting ‘up-close’ views of olive trees, with a few ripe olives still on them.

When I got out of the car and started walking toward the house, I heard a screech of “Marthaaaaa” from the other side of the house.  Around the corner came Betsy – our dear friend who worked for us.  There were hugs and tears.

She works for SITAG now and had brought these beautiful flowers to decorate my table.  The red flowers were from a plant she took from our house and nursed until it now produces these beauties.

Later I showed Betsy a video message from Emily on my iPad.  More tears.

Wednesday night, I had dinner at the home of good friends, Sarah and Ivan.  Lucky for me, they were celebrating their niece’s 16th birthday!

After settling into the house where I was staying and taking a much needed shower, the “SITAG Family” (Solomon Islands Translation Advisory Group) gathered for a potluck dinner together in the new Dormitory.  A number of years ago when Tim was director, he signed the paperwork for the purchase of the piece of land near our offices where the dorm now sits.  When we left there were only cement posts and the start of the building process.  The building is amazing and is being used a lot for workshops and training the national translators.

What Tim has been up to in Spain…

Monday
First day of the meeting.  We spent the whole day reporting on each other’s situations around the world.  What a diversity of contexts!  Each region, and even sub-region has it’s own unique challenges, and yet we all face similar challenges as we seek to help bring more effective education to the minority children of the world.

Tuesday
We’ve finished our second day.  Mostly discussion of issues and how to work together more effectively.  I lead a short discussion to look at ways to share information with each other more effectively as we are scattered all over the globe.

On the way back from the airport, we stopped at a shopping center where there is a grocery store to pick up a few things.  It wasn’t long before I began to see people I knew.  A schoolmate of Emily’s from the International School, the Filipino grocery store manager who was Emily’s friend and a link to her Filipino heritage.

Another friend – Honourable David Day – Member of Parliament and friend of our family.  He served with the Solomon Islands Bible Society before running for Parliament.

There were other friends, too.  And I ‘happened’ to bump into 3 committee members of the Festival of Pacific Arts.

It’s good to see these friends again and I look forward to meeting many more.

The next step in the hop across the Pacific was the country of Vanuatu.  This beautiful neighbor of the Solomons was once ruled jointly by the French and British as you can see by the airport sign, the influence remains.  We sat on the tarmac in the capital city of Port Vila for about an hour before resuming our journey to the Solomons.

Flying high above the ocean the sky blends into the sea making for a blur of shades of blue dotted with fluffy white clouds.  Miles and miles of nothing but sea and sky is a reminder of the size of the Pacific Ocean.  After an hour or so, I started searching for signs of land and evidence that we had reached the Solomon Islands.  Soon I was rewarded with the view of the end of an island which turned out to be Makira – the place we lived for our first year in the Solomon Islands.

Across the aisle, it was fun to watch the Havenga Family looking at the land that will be their new home as they begin serving as translation advisors to a language group in the Solomon Islands.

At last we landed in Honiara.  Colleagues were waiting on the observation deck with signs and leis.   I don’t have more pictures of that because I was carrying bags and camera. This not so great photo was taken through the airplane window…

Customs went fine and my luggage arrived.  (The Pierces were not so lucky with one missing bag.) We left immigration and were welcomed by the SITAG (Solomon Islands Translation Advisory Group) Family and started our way back to the offices/homes.

The little screen on the seat in front of me tells me that we have crossed the international date line and Fiji is not far away now.  The man in the seat next to me wanted to use my shoulder as his head rest. He patted my shoulder and said it was ok, he just wanted to rest his head. Hmm.  It gives whole new meaning to giving someone the cold shoulder!  In spite of trying to dodge being his pillow, I did manage to get some sleep.  It’s 8:30 on Monday morning in Dallas, but when We deplane in Fiji in a couple of hours, it will be 5:00 am on Tuesday.  Who needed Monday anyway?

Beginning in security in LAX,I began to see faces from the Pacific. No one I knew of course, but there is that general recognition that these are the peoples of the Pacific – and a heart warming recognition of the familiar is stirred within me. It’s only hours now until i see the faces of Solomon Island friends who we love so much.

Bittersweet emotions punctuate my building anticipation. I can’t forget Tim, Emily and Sarah. They long to be winging their way to the Pacific, but it’s not yet their time. In the meantime I will be the family ambassador who will enjoy the sweet reunions with friends, smelling the salty Pacific Ocean, tasting tropical fruits while bringing the love and well wishes of the family.

Probably only an MK would know how my girls are feeling at the moment. I know this trip isn’t easy for them. But I salute their selfless release and blessing to make this trip. I love you, Emily and Sarah. Since you were little, you understood the sacrifices of this lifestyle and have freely allowed us to go. Thank you for making it easy to make this trip even when it hurt to see me go be where you can only dream of being here at the moment.

There are actually two other Wycliffe families on this same flight. One is returning after their furlough and the other just arriving for the first time. We didn’t plan on being on the same flight, but here we are.

Nadi, Fiji

We landed in Nadi in the early hours Tuesday under a full moon. Getting off the plane, the warm humid air felt comfortable. Then I reminded myself that it was only 5 am. It will get warmer.

While we waited to go through transit, we were serenaded by a Fijian quartet playing guitars and ukulele.  Traveling with the other two families has made the time go faster. Between the two families they have two small children. I’ve been able to help carry kids or bags. The kids have been good, but it’s a challenge for them and their parents.

We are on the plane now waiting our departure to Port Vila, Vanuatu where we will have an hour in transit before going on to the Solomons.

Sunscreen – check
present for Timmy – check
malaria meds – check
warm weather clothes – check
flip flops – check

My Christmas present from Tim this year – a much needed new suitcase. I’m calling 2012, the Year of the Suitcase. Tim left for Spain yesterday, and I am heading to the airport this afternoon to head to the South Pacific. It seems like a dream.

I’m filling the suitcase with gifts for friends. It has been challenging to find something ‘made in America’ to take them.  It won’t matter where the gifts are from.  Friends don’t really care about that.

The reason I am making this trip is to meet with committee members of the 2012 Festival of Pacific Arts which will be held in the Solomon Islands in July. I’m getting excited to go ‘home’ to the Solomons and meet up with friends again.

The girls are staying on their own. It will be different to have Emily drive me to the airport. I’m sure it will be weird for the girls to have their parents on different continents, but they seem ready for the challenge.

I fly out of Dallas at 6:05 this afternoon and head to LAX. The Air Pacific flight to the Fiji leaves and 9:30. Two other Wycliffe families just happen to be on the same flight.

Prayers for safe travels for Tim and I and safety for the girls is appreciated. Tim and I will try and keep you all posted on our trips and the work we are doing.

You can read the latest statistics on how many languages now have access to Scripture at this website: http://www.wycliffe.net/ScriptureAccessStatistics/tabid/73/Default.aspx

This past weekend found Tim and I at a small airport about 40 miles east of Albuquerque in Moriarty, New Mexico. The airport is known for being one of the best places in the country for gliders, but this weekend it had another feature – an event called “Missions at the Airport”.

JAARS – which provides support for Bible translation through mission aviation and technology support, hosted the event.  A JAARS Helio Courier airplane flew in from North Carolina loaded with displays about Bible translation and the support services that JAARS supplies.  The Helio Courier is the type of plane that has been used for decades to provide aviation services for missionaries in remote locations and is well suited for short landings and take-offs.

During 3 day weekend, people came to visit the event and for $22 were able to take a flight in the Helio.  The Lord blessed us with (almost) perfect weather.  While we would have liked to see more people come through, we felt that God sent us some special people.

One story that touched my heart was a boy named Jordan.  A few weeks ago he told his mom that he wanted to become a missionary pilot and tell others about God.  His mom didn’t know much about mission aviation but asked the principal of the Christian school Jordan attends, where they might find more information about it.  The principal told her there just ‘happened’ to be a special event coming up that would provide a great introduction.  Jordan and his friend along with their mothers came out to the airport.  They were able to find out lots about mission aviation and took a ride in the Helio Courier.  Even the moms were interested in learning how they could use their gifts and talents in missions.

Tomorrow we will be at another Missions at the Airport event about an hour north of Dallas and then here in Dallas over the weekend.  We look forward to seeing how God uses these events to help introduce others to the world of missions.