June trip to Magallanes

Sat June 23 we headed out to the airport (normally just under 2 hours) for our trip South.  We try to visit our churches and pastors 3-4 times a year and this year we were late due to the civil unrest in March and April.  The further we went the snowier it got.  Made for some pretty scenes.

 However, with some 30 miles to go (it's 80 miles to the airport) the snow got so hard this is all we saw:

 It was a near whiteout and we were glued to the windshield looking for clues to find the edge of the road.  I think we averaged 15-20 miles an hour that stretch.  Once we got to the airport they told us all flights were cancelled and to come back tomorrow.  We headed home.  The snow eased some and we saw quite a few people had had trouble driving.  Here a tandem semi is crossways on the highway:

 We were able to make it by on the shoulder, the vehicle shown (with dual tires and chains) couldn't make it.  We were, once again, so thankful for a good STL vehicle!

We returned Sunday to the airport, roads were better but covered with packed snow the last 30 miles.  Made it to Punta Arenas (1.5 hours in air).  The next morning we went to the airport again and took the smallish plane to Puerto Williams (1.2 hours).

Here, the loader is putting our luggage in:

 Puerto Williams was covered with several inches of ice with packed snow on top.  Our driver made it most of the way to town before getting stuck.  Rhonda and I had to walk the rest of the way and get help.  It was so slippery we couldn't stand up beside the van.  Fortunately we had ice spikes for our shoes and once we put them on we didn't have any more trouble.

 We visited with our pastoral family and shared in a service.  They had a decent turnout in spite of the weather.  Here Rhonda is with a few of the folks.

 We headed back to Punta Arenas Wed without any trouble.  There had been numerous stories of the folks trapped there over a week right before our trip.  We were glad it didn't happen to us and we did enjoy quite a view of the mountains beside the Beagle channel on our way out. 

 In Punta Arenas I called the place we stay and were told they didn't have our room as someone else decided they wanted to stay longer, sorry.  We tried a real nice hotel the airline put us up in one time when our flight had been cancelled.  They not only had room but gave us the same rate they gave the airline!  Making it almost the same price we pay for the cheapo place we usually stay!  We visited with our pastors there and had a great time.

The airline called and said our flight to Balmaceda had been cancelled and would not be re-scheduled.  They offered to fly us to Puerto Montt (2 hours) and put us up for the night then fly us to Balmaceda (1 hour).  Seeing as how we didn't have much choice we did that.  While in Puerto Montt we were able to visit the couple we met on our first trip to the islands.  Juan is from Easter Island and his wife, Guillermina was the lady we rescued that first trip. They were the ones who gave me that tooth I wear on my hat.  Guillermina has breast cancer and is being treated in Puerto Montt.  We were able to visit with them, pray for them, encourage them, and buy them a nice lunch.  We are glad they are now part of the Kingdom!

We made it back home Saturday evening, the thermometer in the living room registered 45f so we got a fire going right away.  By bedtime it had warmed up to 60 in the living room (the bedroom is lots colder) so we sure appreciated the down comforter.  Good to be back!

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Thank You!

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving feast!

The turkeys were really small this year :-]  Actually turkeys were selling for around $50-$75 each.  The chicken was bad enough at almost $10.  It was a VERY good meal!

We shared our day with missionary Matt Kling

Rhonda's famous pumpkin pie :-]

Funeral in Cisnes

We made it back last night after the funeral in Cisnes.  We left the house around 10 and got to Cisnes around 3 hours later.  Funeral service actually started around 2:30.  There was standing room only with many visitors from out of the area and many from Cisnes as well.  Christians as well as non-Christians as well. 

Service went pretty good considering the situation.  I preached a simple salvation message and led everyone in the sinners prayer.  Eternity will tell if anyone took it to heart.  There were some very positive comments at least. 

It rained very hard the whole day, one of our Patagonian storms that just don't let up.  Made the graveside time even more miserable.  We all went to the cemetery in vehicles.  First time we've done that in Chile.

We want you to know how much we appreciate your prayers for this situation!  We could see the Lord did intervene in this!

Update on Cisnes

Mari came to Aysen with Enove, Ximena, and their 2 sons to pick up Mari's husband's body.  They then had to get a casket and arrange transport for the 112 mile trip back to Cisnes.

Quite a few people are coming in for the funeral and some rented a bus and will drive in from Temuco.  It will be a long and very rough trip for them.

Tomorrow Rhonda and I will head to Cisnes for the funeral.  They have asked me to prepare a message.  This will be a tough one as the deceased never wanted anything to do with God or church.

So, I need wisdom and anointing to share comfort, truth, and encourage people to prepare for eternity.

Update on Cisnes

Mari arrived here in town with our church leaders a few hours ago.  She's doing ok, I believe she really feels your prayers.  I took them to the morgue and we hope to get his body out in an hour or so.

Family and friends are coming in from all over but it will take a couple days for them to make the long journey.  So the funeral will probably we Wednesday.  I'll try to keep you posted.

Tough situation in Cisnes

We’re dealing with a tough situation today and we’d appreciate your prayers.

Yesterday we were in Cisnes, I preached on the fact that we are all going to be entering eternity sooner or later.  I had finished up with the fact that we dare not put off preparing for eternity because we had no idea on when we would die.  Just as we were finishing up in prayer 2 guys knocked on the church door and told us the husband of one of the ladies (Mari) in attendance had just died.

He fell in the river (had on a good life jacket) and apparently died of hypothermia.  He was not a Christian and wanted nothing to do with God.  We are all trying to help as we can but this is where we really need the Holy Spirit to help our sister deal with this tragedy.

They transferred the body to here in Puerto Aysén (112 miles from Cisnes) for the autopsy.  Several members of the church are bringing Mari to town and we’ll arrange for a casket and transportation of the body back to Cisnes.

Thank you for praying for this situation today!

Guniea pig: It's what's for lunch!

Yum

It really was quite good.

the 18th (Independence day) in Puerto Cisnes

There was no shortage of food :-]

We enjoyed some the best weather we've ever had on the 18th!

Our crew patiently waiting.

Driving to church

The Austral Highway on the way to Cisnes yesterday.  The round trip is a little over 200 miles.

Summer 2011 Newsletter

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Summer 2011 Newsletter

Mouse huntin

In the last week we (me and the cat) have killed over 30 mice here at the house.  I've lost traps 4 times.  They keep dragging them off.  I've found all but one so far.  Usually with a large live mouse attached.
Good thing I have a BB gun.

Welcome home gift

We arrived home from a long trip Wed night.  As I walked up to the porch in the dark I noticed a cat zoom off.  At the door I stepped on something kind soft.  When I turned the light on I saw the cat had left 4 1/2 mice on the welcome mat.  This morning there was another.  Not even our cat :-\

Plague

Last week we counted 863 mice on the highway on the way home.  Yesterday we counted 1134!  Made the icy trip home more, um, interesting.

They were everywhere, seems most weren't afraid of the car and I ran over lots.  Looks like they are beginning to starve and many were eating the dead mice on the road.

Here is a rather gruesome photo of one of the zombie mice:  (enlarge at your own risk)

Brainssss

Plague

Every 10 years or so the quila blooms.  Quila is our local version of bamboo.  And it blooms, all of it.  At the same time in the whole region.  No idea how it coordinates.

After the bloom comes seeds.  In the fall there is a huge supply of rich, tasty seeds and the mice go crazy feeding and reproducing.

In the winter we have the plague.  It's officially called a plague. 

3 weeks ago we counted mice crossing the highway on the way home from Cisnes.  We counted 40.  Usually we don't see any.  Sunday night, same trip, we counted 863.

There were a few sections where you could barely see the road for all the squished mice.  There were dozens running around and many mice eating the dead ones.  We thought it would be a great spot to not break down in.

No, I don't have any pictures.  You wouldn't want to see them anyway.

Magallanes

Mar 17th drove to airport (2 hours), got there just before 10 with, we thought, an hour to spare.  They were boarding the plane.  I have no idea what happened.  Just made it.
Flew North to Puerto Montt, waited an hour and boarded another plane South.  Arrived in Punta Arenas in the afternoon and pastor Pedro picked us up.  Spend the night and in the morning boarded the 20 passenger plane to Williams.  Great flight with almost no turbulence.
Preached Sat and Sun, met with lots of folks.  The church is doing good and pastor Felipe and family are well.
Headed back to Punta Arenas the 22nd and spoke Wed night at Pedro's church.  They had a surprise snack time laid out and we had a great time sharing after the service.
Pastor Claudio is continuing to build the church in front of his house.  Looks good although progress is slow.  He is doing almost all the work alone.
Met Henry and Claudia, leaders of our newest work.  They came down from Temuco and are starting a work in a rented community center.  We had a great time with them and encouraged them in the work and to work towards credentials.
Got home Fri and today we head to Cisnes.  Hope to return this evening.

View of the plane to Williams.  The same guy checks your ticket, takes your ticket at the gate, and loads your luggage.  Yes they have a metal detector, no they don't use it.

Nice view of the activity in the cockpit.  Captain came back before the flight and assigned 2 passengers to help someone off that was on crutches if we had an accident.

We fly over a number of glaciers on the way.

The church in Puerto Williams sends greetings!

Rhonda eating a Snow crab sandwich.

Puerto Williams is the Chilean capitol of Antarctica.  This could explain the cool temperatures.

Rhonda, Pedro, and Claudio in Claudio's church.

Chileans love you with food  :-]