2008 Oregon Summer Vacation

July 27, 2008 Eugene, OR

I love Oregon. It's that simple. We flew in yesterday, direct from Kansas City, and it was a pretty boring flight, actually. The most exciting part of the journey was seeing the Chicago Fire MLS team stroll through the airport in KC. If I'd had a camera ready I might've gotten some cool pictures of them.

This morning we skipped church and met Danielle and Gilbert @ Denny's for breakfast. Then we just hung out at home for the majority of the day. We did take time to visit the Duck Store in the mall because, let's face it, you can never have enough Oregon Duck gear. Go Ducks!

.........
July 28, 2008 Eugene, OR

Today dawned bright and clear and a little too early for comfort. The spare bed in my parents' house bears striking simmilarities to basalt. Still, it was a beautiful day, a beautiful morning. And it was made all the more beautiful by the certain knowledge that I would soon be in the mountains.

After a quick breakfast and a brief stop at G.I. Joe's, we [Mandi and I] hit the road to Olallie Mountain. We paused for a moment at Cougar Reservoir before driving the last 15 miles down a gravel road to the trailhead. Along the way we startled a blacktail doe with twin fawns.

It was my first trip up Olallie and it was spectacular. As Mandi and I started up the trail we considered the plight of our friends in the Midwest. Our friends the Dinwiddies are on vacation this week as well, in Oklahoma City, where its somewhere around a hundred and who-cares-because-its-hotter-than-Hell! We, by contrast, enjoyed the coolness of the morning on a day that barely cleared 80 degrees. I feel sorry for them.

Anyway, the trail was great. We were the first ones there so we had the magnificent privilege of being alone in the Three Sisters Wilderness. About halfway up we startled a covey of grouse, or more accurately, we were startled ourselves. They broke cover about 10 feet away from us, 6 of them. We also saw some magnificent old growth douglas firs. One was about 8 feet in diameter. It would've held its own in the redwood forest.. There was also a plethora of wildflowers in bloom; we lost track after counting over 20 varieties.

At the top of the mountain we could see virtually the entire Cascade Range, everything from Mt. Thielsen in the south to Mt. Hood in the north. We even got to see the lookout cabin which, according to the Forest Service employee who showed up about half an hour after we got to the peak, was thought to have collapsed under the immense snow pack last winter. He was actually there to take pictures of whatever was left of it, but it was still standing.

We spent probably about an hour on top of the mountain before heading back down. The view was amazing. We just took it in while eating lunch. Rarely have I seen such a view. [Snow capped peaks from horizon to horizon, sub-alpine meadows, pine and fir forests all around us. The sun was warm, the sky was blue and the air was clear and smelled like a pine trees and wildflowers. At one point we stopped at a patch of snow next to the trail that had somehow managed to survive this late. We intended to make angels, but it was too dirty to justify, so we just enjoed the cold instead.] Meanwhile, the rest of the family went to Fall Creek Reservoir and spent the day boating and tubing. When all was said and done we wound up pulling into the driveway at the same time. Perfect. Tomorrow: we rest!

.........
July 29, 2008 Eugene, OR

If not for the pain of my strained left quad or the five blisterson my right foot, today was a fantastic day. A day filled with nothing in particular. I got up, piddled about until noon, ate lunch at the food court of the Valley River Center, watched 'Wall-E,' piddled about some more, and finished the day with dinner at Fawn and Ron Randall's. Paella and flan. Again. Fawn makes THE most incredible paella! And her flan is the best you'll ever have . Spain would be jealous.

I wish I could say there was more depth to the day than that, that I'd spent the afternoon solving global poverty or something, but that would be a lie. I basically did as little as possible and enjoyed every minute. My deepest thoughts were reserved for which hikes we should take the kids on over the next couple of days as we travel to central Oregon.

We did have a great time at the Randalls'. The food, as mentione, was to die for, but the comany was great as well. I hope I have friends like that when I'm old enough to retire. We just talked through dinner and dessert before settling in by the campfire in their lower yard. I've moved so much over the past 10 years its been hard to develop lasting friendships. Something I've begun to realize on this trip is that the measure of my sacrificial service to God shall not be measured by money or power or fame, but by simple geography. If it was up to me, we'd live in Eugene. Now. But its not my choice or will; its His. And that's fine too. Ultimately I know its best this way, even if it hurts from time to time.

.........
July 30, 2008 Wickiup Reservoir, OR

I can't even tell you what time it is. My watch broke the night before we flew out. It's not that late though, not even 10pm, or so I'd guess. We're here at Wickiup for three days, and we brought Christopher and Sophia. Another sacrifice. The selfish side of me resents that they're here. They completely change the dynamic of the trip, making work instead of rest, creating space I don't want between me and my parents since we all now have to watch kids constantly. So I'm frustrated.

At the same time I must recognize that they ARE family too. Niece and nephew. And as such theye deserve more than a simple, "Hey dude," when we are out here. More significatly, they are the family that connect best with my children. The bond between cousins can be, often is, stronger thn uncle/aunt-niece/nephew. In that regard it's important that they be here, even if we do have occassional concerns about their influence on our kids.

Driving up here I had the chance to reflect on my life a bit, and I came to the realization that I am without a doubt spoiled rotten. I secretly despise living in the midwest, but if I live a hundred more years and never leave Joplin, I'll have experienced a fuller life than 99.999% of the population in the history of mankind. I have NO reason to complain, but I do.

Mandi coined this phrase, "What Jon wants, Jon gets," and I've seen it proved a hundred tims over. And not just because I'm demanding (although there is that as well) its that people willingly submit to my will and often without asking. I can't tell you how many times I've been in a group and when decision time comes had them say something akin to, "well, we'll just follow you, Jon." Seems improbable, silly or arrogant, but its true! I sometimes have to evade responsibility in matters such as where we'll go to lunch, or what we'll do about X. I'm not immensely popular, or a charismatic leader, I just tend to have my way.

Except here.

Except now.

And I need to be okay with that. Though my flesh cries NO! yet my soul must acquiese. For the sake of my children. Because I long for them to love Oregon like I do.

Lord, you've blessed me beyond all measure. Give me the strength, the dignity, to lay down my selfish desires and take on the mantle of humility and sacrifice for my family. And I beg you, Father, to open a door -and soon- to return to Eugene without losing our integrity (such as it is), our unity or our material and physical health. Yes, Lord, this is a selfish prayer, but I ask it nevertheless. Only let YOUR will be done. Amen.

.........
July 31, 2008 Wickiup, Reservoir, OR

What a day. Full of fun and frustration. We started the day with a plan to hike the Fall River Trail (5.6 miles). We wanted to take our kids, but since Chris and Sophia are along, and Alyssa's foot is still bothering her, we substituted Chris for Aly, left her to play with Sophia and set out. We took lunch with us, but I did the math and expected to be back in camp by noon.

Big Mistake.

Due to poor communication with mom, bad directions AND incorrect information in the guidebook, we didn't arrive at the trailhead until lunchtime. I wanted to kill someone. Mandi and the kids however, had a great time.

Because we were 50+ miles off course, I wound up taking a shortcut to get us back, not realizing that there were several scenic stops along the way. (First off, I should mention that our mis-direction took us down the Cascade Lakes Highway past Cultus, Elk and Lava Lakes as well as Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, Tumalo and the South Sister. Georgous!) So, looking for a route to get us back quicker, I decided to take Highway 41, which I've never been on. We hadn't gone more than a couple of miles when we saw a sign for Dillon Falls. Now, I've never heard of Dillon Falls, but we were an hour out of our way already and Mandi loves waterfalls, so what the heck! And as it turns out, Dillon Falls is a roaring cataract on the Deschutes River. The water roiled through a lava canyon, and the kids screamed with excitement when they saw it. It was a big hit with all of us. I was on a mission though, so we only stayed for about 15 minutes before heading back to the car. Another couple of miles up the road we stumbled onto Benham Falls. Same drill. Totally cool.

After Benham Falls we forsook all other stops and made directly for Fall River. Highway 41, by the way, isn't competely paved; we spent the last 15-20 miles on gravel. It was during that time that I reflected on what I'd written last night. My temptation was to be angry, very angry, but the reality is that I must accept that:

1. The world doesn't revolve around me.
2. I am blessed beyond measure.
3. God's plan is better.
4. If I never do anything in the rest of my life I still have no reason to complain.

In light of those truths I need to focus on letting go of my inner fury. I think that may be the key to controlling my temper, which has been a life-long Achilles' Heel for me.

Eventually we got to Fall River. Wrong trailhead, but since it's an out-and-back it didn't matter. Honestly, the trail was a bit of a disappointment. It didn't follow the river as much as I thought it would, and we never got to see the spring that was it's initial draw for me. The high point was watching Mandi jump off a log into the middle of the river. She didn't realize it is basically all just glacial runoff. She FROZE. I totally love that I am married to a woman who is unafraid of having a little fun like that. How many women would risk their perfect hair, or be afraid of getting caught in wet clothes, or even just shy away because it might be uncomfortable to hike in wet panties? I got the whole thing on video. Instant classic! I love you, Mandi.

And now my flashlight is dying and the fire is fading as well. Time for bed.

.........
August 1st, 2008 Wickiup Reservoir, OR

Our last day in central Oregon. We priced some real estate in a home guide this afternoon. Lots for $250k, condos for $450k, we'll never be able to come back here. Sad.

Today we visited the springs that form the headwaters of Fall River, then explored a bit at Pringle Falls (poorly named--it's only a weak rapid), and finished our adventures with a trip to the Lava Cast Forest in Newberry Crater National Monument. The kids LOVED the latter. They took off like jackrabbitsas soon as we hit the trail. They were climbing down the holes left by the trees in the lava field and climbing the twisted gnarled trees growing through the rock. It took us more than twice as long as we'd planned to complete the hike, but it was worth every minute. And the views were spectacular too.

We got back to the campsite at about 4pm, and the kids hit the beach immediately. They are SOO worn out. Chris and Sophia stayed with mom and dad all day and I'm not sure who was happier to see us come back. Mom and dad were worn out as well.

As usual the day ends around the campfire. A great day, perfect really. Even the weather, about 75 degrees and sunny. A nice contrast to the Hellish inferno I'll be returning to Monday.

.........
August 2nd, 2008 Eugene, OR

Today we drove back to Eugene. Visited every gallery in Sisters. Had dinner in Springfield at a place called Mookie's. Its a remodel of a Taco Bell serving $20/plate dinner. Best seafood alfredo I've ever had. Now were watching "Fool's Gold." [Mandi's a sucker for Matthew McConaughey movies.]

2008 Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma Vacation

July 3, 2008 Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma

Lakeside. I’m so glad we’re here. My first time at the cabin. We’re here with Jack and Jayne, Brad, Angie, Zeke and McKenzie. It’s a 2-room cabin so we’re all sleeping together, which is a great recipe for family fun. Its really too late to do anything tonite so we’re watching Where the Red Fern Grows and bedding down. It’s the family’s 1st post-Mike holiday, so that’ll be interesting, but should be a great weekend.

.........
July 5, 2008 Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma

I think I must write better in my sleep because every time I wake and compose my thoughts they sound great, but by the time I actually get around to writing them down, all the great thoughts are gone and all that’s left is this running descriptive that doesn’t sound that good at all. I hope that when I’m old and vegetative though that someone takes the time to read it all to me. Perhaps then I could recall what a blessed life I’ve been privileged to live.

Yesterday, of course, was the 4th of July. Happy birthday, America. If only you had become the nation our forefathers intended… Still, you’re a pretty amazing country. Anywho, I was reminded of all the great memories I have of the 4th. I suppose one of the earliest and best was 1981. That was the year I began my tradition of honoring the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. That year I scraped a bunch of dirt into a big pile, scooped out the middle and put a bunch of fireworks in the hole. They were all small stuff, kids stuff, because Oregon doesn’t allow anything else. Then, using the powder I gathered by sawing open a handful of shotgun shells, I primed my creation. Finally, after calling out my family to observe the occasion, I lit a match, dropped it into my miniature mountain and promptly lost my eyebrows. The gunpowder was better than I thought, creating a BIG flash that ignited the hair on my 10-year-old face and the fuses of all the smoke bombs, snakes, strobes and whatever else I could get that I’d tossed into the cone. Twenty-seven years later and the formula hasn’t changed much at all…

Fireworks and the 4th have always gone hand in hand and I can remember vividly a number of years when my parents would host a huge (75-150 people) party and I—and sometimes a friend or three—would be in charge of pyrotechnic displays. There was, of course, always a volcano, but that was usually the only real “legal” display we’d put on. We’d buy our stuff out of state and bring it in just for the party. At least twice my mom even had shirts made for us advertising our special status at the party. One year I read the Declaration of Independence. People cried. It was amazing. To this day I struggle with the ideal of patriotism. I serve God first, but I am also an American, right or wrong.

Another special 4th was spent in Eforie Sud, Romania, with Mandi. We were the only Americans there, and all we had were party poppers, but it was our first major holiday spent together. We weren’t even dating then, but it’s special to me. That was 1995.

Another time I spent the 4th in Sunriver with my family. I was young, but can’t remember how young. We drove to Bend to watch the display and they caught the hill on fire that they were staging on.

In 2004 we took students to a state park in Bloomington, Indiana to camp for the weekend. [Actually it was Lake Monroe State Recreation Area—Paynetown.] After setting up camp we drove to a beach nearby to watch the display. It was a good show, dwarfed by the phenomenal thunderstorm that rolled in just at the same time. The lightning outshone the fireworks and it began to rain just exactly as we got back to our car.

There were 2 carloads of students with us and the rain was so heavy it stopped traffic. We got something in the neighborhood of 6 inches in an hour! Since the road we were on was right next to the lake we actually had to have someone get out a couple of times to make sure we were still on the road. It took us nearly an hour to make the few (<5) miles to our campsite. There we found that our tents were dry, but basically floating in 2-3 inches of water. As I stood there in the deluge discussing whether to stay or leave with one of the students, a bolt of lightning crashed down close enough for both of us to get the message. Much closer and we’d have been fried. We left everything and headed to the safety of town. Yesterday was also a fun 4th. We celebrated with most of Mandi’s side of the family here at the lake. Jack, Brad, Zeke, Nate and I tried to find some crappie, but the fishing was terrible so we came back early and played at the beach instead. Most of the day was spent swimming and playing in the water. Last night we went to the boat dock and lit off a few fireworks, mostly for the kids. It was a good relaxing day. Maybe tonight we’ll make a volcano…

.........
July 7, 2008 Joplin, Missouri

Monday. The weekend is over. I’m torn between sadness and relief. Frankly, I don’t care much for Lake Eufaula as a destination. I mean, the crappie fishing is amazing (normally), but the heat is a real bitch. Every time I go down there its like a thousand degrees and humid. You can cool off in the water, but you’re still cooking. In the shade you’ll just sweat a lot, which is a relief from the broiler element they call sunshine there. And really, there’s not much to do. If the fish aren’t biting you’ll be either sitting in the shade sweating or sunbathing or playing in the coffee-brown water, none of which appeal much to me personally. Here’s the catch: The rest of the family LOVE it. And I’ll sacrifice whatever to give them those memories. The kids play endlessly in the water and Mandi would stay in the sun until she evaporated completely if she could. Fortunately she’s listened to my rants about skin cancer long enough that its starting to sink in that too much sun is a bad thing.

Anyway… Yesterday we went to North Fork Baptist Church and after a quick bite at Sonic in Eufaula we visited Lake Eufaula State Park. It was horrible. I’ve been to numerous state parks across at least 7 states and that one was the worst of all of them. By a mile. The visitor center smelled like the inside of a badly run nursing home which was ironic since the very senior citizen running the place couldn’t hear if you didn’t shout and couldn’t actually use the cash register. Seriously. I tried to buy a little decorative knick-knack as I often do, and she asked me if I knew how to use the register! The rest of the park seemed well manicured though. We hiked a couple of short (<1 mile) trails but even that was too much in the heat and humidity for the kids and Mandi. Did I mention the ticks? They’re everywhere down here. Seed ticks, deer ticks, any tick you want. Just step more than 3 feet off the concrete and you’ll have your choice. Fun, fun, fun!

Anyway, (I use that word a lot I’ve noticed), anyway, I’m not sure what to do about Labor Day. We’ll be expected to return to the blast furnace for more family fun, but I have a hard time getting excited about it. And it really is just my problem. Mandi’s entire side of the family is nuts about the place. Of course, they’ve never known anything better, or different. I grew up spending summer in the arid mild heat of central Oregon. Bend, Sisters, South Twin Lake, Sunriver. Please, God send us back there! I suppose, in the end, life is about family, and since Mandi and I are from different parts of the country we’ll always have to choose between hers and mine. We both hate that, but we also recognize that it is God who put us together and led us here, and that will always be enough.

2008 El Salvador

Somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico

I can see the sun slowly sinking into a sea of clouds on the horizon. Another reason to be thankful. This should be an interesting trip. I'm with S.P. (another reason to be thankful) and 3 others. We're on a 'vision trip' for the Missouri Baptist Convention, trying to assess whether our respective organizations (churches/associations/BSU) should partner with locals to strengthen the El Salvadoran Baptist Association... in theory. Actually, I just want to nail down details for a trip in May when I'll be coming back w/students.

So far the trip has been pleasant. I'm looking forward to spending time w/S. I'd have come alone, but the Lord just worked it out that he wanted to come along. In fact, we made our plans separately and only found out afterward that we'd both established a plan to go. Working under S. for the past couple of years--since we came to Joplin-- has been wonderful. He's a true Man of God, and although our callings are different, I have benefited a lot from his wisdom and patience. He understands himself, and that gives him a combination of confidence and humility.

[Humility is the proper estimate of oneself. Charles Spurgeon]

I wonder why I write so much on trips like this and so little at home. Why am I so much more reflective?

Flying away from my family my thoughts naturally turn to them. I love them all so much. They are each so blessed, so gifted, so special, so unique... I pray that they would each grow to become true giants of the faith. I do not wish t impose my will on their future but in this one thing: that they grow in respect to salvation such that they are a blessing to those around them, a light for Christ to the world, nearer to God than I. My hope, my selfish desire is for their joy and happiness. If they each could experience the pleasures of he heart that they have brought to me, I would feel fulfilled. I love my family, they are my world.

.

.

.

Almost midnight. We had an uneventful flight to San Salvador, then drove to Santa Ana. We're staying at the Hotel Tolteka. The ride from the airport took just over two hours and although we all jumped when our van ran over a stray dog, the eerie part of the whole trip was our police escort. Apparently the gang activity is soo bad (MS-13 & Mara Salvatrucha) that the local missionaries don't take any chances. Personally, I think it was overkill. But I'm not local.
.........

Well, today was interesting. Breakfast at the hotel, followed by the usual Latin American 8:30am start to the day. Of course, 8:30 in Latin America means 9:15. Then hour-long drive to Meta-Pan. There we helped re-open a church that's been closed 5-6 years. Going in we didn't even know if we could get the keys to the building. Primera Iglesia Bautista de Meta-Pan. The 3 women who have been acting as caretakers of the building have apparently been reluctant to trust anyone coming in to get the church back on its feet.

Our actions today were for the most part symbolic. We didn't win anyone to Christ. We didn't have a single person join the church. To my knowledge, there is no membership roll. There is no pastor, no church planter. There is hope.

--Bajo el arbol de mango--

We got to Meta-Pan around 10:30. Then we waited until 11:30 to get ourselves organized. A group of about 25-30 people from Primera Iglesia Bautista de Chalchuapa had come to help us and the plan was to do a lot of street evangelism all day. Instead, we realized that by the time we got started it would be time to eat lunch, so we prayed for a bit and spent an hour and a half hanging out and eating lunch under a large mango tree in the courtyard behind the church. After that we hit the streets.

I was sent out sin traslador porque nuestros lideres pensaban que mi espanol es bastantebien para compartir el evangelio. They're right. I can share the gospel in Spanish. However, I'm still nowhere near fluent and I'd struggle to a deep conversation. Any way you slice it though we were short a translator and my Spanish, broken as it may be, is much better than anyone else's on the trip.

Our group: Roberto (un diacono), Noemi, Susana, Oto, Alberto (8 yr.s old) and me. I'd marry Alyssa or Anna off to Alberto in a heartbeat. [Obviously not, at least not until they're all at least a decade older.] He's an amazing little boy. He wants to be a pastor so he can help people and tell them about God--like his father and grandmother.

I'll say this, even the reluctant ones of our group were bolder than 95% of the American students I've worked with. They need some discipleship and evangelism training, but they do not hesitate when an opportunity comes to share. We were supposed to be out for 3 1/2 hours, but covered our assigned area, and then some, in an hour and a half.

Back to the mango tree. We found out that we weren't the first group done. That's what happens when you try street-E during Siesta. Oh well.

The only chance I had to share personally came when Noemi and Susanna tried sharing with a family that was relaxing on their porch beside the sidewalk. The grandfather was there and it quickly became apparent that he was a staunch Catholic who was offended by their question: Are you a Catholic or Christian? Who could blame him. It was equally clear that he knew at least as much as both of the girls. (Actually, Noemi was old enough to be my mom and Susana young enough to be my daughter.) They both looked to me and I engaged in damage control immediately. Unfortunately the old man was just too agitated at that point. He was on the offensive and when I stymied his line of questioning he got irritated to the point of storming off.

Anyway, we were back early and spent two more hours beneath the mango tree. I like the tree, but we were bored to death eventually.

At 5pm we had an evangelistic service. S. preached well. No one came. Only our team and the people from Chalchuapa were there.

Afterwards we went back to Santa Ana for dinner. We had pupusas at a relatively nice (and cheap) restaurant. They had Coca-Cola Zero in glass bottles! I was great. I coined the new Spanish verb pupusear, which means "to munch pupusas." Our translators laughed all night over it.

.........

February 10, 2008 Santa Ana, E. S.

Sunday. We split up into 3 grupos. I went with D.G. to Ahuachapan where I was to preach t Primera Iglesia Bautista. Sonia, our primary contact here, told us that they were celebrating a year of work, so we expected there to be a special service, but we were still overwhelmed by what we found when we got there. They weren't celebrating another year of work, but their 90th Anniversary! They had special cards made and laminated for the occasion. They'd been in revival since Thursday, and I was the grand finale. Now, I've been in churches where that wouldn't bother me, but here...

As soon as we got there we were introduced to the Honorable Jose Angel. He gave us a brief--very brief--tour of the church, which was as nice as any protestant church I've ever seen in Latin America, then we were escorted to the front pew as the music began.

At first everything seemed fine, like a normal worship service being led by the local music leader. Then the mariachi band took over. They were professional, and they were GOOD. I hope there's music like that in heaven. They're supposed to mail me a CD. After the mariachis came the presentations--seven churches sent representatives (well, nine, but two came later in the program) who all spoke to the congregation. Some gave money, 2 sang, some prayed, and all gave a short blessing. Only after all that did I get to speak. I preached on the 3 graces--Common Grace, Cheap Grace, and Costly Grace. It was a sermon inspired by God, assisted by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Wayne Grudem, and delivered by the weakest of all vessels--me. My translator was also named David. Nice guy. About to graduate from the university of Santa Ana. My Spanish has progressed so quickly that I was actually able to preach parts of the message in Spanish without him. Although I lacked any confidence that the message was received, David groves told me it went very well and that he could hear people behind him affirming what I said. He must be right because a young woman named Ana Selia came forward to receive Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord! After my sermon it was the local leader (the church is pastorless al momento), Jose Angel, who gave the invitation, then the 8th church's representative spoke, then Ana Selia came forward (I was called up to lead her in a sinner's prayer), then the 9th church, more mariachis, the offering, and it was over. All told, it was a 2 1/2 hour service, and it was good.

After the service we were treated like celebrities at the fellowship meal, then we were picked up by the rest of the team and drove to lunch in the city of Apaneca. We ate at the Hotel Alicante Montana Ruta de las Flores. The restaurant w s amazing, set high in the mountains. We ate outside in a garden surrounded by beautiful flowering shrubs and trees, hammocks, and a pool with a waterfall flowing into it, and a child's playground. The food wasn't bad either.

After lunch we went to another restaurant nearby for dessert. I'd already eaten twice though, so I abstained. It was also set in a garden.Later we went to see the Maya ruins at Chalchuapa. El Tezumal. They remind me of Lamanai in Belize, but not as nice. From there we came back to the hotel, shopped for an hour at the mall across the street and debriefed. Fin.

One more thing: They have Coke Zero here in bottles!

One more thing: The volcano we passed twice on the road is fantastic!

.........

February 11, 2008 Santa Ana, El Salvador

Today is the day that S. wet his pants. Even now I can't think of it without laughing. It was an eventful day.

After breakfast this morning we all jumped into the van w/Maya (our interpreter) and headed to San Cristobal. There we stopped to meet w/pastor Leonardo Martinez of Iglesia Bautista Filadelfia. The church backs up to the national border w/Guatemala. Seriously. There is a broken-down wall behind the church that quite literally is the El Salvador/Guatemala border.

When we were told this, of course, we all headed straight for it and for about a minute we took turns getting our picture taken 3 feet inside the Guatemalan border. I was startled and somewhat amazed to get a text seconds later from Claro Guatemala--a cell company--on my iPhone informing me that I was welcome in Guatemala and my services would work there. Apparently the iPhone was tracked via GPS. Scary. Amazing. Cool.

BTW, the volcano we saw yesterday is named Volcan Chingo.

Anyway, it wasn't long after the text that S. went to the bathroom and, uh, missed. He caught the stream on his shirttail and it splashed all the way down his leg. Could've happened to any guy. Can you believe I'm actually writing about this? BTW, S. laughs about it too. That's the kind of guy he is.

His accident though, prevented him from coming with us to the elementary school down the road where David was able to share the gospel at an assembly of the entire student body. He wasn't allowed to give an invitation, but otherwise it went very well. He used the Kingdom Sports Products soccer ball that has 5 color panels on it. It works on the same principles as a witnessing bracelet or the Wordless Book. Afterwards we spent some time talking with the pastor about the needs of the church, visited a market just on the other side of the Guatemalan border and ate lunch at the rattiest restaurant I've ever been in. I wouldn't even have guessed that it was a restaurant. There were no menus, you just ate what they gave you. The food was good though. [Wooden benches, dirt everywhere, crates and pallets against the walls. The table next to mine was a cable spool. Nice people, good food, who cares about the rest?]

After lunch we went to Candelaria de la Frontera. There we hung out for a while, then went to the Instituto Nacional de Candelaria de la Frontera (the local middle/high school) where I met the principal (Director Miriam) and was able to share first with her in the office and then with the entire school using the same method David did earlier. It was my first attempt using the balls, but it went well, given that the invitation couldn't be given. [Even in El Salvador, there are limits.]

Afterwards we sat around for a couple of hours doing nothing, then we went to a special church service at the church where we were staying--Templo Batista Candelaria. Jerry Palmer gave the sermon with Maya translating and gave about the best invitation I've ever heard. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. Of course, all we can do is be faithful, and this proves it.

As the trip has carried on we've grown closer as a team. Tonite we all finally came clean with one another on how we really feel about the trip so far. It was ugly, but good. We came here seeking God's vision, desiring to know how we can partner w/locals to expand His kingdom in El Salvador. So far, we've done a lot of ministry, but not much information gathering--the key component to achieving our stated goal. Tomorrow we'll confront Sonia, the local leader we're working with, and try to radically change our agenda.

I've been telling guys from the beginning that I like the ministry, but it's not what I came for. Tonite they all admitted drawing the same conclusion. We'll see what happens next. I think it will be good since we're all together on it.

One more thing: I invented a verb earlier in the week--Pupusear. Its catching on. Today our driver--Juan Carlos--added cafeciar--to drink coffee. It was the first time he's volunteered to talk so far, and it was hilarious.

One more thing: we've eaten at Pips Carimar, Pollo Campero, and Burger King, respectively, over the past three nights. Aren't you glad you know that now?

.........

February 12, 2008 Santa Ana, El Salvador

The day is almost over, and so, mercifully, is the trip. Today we did two more presentations with the witnessing ball in schools. David did one, I did the other. Mine was done at C.E. Francisco Maravera and taped by Mike and Jerry.

We ate lunch at Pollo Campero and dinner at Mister Donut. The pupusas at Mister Donut are horrible. They did sell this odd concoction of frijoles wrapped in a banana mash and deep fried. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was.

As for fulfilling our purpose, which was to find a place to partner, mission accomplished. We hashed out a lot of stuff with Sonia, who is the regional coordinator for the western portion of the country. Long meeting, but good. It looks like we'll partner the Spring River Baptist Association with her region here.

The need is huge, and pastor after pastor all say the same thing; they need help with evangelism, e-training and discipleship. Pastoral education is also high on their list. Steve and talked about starting the Instituto do Teologia Bautista here, but obviously its beyond either of us. I sincerely hope I can come back w/students in may. [In fact, the May trip fell through. Very frustrating.] This place is starting to grow on me.

.........

February 13th, 2008 San Salvador, E.S.

Late. Tired... so tired. Just had a 2 hour conversation w/ S. about ministry, Calvinism, the Southern Baptist Convention, life in general. In so many ways, we think alike.

Today was a good day. We met 2 more pastors, shopped a bit here in San Salvador, and met w/ a representative of the National Association. (Their national association is equivalent to our state convention.) I was able to meet with Sonia about bringing a team in May, and also got to spend some time w/ the national director for youth ministry--Denny (Denis). He's all you could want in the position.

Tomorrow we fly home, which is great because I really miss Mandi and the kids.

.........

February 15, 2008 Webb City, MO, USA

Final thoughts.

I'm sitting in the gym at First Baptist Church in Webb City, watching Nate at basketball practice. How providential that his team should be called the Ducks?! Anyway, I missed the whole family, but at this moment I realize how proud I am of my son. He's truly a gift of God.

As I think about this past week, several thoughts crystalize in my mind...

1. These people need help.

2. God is moving in El Salvador.

3. I want to go back. I'd rather be where God is moving than He's not, although that may be bad theology. (Sorry, Blackaby, can't be helped.)

4. Pupusas aren't all that great.

5. Life is often not as hard as it seems. By that I mean that we work and stress out over so many things, but we really don't have to. We need to just do what God commands in His word and let the chips fall where they may. So much of life is beyond our control, but we worry about it anyway.

6. There is some really good Christian Latin music out there--mariachi, hip-hop, reggaeton... good stuff.

It was a hard trip, ultimately. We went in with expectations that weren't met and really had to force a different agenda on the El Salvadorans to accomplish our mission. I was an integral part of that process, playing a much larger role than I anticipated. Still, if the "suggestions" I made are applied to future teams, I think those teams, especially the vision teams like ours, will be more successful and have an easier time of it.

In some ways the trip reminded me of Brazil. There too I had to do much more than the plan called for. On that trip the team leader griped at several people individually and drove his wife to tears when he melted down into a vicious tirade one afternoon in the presence of the whole group. I'll never forget having her sobbing on my shoulder, simultaneously defending him ("He's not really like this."), and running from him ("I'm ashamed to be with him right now. I can't face everyone like this). It wasn't the only time a woman cried on my shoulder during that trip. That guy was a real a**hole, and he was a pastor!

The one time he took aim at me I just blew him off. He was clearly unbalanced, a condition I assume was NOT normal for him. Of course this time David was the team leader and he was magnificent. It was the El Salvadorans who were messed up. I've never seen a national body so devoid of leadership. I'm looking forward to returning in May.

2007 Christmas in Oregon

December 20th
Slept in, went shopping, lunch at Chili's, dinner @ Track Town Pizza. Watched Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End on DVD.

December 21st
Slept in again. It may become a blessed habit. Piddled around until lunch, then drove to Sunriver Resort. Willamette Pass was slick & snowy, beautiful. Watched what was arguably the worst Christmas play of all time, and soaked in the hot-tub with Mandi. The water was hot, the moon was bright, the trees were laden with snow, and what happens in the hot-tub... stays in the hot-tub. B-e-a-utiful!

December 22nd
Couldn't sleep in this morning, we had an early brunch with Santa Clause at the main lodge. After pics with the Man in Red we took a quick sleigh ride with the whole family. Although the concierge told us private rides were already booked full, I managed to sweet-talk the owner into squeezing Mandi and I in tomorrow. Made a snowman with Anna, threw snowballs at the rest of the kids. Lunch @ Bella Cucina. Walked around the mall with Mandi while it snowed. Watched the lighting of the Christmas tree behind the lodge. Dinner @ The Owl's Nest.

December 24th
Yesterday we came home from Sunriver. Lunch @ Appleby's in Bend. Saw Doug Lueck there for a moment. It rained all day. Mandi & I were supposed to go for a sleigh ride, but canceled. Dinner at home. Driving the Santiam pass for the first time in years was bittersweet. I love it here so much and driving through the mountains only makes that clearer to me, but I know it will be long years before the Lord lets me come back to my earthly home. I've lived in the Midwest for nearly a decade now, and I still don't understand why anyone would stay there...

December 26th
Yesterday. Christmas. Happy Birthday Jesus! I scored pretty well on the whole gifty thing. Sweaters, shoes, a nice jacket, and an oil painting of Sahalie Falls. The problem is that it was just completely void of spiritual value. I mean, we prayed over lunch, but that was about it. I feel bad, like He was cheated, or we were cheated or something like that. Anyway, we opened packages in the morning, ate lunch, napped, watched TV and went to a movie. The girls saw… something girlie. The guys went to Alien v. Predator: Requiem, which was a disappointment. More slasher than suspense, and suspense is what made those franchises great. Pretty dull, actually. It was nice.

We did have one big moment of excitement when Nate stabbed himself in the thumb with a penknife Nana gave him. I was so proud of Nate when it happened. Apparently he was trying to close the blade when the tip just sank into the meat of his hand. Did he panic? No way. Did he scream in pain? Not MY son. He just closed his hand around the wound and came out of the kitchen to the living room where he called out in a calm clear voice, “I need Mommy. I hurt myself.” The adults were all sitting around, relaxing when he came around the corner, and he’s just holding his hand, which is covered in blood and dripping on the floor and asking smoothly for a little help, like its no big deal. But let me tell you, everyone’s heart rate when though the roof when they say him. I mean, the kid was really bleeding. I had visions of him missing a finger, or severing an artery or something. Anyway, once mommy got on the scene, he cried like a normal kid. But I smile even now knowing how he handled himself until he knew someone was there to take over and rescue him. Until that moment, he was in command of himself and I know that in the future, that quality will serve him well. It speaks of leadership. When others panic, Nate will stand firm. THAT’S MY BOY!!!

December 27th
Yesterday was good. We chilled out for a while, took the kids shopping at the mall to spend their Christmas money, had lunch @ The Terrace. After lunch we went to see a movie (National Treasure: Book of Secrets), and had dinner with Stacy & Christy Kintigh @ Roaring Rapids Pizza.

December 28th
Lunch @ Chapala (Mexican), browsing @ Border's, then a movie (Enchanted). Then Gilbert & I went to the Ducks' basketball game @ Mac Court. Just walking across Pioneer Cemetery brought back a thousand memories. Ducks beat Mount St. Mary's 81-73.

December 29th
Chilled out a lot. Lunch at home. Played Landslide with Phil Lueck, Scott Smith, and a guy named Ross. He’s one of Scott’s tenants. Ross won, but we had a great time. It was good to see Phil & Scott again. Doug Lueck couldn't make it. He was missed. Dinner with the fam @ China Sun on Gateway.

December 30th
Today began with a mess. Danielle told us that church began at 8 am. It didn't. Apparently the church, Grace Community Church, changed their time, then changed their minds, but neglected to inform their members. Oops. We wound up at the 9:30 service, but had to abort going to the EBF service like we'd planned. After church we shopped at Costco, which I think is nicer than Sam's Club. Its good we don't have one in Joplin or I'd be broke.

Had lunch at McMinamen's. Best burger I've had since Opie Taylor's back in Bloomington. After lunch Mandi & I took the kids for a walk at the Delta Ponds, but it start to hail on us after a couple of minutes. The kids all brought their new binoculars and we were able to spot Green-winged Teal, Mallards & Canadian Geese before we headed back to the car. Dinner was Dungeness Crab @ home... and it was GOOD!

January 1st, 2008. New Year's Day.
Happy New Year!
Yesterday we took family pictures and watched the Ducks kick the snot out of the University of South Florida in the Sun Bowl: 56-who cares! We were down to our 5th string quarterback, but the kid did a great job. Mom had the flu all day though.

To bring in the new year we hung out at Danielle & Gilbert's with the Kintighs. If I never play Bunco again it will be too soon. At least the kids had fun.

Now we're headed to the airport in Portland and its too foggy to see the foothills. I miss Oregon already.

2007 Alaskan Vacation

After a particularly trying week a few months ago Mandi took the initiative to book a trip for two to Fairbanks, Alaska. We had been hoping to go on a vacation for our 10-year anniversary, and Alaska, although not warm, was definitely on our short list. Mandi had never been there and I had friends who lived in Fairbanks (Dave and Marsha Miller) and whom had talked about us visiting for years. This is an account of that trip.

I first met Dave and Marsha while a student at the University of Oregon (go Ducks!) I knew Marsha as a campus minister for Campus Crusade for Christ, and Dave when he started dating Marsha. Honestly, I didn’t know either of them very well, but for some reason Dave and I kept touch over the years as he and Marsha moved to Oklahoma, and later, Florida, and finally, Fairbanks, Alaska. Through the years our friendship grew by telephone and e-mail conversations, and we often spoke of visiting one another. I was excited when Mandi seized the initiative to make our idle words a reality.

After weeks of discussion about our itinerary our adventure began, oddly enough, in Springfield, Missouri, at a little store called ‘Bass Pro.’ Praise God for great sporting goods stores! We outfitted there at the reasonable price of $700.00. (We’d been saving for a nice anniversary vacation for five years.) And when the day finally came to fly out, we dropped off the kids at Mandi’s parent’s house in Miami, Oklahoma and her dad, Jack, dropped us off at the Tulsa airport. We were on our way!

Of course, there aren’t any direct flights between Tulsa, Oklahoma and Fairbanks, Alaska, so we had a layover in Salt Lake City, Utah. Coincidentally, Salt Lake City happens to be the home of one of my dearest college friends, Damon Yauney. Damon and I lived together for four years and shared more adventures than I can recall. Since Mandi replaced him as my favorite roommate, however, we haven’t seen one another more than a handful of times and not at all for at least five years. When we arrived in Salt Lake City for our five hour layover, he was the weather anchor for the Fox television affiliate there.

After a fairly uneventful flight, Damon met us at the airport and showed us around town. It’s a beautiful city. The Mormon Tabernacle was particularly nice, proving once again that cults often have better architecture than protestant Christianity. (Yes, I believe Mormonism is a cult.) Damon showed us a great view of the whole valley from one of the foothills above the capital building. I think he called them ‘the benches.’ Anyway, we went to dinner at a bar & grill named ‘Squatters’ and the bleu cheese burger was the best I’ve had since Opie’s in Bloomington. The best burgers in the world are found at Opie’s. It was good to see Damon again, but I worry about the condition of his soul. He seems… distant, spiritually speaking. Then again, I haven’t kept up with him as much as I should.

We arrived in Fairbanks shortly after midnight on Wednesday, June 6. The last few minutes of the flight were spectacular. We had a great view of the Brooks Range, and were able to see the top half of Denali rising through the low clouds in the distance. Dave met us at the airport and after a quick hug he drove us back to his house. It was still light out, as it would be all week.

Dave and Marsha live with their 19-month-old son, Keith David, in a gorgeous log home on a five acre plot surrounded by black spruce and diamond willow. Marsha is pregnant and due to deliver in September. Their home is cozy and warm, like something out of a Jim Kjelgaard novel or Jack London story; uniquely Alaskan.

After a short night’s sleep, we enjoyed a hot breakfast prepared by Marsha. Then we got serious about having some adventure. Dave had to work, so Marsha took us on a tour of Fairbanks and we went on a sternwheel boat ride down the Chena River. It was wonderful. The boat itself (Discovery 3) was four stories tall and the captain gave us a running commentary of the entire voyage, explaining the local wildlife we were seeing and some history of the river. Along the way we stopped at a dog ranch for sled dogs, a float plane demonstration and a tour of an Athabascan village. The dog ranch was owned by Susan Butcher, 3-time Iditarod winner prior to her death, and her husband. They demonstrated for us how they train in the summer when there is no snow; they use modified four-wheelers. In order for them to work for the dogs, they remove the engines and reinforce the brakes.

The next day all we did was hang out. Both Dave and Marsha had to work, so Mandi and I took their Jeep and went shopping. We met Dave for lunch at a Thai restaurant and I have to admit that it was the best noodles that I’ve had since Snow Lion (also in Bloomington.) Sometime along the way we stopped at Creamer’s Field and spied out a few Sandhill Cranes. It was nice to be alone with Mandi, able to just relax and not think about the world back home.

Day three began somewhat earlier as we headed to the airport to catch a float plane to Minto Flats, where we would fish for Northern Pike. I cannot begin to describe how awesome that was. Awesome because I was with Mandi and Dave, awesome because we were in remote Alaska, awesome because it was a beautiful sunshiny day, and awesome because the fish were hitting with that violence only pike have.

As we waited for our plane to arrive we met three young soldiers, one of whom, Doug, was limping badly from wounds received from a roadside bomb (IED) in Iraq. I’m awed, even to this day, when meeting such heroes. Although I served in the Reserves myself, I can’t help but feel privileged when meeting men like Doug, warriors who deserve highest praise for their bravery and sacrifice. I am not one to claim that any nation has divine blessing in war, but I consider it an honor to meet men who serve their country at mortal risk, men like Doug and his friends.

Why he did it, I can’t say, but for some reason Doug decided to help us out on our trip. He told us that he had, “doing this for 16 years,” and assured us that we would have a great time. Then he told us the location of his secret hole. At first we were skeptical, but since we’d be fishing near one another anyway, and have to face each other on the plane home, it didn’t make sense for him to lie, so we followed his instructions through the maze of channels in the marshy flats, and tried our luck. It was a good decision. On our way to the hole, we stopped and waded through the mud to pitch a few lures into some of the oxbows and ponds surrounding the main channel. Mandi slipped at one point and landed square on her backside, covering herself with mud and water. I didn’t laugh at the time, but it was funny. Doug had to wait for more friends to arrive, but caught up with us after a couple of hours and we fished the same water for the rest of the day.

In the end, we all caught fish. My biggest was 35 inches long, 16.5 inches in girth, and weighed at least 18-20 pounds. Mandi caught one 30 inches long and Dave also broke the 30-inch barrier. We caught 45 fish altogether, and, yes, I caught the biggest and the most (20).

Pike fishing is surreal. The fish strike with such violence that it defies description. We were fishing 6-inch jointed Rapalas with steel leader and on several occasions would pull in a fish with only the leader visible outside their toothy maw. We pulled in fish with the lure caught sideways, backwards, forward… any way you could think of, in their mouth. One time we saw a fish come completely out of the water, then slam down on top of the lure. Another time, Dave was sitting in the boat with his lure floating innocently on the water next to the boat as he watched a plane go by when a fish came out from under the boat and nearly took the pole out of his hand. When I caught my 35-incher, I saw a hump come out of the water like the Loch Ness monster just before the beast slammed my Rapala as if it had just insulted his mother. When I got it to the boat we found out that I hadn’t actually hooked the fish, but lassoed it. The steel leader was caught in his jagged teeth and the lure wrapped around his head and snagged the leader on the other side. It was amazing. Even on a casual strike, Pike create a swirl around your lure that is just special to see. You can almost see an evil gleam in their eye and watch them back up to get a running start after whatever unsuspecting prey they decide to devour. There’s nothing quite like it in North American fishing. Once we saw one come completely out of the water before it hit the lure. Another time we saw one take down a duck. I about fell out of the boat laughing when one hijacked Dave's floating lure as it rested next to the boat between casts while he was watching a float plane circle overhead. Only quick reflexes saved his pole from a watery grave. It was not unusual to pull one up to the boat and see no sign of our 6-inch Rapalas sticking out of their mouth, just the line coming out of their lips. Fortunately, they're so tough we managed to retrieve our equipment without causing permanent damage almost every time. After a couple hours sleep we headed back to Fairbanks.

Saturday was a rest day for us. We’d slept little and played hard on Friday, so Saturday we took it easy. After flying in to Fairbanks we headed back to Dave and Marsha’s, unpacked, and then went gold panning at the creek where Felix Pedro first discovered gold. It was an interesting experience, and since all we did was pan, it was backbreaking. About the only redeeming quality of panning for gold was that we were using ore not scooped out of the well-worked creek, but taken from a vein running next to the Knox mine. (The Knox mine is the richest mine in North America.) It just so happens that Dave knows a guy… Anyway, the dirt we were panning was rich with color, and my back was still sore from squatting by the creek for an extended period of time. Mandi seemed to enjoy it more than I did, and Marsha was having a blast. Dave had a splitting migraine, so he opted for the nap at home, an option I’ll explore should anyone ask me to pan for gold again. Still, it just one of those things that every tourist must do in Fairbanks, and we were blessed to actually find good color in the process, which most people can’t say. It was a beautiful gesture on Dave’s part to procure such an opportunity for us.

Later that evening we went to a small group Bible study that met as part of Dave and Marsha’s church. Good people. I hope they prosper in their study of God’s word.

At some point in the week we feasted on King Crab legs. Not the wimpy stuff you find at Chinese Buffets, nor the mediocre offerings found in most grocery stores, but REAL King Crab legs. These things were the size of Mandi’s arm. They were HUGE. And they were tasty. I can’t say I prefer the taste to the sweetness of Oregon Dungeness, but the size was unbelievable. I’ve never seen such a thing in person, but now I’ve tasted and seen that the King is good. Was it Saturday night when we did it? Bah, I can’t remember.

Sunday was another monster day. Well fed (we ate huge every day) and well rested, we crammed more into Sunday than most people do in a week. First, we skipped church. (Get over it!) Then we went fly-fishing for grayling. I’ve never understood the fascination with fly-fishing, and although it was fun, I’ll stick with spin casting for now. The water was in good shape, but the wind about drove me crazy. Mandi struggled as well. We caught nothing for about an hour, then decided to bag it for the next activity with the hope that we might come back later. (There’s enough light to fish 24/7, so we weren’t pressed for daylight.)

On our way out we spotted a mother moose with newborn twins. We tried to get some good pics, but they were camera shy.

Losing interest in catching anything on a fly, we headed out to the Chena River State Recreation Area, where we hiked along the Angel Rocks Trail. It’s only a 3.5 mile hike, but I’d tweaked my knee just before the trip, so I was nervous about pushing it on a hike. As we strode to the trailhead, we met up with two other groups hiking in at the exact same time we were. Bummer. Dave thought they were just a bunch of college kids out for a stroll, so he put the hammer down and we started trucking up the trail. At first it was okay, and we passed both groups after the first quarter mile. But one of the groups was comprised of four soldiers from Ft. Wainwright who were trucking along themselves. After about three-quarters of a mile, they were still close enough for me to hear them breathing, and Mandi was ready to drop. So, we stopped and let them by us. It was nice to have a moment to just enjoy the view.

The trail up to the Angel Rocks is flat for the first half-mile, then climbs precipitously up about 900 feet past several outcroppings which make great rest areas and viewpoints. We stopped at at least two of these on our way to the top, but still managed to peak out about a minute before our Army buddies. It was disappointing, really, to find so many people there. In addition to our group, there were the military attachment, and two other groups all at the top and all at the same time. It was positively crowded! In fact, it was so crowded that we felt somewhat rushed and didn’t get any good pictures. Hiking is like that. You want to be alone, that’s the whole idea.

On the way down, we gave up trying to stay separate from the soldiers and just travelled together. I led the way, which was the back end of a loop, not an out-and-back, since no one else had ever been there either. Somewhere near the top I missed a turn and we followed a washout straight down to the bottom, where we picked up a trail that was NOT on the map. Well, actually, it was the main trail, but since we’d come down a washout without realizing it, we didn’t know that, and it really wasn’t on the map that we had, which showed the main trail ending with the loop we had veered out of. Bottom line, he lost maybe half of a mile lost on the wrong trail, which isn’t much when you think about it. The hike was beautiful, and we made it back in one piece and my knee was fine, all was well.

Well, but not finished. Our next stop was the Chena River Hot Springs Resort. There we sat and soaked in the boulder-lined pool. Ahhhh… It was amazing, and I know I keep saying that about everything, but if you haven’t been to Alaska, you’ll just have to trust that I’m not exaggerating. Lazing about in the geothermal pool after a good hike and dinner at the resort was a perfect ending to the day. Except the day wasn’t over yet…

On our way back to Fairbanks, we stopped at a pond and using my cheese colored Rooster Tail (which NEVER fails) I caught my first grayling. Yes, it was only about six inches long, but that’s not the point. It was a grayling, and that’s all that counts. Then we drove home and slept like logs.

Monday was another day of rest. We did a little shopping and visited North Pole, AK, which is nice, but overall, it was slow. Not bad at all, just slow. Since our flight was leaving at one in the morning, we wanted to end our week with a little relaxation. In North Pole, we visited the Christmas House, and the Knotty Shop, which are basically just really nice souvenir stores. I bought an amazing walking stick (Diamond Willow) in the Knotty Shop, which specializes in that type of thing. It was gnarled from the top to about ¾ of the way down its five foot length. None of the other walking sitcks fo rsale, and there were plenty, even came close. Its beautiful. However, the TSA agents at the airport wouldn’t allow me to take it on the plane as a carry-on, which I found ironic since they turned around and allowed a guy just behind me in the line to bring his fly-pole carrier with him. The two items were identical in size, and the fly-pole carrier is made of metal! Oh yeah, AND they passed my pocket knife through. Bunch of idiots. I checked the walking stick, but it was unprotected, and by the time it made it home, a full day after we did, it had stickers all over it and had been banging around the cargo holds of God knows how many planes for a day and a half. I was not happy, but at least they didn’t break it.

The last thing we did before heading to the airport was visit the Alaska Salmon Bake, which is an all-you-can-eat restaurant located in a tourist area designed to look like mid-19^th century Fairbanks with log cabins and small shops. At one shop they have a large walk-in freezer set to -40 F. Of course we had to try it. For five dollars they put a coat on you and let you experience Fairbanks in the winter. The whole place though is basically an artist colony with a really nice restaurant. The food was great, and, of course, all-you-can-eat salmon, prime rib, halibut and cod. There’s a small salad bar, but WHO CARES!? The meat was awesome!

And that’s about it. After dinner we grabbed our luggage, checked in to our flight and headed back to the Great Plains, which aren’t that great, but are definitely plain. Apologies to Midwesterners, but this place doesn’t hold a candle to any other region of the country when it comes to outdoor adventure…

2006 Azerbaijan vision trip

9/14/06 London, England

Pizza Hut, of course. Where else would an American go to dinner on a 12-hour layover. I've eaten at Pizza Hut in more countries than I can keep track of. At least this time I have company with me, thus reducing the likelihood that I'll get robber as I did in Amsterdam last December.

I'm here with Mark D. on a scout trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, trying to put together a partnership w/ an M there that happens to be local to us. Odd that between us we've been to something approaching 40 countries and neither of us has ever been through London Heathrow, let alone visited London. but since we had 12 hours to kill, here we are at Pizza Hut on Piccadilly Circus.

We took the underground to Embankment, then walked all over from there; past Buckingham Palace, the Millenium Wheel, Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, Hard Rock Cafe, Piccadilly Circus, and finally, Pizza Hut. BTW, the [pizza] here tastes just like Pietro's back in Eugene. I wonder why that is?

Its been neat just walking around, through the streets and squares. Along Whitehall we were paced by a protest march. In Piccadilly we sat in front of a fountain and just relaxed. The steps we were sitting on were filled with passers-by. A street preacher talked over a microphone nearby, but we had trouble hearing him over the water of the fountain and the rush of the crowd. The snatches we did hear sounded... sound. He seemed like a normal, mature believer. He spoke of the hollowness of sin and the fullness of life in Christ. He didn't rant or rave or wave signs of aborted babies like others I've experienced. He was clean. Unfortunately, he was also ignored.

What else is there to say about London? Not a lot. The day was blessedly uneventful, as adventurous as it was. We're on the plane now, to Baku, and there is no one within 5 rows of Mark and I: we shall sleep well. Yet another blessing.

9/15/06 Baku, Azerbaijan


I'm sitting in a classroom @ Baku State University listening to the teacher go over the syllabus for the "Critical Thinking" course, which is part of the American Studies program. (Point of interest: BSU's American Studies program is partnered with Indiana University. Small World.)

Our purpose here is to gain a vision of how we might resource our contacts. So far, all I can see is my pillow. I'm tire... [At which point I really did drift off to sleep.]
.
.
.
Peynirli Lahmacun - local flatbread w/ some type of meat, sauce and cheese, with fresh parsley and a lemon wedge squeezed over the top. Roll it, eat it, burp. Good food. Lunch.
.
.
.
Lord, have I ever been this tired? Jet lag after 2 nights on an airplane and a 10 hour time change can be a real killer. All we did this afternoon was talk with a few of the students from Baku State University, discuss details of our partnership, and shop (unsuccessfully) for an Azerbaijan soccer jersey. In the process, I did manage to walk all over the city, grabbed a metro and ate another local meal @ a fast food joint called (loosely translated) The Miracle Stove.

.........
9/17/06 [Sunday] Baku, Azerbaijan
Why am I still up?! Its almost 1:30 in the morning here, which ought to be bad, but time has lost all meaning. Today I met for 5 hours w/Mark and the local team here [names omitted], then went for a walk around the city, saw the Caspian Sea up close, the Maiden Tower, and did a little shopping and had dinner @ a restaurant named Padisan. Overall I'm not impressed w/ the city; there's just not much to see here. I don't think the same is true of the nation as a whole though. Anyway, bottom line is that we saw what we came to see, did what we came to do. Now we're on gravy time; anything we accomplish from here on out is pure bonus.

So, why am I still up? Because Oregon is playing Oklahoma @ Autzen Stadium right now and we have the game on ESPN's Gamecast. GO DUCKS!
.
.
.
Something else about Az, it really is a secular nation. Statistically its almost 100% Muslim; we've seen only one mosque anywhere in the city. Now, granted, its a Taliban supported mosque, but its the only one, and we were all over today. [In other Muslim cities I've visited, mosques were ubiquitous. Here, the Soviets apparently stamped out virtually all religion, which would make sense considering their atheist dogma.
.
.
.
Slow day. Slept in, hung out, rejoiced over Oregon's victory over Oklahoma, and enjoyed fellowship with some of the local team.

.........
9/19/06 Joplin, MO, USA
Flu, I think. I feel like I got hit by a truck. It started yesterday about the time we got to London. Flying home was cool. We flew past the Caspian and Black Seas. I actually got to see Constanta, Romania again; first time since Mandi and I were there in 1995.

THe best part of the flight though was not seeing Constanta, or even enjoying an entire row to myself between Baku and London, but dropping into Heathrow. Our approach took us over the heart of the city, which meant that I had a close aerial view of the Eye, Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Thames, the Tower Bridge, etc. It was beautiful. It gave scope and scale to everything we saw from the ground earlier. Definitely the best view of a great city I've ever had. [Incidently, Paris from atop the Eiffel Tower is second.]

After that the trip went downhill. I got the worst case of diarhea I've had since Bolivia '93. On top of that, my nose started running like it was being chased by a machete-wielding Islamic fundamentalist. I was popping Imodium pills and chugging Pepto-Bismol like a junkie overdue for a fix and it didn't make a difference until late this morning. Now I have stomach cramps, but I think the worst is over.

BTW, security was insane through the airports. 3 X-ray screenings in Baku alone.

After that the trip went downhill. I got the worst case of diarhea I've had sine Bolivia in '93. On top of that, my nose started running like it was being chased by a machete-wielding Islamic fundamentalist. I was popping Imodium pills and chugging Pepto-Bismol like a junkie overdue for a fix and it didn't make a difference until late this morning. Now I have stomach cramps, but I think the worst is over. [In point of fact, it was three weeks until my digestion returned to normal. I blame the food on the flight out of Baku, although there's really no way to be certain.]

BTW, security was insane through the airports. 3 X-Ray screening in Baku alone.

2006 Italy, Vatican City, San Marino Tour

3.26.06 Venice, Italy
I can't believe I'm really here. Mom and Dad paid for Mandi and I, and Danielle and Gilbert on this tour of Italy. We left the kids Miami, OK with grandparents yesterday morning and hopped a plane to Milan, and here we are!

Today was such a whirlwind I honestly couldn't even name what we saw. There was a castle and a cathedral in Milan, and statues everywhere. We even saw one of Napoleon's arches. (I guess there's more than one.) Evidence of DaVinci is ubiquitous right now, which I think is because they're trying to capitalize on the "DaVinci Code" movie coming out next month.

He was left-handed you know, just like me. Smart guy.

Anyway, we were too rushed to actually absorb anything, which is sad because there's just so much to see. Today's cathedral, for instance, has hundreds of years of history and art living in it. The very walls are alive with the text of a thousand (million?) lives, but we had half an hour to catch it all. Tragic!

Tomorrow should be slower. I hope so since it will be our only day here in Venice. (We're actually sleeping at a hotel just outside the city.) Ahh, Venice...

.........
3.27.06 Venice, Italy
Today we toured the city, and let me tell you, touring Venice in a day is like trying to drive to Hawaii, it cannot be done. We were in St. Mark's Cathedral [Basilica] for all of, maybe, five minutes. All you could do was see the architecture and mosaics, but even that was stunted because you have to be silent inside the building, so there's no one to explain what you're looking at. Theoretically, Mark's body lies in there somewhere, but if we walked by it, it wasn't evident to me. All you do is walk along a predetermined path through it, following ropes all the way, continuously walking until you exit. Five minutes in one of Christendom's greatest edifices. Shameful!

We did make good use of our afternoon free time though. We shared a gondola ride w/mom and dad, Gilbert and Danielle. It was nice, relaxing, and Mandi and I kissed under every bridge we passed. We also made time to wander and shop.
Shopping in Venice is an experience. Gucci, Prada, Armani, Versace, etc., all have stores here. Eddie Bauer and American Eagle do not. We saw a $1,900.00 purse, a $6,000.00 chess set, and hand-made blown glass baubles that would cost us more than our house payment. The best shopping for our meager budget was found on the north side of Rialto Bridge. There we found trinkets for

the kids and plenty of affordable souvenirs. Perhaps the funnest thing we did all day was feed the pigeons in the Piazza San Marco. There are many thousands of pigeons on the piazza and numerous vendors selling small bags of corn for a Euro. Once you have the corn pigeons are your best friends. They perch all over you and will literally fight for the right to eat out of your outstretched palm. Mandi and I and Danielle and Gilbert all tried it, and not one of us so much as got pooped on! I was reminded of how pigeons in Seville [Spain] and Charleston [South Carolina] also perched on Mandi, but much more freely. Perhaps Venetian pigeons are jaded, they wouldn't come to us until we offered real food.

Man, I'm so tired now that every time I blink I start to dream. Time for sleep. G'nite!

.........
3.28.06 On the road to Assisi, Italy

This is a beautiful country. Something I omitted yesterday was lunch. The rest of the tour went to a 13Euro restaurant and ate lasagne. Mandi and I, however, went off on our own to explore the city (and try to find something cheaper that 13Euro!) Winding through the narrow streets of Venice we found a Burger King! Only I don't think they sell burgers there. Peeking through the window it appeared that their value menus were all about pizza. Needless to say, we didn't come all the way here just to sample BK pizza, so we settled into a small cafe across the piazza (not the piazza S. Marco). Sitting there, enjoying a focaccia sandwich with my wife at a window table was one of the most pleasant experiences of my life. Something about it was deeply fulfilling. Intimate. Wonderful.

.........
Republic of San Marino Still the 28th

This whole country is elevated. Its mountainous and independent and has great views of everything around it. We didn't climb to the top, only to the Piazza Della Liberta, but its everything you want in a postcard.

Had lunch, bought a national soccer team jersey, got back on the bus. Oh yeah, sent a postcard home to myself as well...

.........
Assisi, Italy Still the 28th

The speed with which this tour proceeds is ridiculous. After 8 hours of bus travel we had maybe 3 hours in San Marino and Assisi combined.

Assisi is breathtaking, and we had 15 minutes to fly through St. Francis' basilica, which sits atop a hill overlooking a plain. Its almost a sacrilege to come so far for so short an opportunity to see something so special. And I have to say that it must be very hard for the clerics here to do their job when there are a thousand or more tourists wandering about the church each day.

A bright moment happened while speed shopping through stores along one of the streets in Assisi today. I found a store, Gallo Nero, that specializes in chess sets. They had the most amazing selection of pieces I've ever seen. Truly I wished for deeper pockets and more opportunity to play. If I could change one thing about my life, "Play more chess," would be on the short list of options to choose from. Another shopping bonus today was finding that San Marino has far less tax than Italy. I paid 40Euro for a soccer jersey I saw for 75Euro in Venice and Milan. Yay!

.........
3-29-06 Sorrento, Italy

I am full. Breaded veal w/steamed carrots, fried potatoes, pizza margherita and a cherry tart topped with an apricot glaze (and tea) will do that to you. There was more than just food to keep us all full today though.

We spent the afternoon in Pompei, saw a wood shop, a coral shop and did a bit of shopping in Sorrento as well. I must emphasize "shop" here because that's all we did, shop. There was no buying. We can't afford any of the good master works we see here, so all we do is admire the art.

In truth, most of the day was spent on the bus. 7 or 8 hours. Ouch. It was nice though to see Pompei at last. After a lifetime of magazine articles and History Channel specials, it was nice to actually view Vesuvius and wander through the ruins of the once thriving town. We took plenty of pictures. The sad fact of it all is that as impressive as its made out to be, the Italian government has the place pretty well screwed up at the moment. All of the best preserved ruins are blocked off and they let so many people though the site at one time that the tour guides literally have to jocky for position, haggling and negotiating for a place for their group to hear what they're saying and see what they're talking about. It's a madhouse! Still, seeing the plaster molds of the bodies they have left visible to the public is something else.

The highest point of the day though was when my dad mistook the woman standing next to him to be my mom. He put his arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze before he realized it wasn't his wife! She later remarked that she figured it was best to just let him finish as it seemed the right thing to do. Witnesses howled with laughter, including Mandi, who saw the whole event unfold, but I'm not sure Dad thought it was all that funny. Although he's been a good sport about the whole thing, I think its embarrassed him quite a bit.

Like everything else here, Sorrento is beautiful.

.........
3-30-06 Rome, Italy

Travelled this morning to the isle of Capri. Amazing. Italy is easily one of the most spectacular places I've ever seen. The Amalfi coast is stunning. Capri is gorgeous. The views over the entire island are worthy of a postcard. The terrain is so rugged that I'm amazed anyone lives there at all. We saw several restaurants there (and in Sorrento) where the dining patio sits literally on the edge of sheer vertical cliffs hundreds of feet in the air.

And we caught the weather just right. Our guide, Nello, explained that it had been one of the worst and longest winters on record there, but we caught a beautiful spring day. I even managed to get a slight sunburn sitting at a sidewalk cafe in the town square at the top of the island.

Nello was a good guide. Funny. He spends five months a year in Florida. He made us wear stickers with his name on them for the duration of the tour so, if we got lost, he could easily identify our bodies later. (Just kidding)

Lunch was simple; the usual sandwich and coke, but in the beauty of the square it was wonderful. We all just sat and ate and talked. Danielle and Gilbert drank cappuccino, which I understand is their new substitute for water. Apparently they both down 5-6 cups a day, even at home.
Tonight we walked over to the Forum and the Colosseum. They're well lit at night. Beautiful. The Forum didn't impress me nearly as much as the Colosseum. As amazing as it seems on t.v., it's even MORE impressive in person. How did they build it? It's enormous! I'm looking forward to the tour tomorrow.

.........
Rome, Italy 3-31-06

Before I forget; we saw, a couple of days ago, an ad for Drive Beer. It featured a cop and a race car driver sharing a brew. The slogan? Drink Drive. Hmmm...

Also, there ought to be a saying in Italy, "Better to die full and smiling than live with a diet."

As for the Vatican City, I was amazed and appalled; amazed by the opulence, the artistry and the history, but appalled by the Papal veneration. As good as St. Peter's basilica truly is, it was saddening to see how little Christ was glorified in comparison to the Papacy. The basilica is filled with statues and tombs and monuments of dead popes. Where is Christ?

Compare that to the Sistine Chapel with it's frescoes of the life of Jesus, His ancestors and the prophets. No statues of dead popes, no actual dead popes at all, no monuments. It is almost entirely centered on the Bible and Jesus Christ, as all good churches ought to be. We had only 20 minutes in the chapel itself, but I wish it had been hours. It is such a masterpiece that it absolutely enthralls you. The art is special in a way only someone as inspired as Michelangelo could manage.


We also saw the Colosseum and the Trevi fountain. (It was a rather full day, even for the tour.) The Colosseum was breathtaking. I had no idea that it took its name from the Colossus. I guess I'm just a little dense that way. It never occurred to me that the Colossus once stood in the same location. Closing one's eyes and picturing it in its original glory one can only surmise that it would easily surpass any modern equivalent. Like many works we have seen here, it is unfathomable to think that they could be restored to their original grandeur, the cost being simply too high. And that is also the reason that nothing new is being built that could compare with the old masterpieces. I mean, seriously, look at the Trevi fountain. Who could imagine the cost to design and build its equivalent today?! Its sad to think that art has fallen so far.

A final note: Mandi and I haven't seen the kids now for nearly a full week. It wears on us. We love them so much, its hard to be away so long. How do couples who get divorced deal with us? It would be like having someone slice open your heart every time they left your custody.

Lord, keep them safe. I pray the time would pass quickly until we are all united again, happy, healthy and whole once more.

.........
Florence, Italy 4-1-06
April Fool's Day

No joke, we're seriously in Michelangelo's favorite haunt. Tomorrow we'll go to the Galleria dell' Academia and see the David. Today, however, sure felt like a joke. First, I had to wait for six elevators to go by before I finally caught the seventh, which was going up, not down as I wanted. I almost missed breakfast completely. Later, I tried to buy a liter of water, but only found 1.5L bottles, then mistakenly bought the type that contains gas, soda water! Finally, I thought I'd take a chance on a wild boar meat sandwich at lunch in San Gimignano... Big mistake. It was awful on a level I have rarely experienced. Even dad thought it was bad, and he knows wild game. Who would have thought that I'd ever meet a piece of pork I didn't like? Oh well.

My dad today had his pocket picked at an open-air market a few blocks from our hotel here in Florence. The amazing thing is that my father, at 60 years old, chased the guy down and got his wallet back! Holy cow!

San Gimignano is amazing also. I know, I write that about every place we go here. Maybe I have a soft spot for medieval/renaissance towns, but it's true. San Gimignano is this tiny medieval town about an hour outside of Florence. It sits on top of a hill and is really the town that time forgot. There's an old well, stone, dead center in the middle of the town square, scored deeply y centuries of usage by the people. The square itself is framed all around by buildings dating back so far that there [are] only a few access streets to the square itself. Its like being in the bottom of a tall brick box, there are no alleys or back entrances- except perhaps through a shop. All you can see are medieval buildings that serve as homes and businesses for the people who live here. One has the impression that if you turned back the clock a millennium or so, there wouldn't be much difference. San Gimignano is beautiful, relaxed, inspiring. I wish we had more than 2 hours to enjoy it. I wish I hadn't ordered the wild boar at lunch in the square, but overall, it was one of those experiences you have that you just can't hardly believe are happening, even in the midst of it.

Our hotel here in Florence, the Hotel Albani, is NICE. We have a skylight in our room, and there is no closet, only a huge wardrobe I'd kill to have at home. Its in walking distance of Il Duomo as well. If we ever come back it will be to Venice, but if we ever wind up here in Florence again I'd love to stay here in the Albani. It's the only hotel on the trip I can say that about.

.........
Stresa, Italy 4.2.06

I can see Switzerland from here. Our hotel, the Hotel Speranza Au Lac, sits at the base of the Italian Alps, just north of Milan, and our room faces the mountains and overlooks the lake. I've seen the Andes, the Carpathians and every major mountain chain in North America (really!), but the view outside our window this morning, the sun rising over Lago Maggiore and the Italian Alps, tops them all. I am in love, or at least infatuated. I want to come back and hike here, and in Switzerland. It took us 5 hours to bus here from Florence, "Firenze," but it was worth it if we ever return.

Florence itself was a letdown. I say that not because the city wasn't beautiful, but because there is far too much to see in the few hours we had to visit. Ponto Vecchio, Il Duomo, Galleria dell' Accademia, the Ufizzi... we saw only a fraction of any of it. Sad really.

The highlight of it all though, and one of the true highlights of the trip overall, was seeing Michelangelo's David in the Accademia. If I never see another pieve of art, I am satisfied. I have seen the Mona Lisa and the Venus in the L'Ouvre, I've toured the Prado and the Reina Sofia in Madrid, I've been inside castles and cathedrals all over Europe, I've even been to Petra, and David trumps them all. He seems alive, and very much reaches into your soul. It never occurred to me that a churck of simple rock could grab you like that, but David is riveting. The detail is incredible, but the emotion, the power of the piece, is just overwhelming. I could stare for hours and not get bored. Bravo, Michelangelo, bravo!

Lunch was again at a sidewalk cafe in the city square overlooking magnificent sculptures and architecture centuries older than the entire U.S.A. Wonderful! To sit there looking at cobblestones that felt the likes of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, the Medicis... Wonderful. And the weather was perfect as well. Warm and sunny, as it was all week. (It sprinkled one evening, and was cool enough for a windbreaker in Venice, but perfect all the same.)

.........
Somewhere over the Atlantic 4-3-06

We're going home now. My heart is saddened to know that it will be weeks (months?) before I see mom and dad, Danielle and Gilbert again. The trip was nice, a good introduction to Italy, if a bit of a whirlwind. Looking backon the past week and all that we saw, I am stunned. The breathtaking vistas, the medieval town squares, the highways and walkways and canals... Italy is a special place.

Still, in spite of the pain of leaving such a beautiful place and the joy of family, there is the blessing of returning to our childen. Nate, Alyssa and Anna are waiting for our return and I long to see them again.

Earlier in this flight they showed the film Cheaper By the Dozen 2, in which a zealous father struggles to come to terms with his children growing up- and away. It was all I could do to wipe away the tears of heartache watching him deal with one of his girls going on her first date. [As I type these notes out two years later, I am still totally unprepared for my own daughters to grow up. They will always be my baby girls.]

The movie is a comedy, but the thought of seeing Alyssa growing into that just hurts inside. She's six now, and in a few more years I'll have to deal with her dating. I'm SO not ready. She's my little girl, now and always. The idea of her reaching out to anyone not mommy or daddy for affection tears me apart. I love her too much to let go... She's growing so fast!

And about 2 seconds later there'll be Anna. I think she's growing up faster than Aly. They're just babies, and I wish I could keep it that way.

Lucky for me, there's Nate. My boy. My son. Of whom I have nothing but pride and love for. Whereas Anna and Alyssa will be forbidden to date until I'm dead, Nate could start now. Why is that I wonder? Why am I not afraid to lose him as I am the girls? Why this double standard? I don't know. Boys and girls are different. I only hope they understand. I will give them all I can as a father. Nothing else will do.

.........
Atlanta, GA 4-4-06

I pray, Lord, that you would curse Delta Airlines. Repay them ten-fold the frustration, stress and inconvenience they have caused us and countless others this day. Bring swiftly upon them the reckoning their foolishness, ineptitude and apathy has earned...

We've been traveling now for about 28 hours. Delta added a leg to our itinerary, Baltimore. Then they cancelled our flight out of Baltimore, reinstated it, then cancelled our next leg out of Atlanta. So we were issued travel vouchers for a hotel, only, by the time they finished rebooking us, the vouchers were invalid. Of course we didn't find that out until we'd cleared security and couldn't get back into the airport terminal to sleep somewhere "comfortable" like a carpeted floor. So, we scrambled some more and wound up paying $50- out of pocket for a room at the Motel 6. With luck, we'll be in Tulsa only 16 hours behind schedule.

.
.
.
I learned on the same day that I prayed tha curse that Delta's pilot union went on strike shortly thereafter (hours, in fact). Yay God. Also, they stranded the rest of our family in Salt Lake City. So we all got the shaft. What really rubs salt in it all is that we were offered $1,000 each to get bumped back a day coming out of Milan. Why?! Next time, I'm taking the money.

Oh yeah, the final itinerary:
Delta Air from Milan to New York
Delta Air from New York to Baltimore
Delta Air from Baltimore to Atlanta
Continental Air from Baltimore to Houston
Continental Air from Houston to Tulsa

And you wouldn't believe this if it weren't true, but Delta, after having transferred us to Continental at 1am on Tuesday morning, fought with me for 30 minutes at 10am when we showed up at their counter to check in for the flight. Even though they knew we were already transferred, they tried to refuse us the documentation we needed to get cleared at Continental. Bastards! May Delta go bankrupt forever!