July 2012 Update
We were on our way home after spending about a week in Santa Cruz doing Mission business! Yippee! The wind was against us, though, so our going was really slow. Flying at 16,500 we met a huge cloud bank that was too high to get over and Dwight did not want to get too low because of the mountains so he made the decision to go back. So back we went to Santa Cruz! We were finally able to make it home on Saturday. I was SO glad to get back to my own bed and home!
But then right away we stepped into the activities of the church’s 15th anniversary the same day we arrived. Then the following weekend was three days of ladies’ retreat. (Dwight was one of the “taxi drivers” who shuttled ladies back and forth, who couldn’t stay the night at the retreat center.) This last weekend was an activity with the three groups of Children’s Ministries. They were all brought to the church where they had a Bible lesson and time of games and snack. Several of us women had prepared a small gift of a comb, small mirror, and a little container of shampoo. Along with that, some literature had been prepared to go with the gifts in hopes that the parents would read them. This next week end (Sunday) we need to take off for Santa Cruz again, in order to do the end of month business once again.
Dwight got in several flights this month. One was to help out an NGO airplane. Their twin engine got a flat tire on landing, so Dwight was able to take their mechanic and parts and tools up, to get it repaired. While there, he was able to fly over to another community to get an elderly man who was quite sick, to get him to a nearby clinic. Then another flight was to bring a team of doctors from a community back to Cochabamba.
But then as the plane was being put through an inspection, it was decided the cylinders should be removed because of low compression. So last week and this week, the two mechanics have been diligently working as we get the plane up and running again. We have several young men that are helping as they want to get experience working with us in the hanger. Two of them are Bolivians and one is from Brazil. Pray that the work will go well and that after the flight test we can accomplish the necessary flights.
A TOAD! Oh, I guess not, it is just my poor husband! This morning I woke up to finding him looking like a lopsided toad! His one cheek was all swollen! (Not even a kiss from his lovely wife could fix it!) I was able to get him into the dentist right away and one of his molars has an infection and needs a root canal. So he is on antibiotic and anti-inflammatory before starting the process. The dentist will do a temporary on Sat so he can travel on Sunday and be gone for a week.
I am so happy that all three of my girls will be able to have their discipleship with me before I take off again. One has been really sick, another one was having a lot going on with her college classes, and the other one lives so far away it is hard for her to make it sometimes for lack of public transportation. Pray for these girls!
Pray also for Mamita’s and Doris’s salvation. I have not been able to go by the market and see them for several weeks now.