The Hills Are Alive

Wow...Today was crazy. But before I start on that I just wanted to say that I will get around to talking about this weekend and yesterday...later. Today however, I will talk about now. Jack was sick yesterday and still had a fever this morning, so he stayed home. my dad had taken a visiting group from the states out to Morija and stayed there over night, so I had to help get the kids ready for school...I think they helped more than I did. Andrew cooked ham and cheese eggs and Alifa cooked the sausages. Basically I crawled out of bed and made it to the table silver (they race to the table). And helped serve breakfast and pour drinks... after I woke up a little otherwise there may have been some wet laps! Mom took AndAlZack to school and Jack and I started a movie. Just after mom got back Tim called and said that Traig was going to set up a satellite at the hanger to try and see what went wrong with one out in the field, and he needed some help. Mom and I stopped by Pep (the Lesotho version of wal-mart) to pick out some work shoes because my Batas are finished as it is and I'm going to be in or around snow up in the southern Mountains of Lesotho. Then she dropped me at the hanger. I helped Joe on another inspection while George, another Mosotho/American volunteer, helped Traig on the satellite until lunch. After lunch we finished the satellite setup and George and I helped out around the hanger. I have to go to sleep now, because I need to be up at 6. It is very late ... at 9:20pm! Hahaha...yup. I get back on Thursday afternoon and will have a tale to tell then...and I wont forget about this past weekend either.

What I will be doing this Saturday!!!!

I get to watch SA vs Wales in Bloemfontein on saturday.... tomorrow!!!!

Something Powerful

I found this when I was bored and googled my sister's name.

But for the grace of God, that could be any of us.
-My mom

I thought of some of the people my friend Morgan is working with in florida this summer. These people need our love and need to understand that they are loved, and lovable. That the are significant, but more than that they are pursued, and loved more than they, or we, could ever imagine by the creator of everything!

It is a powerful video that you can find at this link, or by clicking on the picture below:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1321280105/bctid1326153170







Morgan's blog is very thought provoking. It is at http://redrainbootsgreengrass.blogspot.com/

Under or in a Plane

Today I woke up at the crack of dawn again and after breakfast and the dropping of the kids, Dad dropped me off at the hanger to spend the day there. I was first put to work scraping silicone off the bottom of Mike Hotel, it sealed the compartment that fits on the bottom of the plane. It seemed like I got lots of menial jobs, but I was happy doing them. They are taking their time doing things so that they (the pilots and the mechanics) can teach me, and I am extremely grateful for that. Especially Joe, he is the head Sotho mechanic, and is waiting on his pilots license to come through. He has taken me under his wing so to speak and has been a blessing. Today we worked to the sounds of an eighties mix that someone had in the CD player. Everyone sang along as they walked through the hanger...even if they didn't know the words. I've found that I really enjoy working there, even if they have me scrubbing the oil stains off the bottom of the plane... I was having fun... I helped put in the spark plugs and battery and the cowling and lots of other little things, but I was having fun, and wanted to find other things to do. I wanted to share some pictures. They were supposed to show up in a slide show up at the top, and may yet...

(Joe with his hand stuck in Mike Hotel)

(the sign on the main road outside the airstrip)

(Tim leaving for Bobete)

(The Hanger - home to the LFDS and MAF)

Boxes and boxes of needles and knives!

Well today was a busy day. It started nice and slow... which was good, because I didn't fall asleep til around 11:45. I woke up several times as Andrew was getting ready for school. He obviously hasn't shared his room recently (we are in bunk beds, and I got the top bunk!). I got a few more hours of sleep until mom and one of her Australian friends sat down for tea... not in Andrews room mind you, but in the dining room right next to it. I heard the power go off when their tea kettle stopped boiling... anyhow I eventually got up and dressed. I had a naartjie (or a tangerine) for breakfast and sat with my mom and her friend til I really woke up and then I called the hanger and asked if they had anything for me to do, but nobody was around, so I left a message with the secretary and lay down on the couch to read. My mom came in and asked if I wanted to go run errands with her in Maseru. We walked around finding things here and there and meeting people I didn't remember, but knew me quite well when I was "this big". We went to see Me Mavis, a lady that runs an orphan care center in Maseru that Katie came from. Her place had changed ALOT since I had last been there (somewhere around 2002 maybe). Eventually we had to go pick up the little boys, and the hanger had called my dad. My mom and I went by the hanger (it was close to Me Mavis' place) and talked to Tim. He said there was a container to unpack for Partners In Health. I asked them if I could go for lunch and they asked me to pick up some chicken and chips and cokes for them. We went by and picked up the little boys and ate lunch. I've got to go to bed, I'll finish this in the morning... well It's afternoon now... and I'm still sleepy. Yesterday I went after lunch I went to hungry lion to get chicken and chips while my mom went to pick up Andrew. She picked me a little later and we went back to the hanger. I just helped unload a 20ft container of medical supplies and distributed them into boxes going to the six PIH health centers. and then separated them into emergency boxes and other and lumbar puncture trays. We then packed them into a MAF 40 ft container. I got an invitation from Traig Friedrich, one of the pilots to do an overnight trip to Lebokong to install a satellite next week! I worked in the containers with Dr. Sean and Me Mampho until 5 or so and then got a lift home. Then din din and bed... as always

Something to think about

I was watching a bit of TV today and this ad came on that talked about our greatest fear, and in several parts I felt they should mention God, but they didn't. I later found the original online and felt like I should share it.

Our Greatest Fear

Marianne Williamson from her book "A Return to Love"

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

In The Hanger

Today was incredible! It was long, but worth every minute. I woke up at 7:00 and got dressed and to the table (half asleep). My dad and I dropped off the three little kids at their schools (their schools start at 7:55) and he took me to the old airport. Traffic was crazy, there were three lanes of minibus taxis turning into one lane of traffic, and they all wanted to be first. We were three minibuses across at one point in time.

(similar to this)

When we finally arrived at the airport we parked and walked around to the front of the hanger. I saw Tim Vannell, whom I had met in December when I was here, walking from one of the planes to the hanger. He was on duty, he and another pilot were making several flights in and out all day long. They have five planes, one was getting an engine overhaul, one was getting a 500 hour check up, and the others were running all day. I met Brad Westom, my dad had pointed him out to me at church on yesterday. He introduced me to Mike Shutts and Bob Dontje that I would be helping out. Mike is the head mechanic and the first order of business was to get a propeller onto a venture to take it for painting. I helped Bob move a pallet under the chain wench in the hanger to put an old engine on, they had just replaced an engine in one of the Cessna 206s, and we wheeled the old engine over to the wench and eventually got it off its post and onto the pallet. Our hands were covered in oil. I helped install several air hoses and some odd jobs around the hanger. I didn't have any lunch because I didn't know how long I would be there. But that was ok because in the afternoon Bob and I did a full inspection of one of the planes that called Mike Hotel, because is number is 7P-CMH. We had to wait around for quite a while because the power was off, and some of the tests for the plane's inspection needed electricity. Bob tried to get Brad to let us take Mike Hotel out to warm it up for it's inspection and just as we were getting ready Brad came and said that we needed to take a corpse to Nohana. I was picturing a body laying next to me strapped in while Brad and Bob flew. It turned out the corpse was a very small child in a coffin and he fit in the compartment under the plane, and I sat next to his father who was very much alive. We packed two bags of charcoal and a bag of wood in the tail of the plane. I learned earlier about the weight calculations and fuel calculations, so everyone had to be weighed. I got an extra headset so I could listen in and talk to the pilots while we flew. It was amazing. We said a prayer before leaving, and I watched excitedly as the went through the pre-fight check. Bob was called to Lesotho out of retirement, he worked for MAF in Indonesia for 14 years, and had retired 9 years ago, due to scheduling mix-ups MAF Lesotho was short handed. Bob had been in the country only two weeks and was still learning about each of the airstrips, so Brad had to come with us. It was an awesomely beautiful day, the sun was breaking through the clouds in bright patches and the rivers were sparkling in the sunlight. Lesotho has some incredible mountains and flying around them was breathtaking. We had a smooth landing in Nohana and dropped off the Basotho man and his son, they were picked up by the ambulance from the local health center. We then headed to Nkau, just a few minutes north east of Nohana, to drop off the charcoal and wood. Both landing strips were gravel and perched on top of some of the flat-topped sotho mountains. On our way back to Maseru we flew by Semongkong falls. I wish I had a camera, but I found an older picture.

I will have a camera next time I go up. Anywho we landed in Maseru 2 hours after we left, and started to complete the inspection we had started earlier. there was an oil leak out the right front cylinder and they continued to work on that awhile. It was 4:15 and I hadn't had lunch yet I was a little peckish and called my parents to come and get me. I got home and all the kids were back and running around my mom had fixed me late lunch while she was working on dinner. well... it's late now, just after ten! and I need to rest for tomorrow...

Kids in the Afternoon

Sunday at home.

Wow I didn't even know how much I missed being in a worship service like the one I was in today! It was incredible. The sermon was about Abraham and his faith in God when he was told to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. Regretfully I didn't quite catch the whole sermon because my body thought it was 4am...and I dozed a bit. I played with some of the little kids on the playground. We came home and had lunch, and during naptime I setup my hammock outside to read. I promptly fell asleep, but when I woke up I watched big, dark, majestic clouds rolling across the planes and up the mountains, and I could only stare in amazement at the power and beauty of something as frequently seen as clouds. My mom has had to deal with some volunteers that are not culturally aware. Kids my age that grew up in the west and had never really been taught the importance of respect. Respect for their elders, and respect for another's culture. I'm not generalizing, and saying that everyone that grew up in the west has issues with respect. I am saying though that people of different cultures interacting need to try not to jump to conclusions or judge people by their words or actions based on their cultures, but the culture of the person they are interacting with. does that make any sense? I am going to have to post this tomorrow... dad turned off the internet for the night.

I found this article on lonelyplanet.com, and I thought it was interesting.


Culture Shock vs Cultural Connection

One of the best things about traveling is making connections with people from different cultures, in an authentic and mutually enjoyable way.

* 'Cultural sensitivity' is simply a matter of respect: take your behavioral cues from the locals and, if in doubt, try to see things from the locals' point of view.
* Go with the flow. Other cultures have very different concepts of time, personal space and socially acceptable behavior. You'll find it a lot less stressful - and a lot more enlightening - if you just chill out. You might even reassess your own ideas.

* Dress appropriately. Looking at the locals is a good way to gauge what to wear. Particularly in conservative cultures, don't flaunt your flesh and try to be neat and clean - it's only respectful.
* Try to be conservative with resources such as water, food and energy - you may be depriving local people or making a negative impact on their environs.
* Buying locally made crafts and curios means your money goes directly to the community.
* Enjoy the ancient art of bargaining: part pas-de-deux, part drama, part chess-game, bargaining is a skill and an art form. It's as much about the social interaction as the final outcome. Make sure you know when bargaining is appropriate - and when it's not. Have fun with it and keep things in perspective - does haggling over that last dollar really make a difference to you, compared to the vendor?

It's when you make those cross-cultural connections - even though initially you may have thought you had nothing in common - that it hits you again: people are the same wherever they're from; we all have the same needs and desires, aspirations and affections. Reveling in that realization is the holy grail of traveling. (Lonely Planet)

Airplane Choo

May 31
Well, its official… I have jetlag. It’s about 1:30 am in Joburg and 7:30 pm EST and I’ve slept less than four hours, and I’m not tired. Let me tell you about the trip. I woke up at 7:45 Thursday morning and had breakfast with Grandmommy and Ntate Moholo (my mother’s parents) and we finished sticking the last few things I was asked to bring in my roll on. We went by the bank on the way out of town to pick up some traveling cash and some dollars for my parents. My grandparents and I got to the Asheville airport at about 9:45 and I checked in (two hours? Departure time?) I went through security, got a cup of coffee and tried to set up a flight tracker. My first flight was Asheville to Charlotte and we had a mid-sized twin-engine prop plane. That flight lasted a whole twenty minutes. I came into the terminal and saw that I came in right across from the gate my next flight was from. I went and sat at the gate and called several friends to say goodbye. Before I knew it it was time to get on the plane to Washington. This plane was still small, but it was a jet. The lady sitting in front of me was going to Alaska (she had lived there for 18 years) and our one stewardess was from England (just south of London). I was starving by the time we got to Washington, and I had at least a two-hour layover. So… I went to the gate I was going to depart from to SA, and right across the terminal was a Fuddruckers! I had to have a one pounder to tide me over until we ate on the plane (US Airways doesn’t even give out a free snack anymore). But thankfully my puddle jumping flight was with South African Airlines (they have some of the best airplane food I’ve ever tasted). So in DC I ate and read my book, and watched the other passengers. I love watching people, and there’s no place like the airport to watch people interact with others. I listened to a group of hunters talking about their previous hunting trips up to the Arctic Circle killing bear, moose, and caribou. I could tell by the way they were dressed they were going to be met by a wealthy safari company to go hunting zebra and antelope. There was a group of college students from Oklahoma, and at least two groups of mission trips. I liked trying to guess peoples nationality by their dress. I think I was right 90% of the time. We had some Brits, Indians, South Africans, Americans and at least one Frenchman. I’m going to have to finish this when we get to Lesotho. My battery is dying.

The trip went by quite quickly, I watched American Gangster, P.S. I Love You, the Great Debaters, and just for my sister Alifa, Enchanted. SA served us beef roast with mashed potatoes, peas and carrots. Wow it was fantastic. Breakfast was scrambled eggs and fresh fruit. I went through immigration and straight through customs and out into the arrivals area and the wait began. I had no cell phone and I learned about patience... My parents had the wrong arrival time, I arrived early...and I was picked up 2 hours after I arrived. It was a fun experience, one I hadn't had in quite some time. The little kids met us at the baptist guest house, and we went to dinner at a restaurant called mike's kitchen. Then we came back and went to bed... and I started writing this. This morning we packed up the land cruiser and headed south towards Lesotho. We arrived the border around 5pm I got in line for immigration while the rest drove on home. I walked through the South African side and on through the Lesotho side and started walking towards the house. My mom and dad went out on a date tonight while I baby sat the little 4. These are some of the shenanigans we got up to...

Choo spot two

We have a great God. Today I was allowed to share in a God filled situation, I guess all situations are God filled. A friend of mine is traveling to another country and was supposed to fly to ORD and then overseas on Monday. But her visa was denied but just like the servant send to find a wife for Isaac, the prayers were answered before they were even prayed. As it turned out the visa came through miraculously in less than 12 hours (she was told that it was impossible). In my reading I came across a short poem

The thing I ask when God leads me to pray,
Begins in that same act to come my way.

I was reminded of this when I called her this morning on a "whim". Our God is a great God. We seriously under estimate God , for some reason we think that if we can't do it no one can, then there are times that we cant do anything and He steps in and reveals that He was always there.

I also got to SCUBA dive in the Montreat swimming pool today trying to clean out the leaves and twigs from the bottom with a pool vacuum. It was quite frigid. I think I had the first stages of hypothermia it was so cold. I cant wait until I get to see all my little brothers and my sister Alifa, just a few plane rides away!

Choo spot one

It's two days till I leave the country for six weeks... and I haven't started packing yet (all I have in my backpack is my eno hammock). In fact I am about twenty miles away from all of the things I need to pack and today will be going the opposite direction. Procrastination... must be genetic. Oh well... I just talked to me ma and dad on skype and got to see Jack and Isaac. The little boys have been counting the "sleeps" til I get there, and I must admit I've been counting too. I am getting more and more excited. This is my first blog ever and it will probably start out quite ugly, but I hope it gets better as time moves on. Sometimes I may revert to my wog, so some of my words might not make sense right off. My sister Jesse has a cool blog at jldimmock.blogspot.com

Just for those that don't know what woggishness/wogs are:

WAWG-gish-nes, n., Colonial British: the quality of being a wog. This includes a general love of all things African (especially chai, wearing flip flops, speaking with a wog accent, often being dirty, smelly and unshaven - and not minding it, etc...).

(it's kind of like slang from RVA)