The Hard Way

The teacher, John the Mennonite.

Last weekend Heidi and I tagged along with Dave, Delia and their four month old bambino on an overnight trip to see a friend that lives up the valley from Samique past Wachochi. A location becomes a village when more than one family lives there and from a distance you can spot a town by the cleared ground for growing corn. John the Mennonite lives in just such a place, two hours walk from the nearest road and road is a loose translation of a sketchy logging trail where Dave should never drive his van. You can easily spot John from a distance and recognise him by his lanky body and long stride lengthened by hundreds of miles of trail troding in his sandals cut from a car tire and skinny Amish beard squaring off his ruddy good looks. John seems wise beyond his years and talks easily and honestly of the trials and problems he has and sees and the joy in his life pours out of his body like water from a spring. John originally hailed from Tennessee but God clearly placed him with the Tarahumura Indians and he came and found a bright eyed young Tarahumare to marry and now he is sowing his oats evidenced by two rugged children. John has hewn out a life for himself in this jagged rock strewn territory but it was his sweet tooth what allowed me the chance to meet him in the first place. He had come to town, a full days walk with the children, to get his fill of Coke and cookies and run a few errands before strapping on the kids and hiking the eight hours back home! Every Sunday John leaves at dawn and walks to several villages to share what he has learned from the Bible as most of the people can not read and there are very few writings in the Tarahumura language. He returns before the sun makes its exit from the evening sky, on most nights, to enjoy his family. It is interesting experiencing the adventure of the teachers life when it has worn off for them but through our eyes still vivid, dangerous, and strangely alluring.

The days and nights since then have been filled with projects, chief among them for me is helping Dave complete the annual inspection on the super cub they use for the mission hospital. For Heidi, helping out at the hospital and hanger where ever needed has been her work de jouir. On the mundane side several of Heidi's hours were filled by plucking a pinch of cotton from a pile to make a cotton ball while listening to the fellow laborers talk, in Spanish, about all the goings on around the place. Heidi has also been asked to cut and paint and install trim in the guest bedroom and tend to the home made water filter that is being tested for use with the locals for personal use. We are stoked to feel needed and soaking up the experience, loving every minute of it!!

There exists no politician in India daring enough to attempt to explain to the masses that cows can be eaten.

Gandhi

No Mi Gusta Raton

"Usually we don't take Saturdays off" is what Dave said so I thought our corn picking foray with the "disco" might be a leisurely afternoon. After doing some house to house hunting for a disco, not exactly sure what it was in the first place, we finally gave up (Dave found one later). The sights and smells that filled my head and burned my eyes were amazing in the van filled with Dave's family as we bumped down the rutted gravel road toward the ranch where his in-laws farm their crop of corn. This crop will provide their corn supply for the year giving them tortillas, corn on the cob, and any other possible concoction imaginable.

It is a good harvest this year, they will have corn through the winter. The peaches and apples have come in strong as well and canning will allow for more good food this winter. It is a privilege to be a part of this process. No machinery is available so the work is all done by hand. We hand shuck the corn on the plant, with sore thumbs to prove it, then toss the cob into a burlap bag to haul up to the cabin. We kick the stalk over when done and when the bag is full heave it to the shoulder and walk up the hill, climb the ladder, and add it to the drying pile!

The "disco" did come in handy in the middle of the days work. The "disco" did not provide just the right atmosphere for a party though in one sence I guess it did. It is a cast iron concave cooking pan with legs to straddle a fire. Dave's wife Delia made us an amazing lunch on the device and we ate like royalty under a juniper tree in a picturesque valley of the high sierra.

Back to the beginning. Our last few days in Portland with Laura were chuck full of activities. One of the highlights was running to Goodwill to grab a couple wallets to fake out the pickpocket's when a spontaneous cloths swap happened. We really felt bad about rousing Laura the morning we left at four AM to catch our six AM flight but we were off and made it to Chihuahua with out a problem and our bags followed like faithful puppies. Dave from Mexico Medical Mission, a college friend, met us at the airport after driving all the way from San Antonio, TX. After a spectacular drive through the high sierra and down through some rugged canyons we arrived at the mission hanger that we would call home for the next month.

"He was like a butterfly that flew over several flowers and landed on a cow pattie."

John the Menonite

Crabs

We started the week sleeping on the floor in an abandoned house. Reid, Eike, Heidi and I drove over to the coast for the weekend to hang on the beach and hopefully fill our dinner plate with fresh crab. After visiting the Tillamook cheese factory we found a picturesque beach to make dinner and ate fresh Cod over the hot coals. The next morning we were unable to use the bathroom with no running water so Heidi and I found a nice spot to relieve ourselves and a huge huckelberry patch at the same time! The crabbing adventure payed off and after a few tries our skills were sharpened and the crabs started flowing into our boat. We only caught one keeper of the Dungeness but many smaller rock crabs. We dined that night on fresh huckelberries and sweet crab meat!

The next several days we moved over to my sister Laura's house with Dan and Kai and we enjoyed several days running errands and picking up last minute items for our trip. We also took a day to design and sew pack covers for our backpacks to make them less conspicuous and slightly waterproof. Heidi and I made ourselves useful and took up some house projects for Dan and Laura in the midst of eating great food and enjoying Laura, Dan, and Kai's company.

In order to get Mom and Dad Robertson to ourselves for a day Heidi and I left early for Maupin Oregon before her brothers, Nathan and Jared, arrived. We filled our days with them seeing the sights including the local Bible camp, hiking the gorge, seeing White River Falls and scoping the Deschutes river for our rafting trip. When the boys showed we headed down to the river and Heidi and I tried our hands at the rapids first. The first section was punctuated by long flat stretches on the water where I became convinced that days in these little crafts might not be all that comfortable. The second half of our journey made me forget my aching legs and concentrate on navigating the walls of water ahead. Shooting the largest rapid just as planned we hooped and hollered as the family watched from shore. The good sections of river came in quicker succession and we rallied through them all. At the end Heidi didn't quite get up her speed and a big standing wave caught her and sent her over. A short swim later we met on shore with all our parts and pieces. Twenty pushups on the rocks made me the loser as neither of the boys flipped their rafts as they plied the same waters.

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.

C. S. Lewis

WE'RE OFF

And we're off. The match has begun, in one corner we have Heidi the Freight Train Wilder weighing in at a lean 144.6 lbs and the other corner we have Lyle the Cyclone Wilder tipping the scales at a hefty 165.9 lbs. One week down, 31 to go. Feeling guilty for leaving but very excited, we flew out of our precious, comfortable home for the journey of a life time, leaving our comfort zone in the dust. Our trip officially started on Oct. 1st when we left Port Alsworth, however, I think the adventure started several weeks before as Lyle and I frantically finished up the "must do" list before departing.

So far the journey has been better than anticipated. Before leaving Alaska Rhet and Rebecca had us out to the valley for a fun evening with friends. Lyle had a great time catching up with old friends and I enjoyed building new friendships with his compadres (I'm practicing my spanish : ). Thank you Rhet and Rebecca!! While in Anchorage, Lyle and I also had the privilege of being a part of a new life in Alison and Dennis' delivery of their baby! (no Lyle did not practice his doctor skills) Alison went into labor 3 weeks early and it was a great experience fo us to share that time with them. Seeing Dennis and Alison only hours after the baby was born allowed us to share in their tremendous joy over their new little bundle of fun and witness their first sleepless night!

October 3rd Lyle and I winged our way to Portland, OR. where we have been doing house remodel projects, running most every day, eating delicious food, rafting the Clackamas river, and enjoying crazy good weather!! Reid and Eike TenKley have been putting up with us for a week now and we have savored every day with them. Truly, it has been such a joy for me to have a relaxed, informal environment to get to know my new cousins better. Lyle has been trying to work out some opportunities to sell our salmon at local farmers markets here in Portland. I am excited about the future of Iliamna Fish Co. and visits with Eike have given me some real concrete ideas about ways I can come along side Lyle and help him grow our fish business, which is a real answer to prayer.

On Wednesday Lyle and I drove to the Clackamas river, inflated our pack rafts, and explored the river. Apparently we went through some class 2 and 3 rapids and for only my 3rd time pack rafting I was feeling pretty jolly good about myself. The truth of the matter is, I have a good guide who looks out for me. After five miles or so we finally decided to pry ourselves from the water and we embarked on my first hitch-hike ride back to our car, very exciting! A little disapointed but releived we didn't have a psycho driver, we returned to our car unscathed. Thursday night we joined the TenKley clan for a dance lesson where we were introduced to the waltz! It was a blast, such a great time. Dancing with Lyle is never boring and to share the experience with family was awesome. We loved it!!

As I reflect on the last week there is one word that comes to mind: Rest. I feel like this time in Portland has been a time of rest. We have been able to catch up on much needed sleep, we have been able to get some quality exercise, and most importantly we have been able to spend more valuable time in God's word and in prayer-together. The more I experience quiet time with the Lord and with Lyle the more I am convinced of the tremendous value of a quiet time together. We are both drawn closer together and we encourage and challenge each other in our personal walk with the God. And prayer, there is power when two or more pray together, praise the Lord for this time!

Speaking of prayer, I know some of you out there are praying for Lyle and I, thank you!! On Sunday before we left Pastor James had the church pray for us and it was fantastic for me to feel the Holy Spirit move as so many believers gathered around us and lifted us up, it was so energizing, uplifting, humbling, encouraging, exciting! For those of you praying for us we would ask that you pray that both of us have open ears and soft hearts to the Holy Spirit's leading. During our trip there will be a fair amount of time when we will not be working with a specific mission group and I think during this time it will be easier for us to get wrapped up in satisfying our own desires. We just don't want to be so distracted that we miss opportunities God may have for us to serve others, be a testimony, and glorify Him. Therefore, we want to constantly be listening for His leading.

We love all of you and are so thankful that the Lord has given us so many people who care for us so deeply.

Schedule Me

I swallowed hard and pulled the trigger.

It was hard seeing it go, it took so many years to grow and now it is gone.

We finally bought our tickets, the tickets for our trip and now the bank account is withering. We are counting down the days and feeling the time crunch to get our chores done. Only a few "Have To Do" items remain and the weight on our minds grow lighter. I wanted to publish a list of our travel dates and locations to let you know where and when we'll be and to invite any of you to join us along the way! Seriously consider it, lets meet up in Egypt and explore the pyramids together or in Tanzania and climb Kili together, or maybe in Peru and we'll surf the beaches and explore Pachu Picchu or raft part of the Amazon!

- OK here goes -

Alaska to Portland - October 3rd


Portland to Mexico - October 21st

Mexico to Thailand - November 18th

Thailand to Egypt - February 11th

Egypt to Kenya - February 27th

Kenya overland to South Africa

South Africa to Brazil - April 6th

Brazil overland to Peru

Peru to Panama - May 6th

Panama to Alaska May 15th

All right now you know, its your job to come! See you there!

The New Wild(er)

At this point in my life I find myself on the craziest adventure I could ever imagine. First, I got married to the best man I know last December and as all of you married people know that is the craziest adventure of all time. Second, I quit my teaching job, the job I spent over seven years of my life training for, thinking about, and planning for and have become a commercial fisherman and a receptionist/dispatcher/whatever else needs to be done person. Third, Lyle and I have decided to spend seven months travelling around the world, seeing the sights, checking out several mission organizations, and most importatnly seeking the Lord's will for our life together.

With these three major changes in my life I find myself doing and experiancing things I have never done before, never imagined doing before. I often find myself completely out of my comfort zone just looking around for some clue as to what our next move may be. However, through all this newness, that can bring discomfort, God is bringing amazing blessings that I could have never received had I stayed in my comfort zone. I have a Godly, tender hearted, protective, funny man who is constantly trying to love me the way God loves me. Lyle's devotion to me has been one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me and I have seen a real picture of how Christ loves me through Lyle's love for me. Praise the Lord for a Godly husband. I also have a part in a thriving commericial fishing family and buisness and learning to fish this summer was so much fun. I was able to get durty, live on a boat, pick fish, and hang out on the sea in the sun (praise the Lord it was sunny most of the time). Most of all Lyle and I had a chance to do something together that was high stakes, dangerous and lucritive. It was a growing and bonding experiance for us to see each other in that tough environment and I look foward to next season! I also have a year of travel set before me that will challenge me, force me to rely on Christ and Lyle, and give me a "reality check" of what life is really like for most people on the planet. I have dreamed of doing the things Lyle and I have planned to do in the next year but never thought they would really be able to happen, but Lyle is a doer (to my advantage) so off we go.

When I think about the last few years and the year to come I think of Lyle's analogy of life being a river with many unknowns, rappids and whorlpools, shallow water and deep water. He is right I think, life, as God intended it, is an ADVENTURE! He intends for us to have an intimate, meaningful, completely fufilling relationship with Him where we take His out-stretched hand and willingly follow Him wherever He leads. He can lead into some crazy stuff, but there is a place inside us that desires that kind of adventure, the kind of adventure that has purpose, passion, meaning, value, the real gut wrenching stuff that cuts right to the heart and really means something because it cost something!! This kind of adventure, this kind of life attitude that is willing to abandon worldly security and comfort to follow a sometimes crazy God of the univeres is scary, terrifing, and risky. He could ask me to give up everything but that is still what we want! So, we find ourselves coming into another turn on our river and asking that the Lord will strengthen us and humble us to follow where He may lead.

His Name is "Dolly"

Dolly rhymes with Dall I think.

After a long night of packing we finally fell into bed after midnight and set the alarm for 5AM with a little sick feeling in my gut knowing the time would slip by so quickly. The relentless racket of the alarm broke my dreamless rest only moments after shutting my eyes and my arm shot out to pound the snooze button for another glorious 6 minutes of rest. The excitement of the days prospects slowly ran through my brain and and I chased them away to gain those last few moments of bliss before the buzzing returned. Finally ousted from our bed Heidi and I set about our final preparations for our adventure. We set out full speed ahead on Lake Clark and up the shore to Copper Mountain where we intended to go to the far end of the mountain to start our assault of the 4500' peak. We changed our plans a bit after seeing the large cloud cap on the top quarter of the mountain. Not wanting to get turned around in the fog on top we opted for a more cautious and probably arduous journey up the south west rib. Our fears where not ill placed and with-in hours we were battling up hill into a sea of alders. We felt like the alders were the mountains sentinels sent to protect its slopes from the human invaders and trying to turn us back at every step. Every now and then we would find a small clearing that would afford us a few modest gains but then back to the war until we were allowed to gain the high ground and set foot above tree line. The cloud cap on the mountain soon absorbed us and we crept up the hill expectantly, only able to see a few hundred yards in front of us. It was nearing noon and the thick clouds were persistent, we worked our way up the ridge and stopped to check some suspicious shapes that turned out to be rocks. Suddenly the clouds disappeared and no more than 200 yards away sat a group of nine rams resting peacefully in their ignorance of our presence. For thirty minutes or more we sat and studied our new friends trying to decide which one to take home. We finally decided on our favorite one and Heidi took care full aim. The rifle shot pierced the crisp afternoon air and all the sheep jumped to their feet and our new buddy headed down hill away from the group. We chased the poor fellow and finally got a chance for a second shot and Heidi nailed him. He plunged down the slopes and landed on his feet only to bed down behind a large rock and nurse his wounds. The fatal bullet found him in his bed and the rugged terrain swept him down hill. Over and over he rolled, end over end all the while Heidi and I willing him to stop only to see his feet once more raising over his head. Finally it came to a rest and we began to make our way down being care full not to succumb to the same fate ourselves. We were amazed to find his beautiful horns unscathed by the tremendous fall and his body hardly worse for the tumble. First came the pictures and then we set to work quartering him up for the long walk down the mountain. We boned him out on the slope to save weight and began the death march back down the mountain eyeing the alders waiting for us with open branches. Apparently those alders didn't mind us leaving their lofty terrain, we found the controlled fall down much more appealing than pushing up. Soon we were down into the woods and the lake not far in the distance. We pushed on, eager for a long drink as our water supply had run down to nothing and our mouths were feeling thirsty. A stiff walk down the beach a few miles returned us to the boat and we retrieved our packs only to head off into the waining light in search of our bed and a warm house. We had made a memory that we will not soon forget and long after the meat has passed our lips his horns will grace our wall. She called him Dolly on the way home and I thought it was an odd name for a ram but . . . it did rhyme.