Week # 11

And then there was one!

Tomorrow starts our final week of work, and it is a short one - 2 1/2 days. Hardly worth getting our clothes dirty over. It will be busy though, as we have Praise & Worship on Tuesday and Convocation on Thursday evening. Both nights are highlights of a session and bring several guests to Haggai. Wednesday evening there is a special Rotary get together for a visting GSE team from Argentina.

Yesterday I took a helicopter ride with a fellow volunteer from BC. Marlene didn't want to go this year, but I wanted to see inside the Haleackala crater, without a three day hike to do so! My pictures didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but we did get a peek at the crater. The wind bunches up clouds, so you need to fly around the clouds, but you can't go over the fence line of the Haleackala National Forest, so it is a bit of a challenge to get a decent view. Overall, it was a wonderful trip and well worth the effort and money. I highly recommend.

We leave here Friday lunchtime, but because of the the time difference and connecting flight at Los Angeles, don't arrive in Toronto until 6:00 am Saturday. It has been another great experience, but it is time to go home - lawn to cut, flowerbeds to weed and family to reconnect with.

Week # 10

And another breakfast - we do other things, but Saturday breakfast is a favourite. This group includes friends from St Catherines whom we have served with three times, a couple from Saskatchewan, and a lady whose husband served here 10 times, once for a full year. She has taken over most of my office duties.

The couple from Saskatchewan are missionaries to the Native people. This couple are on a sabbatical and using the time to serve here. We have a second couple on sabbatical, from Minnesota, where he is a professor at Northwestern College. So all volunteers are not old retired folks like us!

I picked up a new faculty member at the airport on Wednesday evening, who was travelling from Mecico City. There was some concern whether he would make his connection at the Los Angeles airport, because of where he was originating from, but he sailed right through, no questions asked. He lives in Puebla, about two hours from Mexico City and he naturally feels the swine flu situation is overblown. Hopefully, the worst is past.

With only one weekend left, it is always reflection time on what we didn't get to see or do. While I would have liked a trip to Lanai, a small nearby island, we have done pretty well otherwise. My to do list also included an individual study of the book of Isaiah, which is only part done, so a project for the plane ride home.