Live from Lima 020109
Hola,
We are soon to be boarding here at Lima on our way to Atlanta.
Looking forward to see you all soon. Please pray for Sue and Gary as they now work on getting some sleep after we wore them out!
Felipe
We are home
Hello, our trip home went well, though it had a few bumps.
At the Santiago airport we had hamburgers except for Jeff who had a Caesar salad - tough warm chewy shrimp and bleu cheese dressing - it got sent back and our burgers were so huge we shared and he had a complete burger and fries. Then we got on our flight to Lima and they gave us supper a few hours later. At Lima, we had water and then had a sandwich and water given as we got on the Delta flight to Atlanta and then had breakfast before we landed. Airline food in coach has not improved over the years, but it did provide some nutrition. We had crying babies all the way home too.
Jeff and Kyleigh got stuck in US customs behind someone who spoke no english, had no passport or any other recognized ID. Then I went to take my turn and an old man jumped the line ahead of me but got sent back by the clerk very firmly. They now have hand print readers, thumbprint readers and facial camera at US Customs - quite a change from when we first started this adventure back in 2001.
We arrived in GRR about 30 minutes early, so Dan changed into long pants while Jeff and I brushed our teeth - been a while since we had seen our wives. As we walked down, we saw the Mills ride, but did not notice any others. Ruth and Dan had talked to their daughter and she was somewhere in the airport. When we walked into the airport we could see Tami talking to Arlene and Spike and we got halfway to them before they saw us. We all had a great welcome home from our families and friends. Thank you for all your support and encouragement during this trip.
Many blessings on you from CHWT 2009
Kyleigh Mills, Anika Schmidt, Jeff Mills, Ruth and Dan Helms and Felipe
Sunday February 1 2009 heading home
Hola, We left to many tears and hugs and photo opportunities. A team of 4 ladies from Santiago arrived this morning and they will be leading a VBS program for the girls all week. Dan finished up the gate he was working on, we got all Gary’s tools at least put back in his barn and then we cleaned up the casa and put the fridgerator back in the teaching kitchen. Gary will get the exhaust hooked up for the new water heater and Sue will then have hot water in the teaching kitchen! We are bringing back a few suprises for people but we are more looking forward to seeing our loved ones and friends. At the Santiago airport, Jeff got a caesar salad with shrimp - well it came with very rubbery shrimp and blue cheese dressing; it went back and we shared burgers and fries. Right now I am charging up the laptop power while we are waiting for our plane to Lima, Peru. thank you again for your support and love, CHWT 2009 Kyleigh Mills, Anika Schmidt, Jeff Mills, Ruth Helms, Dan Helms and Felipe Hooker
Last full workday January 31 2009
Hola from Osorno - our last full day of work here.
The playhouse received a fabric roof and fireman’s pole, which required some digging out of a hole and cement; the chicas have been told to stay off for at least one day, but we will see.
Dan has been repairing wall tile and replacing rusted out shower curtain rods, while Jefe has been sweating copper and hooking up the in line water heater in the teaching kitchen - it passed the Jefe water pressure test! Gary just needs to hook up the vent for it and test fire it. Anika put the second coat of blue and white paint on tia Marcellas house out back. Felipe did some
more pruning and put up the rain gutter over their front door. Kyleigh was helping out where ever she could and playing with the chicas - she is a very hard worker.
One of the Hogars success stories is Crystal and Cati, they are living with a local christian business man and his wife; the two chicas are around 14 and 17 and they are studious, happy and spreading the Gospel when ever they can. They came to visit today and I showed them photos from way back in 2002.
We have been overwhelmed by the thankfullness and encouragement from the chicas and staff; we will be deprived of the constant hugs and kisses. This a beautiful country; last night we saw how the rich and the poor live here in Osorno. Most live pay check to paycheck here, while 1% have lots of stuff and 20% scratch to survive. We did see the current box on stilts that the family lives in who the kids at Redeemer raised funds to buy a house for. Gary said it is in process and the father has turned his life around. Their abode is on stilts backed up to a hill, surrounded by other casas in the same style.
Thank you for all your support and encouragement,
love,
Kyleigh, Anika, Ruth, Dan, Jeff and Felipe
CHWT 2009
Report from Chile for Friday, January 30th 2009
Hola, it was cold today and windy with temps in the mid 60’s
The play house has the rope ladder and climbing rope attached - little trouble find a slide even close to what we need. Jefe has been busy sweating copper to hook up a in line water heater for the teaching kitchen, Dan has been building a backdoor set of steps with the kittens help, Felipe finished up the ceiling for the green modulo and started the ceiling for the one we are in. A little tree pruning was done and lots of time spent playing with the chicas.
At one pm we threw an American picnic for the tias and staff - grilled hamburgers with fresh tomatoes, onions, lettuce, cheese and the regular condiments. Then we had potato chips, deviled eggs and pop. For desert we had blackberry cream ice cream, and a couple of other flavors too - the blackberry went very fast.
We did some more work and then the chicas and staff threw a party for us. Us guys all had to dance the Quaka again! Then they had native food from down south here for use - a flat bean that looks like a giant Lima bean, pine nuts in the natural form, peach and barley drink, a flat bread made from barley, a cilantro dish and many other unique dishes.
We finished out the day by walking down to Easy and picking up some more copper pipe and grocery run to Santa Isabel - a grocery store.
Chou,
Felipe
