So glad we paddled our canoe your way!

I was thinking over the last few weeks if people might be getting tired of reading these but the feedback that we continue to get is very positive.  Some people have said that they don't need to take a vacation because we have taken it for them!  Others have let us know some of the lessons that have been passed along to them.  Others have stated that reading the blog makes them laugh and helps them to pass Good along to others.  I don't know if the posts are really any good for reading but folks keep on coming back from 53 countries now...what a blessing that it is for us to continue to show Love and share the Gospel to folks of all walks of life. 

I told Kelly that this one was hard to write this time because I feel like even though we have done do much we were just so loved on this time.  I could have just written "we were loved, we were loved, we were loved" but I don't think too many people would have enjoyed it.  Anyway, here it goes...

We left Meeteetsee, Wyoming and stopped in Great Falls, Montana at Malmstrom Air Force Base.  his was a cool place because this was one of the places that Lewis and Clark crossed over.  We have followed so much of their trail on this trip and just continue to follow it.  Anyway, the kids instantly got outside and started roping trees, flowers, and even each other.  The neighbors of course noticed and started to comment and a few even came around to watch.  We met and chatted with a few of them and had some great conversation.  We got up the next morning and Kamryn found some new puppy friends across the street and she went for a visit and some follow up roping conversation.  We visited for a little bit and then hooked up to head out.  We left there and headed to Glacier National Park.  Along the way, we ended making one more stop in Lakeside, Montana.  We were invited to stay at the headquarters of Mission Builders, the organization that we do most of our serving with.  We went and were able to put some faces with names that we only knew through emails.  We got to walk the base and have dinner there and met someone who knew the history of that YWAM base and told us that it used to be an old Air Force Radar Station; Kalispell Air Force Station.  That was really neat to learn and got to see a few pictures.  After dinner, we played at the playground with some other families and then headed in for the night.  On the way in, we met a marvelous young man and had an amazing conversation about his journey with his family and shared how the Lord has been working in our lives over the last few years.  We talked for quite some time and then headed in again for the night.  The next morning, Kelly and I were awakened by a fawn bleating, about 12 inches from our window, trying to find it's mama.  Well, we got up for the day and completed our drive to Glacier. 

Kamryn saw puppies and went to make a new friend. 

Crossing the Continental Divide once again.  #5

Doing a little fishing in Lakeside Montana on the old Air Force Base.

We arrived at Glacier at about 0900 as we usually arrive at that time at National Parks.  This works out where most people leave early and we find a pretty good camping spot before most of America and worldy visitors show up about 1100.  Well, Glacier was different.  Not only did no one leave until about 1100, the parks driveways and roads were quite skinny.  Many spots were quite small, and having to drive around and waiting for one to open, was quite interesting.  Anyway, we asked the host if we could take a certain "reserved" spot and she ok'd it so we were able to get right in.  The fun began there.


We met some really great people there.  One couple was local and we got in some good chats and we owe them a visit when we head back through.  They gave us the inside scoop on picking huckleberries and we learned so much about the berries and the area from them.  We also met a well-retired couple from Kentucky...they were just fun.  We had a blast being parked next to them and cut up with them the whole time.  At one point we saw them talking to another couple and I jumped into the conversation.  Well, I thought the second couple was already camping there but they did not yet have a camp spot and everything was always full at Glacier.  Well, I offered for them to pitch their tent on out campsite next to out fifth wheel and threatened their life if they caused us any issues.  He accepted and the kids helped the husband, Chris, set up his camp and I stood around and poked fun at him...with love of course.  Then we all sat and chatted; we got along very well.  He then had to go and get his wife who was using internet at a local restaurant and then made it back.  We spent the evening by the fire exchanging stories and laughs and turned in eventually.  Then left the next day but we offered our spot again if they needed it...and they returned the second night also.  It was a great experience, an awesome memory, and they have a great story.  For the record...Chris did make it back home and his body did not end up under the Kentucky couple's camper.  That was a part of my threat if there were any problems!  We also met Ranger Meg and a number of other people around the campsite but there was also another couple that was somewhat local that we met and they had kids.  We ended chatting and hanging out at the lake for hours.  We played on the paddleboards and kayaks.  The kids played in the inner tubes and the adults just hung out and talked.  Now, let me take a detour about this lake for a minute.  This was a glacial lake that was very clear and very deep...472 feet deep to be exact. There was something in it called glacial flour that is from when it was formed and is what you see when you look through the water; really cool story about it.  But it took me some time to not freak out and let the kids play on this lake, even with their life jackets and especially after using the goggles and seeing how it dropped off into eternity!  Anyway, back to the couple...we also had some great chat time in the streets and around the fire but a really great memory is Kamryn helping their daughter to ride her bike and Zachary had a great time hanging out with their son.  It was a great time and made for a great trip.  Of course, we also earned another badge and took some amazing hikes!

We loaded up with the .357 Magnum and the bear spray and headed up the mountain up "Going To The Sun Road", a famous road that was finished a LONG time ago when cars were much smaller.  We arrived at the top and headed up the trail.  We decided to take a different less traveled trail and ended up seeing some mountain goats.  We gave some "oohh's and aahh's" and took some pictures and moved on.  Then the fun began as the trail changed, we found some snow and we started to really get off the beaten path.  We hiked for quite a while and decided to turn back.  Right as we did, Zachary saw a mountain goat heading our way that was about 200 yards off.  We stopped to watch it and it was coming towards us...and it kept coming...right for us...on the trail.  the problem was that the trail that we were on wasn't a trail that we could just get off of, unless we wanted to jump off of the cliff!  So we just had to stand there as it walked on our trail a few feet from us and we sucked in what we could to get out of the way.  It kept going and we gave it a few minutes to get ahead.  Well, as we walked back, it was blocking our trail.  Again, we couldn't go left or right...there was no left or right, only forward or backward and we needed to go forward and we waited.  He finally went far enough ahead that we couldn't see him any more and we kept hiking.  Then, as we came up over a hill, we saw the patch of snow we saw previously and there was a dozen mountain goats there!  We stayed below them (I didn't want to go above them in case one of us slipped in the snow and ended up on top of one of them!) and hiked around.  We saw a guy sitting looking at them and he was wearing a National Park Service vest so we headed over to bug him.  The kids had tons of questions for him and he did great with them.  He explained everything that he was doing and even et them use all of his equipment.  He was documenting information on the mountain goats and we spent a good while with him before we headed on.  We finally made it back and headed back down the road of death...I mean the Sun Road.  We have another National Park under our belt and had a great stay there.  We headed out from there and headed South to the other side of the Flathead Lake to Polson, Montana where we were going to serve at Tribal Waves/Team XTreme on the Flathead Reservation.

Playing on the water...that was deep!

On a little hike

Having a break

Momma and Daddy in one of few pictures together

Can you se the white mountain goat in the trees?  We really did try to keep our distance but the made it hard...they kept coming towards us!

The kids were so excited to find snow.  They played in it for quite some time.  They found some friends in it later though... 

Beautiful hike off the normal trail

This was the goat that passed by us on the way back.  If you notice, we have nowhere else to go...and this is one of the better places on the trail. 

This is how much of the trail was so we just had to share it with the goat.

This is where he ended up...

...in the snow that the kids had been playing on previously.

All in a day of homeschool.

Continental Divide #6

Leo was loving it.

Just playing in the water.  Leo jumped in and started swimming.

Another badge!

The kids helping Mr. Chris set up his tent in our yard. 

Going on another hike.

Ranger Meg and the camp host was quite impressed with the kid's badges and patches. 

Attended the Ranger talk on big cats at Glacier

Finding out that Mr Chris and Mrs Jennifer were coming back for the second night.

Cindy Lou Who

Sunday morning worship service in Glacier National Park on the Lake

Playing with friends

We arrived at Tribal Waves and got parked.  We didn't know until well after half of our trip that we were the first Mission Builders that had been here.  I won't go into the story but we were blessed to be the first team there and fulfill the vision that Sika, the director, had from long ago.  We got settled in and began a learning process that we didn't know that we were in for.  We knew that Sika was from Samoa, but we didn't know that almost everyone else on the base was also.  (There was even a person from the island of Minnesota and one from the island of Missouri!)  We didn't know that the base was on a reservation and there was a such a great relationship with the base and the local community.  So, we looked at it as a true blessing and asked to learn.  At our first meeting with all of the staff, when we were asked about our wants, needs and abilities, we made sure to state that we knew little on a personal basis of the Native American culture and also the Samoan culture.  We wanted to learn all that we could and be involved where we could to learn more.  We were well taken care of and had many opportunities to learn so much about both of these cultures.  This wasn't stuff that is learned in books and at the National Parks either; that is not what we asked for.  We asked for personal knowledge, stories, and love of people so that we could know more about these cultures and the way of life.  We were so blessed to be included and learned so much.  Because we asked for it, we heard testimony from descendants of famous individuals from the past; we heard stories from people from tribes from all over America and how they were raised.  It was simply amazing!


One thing that we did learn is that the Samoan culture is all about family.  I knew that much about the culture, but had not experienced it.  When we first got there, we were thanked for "paddling our canoe their way".  From the beginning, we were included into the fold and then, as we got to know people more, it only got better.  The people that are on the base are really great and we had a wonderful time being together.  We even had the privilege of meeting another team that came up for a while from Ventura, California.  One of the guys was from Columbia and one of the other couples was from Switzerland and the rest of the team was from the US.  It was great to spend time with them and even learn some new games!  We have since bought two of them (even though one night the games got a little intense and involved a broken chair...I will say no more!)  Kamryn and Caleb loved on everyone and Kamryn ended up being a "fave" of Tile.  Before we left he had said that she really lifted his spirits when he needed it.  Caleb continued to show his contagious joy and everyone caught it and worked all over the base.  Zachary was a great help in the kitchen and all over the base and was much appreciated by many.  


On the way there and when we got there, there was another forest fire.  The smoke ended up so thick, that it PUT OUT the sun.  I had never seen it before but this picture was when we could still see it but a little wile later, it was gone.  Anyway, time passed and that fire was put out and we were safe.  We were able to get on doing many things. 

It got smokey

We quickly got to work and Kelly and the kids helped clean up the base and I had a few "one person" jobs.  The base had a chicken coup so the kids knew what to do there and loved it.  We even ended up doing an experiment with a brood hen while there and will see if they have new hen chicks (not roosters...yes we were selective in which eggs we put below her) in a few weeks.  But, we got to work and got to know some new folks. 

Pati showing the kids the chickens.

Base clean up and being a team!

I put these shelves and boxes in this trailer for them and Kamryn and Molly Jo are painting them. 

Zachary and May doing some cooking

A little cornhole anyone?

Built a partial wall and hung a barn door

All done

Goofing off and mixing some concrete with Manu.

Anyone for some basketball on the new basketball hoop?

Leveling some old concrete. 

Making it better with daddy. 

A day at the lake with new friends. 

One of the things that Tribal Waves/Team Xtreme does is a Luau.  We found out they were doing one about 1+ hours away and were in for the drive to see them!  We were excited!  They are good at what they do and the Gospel is presented in such a beautiful way throughout.  Many of their events are repeats year after year as this one was.  a few of the guys even went down the night before to take care of the pig to eat.

Some relaxing music.

Getting the pig!

Oooooo...can't wait!

Waiting with anticipation!

Caleb tasting the first bite..."How is it"?  He said, "It's good...but...IT'S HOT!"

Manu and Tua hanging out. 

Pati blowing the conch shell

Eating some of the insides of the pig, the special parts...gifts from the cooks! 

Different dances from the islands

A daddy and his daughter...

One of the other things that they do is Team XTreme.  This too is a gateway to share the Gospel.  Again, the things that these guys do is amazing and even though I know how loving and huggable they are...I will never tell!

Tile and his bricks.

Manu and his bricks.

Manu blowing up a hot water bottle. 

I got called up to tear a phone book in two...and I did it.  They said I did rather quickly.  Thanks Tua!

Tile and the iron bar

Manu and two iron bars

Tua laying on a bed of nails bench pressed this log 10 times. 

Rolling up a frying pan like a burrito.

The fire dance was cool!

The guys did great.

So cool.

And ended with a message of the Gospel

Tua came and gave the tongue to Caleb.  He said it was a delicacy and is a sought after piece of meat!  Caleb and Zachary devoured it!

A night at the lake

Playing some cards

A game of hoops

Love seeing the kids playing.

A day of cleaning led to a big mess.  Momma and Caleb built some brackets and everything ended up looking immaculate.  Everyone learned something and was very proud of their work. 

One of our dinners.

We found some knitted baby caps...time for goofing off!

Watch this!!!

Kamryn and Kitty

Aye yae yae...this became a bit violent. 

We had a meal the morning that the Ventura team was heading out. 

Here they are...Tribal Waves and the Ventura team. 

While we were here, the team had a conference that they were going to in Kansas City, Missouri.  We had a great time and the team actually hit me up for a few haircuts before they left.  After I convinced them that I didn't know what I was doing, we got started.  I will just say that I didn't know that they could have gotten any prettier...but they did! 

Manu getting a little haircut in with barber Dave

Peni post his doo cut...(he wouldn't let me cut the top!)

Tile and his "Little Angel"

The staff put together a special dinner for our family and treated us like royalty.  There were special place settings, special words, and a great time.  They even gave us very special gifts...they gave the boys some necklaces, Kamryn some earrings (more on that in a minute) and they gave Kelly and I each a "lava lava", a typical item of clothing worn on the islands.  We were very surprised and even more appreciative that so many young people that had just met us weeks before cared so much to do this for us. 

This was the meal that they put together for us.  It was so great. 

The team headed to Kansas City, Missouri and we took a trip into Missoula, Montana to see what we would see and visited the local outdoor market.  It was cool time and we enjoyed it.  We spent the day down there and allot of time doing a bunch of nothing together.  We have actually found that we have a new past time of visiting art galleries in the different cities that we visit and seeing the art of the local artists.  It has proven very educational and quite interesting. 

Walking to the market.

Time for a picture on the water

One of our new favorite things to do...art galleries.  this one is in Missoula. 

So, the gift that the team gave to Kamryn was some pretty flower earrings.  Well, her ears aren't weren't pierced.  While we were in Missoula, I said something along the lines of earrings or piercing or something when we went to the mall for dinner and Kamryn heard Daddy say, "Get your ears pierced".  Anyway, we talked about it, and talked mommy into it, and waited/thought through dinner and ended up going to get Kamryn's ears pierced and she did great.  She is so happy to be one more step closer to "princessdom" and she makes her earrings look extremely beautiful.

Big girl...

She makes them look very beautiful.

An absolute breathtaking reminder of His love for us!

Love that guy!

An experiment is working.

A friend brought dinner over the night before we left.  When we came out, the driveway was filled with laughing, yelling, playing kids!

Spending time with a few friends the night before we head out.  

 We had many jobs but it was made very clear before we left that it was not about the work that we did while we were here...it was all about how we shared our hearts.  We were welcomed back as family and the kids were welcomed back by "Uncle Sika" to come anytime, even if the parents need a break from the kids. When we got to this base, I talked with the kids about the Samoan culture and how important family is to them...I knew that much about them.  I didn't know that they would share so much love though.  These guys loved us through Christ, for serving, as friends, as family, and through their culture. 

You really can't know how blessed we feel to have been to Tribal Waves and know how loved we are by all of them. 

So, here we are in Washington State and heading to Canada in the next few days. 

Until next time.