Palau & Yap Islands...The Pacific

A few days after my return from deployment, Lana, the kids, and I boarded a Lufthansa flight and flew east towards the Pacific.  I arrived home on a Sunday and by Wednesday we were off to some tropical islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, first to Palau and then on to Yap.

Our trip had two purposes.  The first was to spend some much needed time together as a family and the second to visit Pacific Missionary Aviation (PMA).  While on Palau, we stayed in the city of Koror and also spent a little over a week on the north part of the large island, Babeldaob, at a bungalow resort.  In Koror we took a boat tour to some of the smaller outer islands and did some snorkeling...Liam got the hang of it as well (at least the goggles and holding his breath part) and had a great time seeing God's underwater world of fish and coral. 

The resort up north was very nice and had a great beach and great food cooked by the owner.  It was also very secluded, which meant it was quiet and a perfect place to relax with the family.  The islands, beaches, crystal clear water all a display of God's amazing creative power!  Lana and I were reminded of Romans 1:20, "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."

After two weeks on Palau we flew to the island of Yap, which is about 280 miles northeast.  The few United flights between the islands are all in the middle of the night, but the kids did pretty well.  Amos, from PMA, greeted us early in the morning with four customary flower leis.   On Yap we also stayed at a bungalow resort and in a house owned by PMA at the Yap airport.  More relaxing, snorkeling, and enjoying Christian fellowship with a couple from PMA, Amos and Heidi.

Lana and I were first introduced to PMA back in 2007 from her brother Daniel, who had heard the former president of the mission speak while in Bible school in Switzerland.  PMA currently ministers through aviation to the local people of Palau and Yap by providing cheap air transportation to the surrounding outer islands.  There are plans to expand in the future Lord willing.  Sometimes PMA also conducts med evacuation flights, disaster relief, and supply drops over islands with no runways.  Under PMA are 14 Pacific Missionary Fellowship (PMF) churches as well.  Together, they minister to the physical and spiritual needs of those who live on these Pacific islands.  Some good friends of ours from Germany, Slick and Donna Douglass, recently moved to Palau to fly for PMA so we spent time visiting them as well.  Lana, the kids, and I were able to fly with PMA a few times out of both Palau and Yap.  They fly two islanders out of Palau and two Beechcraft out of Yap.  There is also a hanger and airplane in the Philippines, but no pilot to fly it currently.  The view from above the islands was pretty amazing with the aqua blue water, and landing on old WWII islands made the flights even more interesting.

So, I'm sure many of you are wondering, "Is this what you're going to do sometime in the future?"  Well, this is a process God is currently taking Lana and I through as we seek to follow God with our lives.  As we move forward, there's a poem from C.T. Studd (former British missionary) that keeps coming to our minds over and over again.  The reoccurring message of the poem was also posted on the back wall of the church I grew up in as a kid, "Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last."  Here is the poem.

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life's busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet, And stand before His judgment seat;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God's holy will to cleave;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e'er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, "twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, "Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say "twas worth it all";
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

With this poem in mind and verses like Luke 12:16-34 and Mark 10:23-31, what should one do if they believe them to be true?  Keep chasing the "security" of the American "dream" or change direction? 

More Pictures:
Palau & Yap

Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan

After a 5.5 month deployment, I'm back in Germany with the family!  Hence the short hiatus from the blog over the past half year.  A few days after our trip to Italy, I was on a plane out of Germany (not an F-16) and on my way with an initial "setup" group of pilots to get things ready for the squadron to arrive the middle of April.  We were stationed at Kandahar Air Base in the southern portion of the country.  Southern Afghanistan is flat and brown, while the northeast is very mountainous with 25,000 ft peaks of the Hindu-Kush mountains lining the horizon.

 

 
Deployed life essentially consists of flying, eating, working out, and sleeping.  The Sundays I wasn't flying I also attended a chapel service near our living quarters to stay plugged in to the body of Christ while away from home.  The schedule generally had a pilot flying once every 3-4 days and I flew 78 sorties with over 500 hours of combat time.  On average, the flights lasted 4-6 hours and had about the same number of air-to-air refuelings.  The flying in Afghanistan was very similar to my deployment to Iraq, but this time the employment rates were quite a bit higher.  I had multiple sorties where I either employed bombs or strafed with the gun to protect the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops on the ground who were under attack.  Some were quite an adrenaline rush, trying to gain situational awareness of the ground situation while hearing gun fire over the radio requiring precise employment of munitions in order to not hurt friendly troops or any Afghan civilians...all from about 10,000 ft above! 

 

 

 

As the squadron weapons officer, I would review each bomb drop or strafe pass to pull learning points for the squadron in order to learn from each other's mistakes and successes.  The flight lead would send a lessons learned email about their specific employment, then I would reply to all with anything additional I had.  In total, the 480 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron dropped 147 bombs and shot about 11,000 rounds of 20mm bullets.  Thankfully, no civilian casualties were noted from our munitions during our time in Afghanistan.

 

  

A big difference from Iraq in 2007 was the available technology.  We had wireless internet in our rooms allowing my wife, the kids, and I to talk on Skype most days.  This was a HUGE difference compared to 15 min / day on a phone in Iraq.  It made the reunion with the kids that much better since they were able to "see" me on the iPad quite a bit!  Lilli went from scooting around on her backside to running while I was gone, but seeing her do this on the computer was a blessing.  Thank God for internet this time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I flew a jet home from the desert on 15 Sep to finally see the family again!  After a 10.4 hour long flight, we landed back at Spangdahlem to our families waving flags and signs like, "Welcome home Dad" or "We love you"!  One of the greatest sites to see!  As soon as our jets were shut down, our families could run out to the jets and welcome us home.  Soon I had Lana and the kids in my arms again...where they're supposed to be!  And with this reunion, my deployment was over.  Next up, a month with the family in the small Pacific islands of Palau and Yap...