Our whole family was planning to spend two weeks in the Nukna area, in our home village of Hamelengan, just prior to the Bible study course, but in a dramatic turn of events, Mt. Ulawun on New Britain island began erupting the day before our flight. Even though this volcano is about 300 miles away from the Nukna area, its smoke plume was blowing in our direction. However, the pilots thought the chances were good that we could still fly out there the next morning, so we proceeded with our plans. Traveling by helicopter, we were about 80% of the way there when we flew through a mountain pass and saw an unusual dark haze filling many of the valleys ahead of us. The pilots had to turn around and head back to Ukarumpa, because it is very dangerous to fly aircraft into volcanic ash. We were quite disappointed to get so close and have to turn back! We realized that in our sixteen years here, this was the first time we haven’t been able get out to our village, even though we know many other translation teams that have been turned back on multiple occasions by bad weather, flooding rivers, poor road conditions, or security situations. So we are grateful that this was only our first time. (And of course the effect on us pales in comparison to the difficulties faced by the 13,000 people living near the volcano who were displaced from their homes.) We had planned for this to be Kaitlyn’s last visit to our village before she graduates from high school next year, and since we still want her to have the chance to visit one last time and say her goodbyes, we are planning for our family to visit for two weeks in March, during the kids’ school break. This change of plans was a big surprise to us, but we know it wasn’t a surprise to God, and we are trusting in his sovereignty, even over volcanoes!
Thanks Matt I have made copies of what you sent and will put them up on the board at church.