Mission Launch

- August 06, 2015

It’s exciting to be part of a BIG project from the start. From discussion and brain storming to reality. Our whole family has weaved in and out of the plan to have a group of young adults come to Papua and help build a church in the Hobotongo area. On spring break, Aubrey, Andrew, Darron and Pastor Rob went there to survey this possibility.

Over the summer, the planning continued. Again, Aubrey and Andrew involved with planning and shaping of the vision. Meetings with Pastor Rob and eventually meeting with the 4 young adults that were brave enough to say, “Yes” to a crazy, wild adventure.

On the last Friday morning in July, the weary 4 finally landed here in Papua. After over 24 hour delay of missed flights, cancelled flights and much airport unpleasantness. Add those 24 hours to an already exhausting 72 hours and we were all hurting for them, willing them to get here, and loving them before they even arrived.

Prior to their arrival, we ourselves had only returned a week from furlough and hit the ground running trying to get everything ready for this mission trip to be successful. All the metal had to be cut for the jungle chapel that was to be built. This took hours upon hours by Darron and Aubrey plus Andrew. The food had to be all restocked and created. It was all systems go by everybody in the Boyd household. Furlough was over!!!!

As the young adults from America were delayed 24 hours, it was decided that we would fly Aubrey and Andrew interior to make sure that the project would still get underway. Darron would wait here and fly in with the rest of the team on Sunday. This decision was outside of Darron’s and my comfort level, but it made sense. In faith, we flew our older boys in. They were game and I appreciate their courage and sense of responsibility and ability to carry the weight that was given them.

This was where I said Good bye to them. Normally I would wave to them as they would fly from our grass airstrip, but instead I went off to the airport to pick up the young adults.

3 hours later Darron and I enjoyed the barrage of questions from the young adults and getting them “settled” after a ridiculously long trip. They were eager to jump right into getting metal over to another mission to be flown in on the following Monday. On the way into town all that metal slid out of the back of the truck going up a hill. 20 + Indonesians were quick to help reload it all. So within hours of our young adults arriving, they were able to witness first hand……the ADVENTURE of living in a land like ours!

Mingled with work and sleep over the next 48 hours we took the “famous four” to some of our beautiful spots, including a gorgeous waterfall.

Sunday morning: bright and early the team was READY to go. Off they went. I was nervous until I heard that they made it into the airstrip because it was raining and they had to wait for quite a while on a nearby airstrip until the clouds lifted.

Now we talk on the radio each morning for a daily check in. They have just completed day #5. When we chatted on the radio this morning, they were putting up the sides of the jungle chapel and the windows. The building seems to have all come together. I’m sure Darron will fill us in with a good blog and hopefully lots of pictures. They say every conversation they have keeps coming back to food. : ) They plan to fly out on Sunday a.m…..if everything goes according to plan.

Meanwhile, it’s time to fill the freezer up for when all those jungle deprived souls sit around our table again. And I must admit ……I’m going to take one long deep breath the rest of this week. It’s the first one I’ve taken since we’ve arrived back. They are launched!!! Until they land back here on Sunday, I’m going to enjoy launch mode and deep breath.