70 cents...

3 p.m. Anna leaves quilting class with Elaina to get post office box key from the MAF hangar to pick up packages from friends in the U.S.  

3:20 p.m.  Arrive at the hangar and get key.

3:45 p.m.  Head to the Posong (Post Office).

4:00  Stand in lines to retrieve their packages. 

4:20 Get packages and pay VAT (taxes).

4:23 Put packages in car.

4:24 Parking Marshall demands 70 cents for the privilege of parking.

4:25  Digging through the purse turns up no money, it was all used to pay VAT.  Parking Marshall waits for 70 cents.

4:30  Try calling husband to bring 70 cents.  No connection.  Parking Marshall waits.

4:35  Phone a friend to bring 70 cents.

4:45 Friend pulls up in a van and hands you 70 cents a.k.a. he hands you "Freedom to leave the post office".

4:46  Pay Parking Marshall.

5:00 Arrive home and tear open packages from home.  

70 cents and the cultural experience were WELL worth the energy!

Thank you to our friends who send love from home!!!!!!!!!

Village Visit....

Sam, Sawyer, and visiting friend Joe, flew out to the mountain village of Mokhotlong to install solar panels, fix a fence, and help plant a garden for AIM missionary, Jayne Wilkins.  "Anna, THIS is what MAF is about!"  Sam said excitedly over the phone.  This is what we grew up seeing missionary pilots do and this is what we believe in.  Spending the night in an isolated village to help a church planter set up house and home, dropping in to check on a Bible translating family, dropping off mail to a medical missionary family, and in general using the plane to offer support and resources to aid the efforts of others who are making the gospel message known.  Sam and I desire to use the little plane to not only deliver medical care to the isolated Basotho but also expand the current and varied ministries happening through other mission organizations as we strive together toward eternal spiritual transformation in Lesotho.  Christ's hope IS being spread in these mountains and we are excited by what our mountain missionaries are doing to achieve that end.

We are grateful for the opportunity the boys had to express support to Jayne by meeting her immediate needs and we hope to see more creative frameworks like this in the future with MAF.  

Getting ready to head out at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Prepping the plane with MAF pilot Rich Harrell.

Rich, Joe, and Sam

Leaving the capital city of Maseru.

We are transitioning from winter to spring and you can see evidence as
shades of green fight for life across the mountains.

Rich delivered a safe and speedy flight.

Unloading in Mokhotlong.  The boys were able to bring a plane full of tools,
power tools, and some materials to set up Jayne's solar panels.

As soon as Rich landed, he was called with a Code 1 medical emergency.  Joe hopped back in the plane with him and they made a quick trip to bring a suffering woman back to the clinic in Mokhotlong.

Jayne Wilkins is an AIM missionary who lives alone in a village near Mokhotlong.  She disciples and trains up a pocketful of Basotho who have given their lives to Christ.  She travels by foot, horse, and sometimes vehicle through the mountains.  

Sawyer worked all day Tuesday with two of Jayne's Basotho friends to plant her garden.

Joe, who comes from a cattle farming background, jumped at the opportunity to milk Jayne's cow :)

Sam preps the solar panels to be mounted.

Joe repaired Jayne's fence.

Sam installed two additional batteries to give Jayne more power in her house.

By Wednesday morning, the boys had mounted the panels, fixed the fence,
planted the garden, and fixed Jayne's internet.  Previously, she had not been able to send emails.

Jayne wrote us the next day, " I wanted to send an SMS (text) to say I was at 27.0 on my batteries last night and feeling pretty great to have all that power going into the night.  I thank you both again for a great visit and all the work you did."