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Osaka International Airport

Our flight itinerary was a little extended for the trip home. The flight up to Osaka, Japan was only 3 1/2 hours, but we had a 9-hour layover in Osaka. Fortunately, there was a little United lounge that had comfy chairs, snacks and beverages. We had great sandwiches at Starbucks on arrival there, then headed to the departing terminal and waited at United. We passed the time playing Hand and Foot as Marilyn and Sara had re-taught us on Saipan. We got several games in with a split on number of wins/losses.


The flight from Osaka to San Francisco was 10 hours overnight. Again we shelled out beau coup miles to be able to lie flat. The cabin was dark - the flash lit things up in the picture of Deb sleeping to the right.

Turbulence didn't allow us more than about 3 hours of good sleep, but it's all good. We arrived in San Francisco at 1 pm with a 3:30 departure to Medford. Did I mention that we had four HUGE suitcases that we checked? Of course, we had to lug them to the Saipan airport, then lug them to the Guam hotel, then lug them to the Guam airport. But NOW, because we were entering the US, we had to go to baggage claim and lug our bags to the TSA check and send them off again. Then, of course, we lugged them out of baggage claim in Medford, into the car and then lugged them into the house when we got home. Whew!

Pharaby Ryan and Deb's sister Karen came in separate cars to help carry the huge amount of luggage. Could not have fit three people and that luggage in one car!

Deb and Karen arrived first and Lily spent all her excitement on Debbie, nearly knocking her over in her enthusiasm. When I arrived, it was kind of a ho-hum greeting.

Here is the view that greeted us out behind the house.

View from our backyard into the forest

Of course, I didn't show you the 2-foot tall weeds in the front yard!

So what is it like to be home? We feel like we were called to go the Saipan. the timing was perfect and we feel like we fit into the plan the Lord had for us with the little church there. Each of those special ones, Uncle Max, Arnold, Alfie, Ernie, Susan, Celso and Clyde - oh and we don't want to forget Junior - has a piece of our hearts. Our friends at Maturana are very dear to us also - especially Stella and Brenda. We're glad we got to know them over the months we were there. We will always remember our days on Saipan as an incredible privilege. Miraculously, others are following, but not in the same way we did. It might be that some will be kind of checking in from time to time along with the workers and, who knows - there may be other homes that open up?! We are glad to be home with the cool (cold?) nights, blue skies (for now) and BIG trees. 

The first couple nights home, it was hard to gauge the time. Night always falls around 6:30 pm or so on Saipan. Here, we're already up to 9 pm before it really gets dark, so you're going along doing things, not really taking note of the time and you think it might be 5:30 or so and it's 8! The BIG thing that hit us and may still be taking a toll is the change from our uncluttered life on Saipan to diving back into all the responsibilities we have here! All the things that needed to be done when we left were still waiting for us! It's like culture shock in reverse.

Auntie Susan called today to tell me that a couple pieces of mail arrived and could she forward them? It's amazing what a phone call can do to bring back memories! We are still connected!

I think it's fitting to leave this blog with a full island panorama so we remember clearly how beautiful this little island called Saipan is.

WEEKEND ON GUAM

Our itinerary for the return trip included two days on Guam before heading home via Japan. We flew down to Guam Saturday morning, visited K-Mart and a coffee spot at the Micronesian Mall, caught lunch at Denny's, then checked in at the hotel. On Saipan, there is no K-Mart, Mall or Denny's. :-)

Santa Fe Hotel - Tumon Bay, Guam - wter pours oer blue wall

We splurged a little and got an ocean view with balcony right on the beach at Tumon Bay. So relaxing. And there was a swimming pool right on the beach with a water pouring over a wall that made it look like it was part of the ocean from a certain perspective.

There is actually a beach between the pool and the ocean

I walked out to the island in the picture. it's closer than it looks, but the water was never more then two feet deep all the way out. Low tide. Beyond the island are tidal pools with anemones and blue starfish and then the reef ends and the water gets deep. Didn't go there!

We were just lazy on Saturday, but Sunday was a special occasion - Sunday morning meeting with our Guam friends and a special send-off potluck afterwards.

Tina Francisco, Rey Paet

Bert Reyes, Larry C., Roy Macaoay

Tina Francisco, Connie Retugal

Plenty for everyone - and then some!

Libby Reyes, Remy Smith, Lary C., Roy Macaoay (photo-bomb!)

Conchita Macaoay, Connie Retugal (seated), Yolly Mallare, Klades Lokeijak, Larry Macaoay, Nora Sala

Standing: Larry C., Remy Smith, Tess Paet, Roy Macaoay, Larry Macaoay, Concita Macaoay, Bert Reyes, Nora Salas, Ray Paet, Yolly Mallare, ??
Seated: Debbie C., Klades Lokiejak, Connie Retugal, Tina Francisco, Libby Reyes

Eddie Galivo at his store - had to miss the potluck

We said our goodbyes and headed back to the hotel for our final evening in the Mariana Islands. I took several sunset pictures. You pick your favorite.

At last, it was time to say goodbye to my trusty flip-flops. They're called "slippers" on these islands, but that just didn't work for me! I'd worn these since day 4 of our trip - 95 days. Not bad for an $8.99 pair of sandals. I'd say they were about ready for retirement.

THE LONG GOODBYE

This stuff has to go!

Our last week on Saipan was kind of a blur of activity. Monday started out with a determined effort to pack up the apartment. Todd and Sarah really made life easy for us by furnishing the apartment with all kinds of amenities. These will come in handy for the workers in the future, so we packed it all up and took it up to Maturana, where the workers will be staying and where we have convention and special meeting. Arnold will make sure it is all safe!

The "Stuff" at Maturana

Part of the packing was to see if our friends needed any of the food items we would not be taking with us along with a few odds and ends that didn't need to go home with us and didn't need to be up at Maturana. We had Bible study on Thursday that week due to Alfie and Max needing to be at a work orientation from 5-7P, so right after the meeting, we had a "going through" of all the stuff piled on tables and counters. It was a joyful time of discovery for our friends and a time of relief for us not having to deal with all that stuff before we leave!

Spices anyone?

Max bags some snorkel equipment

Alfie goes shopping

Junior, Clyde and Susan are excited about their "finds"

During the last few weeks of our stay on Saipan, I was helping out at the local NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) Office, advising on the implementation of a pedestrian safety enforcement operation. As a way of saying "Thanks", the office staff took me out to lunch on my last day (Friday April 17) at the Magellan Room of the Pacific Island Club. They gave me a nice bag of goodies and a certificate of sincere appreciation - which I very much APPRECIATED!!

The Pacific Island Club Magellan Room

Appreciation

Fiji himself

While we were eating, the group spotted Fiji, a noted island singer who had come out from Hawaii to Saipan for a show. Everyone was really excited, so we hopped over for a group picture! His music is reggae style, but the lyrics are somewhat gospel oriented. Take a listen:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8nuch3cTDs  (copy/paste)

After my island buffet lunch, it was home to "walk out the door". Here's our drive-away video:

So that we could pack everything up to Maturana on Friday and not have to worry about dirty bed linens before our early morning flight, we booked a room at the Aquarius Towers, ocean view for $99. We found out when we got there that they did not have that room available and would have to give us the 3-bedroom suite on the 8th floor, ocean view, instead. And everybody said, "Awwwww".

Living room

Kitchen

One guest room

Master suite with balcony and ocean view!

Sunset on the veranda

We couldn't waste this all on ourselves, so we invited Daryl Greenway, one of our friends in the fellowship, who just happens to have a project going on the island, over to enjoy dinner and the evening with us. He bought the dinner - we furnished the place!

And so ended our last day on Saipan. To the airport at 0-dark thirty!

But we were not alone in our departure. As is the custom, all who can, show up to send us off.

Daryl-Deb-Larry-Celso-Susan-Clyde

Beau coup luggage - and Celso helped

The last goodbye

OUR LAST SUNDAY

April 12

Well, we had a good morning meeting as usual. We were missing Ernie (been gone since mid-February due to the death of his 25 year old son) and Arnold (taking care of guests at Maturana where he lives).

Thoughts from our friends:

• Celso: there is salvation in  no other besides Jesus
• Alfie: consider the faithfulness of God
• Max: focus on continuing
• Susan: I'm not looking back
• Larry: let us do good unto all, especially the household of God
• Deb: 

After meeting we all hurried over to our apartment for a BBQ and Skyping with Todd and Sarah Price, who now live in VA, but lived on Saipan for five years before leaving last November.

Celso and Clyde - Clyde loves computer games

Alfie supervising - Max and Susan cooking :-)

You guys ready to Skype?

Showing Todd and Sarah around the group

Finished product - BBQ chicken and pork

Clyde chows down

Alfie chows down

Max and Debbie

See you later . . .

We concluded the day with a 5 pm Bible study on 1 John 1