Sunday, June 14, 2009
How's That for Service!
Last Tuesday (as I reported in my last post) Paula and I sent off for the visas we would need for our upcoming trip to Liberia this summer. The website of the Liberian Consulate in New York had indicated that we should allow at least 5 working days for our visas to be processed. However, we were very pleased on Friday (just 3 days later) to receive by express return mail a package containing our returned passports with the visas stamped inside! Our thanks to the Liberian Consulate for such great service... and, of course, to the US Postal Service as well!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Visas for Liberia!
Yesterday Paula and I gathered together all the requirements for our visas -- completed application forms, valid passports, up-to-date immunization records, recent photos, and a money order for $281 -- and mailed them off to the Liberian consulate in New York. Hopefully we should have our documents back in a week or two and be ready to travel internationally, come July 7!
Monday, June 8, 2009
See? "Definite" Is not so Definite!
Already we've encountered just a little wrinkle in our travel plans! (What did I tell you?)!
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Apparently the airline we were hoping to use next month has not yet received full clearance to start its newly-scheduled service to Liberia, and therefore it has been forced to cancel its June flights on this new direct route to West Africa. Since there's a good chance this could happen again in July, our travel agent is attempting this week to arrange for an alternate carrier!
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Unfortunately this change in travel plans will necessitate our flying first to Europe and then south to Liberia -- a much longer route which we had been hoping to avoid (29 hours one way, instead of 17)! Also, our trip (going and coming) will be delayed by a day.
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Our new trip dates will probably be July 7 through August 13... unless, of course, the first carrier gets its clearance before July 6, in which case we might be back to Plan A!
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Either way Paula and I are still planning to be in Liberia for 5 full weeks this summer! I'll keep you posted!
.
Apparently the airline we were hoping to use next month has not yet received full clearance to start its newly-scheduled service to Liberia, and therefore it has been forced to cancel its June flights on this new direct route to West Africa. Since there's a good chance this could happen again in July, our travel agent is attempting this week to arrange for an alternate carrier!
.
Unfortunately this change in travel plans will necessitate our flying first to Europe and then south to Liberia -- a much longer route which we had been hoping to avoid (29 hours one way, instead of 17)! Also, our trip (going and coming) will be delayed by a day.
.
Our new trip dates will probably be July 7 through August 13... unless, of course, the first carrier gets its clearance before July 6, in which case we might be back to Plan A!
.
Either way Paula and I are still planning to be in Liberia for 5 full weeks this summer! I'll keep you posted!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Dates are "Definite"! *
Yesterday we reserved tickets with our travel agent! Our travel dates are now "certain"; Paula and I expect to leave Denver for Liberia on July 6, returning 5 weeks later on August 11! But check out the footnote below...
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*.Allow me to add a footnote to the concept of "definite"...
let's just say, our plans (to go to Liberia this summer) are only as "certain" as any of us can make plans to do anything!
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I remember when I was very young in Africa, when certain older missionaries would talk about their plans (very definite plans, as far as I could tell), they would often add: "D.V." At the time I wondered: Why the "D.V."? What does that mean? Later I found out. (No, it didn't stand for "Digital Video..." before the "...Disc" was added!) "D.V." is an abbreviation for an old Latin expression, "Deo volente", which means: "God being willing". Well, that's simple enough! But then I would ask myself: Why didn't they just say it in English? Does Latin make it more "spiritual"? And why use the abbreviation? Perhaps they're not sure of the Latin pronunciation or spelling!
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But seriously, the old-timers had good reason to add the "Deo volente" condition to the plans they were making. First, they recognized that they weren't in control. Who is? More importantly, they had a few good Bible verses to back them up! Like James 4:14-15: "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow... Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" Or what about Proverbs 19:21: "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
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As far as those old missionaries knew, their bold plans were also good plans and they were honestly trying to do the right thing for the kingdom of God. But just in case... just in case circumstances would later indicate that "the Lord had other plans" (another expression they would often use), meaning that they would have to modify or give up their own, they were always careful to add those two simple letters: "D.V."
.
*.Allow me to add a footnote to the concept of "definite"...
let's just say, our plans (to go to Liberia this summer) are only as "certain" as any of us can make plans to do anything!
.
I remember when I was very young in Africa, when certain older missionaries would talk about their plans (very definite plans, as far as I could tell), they would often add: "D.V." At the time I wondered: Why the "D.V."? What does that mean? Later I found out. (No, it didn't stand for "Digital Video..." before the "...Disc" was added!) "D.V." is an abbreviation for an old Latin expression, "Deo volente", which means: "God being willing". Well, that's simple enough! But then I would ask myself: Why didn't they just say it in English? Does Latin make it more "spiritual"? And why use the abbreviation? Perhaps they're not sure of the Latin pronunciation or spelling!
.
But seriously, the old-timers had good reason to add the "Deo volente" condition to the plans they were making. First, they recognized that they weren't in control. Who is? More importantly, they had a few good Bible verses to back them up! Like James 4:14-15: "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow... Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" Or what about Proverbs 19:21: "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
.
As far as those old missionaries knew, their bold plans were also good plans and they were honestly trying to do the right thing for the kingdom of God. But just in case... just in case circumstances would later indicate that "the Lord had other plans" (another expression they would often use), meaning that they would have to modify or give up their own, they were always careful to add those two simple letters: "D.V."
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Hodgsons Plan to Be in Liberia this Summer!
Sorry, everyone... I haven't posted anything to this blog in more than a month. Here in Colorado, schools close in May; so as a teacher, I've been quite busy the last few weeks with end-of-the-year activities and final exams! But that is now all behind me!
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Last year in May, Paula and I were in Costa Mesa, California, for our daughter Andrea's graduation from Vanguard University. Then...
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Just 2 weeks ago, we were on the West Coast again, this time for her graduation from the University of Southern California! She now has her master's degree in teaching as well as her teacher's certification for the state of California. Go, Andrea! Where did the time go? Just a few years ago--or so it seems to her parents--she was that smallest person in the picture of our family piled on a motorcycle in Africa! (See my last post!)
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Andrea's graduation was an opportunity for a family photo:... Gord, Paula, Andrea (22), Stephanie (26), and Nathaniel (24). Here we on the USC campus! Incredible! Why do I keep recalling that picture of a young family on a motorcycle, somewhere in the African bush?
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Because Andrea's training at USC was part of a government-sponsored program to provide more math teachers for America, she is now committed to finding a job teaching math in the Los Angeles district for the next 4 years. This past year she did her practice teaching in LA schools, and we know she is ready to rise to the challenge! (P.S. After that, Andrea, I hope you can spend a little time in Africa teaching math -- like your Daddy did!)
...so PROJECT BUCHANAN is already off to a very good start!
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Last year in May, Paula and I were in Costa Mesa, California, for our daughter Andrea's graduation from Vanguard University. Then...
.
Just 2 weeks ago, we were on the West Coast again, this time for her graduation from the University of Southern California! She now has her master's degree in teaching as well as her teacher's certification for the state of California. Go, Andrea! Where did the time go? Just a few years ago--or so it seems to her parents--she was that smallest person in the picture of our family piled on a motorcycle in Africa! (See my last post!).
Andrea's graduation was an opportunity for a family photo:... Gord, Paula, Andrea (22), Stephanie (26), and Nathaniel (24). Here we on the USC campus! Incredible! Why do I keep recalling that picture of a young family on a motorcycle, somewhere in the African bush?.
Because Andrea's training at USC was part of a government-sponsored program to provide more math teachers for America, she is now committed to finding a job teaching math in the Los Angeles district for the next 4 years. This past year she did her practice teaching in LA schools, and we know she is ready to rise to the challenge! (P.S. After that, Andrea, I hope you can spend a little time in Africa teaching math -- like your Daddy did!)
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Meanwhile... Paula and I are indeed planning to spend 5 weeks in Liberia this summer with Pillar Missions, advancing the cause of Christian school education in Buchanan! Tentative dates for our trip are July 6 - August 11.
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We expect to spend considerable time working with our Liberian friends on a comprehensive long- and short-range development plan for PROJECT BUCHANAN. There are so many logistics to be worked out, and we want PROJECT BUCHANAN to be done right... right from the start!
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Actually, PROJECT BUCHANAN has had several good "starts" already! First there was Jacob Tequah's careful search for the land in 2007 and 2008. Then last June, knowing that an excellent parcel of land had just been located in Buchanan, I recommended that Pillar Missions seize this opportunity to expand its Christian school ministry in postwar Liberia. Within a few weeks, the 10+ acres had been purchased!
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In January of this year I was in Liberia with a stateside team that visited the new property and participated in a ground-breaking ceremony. It took 4 photos to get everyone "in the picture"...
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...so PROJECT BUCHANAN is already off to a very good start!.
We are hoping that building can begin this coming dry season (December - April) with the construction of property security facilities and then the first of two multi-classroom buildings.
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Here in the States, generous donations have already come in, designated for PROJECT BUCHANAN, and fund-raising will continue this summer with “FREEDOM RIDE III” (a cycling event in New Jersey) and this fall with “BUILDING HOPE IN LIBERIA” (a marathon here in Colorado)!
Here in the States, generous donations have already come in, designated for PROJECT BUCHANAN, and fund-raising will continue this summer with “FREEDOM RIDE III” (a cycling event in New Jersey) and this fall with “BUILDING HOPE IN LIBERIA” (a marathon here in Colorado)!
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We are excited about all that is happening! Watch for updates right here on my blog!
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