Change

Some people love change but for me, it doesn't always come easy. Change for the better is usually easier, but just plain old change can be hard work. Either way, both take getting used to.

A big change for me that comes to mind was when we got married and both my name and status changed. I went overnight from being Miss Trekofski to Mrs. Lagore. The reality hit really hard while we were jetting over the ocean toward Hawaii on our honeymoon and the airline stewardess addressed me as "Mrs. Lagore". I probably gave her a blank look initially and remember thinking, "...that's my mother-in-law". I wondered how I'd ever get used to a new name, never mind signing it, but in time I did.

Another major life-changing event was becoming a mom. I went from being able to just grab my purse and dash out the door on a moment's notice to having to engage in a major get-baby-and-baby-paraphernalia-ready event. When I think of it now, it was a bit like getting ready to go camping except you don't need the matches.

When we moved to the African bush and lived camp-style and in tents for a year, that was a huge change that took adjustment too. It was like packing for the major outing-with-baby-event, times 10 or 100 or 1000, and this time you definitely did need the matches.

There was more change on the way when the kids grew up and left home to pursue their education and careers. I was suddenly more foot-loose and fancy-free again, the house was quieter, and meals needed to be smaller. That all took adjusting to as well. And although there was a self re-definition of sorts, I didn't change my name again (thankfully).

So where am I going with this? Well, change is in the air once again. Thankfully it's not major and I'm especially thankful it doesn't involve camping, matches, or any of that stuff. What it does involve is a small re-definition of this blog--where I have spent many a fine hour trying to put thoughts and recent mission developments "on paper".

Finally this last week, after a lot of teamwork with writing, layout, photo contributions, and website development, the new SAM Ministries' site went "live". And with it, a new blogging platform for posting mission news. It will be updated regularly, so for those interested in the latest developments at the mission in Mozambique, make sure you check it out. For those of you interested in the curious things this blog, I'll still be here plonking away when things come to mind.

I think I can classify this change as one of the "easier" ones. Now, just to get used to it.

I'll close with a few photos:

Me and Amanda (our daughter) working.

Here she's pondering job applications since she's nearly finished her after-degree in Education and is now scouting teaching jobs in Edmonton. And I'm busy with website details, no doubt.

(The only justification for me wearing a yellow and green striped sweater is that it has BRASIL plastered across the front.)

Dwight adding a few more finishing touches to the presentation.

We received a wonderful donation last week from--a box full of reading glasses. I was handed a fairly long list of requests for glasses prescriptions for pastors in rural Mozambique in November. When they gave it to me, I told them to pray. See what happens when you pray? There a few ladies colors and styles in here as well, so the ladies will be smiling too.
(Thank you Blessman Ministries!)

Anyway, I'd best run for now.

ttyl

It's About Time

Yes, it is about time I get another post done since it's been 2 weeks since I last touched this blog. Things have just been that busy. With what, you may ask? Well, with getting ready all the things that need getting ready for our travels and sharing about the work in Mozambique.

Dwight has had his hands full with preparing the presentation we'll be showing. First, there is the retrieving, renaming, and ordering of video clips taken over the past 2 years. Then there's writing the script, recording the script, deciding on the best background music, and last but not least, spending hours piecing all that together!

(Some of the work was done at this sound studio in Edmonton.)

And me? Well, since we're back home with our kids, for some of the time I'm being a mom and enjoying every minute of it. And when our kids are busy (which is quite a bit of the time), I'm finalizing the development of SAM's new website. It was supposed to be finished by mid-December, but, well, time got away on us.

We're going with a Wordpress site, which is a brand new platform for me. I've messed things up quite badly a time or two, but thankfully I've been able to figure it out and reverse my mistakes. I've learned one thing, web languages are hugely hung up on little characters like "<" ";" and "/"!

Last Saturday morning, we headed to Summerland B.C.

Judging from the photo you'd think this was 5 or 6 a.m. (if you're from Africa anyway).
But no.
It was precisely 8:19 a.m., Edmonton (seemingly near the North Pole), in the dead of winter.

We were relieved that on this trip, we got to fly. This is Alberta from the air.
There has been little snow fall so far this year.

This mountain range is the Rockies. There's always snow in the Rockies.

Here's Dwight catching up on all the "good" news in the world.

When we arrived in Summerland, it was snowing. It snowed for hours. Dwight joked that maybe the name should be changed to Winterland.

Treacherous for driving, but sooo beautiful!

We made the trip to meet with Rick Cogbill and the Mercy Tech board, and to participate in a time of sharing about the Vocational Training Program and new workshop going up in Mozambique. It was wonderful to see familiar faces and meet new people.

We set up the recently made pull-up banners, and set brochures in the fold-up rack.
Sure beats the old system with its clumsy interlocking bars and teetering display boards.
Thanks Royden Lepp for the photos/design/time/etc. :)

Rick Cogbill and us in the "hot seats" (as Rick put it)
sharing interview-style.

John Topham (above, right) has organized for the donation and shipping of a lathe for the wood shop in Moz. He will be accompanying Rick (left)on his next trip out to train the woodworkers on its use.
(For those of you like me who know nothing about woodwork...a lathe makes round things. Bowls, round pegs, table legs, knobs, and such.)

On Monday morning Rick took us back to Kelowna to catch our flight home.
No snow on this stretch of highway.

I did my best trying to capture (with my cellphone) the amazing morning sun filtering through the clouds over the lake.
(Time: 8:57 a.m. Not early-morning sunrise. In case you were wondering.)

Before we knew it, we were headed back over the mountains, over the patchwork of farm fields to Edmonton. Back to finish up our work on the presentation, website, and so on.
Our time for preparing is almost up!

Let me close with a few photos from Heather and the team in Mozambique:

In the background, progress being made on an improved home currently under construction for a family of orphans. I can only imagine how happy they will be to finally move in.

Celestino, who I'm sure is keeping very busy in my absence, measuring Sr. Andrea's blood pressure.

Raimundo with a flap-necked chameleon in our yard. Rural Mozambicans aren't big fans of chameleons, so I commend Raimundo on his smile here :)

What I find even more amazing though is the plant growing to his right. I'm pretty sure that's a Cycad we planted about 2 years ago that never did show any signs of growth. We sort of figured it had died and would need to be dug up and replaced. Now it looks like it's decided to come to life.

It's about time.

ttyl

Safe Arrivals

There's nothing like contending with busy holiday traffic and heavy semi trucks through the mountains on snowy, foggy, winding, sloshy roads to make you really appreciate arriving safely at your destination. And in case that doesn't make you appreciative, witnessing roadside accidents and vehicles in the ditches will.

It probably goes without saying that we were very relieved when over the holiday season, having spent about 20 hours on snowy roads with poor visibility and having witnessed several accidents, we completed our return trip to my parents' place in B.C. and back without incident!

Don't get me wrong though because despite driving conditions, it was wonderful to spend Christmas with my family in the mountains of British Columbia. Here's a shot of us on Boxing Day at the mall.

My parents, sister, husband and kids.

I know what you're thinking...we were getting in on Boxing Day sales. And if you thought that, then you're sort of right. But that's not all we were doing. We were also celebrating a very special family event: my niece's husband's "Rust" book-signing event. (We did our best to keep from mobbing the table.)

Left to right: Royden & Ruth (my niece), and my sister.

While we were happily snapping family photos, they were busy manning the table. This photo was taken at the end of the 3 hours when the books were all gone, so please bear with the reverse order of photos here.

(Oh, and on the table, pamphlets of the work in Mozambique which Royden and Ruth graciously asked us to make available for distribution that day. So yes, this wasn't "just" an ordinary book signing event!)

Royden's mom, Royden, and table visitors.

A memorial fund established in honor of Royden's father has helped raise funds to finish the bush airstrip at the mission in Mozambique. So it only seems fitting to tell you what comes next.

A donated hangar recently arrived in Moz from the U.S. by ship, it cleared customs (no small task), then was transported by truck to the mission where it was off-loaded. It then had to be literally dragged along the dirt road from the drop off point by the highway all the way up to the airstrip. (Thanks Barb Wayner for the photos!)

The container with the hangar, being dragged along by the backhoe.

Well, the road probably needed to be graded anyway!

Logs had to be put underneath it so it could roll rather than drag over the bridge.

Hangar construction materials from inside had to be unloaded.

(Ron Wayner and crew)
Then the foundations for the hangar were then poured.
A team is slated to arrive soon from the U.S. to complete the hangar's construction.

In the meantime, some final grading and work still needs to be done to finish the airstrip.
It's wonderful to see things going forward!

Last story here. This is Jose, a guard on staff at the mission.

He suffered for many years with teeth that were in very bad shape. So bad in fact that he could hardly chew his food. He used to say, "I am a happy man, and have inner peace, but if I could 'wish' for something more, it would be new teeth!" Well, God was obviously listening because several weeks ago, after quite a bit of work on his mouth, he got new teeth. They will take a bit of getting used to, but what a smile. Thank you to those who helped put this smile on his face!

Jose and Joao (Mozambican missionary serving at the mission).

And that pretty much sums up our news. I'll close this off with a photo of the Lagore family taken on New Year's eve.

Dwight and I with our two kids, far left.
Dwight's parents, Arthur and Gladie, front center.
Dwight's brothers, Steve and Allen, and their families, back center and right.

We wish you all the best, and especially inner peace, for 2012!