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VanFossen: Fall 2008 Update!
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   God's Adventures!  
     

 
  Bill LaBore and Greg (behind the camera) walk down a village street.
   
 
  Greg visits the Ministry of Health.
   

by Greg and
Chrystal VanFossen


The last month has been very active for us. There was the usual business of the family doing school and extra curricular activities. In addition,  Greg went to Guyana for two weeks, and the family went to Chehalis, WA, to make a project presentation. This has been a learning experience both in what the future is likely to bring and the great degree of generosity of those around us.  



   Greg enjoyed the trip to Guyana, where he met other missionaries, church and government officials and viewed the country. The people are very friendly, and the country is  beautiful and hot.  He landed in Georgetown the night of September 3, experienced a 45-minute taxi ride on the “wrong” side of the road and got to sleep in a hammock out on the porch. Travel by car is a bit of an experience.  Suffice it to say they use their horns a lot. He stayed a couple of days with the LaBores and Wickwires in the house they rent in Georgetown. The AWA plane was grounded for repairs, so Greg and Bill LaBore had to fly to Mabaruma via Trans Guayana Airways.  The new cylinders for the AWA plane were in customs. Efforts are being made to get a duty-free concession through the Ministry of Health. Government officials have been actively assisting with the proceedures, as they rely on the services AWA provides.
   
   
 The best mode of travel without a plane .
   
 
Port Kituma Hospital.  
   
   
The Kodiak lands to take part in the Chehalis weekend event.  
  


   While in Mabaruma, Bill showed Greg around and introduced him to the Regional Health Officer, the hospital staff, the SDA pastor for the region, church members and neighbors.  They spent a week meeting and greeting as well as shooting video for an introductory segment to be used in presentations. Toward the end of the week they took a boat trip up the Kaituma River to Port Kaituma and visited the hospital. Medix Edghilo is the health care provider for the town and surrounding villages. She gave a tour of the hospital, which provides basic services. 



   Greg returned to Georgetown on September 11. Bill remained in Mabaruma to get some needed work done. The other AWA missionaries gave him more tours of Georgetown and introduced him to SDA conference workers, Ministry of Health officials, taxi drivers (integral to one’s survival in Georgetown), shopping, post office and Davis Hospital staff. Greg returned home on September 16 and was quite ready to be with his family again. Two weeks is a long time for the children not to see Papa. 




   Eight days later the whole family headed out of town for a project presentation at the Chehalis SDA Church in Washington. It was good to see friends we hadn’t seen for six-seven years. The weekend went well, and God blessed us with supreme weather. Paul Karmy brought up the recently-acquired Cessna 206. A number of rides were given in that. Greg was able to “drive” it around the neighborhood once. The Kodiak was brought over by the Spokane Turbine Center, and a number of rides were given in that as well. Dave Voetmann from Quest Air Craft did a joint presentation with Don Starlin on Sabbath afternoon on the importance of the Kodiak and mission aviation. It was very kind of Dave to take time out of his busy schedule to spend time with us.

   
   
  Children sit in the cockpit of the Guyana Project Mission plane in Chehalis, Washington.
   
 
  Chrystal and Greg VanFossen beside the Cessna 206 slated for service in Guyana.
   


    In a nutshell, that is what the VanFossen’s have been up to for the last month. We’d love to hear from you. You can contact us through
www.flyawa.org and click on our family under the Guyana project. While you’re there, take a look around the web site; a lot of wonderful things there show how God is leading in many ways and places. Come along with us on this amazing adventure with God.  Until next time, may God abundantly bless you and give you peace.





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