I'm home! (nearly)

 Hi friends,

I made it back, not without incident, but safely and so very gratefully and happily! My biggest and most important suitcase had gotten left in Kuala Lumpur despite being checked through from LAX and my verifying twice - at both the transfer desk and the gate - that the suitcases were both there and labeled correctly to go on with me to Papua New Guinea. Oh well, it followed about 40 hours behind me, thank God!

I am enjoying being so near the kids and Gavin during my quarantine. My bedroom windows look out on our house. Right now I can hear Isaac and friends laughing. I have little visits throughout the day. Today I've set up playdates, sent kids home to put on hats and sunscreen, saved Gracie's basketball from being stolen (the court is right on the side of the house where I'm quarantined), commanded them to pick up garbage they left on the driveway, told them to take their medicine, suggested that maybe feeling sick meant it was time to go eat something, and all without leaving my porch. I have a good strong voice. 😁

(I zoomed in on the following shots, hence the fuzzy quality. )

Rain or shine, the girls didn't care! It's poured rain every afternoon.

Isaac doing the happy dance with Gracie!

David was still dressed from Book Parade. He was King Arthur. So was Will. But David accessorized with a ninja hood rather than helmet, although I'm not sure why. Things fall apart when Mom is gone. 😅

Gavin has done an AMAZING job with the help of our WONDERFUL community! It really took a village, and we love this village's sacrificial servant heart in feeding and caring for these kiddos while we were separated! 

Let me tell you, doing a medical procedure/test in another country during a pandemic is no easy thing. Travel is just so tricky these days! We'd been trying to get me back for nearly 4 weeks, but I was gone for 5. It's that hard to get approvals and tickets and tests in time, plus Dallas had their Snowcopalypse while I was there.  The airport was MOBBED the day I left, I'm guessing because so many had been trapped during the storms. My heart and prayers go out to the people who STILL don't have water, and to those who were so cold for so long without power. My parents were exceptionally blessed in not losing either, I think because they live in a senior community right next to a a nursing home. My brother and sister and their families had burst pipes and were without power and water for several days, so I got to see a lot of them that last week - whenever icy roads were passable! 

Thanks again for all your prayers for my testing/biopsy and for my travel and most of all for my family! I love them so much and truly rejoice to see/here how well they've done. The Lord is GOOD!

Love in Him,

Carrie

The journey I didn’t expect

Cobbling together text messages starting during my distraught 4 hours in LAX:

 I made it to the Qatar gate in plenty of time, actually. My bags were never found. They’re somewhere here in LAX. The gate agent told me to sit nearby, and they got the supervisor over to explain to me that they WOULD get the bags to me in PNG. He told me to go ahead and check in, and when I went up the gate, the agent had closed the flight WHILE I WAS TALKING TO THE SUPERVISOR. Because she was already printing the finalized manifest, the supervisor said, “Sorry, there’s nothing I can do.”

This really is like one of those dreams you can’t get out of and it feels like everything is going wrong. Sobbing In the airport and pleading with gate agents and managers. [They didn’t find the luggage until long after.]

Now they’re telling me (after 3 desk agents and 2 baggage counter visits and 1.5 hours) that I have to go back to International and get my bags released from Qatar. But there is no one WITH Qatar here. Because they only fly occasionally.

[At this point I just stopped and said out loud, “Lord, show me what to do.” At that very moment my phone rang - they had found and brought my bags to RIGHT where I was!!! I RAN with all that weight to the elevator, took it up to the check-in counter, tried to hurry through Security only to have BOTH carry-ons  inspected!!! Argh! Then RAN to the gate, praying the whole time and realizing a I am even more out of shape physically than I thought. Got on the plane, praising God, then realized I didn’t have a signal for updating everyone!! I finally got a couple of texts to send when the cell signal came back minimally, and the travel agent - with Golden Rule Travel, the BEST!! - received my test asking him to forward my itinerary to our coordinator to get new permissions.]

I took the Turkish Airways flight to Istanbul then go on to Kuala Lumpur, arriving 6 hours before the WFP flight leaves, Lord willing.

Great 13 hour flight, slept most of it, highly recommend Turkish Airways! Had to re-clear Security probably literally 2 miles away from where we disembarked, in long, long line, but no issues.

I’m in Istanbul now! Should make it to Kuala Lumpur in plenty of time, Lord willing. THANK GOD for a travel agent who loves Him and has a heart for missionary families! We never dreamed Turkish Airways would be a possibility. I barely made it, but the Lord brought my bags just in time. He is SO good. The flight was just lovely and I even had my own row. The terminal is also lovely as I wait for my next flight. He is so kind. I do not trust Him He deserves. He’s proven Himself abundantly trustworthy all the days of my life.

Please keep praying! I’ll update as there’s anything to report. 

Carrie travel update

 After a mechanical problem and a a delay, Carrie is getting on the flight that will take her to LAX and that has her bags on it. It will give her only 50 minutes to transfer to the other flight, which is quite a short time for an international transfer. They have put her in a premium seat so she can get off quickly and are going to notify the other airline for a quick transfer. If she does not get on that flight, she will have to try to come on a flight the next day, but it will cost thousands of dollars more. She needs to stay with her bags, because they have critical medications for people here in PNG. Pray for tailwinds and a quick transfer in LAX as well as graceful and understanding people.

Thank you,

Gavin

On the way home!

 I’ll be traveling for the next 60+ hours via LAX, Qatar and Malaysia. (Leaving Sunday morning our time, arriving PNG Wednesday afternoon their time.) I’m so ready to see my sweet kids and Gavin and friends, but I’ve had a very blessed month with my mom, dad, brother, sister and their families. Thanks for your prayers for all us Joneses, and please keep them coming as I quarantine in a nearby house for two weeks!

Approval! . . . and a delay.

     We're praising the Lord that Carrie's approval from the PNG government came through last night.  Unfortunately it was too late for her to get on the flight this week.  We were encouraged that at least the commercial flight next week is an option, only to find that in recent days the cost of the ticket has increased almost $4000!  Seeing that the World Food Program flight would only arrive six days later than the aforementioned commercial option, we've decided it's much more prudent and financially responsible to wait the additional days for her return.  

    For the family here, it's hard to think that she won't be back in Ukarumpa for another two weeks and then we'll have another two weeks of quarantine separation.  But, just as He always is and always proves, the Lord is more than sufficient to sustain us and help us thrive and grow even in the separation.

    Many continued thanks to all for your prayers!

In Christ,

Gavin 

Got the approval!!

 This is Carrie, letting everyone who has been praying that I received my approval early this morning, praise God! I am so happy to get back to my amazing husband, dear children, delightful friends, and blessed life, work and ministry in PNG! 

I will leave here Monday, Lord willing, and travel via Hong Kong back to Port Moresby. Prayers greatly appreciated for smooth transit and all connections made!

I have to quarantine for two weeks, but I’ve rented the house right next to ours! The kids already have handmade artwork to decorate my temporary abode.

Thank you for praying!

Carrie

Carrie update - 22 February

Unfortunately, Carrie still has not received her approval from the PNG controller, so she will be unable to return this week.  We continue to pray that we will receive the approval this week so that she can get on next Monday's flight (US time), which would get her to Port Moresby on Thursday morning.

Again, thank you for your prayers and support for us all!

The kids are doing well in school and really enjoying it.  This allows me to still work at Aviation, though on a modified schedule.  There is very little flying going on right now, so I'm mostly in the office, but that is good for the current single dad situation.

We continue to pray that more and more people will come back and that things would recover here, allowing the mission work to progress and increase.  While PNG still has not been hit hard at all by COVID like so many other countries,  the regulations from the government still have affected day to day things as well as travel and the economy in general.

Thanks be to God that there are no surprises for Him and that all is in control by his good, and omnipotent hands!

In Christ,

Gavin

Gavin, with Robert, our newest helicopter pilot, and Jon, a good friend with another mission.

Marcie sporting her shawl before heading to school

Gracie also ready to head to school

Puppy love

Beware of the mighty warriors if you dare come into our yard!

I just put up a tire swing.  The kids decided to use it in ways I hadn't thought of!

Another day in this beautiful country with these beautiful people!

A few photos

The girls wore their princess dresses to a wedding four  days before I (Carrie) left for the USA

PNG bread decorations on the breakfast buffet at the hotel in Port Moresby

The plane was nearly empty!

Speaking of planes, Seth really knows how to draw them!

Our kitten using our puppy as a pacifier. Kinda weird, but they love each other!

My darling nephew and niece, who’s cancer remains in remission, praise God!

Will and David enjoying the new tire swing

Puppy Shelly napping on sweet Gracie

We live in such a beautiful country.

Gavin re-purposed a helicopter load slinging net

My other beautiful niece enjoying puzzle eraser animals from the Tokyo airport gift shop

My dad with the fancy Japanese chocolates I also brought from the Tokyo airport gift shop. Who knew fancy Japanese chocolate would be so delicious?!!

Bring your kids to work (on Saturday) is always popular in our family!

 

Pray for Carrie's return

Thank you to all who have been praying for Carrie, both before we heard the wonderful medical news as well as since, as we look for ways to get her back here quickly. 

In order to return to PNG, she needs approval from the government. The paperwork is submitted and we are praying that she might get approval from the Controller's office this weekend.  That would allow her to  get on a Monday flight from the US through Vancouver and Hong Kong to POM on Wednesday.  We know it is unlikely, but that anything can happen.  We would appreciate your prayers.  There is the same flight the following week and then the following week is the World Food Program flight, on which she is booked if nothing else works.  

We are so thankful to the Ukarumpa community here. So many have offered help, provided meals, let our kids play at their house, etc.!  This is a wonderful community in which to single parent!  We are cared for and doing quite well even though we miss our Mom/wife a whole lot.

In Christ,

Gavin