We left Victoria by the Anarcortes ferry, a three hour leisurely trip through the islands of the San Juan Strait between Canada and USA. The duty free is open for only 45 mins as you are soon into US territory. At Friday Harbor a half hour stop then two more hours to mainland Seattle.

Seattle with Cher Moffit and her two adopted black boys. Jim, sadly gone from brain cancer in 2010.

Next day down through Oregon, a very pleasant drive in bright sunny weather. Our stop in a $35 a night motel managed by Indians. These people directed us to an Indian restaurant whose owner had been blessed by the patronage of a Dentist who served in the summer at Landour and Woodstock school in India. Great to hear of his on going ministry to Indians in the USA.

The Black Bear Café in Yreba favored us with breakfast filtered out of a Mexican dominated menu. The subsequent trip to Reedley proved easier than we thought bringing us there by late afternoon.

The highlight was the visit to the Sierra Mountains source of 50% of CA water supplies. The giant Sequoia trees of one area are awesome in size and ability to with stand fire and disaster.

Yosemite is a natural canyon with dramatic waterfalls and huge trees. A hiker’s paradise.

Over the hills and far away to Vince and Fern Rutherford, of Pakistan, Kabul and Fuller Seminary days, and we are near Santa Crus at a Methodist camp ground founded by his father and friends which has gained them a privileged location which has been steadily built over the years to a delightful cottage in the woods. These redwoods do not have the girth of the Sequoias but regenerate much more easily.

An interesting day in Santa Cruz found us at the Khyber Pass for a great Afghan/Pakistan meal and interaction in a mix of Afghan Dari, Persian and Urdu. Vince continues his keen interest in outreach to all these communities.

It took us sometime to find the Senior’s Centre where we enjoyed a somewhat Spartan meal donation $2.50 – all insights into life in the great USA. An interesting incident was the arrival of a medical emergency helicopter at the adjoining playground. Rather noisy as it did not turn off its rotors the whole 15-30 mins while loading.

At the next stop considerable confusion as our understanding of instructions proved faulty. The big chains are offering rooms of higher quality at $39.99. The Indians will have to retreat to smaller centres as competing is difficult. The trend of the age to create this bland sameness all across the country lowering prices no doubt producing efficiency etc but depriving of variety and local color.

In the end we had to pay more to get a room. Then we went out looking for a Chinese restaurant arriving at closing time 21.00 so had to accept take out. But by then it was dark in a strange town. We remembered the Shell station but it took half an hour to find it!

San Bernadino our next stop found a warm welcome from Bernice with whom Janette had shared an apartment in Nicosia, Cyprus. The highlight being a visit to her Church which instead of having a formal preaching service sent the members out to do Community Service – cleaning up the local park where they had enjoyed a picnic, (22 new families arrived!), giving out bottles of water to sport’s fans, washing windscreens at a service station. The Oldies were left to write appreciation letters to local officials. Ours in my bad handwriting went to the High School Principal!

ICHE, International Council for Higher Education – a grand title for a modest gathering. Not grand enough to impress the US immigration as they denied visas to 4 Nigerian delegates. Delegates did arrive from Korea, China, India, Nigeria, Kenya, S Africa, Zurich, Vienna and Sofia as well as a number of local US LA people from the host Azusa Pacific University, Fuller and others.

Two main ideas emerged chiefly from a very erudite Cameroonian who is the head of an Azusa educational dept.

1. Importance of gaining secular type accreditation from govt authorities
2. On line learning which is emerging around the world as a major
3. Ken kept beating his integration/holistic drum well attested by Azusa
4. Nigerians developing texts, one in print by BLR another 4 more in editing. Planned 15 in all

I am mostly interested in the e learning courses on line aimed more at laity than the Pros. May need to find new people as at least in India the old system is well entrenched full of vested interests so shall see if anything emerges.

Victoria Home going and Coming

5000 miles or around 8.000 kms for the trip which went through without any incident for which we are thankful. Normally a 3 day journey but stops in Reedley over the weekend, Portland to see ailing friend Lee Turner who has invested his life in Urdu radio broadcasting then the widow of Art Boltz near Seattle saw us finally enjoying General Cho’s chicken in Port Angeles before boarding that ferry and arriving home on the 17th. The same strip of water that we see from our living room window this time adorned with two International Cruise boats in Port.

Things are going well for Henry and Yvonne, the garden is blooming, Ben much more settled. So home now until July 8th when we shall be off to Ontario to see daughter Verona and Family until the 25th.