MEMORIES

Growing up on the Mission field definitely was an adventure. I remember going out with Dad and Mom on many grand adventures that at the time were not so grand but after the fact made great stories. I remember a few trips we took where we would come to a river where we would have to cross it using the Zambian mode of transportation. Many times this was a "Ferry" and I say that with quotations because many times it was a bunch of sticks tied together with rope, string or even grass. Then you would drive up on to it with your truck and you would trust that it would hold together as you pull your self across the river using a rope strung from end to end. Other trips we came to rivers where there was actually a metal "ferry" that looked somewhat like a boat and you would see that 4 Eighteen wheelers would drive on before you and you would be the last truck that would drive on the end with your rear tires at the VERY edge of the ferry. When you would exit the truck you would notice the LARGE gaps between boards that your vehicle plus the 4 other 18 wheelers would hopefully be supported by. The Zambian people always say there is always room for one more or one more Item. When you have said a prayer that your boat won't fall to pieces around you, the Ferry begins to shove off and then you have to face the facts that the waves are really bumpy and the ferry shifts and you think you are going to fall in to the crocodile and Hippo infested water. I must say I wondered many times if Tarzan would come to save me if I fall in the water. We never did fall in the water but it was an experience. Let us say the faith that you develop on those trips could move mountains.

Today I had a major Deja vu. The first barge arrived in Galena and that means another time where the whole community comes out to see it. Many people had stuff ordered and we actually had 3 barrels of gas or oil coming in so I went out to watch the activity and pick the barrels up. Well when I pulled up to the edge of the river I was seriously having flashbacks to my childhood of crossing many rivers with Ferries that were questionable. This barge was VERY QUESTIONABLE. It was PACKED so full that water almost flowed over it. There were crates and crates stacked and boats and cars stacked on top of those. A boat drove by on the river and I was afraid that the small waves it created would topple the whole barge and all the stuff would fall in the water. Keith's co-worker Wayne stopped by and we were chatting and he said ever so often there were times when things fell off the barge. It was then that I was thankful that all of our stuff when moving arrived by airplane and not by barge. The barge seemed very questionable and Kenton said this was a even better then other places he has lived in Alaska. I wish I would have had a camera but Keith had it in Fairbanks where he has been since Monday. Maybe when another barge comes in I can get a picture but I really wish I did have one to show how high it was stacked and how much stuff was on it.


Ok these were not the first barge pictures but Keith took these a few days ago and you can see how loaded it was!!!

1-2 inches of water over the boat and it still floats.=)