Greetings!!
I spoke with Dr. Carlson today and have some great information - I just wish I had all this info about 3 weeks ago!! Also, I got to talk to lots of the families of team members today. The surprise greeting party looks like it is going to be GREAT!! The details are below so read on.... and let me apologize from the beginning for being so lengthy but I think you'll appreciate all the info. If not, hit the delete key. :-)
~~ Phone call with Dr. Carlson
~~ Greeting Party update
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~~ Phone call with Dr. Carlson
I spoke with Dr. Carlson this morning about 10 or 11 AM our time so it was 7 or
8 Friday night when he got the call. I had Craig Gilbert on the line with me and
was simply facilitating a conference call. Craig is part of Team 2 and is
leaving tonight to go over to San Francisco to fly out tomorrow to Estonia. They
(Ron & Craig) will meet up somewhere along the way with the rest of
Team 2 (about 30 people from Denver) and will fly on to Estonia together. They
arrive in Estonia on the same plane that team #1 will leave on. They plan to
hug, pray and pass the "mantle of anointing" in the 10 minutes or so
between the time the plane arrives, team two gets off and team 1 gets on it to
come home. There are about 20 people from Team 1 still in Estonia - about 15 of
them have gone home, etc. There are about 5 or 6 local people who are
faithfully working with them.
(I wish I had this part about 3 weeks ago.... )
The site is BEAUTIFUL - it is on a little hilltop with birch forest all around.
It over looks a big field and there is only one road in/out from there.
They are in a creamery (not really a dairy though it's called the dairy) that is
a Bed & Breakfast with WONDERFUL facilities, including a deep
freeze. They are on the 4th floor where I think he said there are 9 or 10
rooms. He described them as being A1!! Each room is set up for 2 to 4 guests
depending on the size of the room. when Craig asked about doing laundry Dr
said Inga has collected all the laundry each day and returns it that evening.
The bath towels they use are about the size of our hand towels so he suggested
Craig bring his own towels.
It is in a little village called Kavistu - 12 miles out of Tartu - with a little river running through it. To go anywhere they must travel by little dirt roads along which there are farms where the landowners are working to prepare for winter. "It is the most beautiful land imaginable... It looks like America probably looked 100 years ago." In a past conversation I recall him - or someone - saying this is the perfect place to take a vacation it is sooo beautiful... except for the flies that bite!
We asked about the mosquitoes we had heard about (I think he had called it something in Estonian that in English is interpreted as "Mosquito Hell"). He said during the day they aren't bad - mostly at night they are a problem but they don't bother those with repellant - it is pretty effective against them.
Dr said the weather has been anything from 80's to 50's, some wind/some rain, mostly clear and looking real favorable. He encouraged Craig to bring a rain coat because "if you have a rain coat you can continue working while it rains." I don't know about any of you but let me tell you - I think THAT is dedication!!
The work..... Well the radio station itself (the building that houses it and a small apartment) are built. They are applying the final coat of paint today (Friday) and doing some electrical trim on it tomorrow.
The tower is getting started. All the anchors are in and ready to go. Dr. C said this was NOT easy - 1 or 2 caved in and filled with water but finally they are done. They have the first 100 feet of the tower painted and 8 or 10 sections have been put together. There are 54 or 56 sections (I've heard both numbers and don't know which is correct), each of them measuring about 15 feet. It takes about 30 - 35 minutes to assemble each section and they can assemble 8 or 10 sections a day. The crane is there and ready to start erecting the tower. They plan to stand about 100 feet of it tomorrow (Saturday).
The next team will assemble the remaining sections and put them up as they are painted. They are being painted with latex paint which is taking about 1 hour to dry, then "up it goes".
I asked Craig to explain how this will be done... some of you men probably already know all this and please don't laugh if my description is erroneously funny.... I'm only repeating this the way it was explained and don't completely get the whole thing but I'll try anyway (what a dope I must be to think I can do this!!!!)
The tower is basically a triangle at the base. Once the first 100 feet are erected (by the crane??) there will be a piece placed on top of this called a "gin pull." The next section to go on the tower is placed within the base of the tower and the gin pull lifts it and then somehow sets itself on top of that piece so it can left the next sections. Each section must be guided by two men sitting on the section as it is going up. These men (Ron Spradlin and Craig Gilbert) will keep it from getting caught on any cables or other sections of the tower, bolt it into place once it's up on top, then come down and ride the next piece up and do it all over again. At certain levels it will be guyed (whatever that means - and that is the correct spelling). The example Craig gave for how this works is "leap frogging".
At this point in his description Craig stopped and made a special appeal for prayer. This tower is over 800 feet high. Craig has never been higher tan 500 feet and would simply like us to realize if anything happens it's always serious at those height's. There are no MINOR accidents in this sort of work. We MUST continue to pray for this project and the people working on it even after team 1 gets home. Craig promised he would keep information coming to me in order for me to continue sending it on to you so we can all pray.
On a more specific note... there continues to be harassment from the enemy. The winch motor went out so they are having to bring a new one from America. Please be sure to include the equipment in your prayers!!
Dr C said the tower just PERFECTLY fit on property - no extra land. Typical God - every single detail working together perfectly and on time in spite of what the enemy might attempt. Even though the crate with the tower was the last one to arrive, they are still on schedule and this team going over on Saturday were assembled for the purpose of erecting the tower. When I first spoke with Craig he was a bit discouraged to hear the crate had been held up, the anchor holes had been difficult, etc. Once we talked with Dr. Carlson Craig was quite encouraged again to find everything right on schedule and ready for them to get there!
On a final note...Everyone is well, strong, and healthy - except for Andrew
MacMillan who injured his knee playing basketball and that is not a serious
injury but must rest it. They are all looking forward to being home this Sunday
night. They will probably be finished working for the day - and for this trip -
by the time you read this. At 2 on Saturday (which will be 5 AM here) they plan
to quit for the day and Tiit is taking them out on Lake Piepsi (spelling??)
for a boat ride to see a Russian Island between Russia and Estonia.
It is 11 AM on Saturday morning in Estonia as I finish this update. I can't help but have VERY mixed feelings knowing that I am so excited to see my son return, as well as the rest of the team. And yet my heart hurts knowing there have been new friendships established on the other side of the world from us and these people - our friends and family members - will be saying good-bye to people they may never see again. I spoke with our son today after speaking with Dr. C. It was almost midnight there and he and David Carlson were still up - David sending emails while I spoke on the phone with Chris. I could hear the sadness in his voice as he spoke of saying good-bye. He's pretty determined to go back in a couple years (he'd like to go back next summer but that doesn't look too promising.) He's excited to be coming home too but I know these next hours are going to be difficult for him. Please pray for all the team members who are saying good-bye and heading home - most likely not too excited about the next 25 hours or more of travel.
Well - that brings up our next topic.....
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~~ Greeting Party update
When I spoke with Dr. C I specifically asked how many people would be returning home on the bus. He said there would be about 20 people coming home on the plane but he knew some of them would be met by family and friends at the airport. Then he said "I would really prefer that not many people come pick their family member or friends up at the airport BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T WANT TO RIDE THAT BIG OLD BUS HOME WITH JUST MY FAMILY!!"
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
It took LOTS of self control to NOT just spill the beans right then!!!! I'm sure Dr. C is not so concerned about riding with his family as much as he is concerned about everyone leaving them alone after they have paid for this bus.
SOOOO - I called Storer Transportation and confirmed that the bus is indeed chartered through them. I also established that it is a 46 passenger bus and they will allow anyone to ride over to SF in it if they want to. The cost to take the bus over is already covered, the only additional charge is a TOTAL of $50 to allow people in it. That is $50 TOTAL - not each!! (I had called earlier in the week and was told to take a second bus it would be $600. Since there are only 20 people coming back and some of them are going to be picked up by family, that leaves at least 25 or 30 seats available for those who want to ride over and we won't need a second bus!!)
They will meet us at Dr. Carlson's home at 6:15 Sunday evening - they chose the time... not me. We will ride over together, meet others who have already arranged with Dr. C to take their own cars, and SURPRISE them at the gate.
I have spoken with some of the team that just returned last weekend and after speaking with 3 different people (or maybe it was 4) we've found a definite pattern of what they ALL said they would have liked to have for the trip from SF to here.
At the very top of the list was ICE cold water. Not just chilled... ICE COLD. They also all agreed something light to nibble would be nice... like veggies and fruit finger foods. And strangely enough, they each liked the idea of a bite or two of a candy bar. So... here is what we have come up with and a place where you can help out.
We want to assemble 50 snack sacks. These will be for the team members returning, as well as for the rest of us (so we won't eat theirs and so we can all party together.) Each sack will include a couple cookies, a baggie with some fruit - like grapes or other small fruits, a baggie with some veggies - like carrots, etc., a small bag of chips, a bite sized Snickers bar, a bottle of ICE COLD water, a piece of gum and a mint. We have people who have already volunteered to make cookies, bring water, and provide the Snickers bars, gum and mints. What we still need, if anyone wants to chip in, is chips (ha ha - get it - chip in some chips), fruit, and veggies. Please let me know ASAP - like by NOON Saturday if possible - if you are willing/able to help. I'll give all my phone numbers at the bottom of this note (or should I say book??)
At the airport we plan to have balloons and banners to greet them. If anyone already HAS a helium tank we can take to fill balloons on the way and while we're there, let me know. Otherwise, I plan to go to Costco and get one of the little $20 tanks.
Also, anyone who is so inclined (and PLEASE be inclined if you can at ALL) we need a couple people to make banners. I'm sorry, but I am WAAYYYYY wiped out this week and have NO creative juices left so I can tell you now, any banner I would make would probably be so bad people would run screaming from the building.
Now all the facts you'll need -
First - if you plan to ride the bus over you MUST let me know so we don't take up all the seats on the bus. If you are simply going to take your own car over, that's GREAT - we'll see you there and we'll all still be able to greet them together. We will have balloons for everyone whether you ride the bus or drive and there should be enough snack sacks for everyone including those who drive over.
Second - if you can help, please let me know as early as possible. Email is fine, phone is fine. I will probably go to Costco in the afternoon.
Third - the places, times and numbers:
WHERE to meet:
Dr Carlson's house if you're riding the bus - 5101 Mesa Ave.
SF Airport if you're driving. They will arrive at 9:50 Flight AA 177 (American
Airlines DOMESTIC) from JFK, NY.
WHEN to meet:
6:15 at Dr C's or sometime around 9 or later if meeting at SFO
MY PHONE NUMBERS
575-4535 - home
575-0545 - second line in our home (has an answering machine for the
business but just leave a message - I'll monitor it all day)
765-4159 - cell phone if neither of the first two work for you
COSTS
Weeeelllll - I don't have a definite head count so I can't fairly and equally
divide everything up. The bus will cost $50. The snacks, balloons and banners
are all just "chip in and help" so I'm not real worried about any
costs. If you can help, great. If not, come anyway because frankly, without you
it won't be as much fun!!
MOST IMPORTANT - THERE ARE NOT UNLIMITED SEATS SO YOU MUST CALL ME AND GET ON THE LIST IF YOU WANT TO RIDE THE BUS.
I've decided I'm going to work as a tour group manager when this is all over. NOT.
I really hope to see lots of you Sunday.
That's all for now.
blessings and hugs
lynda