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Sailing4Him.org

Vessel Name: Sweet Dreams
Vessel Make/Model: Irwin 54
Hailing Port: Hayden Bay, Portland, Oregon, USA
Crew: Jim, Gina Colton, & Niki
About: We are a family on a mission. Working with Wycliffe Bible Translators, we will sail across the Pacific Ocean to Papua New Guinea where we will serve as Boating Operations Managers. Please join us as God unfolds this wonderful adventure before us!
Extra:
Did you know that nearly one-third of the existing languages do not have a single verse of Scripture? That’s over 200 million people with NO opportunity to see scripture in their own heart language. In 1999, Wycliffe committed to the mission of seeing a Bible translation program started in [...]
Home Page: http://sailing4him.org
15 November 2015
18 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo
16 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo
10 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Kolombangara Island
02 August 2015 | Gizo, Solomon Islands
13 July 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Kolombangara Island
01 July 2015 | 9 05.67'S:160 08.65'E, Tulaghi Harbour
25 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
25 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
23 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
21 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
21 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
21 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
20 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
20 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
20 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
19 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
14 June 2015 | 09 01.05'S:160 07.52'E, Roderick Bay, Nggela Islands
12 June 2015 | 09 24.11'S:160 00.62'E, Honiara
02 June 2015 | 07 43.75'S:160 03.68'E, Heading to Honiara
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15 November 2015

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18 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo

A Fish Story_Part 2

Now that you are hooked on this story, you need to know there is more. But first the answer to the popular question: Did you get the lure back?

16 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo

A Fish Story

A huge rift in the family occurred last week. In other words it was real dissention.

For our latest updates....

15 November 2015
Visit us on our Facebook Page

A Fish Story_Part 2

18 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo
Now that you are hooked on this story, you need to know there is more. But first the answer to the popular question: Did you get the lure back?

As you might have guessed, none of us came close to pulling the lure from the shark�'s mouth. Even though the captain has a foot long pair of needle-nose pliers in the tool box, none dared. After all, the thing was still very much alive and tail noosed. We decided to keep it along the side of the boat until arriving to the village. Why? In case that they did not want it, then we could set it free.

Interestingly, after dropping anchor we hollered to them on shore about this thing, the first question they yelled back through the dark was this: �"Is it still alive?�" Upon confirming that yes, it was still alive, a young man quickly paddled out from shore. After seeing the fish next to the canoe, curiosity overcame us all. How is this going to work out? We gave him the rope and then, as the thing tried to swim away, it was flung tail first into the canoe. How the canoe did not tip over is anyone�'s guess. I believe we heard a �"Tank yu too mas�" as he paddled off. Behind him, in our best tok pigeon, Colton called out we would like the lure back!

Well, when Eric showed up early the next morning, after greetings and talk of the feast, he handed Jim the �"lure�".....errrr....what was left of it. So much for saving it....it is mangled, chewed, and looking pretty darn ratty. See the picture? How did that shark hang on to such a small hook? It is no bigger than your average sized thumb.

Speaking of how. Did you ever wonder how things can seemingly work out so perfectly? There we were, passing near the same village that showed us both hospitality and safety, and then, voila, we were able to show some hospitality back, and then some.

There is more.

At the end of last week we found ourselves in a seemingly unrelated quandary. Sitting at anchor near Gizo, with a malfunctioning engine, we were soon to be out of propane. BIG trade winds are blanketing the region. Furthering the dilemma, our particular propane tank, like on an outdoor grill, fits perfectly into a cubby with its twin brother, TANK 2. This area of the Solomons has only a tank exchange program. Their tanks do not fit into the cubby. Besides, ours have the US safety standard connectors, required by the US Coast Guard.

The closest town with a filling station is up wind, nearly 30 miles away (in Noro), with reefs strewn around the southern passage and a narrowing bay directly into the wind from the northern approach. While we learned well enough how to cook over an open fire during village living training (last year in PNG), that simply would not work out very well here. Hmmmm?...

After Friday morning devotion and prayer time Gina and I sat there, talking around in circles about how to solve this issue. By now we should have cleared into Thursday Island, 800 miles west in the Torres Strait, where propane is access able. So here we sit with these �"issues�" and delays and BIG wind blowing in our faces. Talk of rigging a temporary solution was being tossed about. Talk of finding someone going to Noro came up. Yeah right...in this weather? The conversation trailed off.

An hour later Perfect showed up! It was Eric and friend in his motorized canoe. HEY! Morning Morning. He saw us anchored over behind a reef, close to Gizo town. His village is quite a distance NW and nowhere near in sight of our location, but he saw us sitting here. He came to say Hello. We asked him where he was headed with that boat load of stuff. �"To Noro for Market�" he replied. Well whatta ya know....isn�'t that just perfect?

How do all these seemly random little pieces to a big puzzle fit together so neatly? God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. Perfect!!

A Fish Story

16 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo
A huge rift in the family occurred last week. In other words it was real dissention.

As you may or may not know, we are in a holding pattern due to our main engine raw water system being broken. As this is a sailboat it was decided to make our way back to Iriri, home village of the Havenga family, to work things out. It is a safe place.

On the way to Iriri, we fished, always dreaming of bringing back a decent sized fish to give to the village. The policy onboard is to utilize small lures to catch manageable-sized fish. As mentioned in previous posts, catching a large Marlin is not a good idea, safety-wise. In this case we were trolling along with a 5 inch feather lure which should keep anything caught around 1 meter. In theory! The other line had a small squid lure.

Well wouldn�'t you know it, soon after deploying two lines, one reel started hissing as line poured out. The other was quickly recovered to keep it out of the way, while sails were relaxed and the boat hove to. There are many reefs in the area so maneuvering is limited. In this case our tack was to port, away from shore and into the BIG wind. After 30 minutes of fighting the fish, making little progress, we tacked back, out of the increasing waves and wind. The fishing pole needed to be brought around the aft end of the boat, hand to hand as to not tangle in the shore boat rigging....and wind generator. The fish, yet to be seen, seemed worth the struggle.

Another 30 minutes passed, little progress was being made. It was our favorite lure out there with a fish on it. We had to recover it. As another 30 minutes passed it was clear our trip to Iriri would not be completed before dark. That bay has a narrow entrance through the reef. The first discussion to cut the line ensued. Decision made, let�'s land this fish. We wouldn't make it to Iriri before dark anyway.

Soon the line was coming in, the fish had a good fight but was wearing out. Curiosity was getting the better of us all. Besides, we wanted that lure back. And then the truth came up from the depth. First the fin broke the surface. Then the familiar tail swooshing followed. SHARK! It�'s a BIG reef shark. Agggh! Cut the line or not?? The shark was over 5 feet.

As the fish swam back and forth our family broke into an emotionally charged �'discussion�'. These sharks are plentiful and this one could literally feed a village. Emotions ran high while Colton and John ran a line through the water and skillfully noosed its tail. No one wanted to reach into the tooth-filled mouth to recover the lure.

In the previous week we had hid behind this nearby island and reef to troubleshoot the engine and celebrate Colton�'s birthday. There is a small village there and Eric (the Chief) welcomed us to stay in safety. We anchored just off his village, away from the BIG trade winds, which had no end in sight according to the forecast. The Solomon�'s are known for challenging weather...year round. Now, the familiar place was close-by and the sun was setting.

Also we now had this BIG problem, the �"fish�" and accompanying dilemma. Keep it or free it? In the fury of discussion, the Captain had John call a young man on the neighboring tiny island who ran a small Eco resort. Junior, the manager and owner�'s son, John met the week before and was happy to inform him that the people in Eric�'s village would love that kind of fish.

In the background of this phone call, crew conversation was heating up about freeing the shark. But Captain James was hearing another message beyond the arguing: Matthew 25:35... John then informed us all about the fact that the village was a good place to take it. So under strain and anger, the fish was kept and delivered to the village, Eric�'s village, the one that had provided us a safe haven for many days. Tensions were still high on board as the shark was loaded into a canoe, delivered to Eric and his awaiting village family.

The following morning, Eric arrived early with stories of the feast enjoyed overnight. Most touching was his relating that the children had eaten beyond their satisfaction, and slept with happy stomachs.

Praise be to God for his provision of safety to our family and the feeding of a village.

Part two of God�'s provision will follow. Stay tuned!

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