Moving . . . On, Forward, Again.

We knew when we took the position at Logos that it wouldn’t be forever. I likened it to “standing in the gap.” Early on in the school year we knew that this would be our last at Logos and that we would be returning to America, closer to family, laying down new roots. At the beginning of the school year we had no idea that it would end like it did though.

It all began normal enough. Everything was running smoothly.

All was “right” with the world. . .

And then Covid hit. It started right after Christmas break, with hand sanitizer stations and temperature checks.

Kirsten was still able to continue with her “old people” project, interviewing survivors of the Pol Pot regime, and in some cases providing more tangible support.

But then in the beginning of March Logos went remote - Zoom dominated. These are student’s from Kirsten’s photography class. I was teaching Choir - not the easiest topic to go online! But it wasn’t long before we were forced to leave. Mid-March, on a Friday morning, we got the word from the US State Department, that if you were planning on leaving Cambodia in the foreseeable future, then “now” was the time. The next day, we were on a flight home. Several other Logos faculty did the same, and we all finished the year remotely.

On the bright side, we were reunited with our beagle, Shelby, whom we had brought back to Alaska over Christmas break. . .

and we have been enjoying what may be our last Alaskan summer, before we head off for Oregon. I have taken a position as Elementary Principal at Santiam Christian. Kirsten will be teaching music there. We have sold our condo in Anchorage and are packing up for the drive out at the end of July.

We will be heading back to Cambodia again, when it opens up and things settle down. There are more opportunities for service waiting for us. We will no longer be with Logos School or Asian Hope, but we plan to return about twice a year, on short trips, to continue our projects, professional development and photographic work. This is one of Kirsten’s closest translators, Sharon (pronounced Sarhone), who is currently on mission in Zambia.

We will always love Cambodia.