Change-in high gear!
Well, the changes related to COVID-19 have come at us at break-neck speed and have hit us hard. A week ago Monday, we were settling into a nice calm week after transfers. Our time to catch up and get the things done we had neglected during transfer week. Sister Folland had new missionary info to record in the computer and I had flats to clean and laundry to do. In the afternoon the NZ prime minister announced that the country was moving to a level 3 alert for 2 days and then Wednesday at 11:59pm we would move to level 4 for 4 weeks. Level 4 means complete lockdown with restricted travel and only essential businesses functioning. We must stay in our house except for trips to the grocery store or for medical help. All other businesses are closed including restaurants- not even take-out is available. We can go out for exercise but must stay 2 meters from others.
On Wednesday morning we awoke to an email from our area presidency that all foreign missionaries in the Pacific area would be sent home. We assumed that meant us also, and we called our family to let them know we would be coming home soon. When we got to the office that morning, President informed us it was our choice- we could remain in New Zealand if we chose to. Well, Sister Folland and I had already discussed that we were staying if given the choice. I think President Erekson was relieved. We discussed what the level 4 restrictions would mean for our office work and if we would be allowed to come to the office. We were given the green light to come in as long as we did it for short times and entered descretely. As it turned out, we were locked out of the building and as a result hadn't removed the items we would need to create a home office. Thankful, we were given special dispensation to return to the office on Saturday for 10 minutes to gather up the essentials. Our kitchen table has become the office.(see pic)
The first day in lockdown was pretty uneventful and by the end of the day, I was wondering "how am I going to keep from going crazy if I'm this bored after 1 day".
Well, that was answered the next day as we started receiving itineraries for the first departing missionaries. The first trip to the Auckand airport was Saturday evening with 8 missionaries. By the time we went to bed at 11 pm Saturday night, we had a handful of additional flight documents for departure early Sunday morning and everything was set for them to travel. I woke up about 2:30 am Sunday morning and couldn't get back to sleep. Finally, after tossing and turning for an hour and a half I got up and decided to check the emails. As soon as I opened the program, emails from the travel office with flight itineraries started "flying" in, one right after the other. I called our mission executive secretary, who has been coordinating the movement of the missionaries and said "you better get on your computer" and then woke up Sister Folland with "WE HAVE WORK TO DO!"
When it all settled back down a few hours later, we had an additional 19 missionaries leaving in 2 additional shifts on Sunday. I drove the shift leaving at 3pm. Since then, it has been pretty continuous. Yesterday(Monday), we sent 2 groups to the airport, one leaving at 4am and the other at 5pm. Today we only have one trip with 11 missionaries but tomorrow we will have a group of 29 going to the airport in the evening. After Wednesday, we will have sent 97 missionaries home in 4 days. We have a small group of 5 going on Saturday to the UK and a few more scheduled for the end of April headed to Tahiti. We have about 40 missionaries from the Pacific Islands that they are trying to get out, but due to boarder closings, they have been more difficult.
Sister Folland and I are responsible to prepare travel documents as well as to notify the missionaries, parents and stake presidents of the itineraries. It has been a monumental task but we have been amazed at how few mistakes have been made. We truly feel we have help from on high. When this all settles out, we will have about 10-15 of the 170 missionaries we previously had. Once the lockdown restrictions are lifted we expect to get several New Zealand natives that have returned here. That will help our numbers.
After a few days, we will begin to process what has happened. Right now we are too busy to think about the ramifications. I know this much- we are very sad each time a van leaves for the airport taking our wonderful missionary force away. We have grown to love these young missionaries, even the few knucleheads.
On Wednesday morning we awoke to an email from our area presidency that all foreign missionaries in the Pacific area would be sent home. We assumed that meant us also, and we called our family to let them know we would be coming home soon. When we got to the office that morning, President informed us it was our choice- we could remain in New Zealand if we chose to. Well, Sister Folland and I had already discussed that we were staying if given the choice. I think President Erekson was relieved. We discussed what the level 4 restrictions would mean for our office work and if we would be allowed to come to the office. We were given the green light to come in as long as we did it for short times and entered descretely. As it turned out, we were locked out of the building and as a result hadn't removed the items we would need to create a home office. Thankful, we were given special dispensation to return to the office on Saturday for 10 minutes to gather up the essentials. Our kitchen table has become the office.(see pic)
The first day in lockdown was pretty uneventful and by the end of the day, I was wondering "how am I going to keep from going crazy if I'm this bored after 1 day".
Well, that was answered the next day as we started receiving itineraries for the first departing missionaries. The first trip to the Auckand airport was Saturday evening with 8 missionaries. By the time we went to bed at 11 pm Saturday night, we had a handful of additional flight documents for departure early Sunday morning and everything was set for them to travel. I woke up about 2:30 am Sunday morning and couldn't get back to sleep. Finally, after tossing and turning for an hour and a half I got up and decided to check the emails. As soon as I opened the program, emails from the travel office with flight itineraries started "flying" in, one right after the other. I called our mission executive secretary, who has been coordinating the movement of the missionaries and said "you better get on your computer" and then woke up Sister Folland with "WE HAVE WORK TO DO!"
When it all settled back down a few hours later, we had an additional 19 missionaries leaving in 2 additional shifts on Sunday. I drove the shift leaving at 3pm. Since then, it has been pretty continuous. Yesterday(Monday), we sent 2 groups to the airport, one leaving at 4am and the other at 5pm. Today we only have one trip with 11 missionaries but tomorrow we will have a group of 29 going to the airport in the evening. After Wednesday, we will have sent 97 missionaries home in 4 days. We have a small group of 5 going on Saturday to the UK and a few more scheduled for the end of April headed to Tahiti. We have about 40 missionaries from the Pacific Islands that they are trying to get out, but due to boarder closings, they have been more difficult.
Sister Folland and I are responsible to prepare travel documents as well as to notify the missionaries, parents and stake presidents of the itineraries. It has been a monumental task but we have been amazed at how few mistakes have been made. We truly feel we have help from on high. When this all settles out, we will have about 10-15 of the 170 missionaries we previously had. Once the lockdown restrictions are lifted we expect to get several New Zealand natives that have returned here. That will help our numbers.
After a few days, we will begin to process what has happened. Right now we are too busy to think about the ramifications. I know this much- we are very sad each time a van leaves for the airport taking our wonderful missionary force away. We have grown to love these young missionaries, even the few knucleheads.
Comments
Post a Comment