Conference

We are finished with our MAF conference.  It was very refreshing to be taught from the Word everyday and to make some new friendships.  Pastor Matt from New Heights taught us, and one of the piano players for Natalie Grant did the worship.  How cool is that?My Dad was able to be home from the hospital for his birthday.  He is slowly making his way around and says that the meds are helping to control most of the pain.  Keep praying for a healthy recovery.  He hopes to go back to work in August.Pray for the people of Papua.  There is a very nasty stomach virus going around.  Some of us have it and are miserable, but we know how to treat it.  However, many of the Papuans may not understand the importance of staying hydrated when you have vomiting and diarrhea, so for them it can be quite deadly.Pray also for this area as Benny Hinn is coming to do two shows.  So many here need true healing and not to be lead astray.  Benny is quite the "showman" and will easily get people to follow his promises of healing.Also, a new president has been declared.  As of yet, we have not heard of any ill effects from that decision.  So that is good.We are soaking up these last few weeks before school starts, trying new recipes, playing games, taking walks etc.  It is so fun for us to be together like this.Here are some pictures from our conference: We had mustache night in honor of Wally (He is a "giant" among MAF and has been here in Indonesia serving since the 70s).

 

Our own World Cup!

Learning how to do the Virginia Reel...it was so much fun!

Cale playing a duet with Tim.

My Dad

I am ready to walk out the door for the start of our MAF conference, but I wanted to give you an update on my Dad.  He has been taken to St. Luke's.  The pain was too difficult to manage at home.  He was very uncomfortable, so it is a good thing that he is there, and has gotten some pain meds.  He is still waiting to be seen as the hospital is very busy.  Mom is there and will stay there as long as needed.  Her phone is almost out of battery so it may be awhile before I receive another update, but I will let you know what I hear.

It is impossible for me to talk or pray about this without crying.  I SO desperately wish I was there at St. Luke's with him, but God has a plan.I need to "Find rest in Him alone."

Pray for the family.  Pray for my Mom.  Pray for the doctors.  Pray for wisdom. Pray for us to focus on what is going on here and get in the right frame of mind for all that we need to do for conference.

Thanks.

Rachel

Updates

Here is an update on a few of the things that I have been writing you about.

First and foremost is the update on my Precious Dad.  He went in for an MRI where they found out that he has stenosis,which is a narrowing of the spinal canal in 2 or 3 levels due to the compression of the jolt.  He has a fracture in the 5th vertebrae, there is a shift in the vertebrae and some ligament tears.  He needs to get in to see a specialist at St. Lukes.  Pray that he can get in quickly.

He has been released from the hospital and was sent home on pain meds. He is still having very painful leg spasms and needs prayer for relief of those. 

God has a lesson for all of us in this, if we choose to see it.  I am reading through Psalms and found a verse where David prays to God over his troubles.  He says that he doesn't want God to take them all away because then he may forget to trust.  I am not asking God to give my Dad a pain-free life, but I am asking for God to be with him through each moment of pain.  For my Dad to feel His great presence. The comfort of God's strong arms wrapped around him.  For my Super Hero Mom, who always takes on the world to know that it is ok to rest, and stop, and sleep and let others do.

And pray for us, WAY over here...so far away...sitting by the computer waiting for updates...waiting and praying.

Second update is on the presidential election:

As of now both parties are claiming victory.  However, the official announcement won't be until July 22nd.  Pray for there to be a gracious loser.

My Dad

Hi.  I need all of my prayer warriors to start praying.  My brave father went skydiving on Tuesday and had a crash landing.  He landed on his tailbone and was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he stayed for a few hours, got numerous x-rays done and then was released with the diagnosis of a bruised tailbone.

However, he has been in so much pain-unable to stand, or sit, or lay for any amount of time.  Last night was really bad and he is now back in the hospital to undergo testing. 

My parents have family staying in their home right now so they have been staying in a different home in Williams Bay.  They have no email or phone except for my Mom's cell phone. We have called several times from here to get updates.  Mom has been writing emails and then driving to certain places where she knows she has internet to send them.

It is amazingly hard to be so far away when something bad happens.  I am not enjoying all of the distance that lies between us.  I wish I could jump in the car and see him, but I know that God will never leave him.  I am praying for great comfort and strength for both my Mom and Dad.

I will update you as I know.

Rachel

A whole bunch of things to pray about.

1.  A great big praise goes out for the Skibbas returning home safe and sound.  Please pray that they don't wind up with any weird tropical sicknesses- like malaria, or dengue, or any parasites, amoebas etc.

2.  Today is Election Day in Indonesia.  They will be voting on a new president.  Please pray for all to be calm as the results are revealed in the following weeks.

3.  Wyatt arrived safely back from Kosarek.  He had a fantastic time interacting with the kids, doing AIDS/HIV presentations, work projects etc.  This is the village that will be used this next school year as the location for OE.  Some of the hiking into other villages, and work projects were in preparation for OE (Outdoor Education is the program here at Hillcrest where the whole High School goes into a village to work and serve for two weeks during the school year - usually around February).

4.  One of the pilots here, Brian, was called to fly into a village to pick up a lady that had been in labor for many days without any success.  He loaded her into the plane and was joking with the family that maybe they could name the baby after him-Brian or Brianna.  Apparently the change in altitude was all this lady needed and she quickly delivered the baby in the back of the plane.  It was a little girl that she named Charlie Bravo after the airplane!  Haha.  Praise for a safe delivery there.  Mother and baby were fine.

5.  Praise for the Wano people that have been working their land to make an airstrip so that they can have airplanes fly into their village.  Tomorrow, Thursday will be the first time that the airstrip is open and MAF will be flying in.

6.  There was a lady in Wamena that found out she was pregnant but did not want the baby. However, a wonderful Indonesian lady, Ebara, here in Sentani wanted to adopt the baby.  When the woman went into labor, it was discovered that she was pregnant with triplets.  Two of the babies died and so did the mother. The baby that survived has hydrocephalus. This causes her head to be 3 times the normal size. Ebara, still wanted to adopt her.  It is quite the struggle.  There is nothing that can be done for this little one.  She can't sleep for more than an hour or so, has great difficulty eating.  Her eyes are rolled up in her head, so she can't see.  At this time she is 8 months old and no one knows how long she will live.  Ebara loves her to pieces and sings to her and takes care of her like an angel.  Please pray for strength for her and her husband, and a miracle for young Lyndia.

7.  There is an IT family here that is working with a missionary from India.  They are developing an app that allows translated languages to be sent through bluetooth to anyone that has handphones.   This is incredible!  There is a missionary that is trying to learn the language of the Buton people.  They are all Muslim.  A missionary that went before him that is now in the States working on translations is able to send the chapters of the Bible to the handphones of this people group.  The missionary here, Craig, meets with a group of these men every week under a tree on one of our islands and they read through whatever translation has been done.  These men are all fishermen that used to spend their money on alcohol and cigarettes and go home drunk and beat their wives.  2 weeks ago they were going through Isaiah 53 and Luke 2 and one of them said, "There is something about God's spirit in these stories.  Something different."  And they called Him the "Righteous King."  They are amazed at the power Jesus has over the raging sea.  Please pray for open hearts.

8.  The MAF conference will begin on Tuesday.  There is a group from New Heights Church from Vancouver, WA here that will be working with us to make this conference happen.  There will be about 150 people total.  Pray that all goes well with that.

I am so excited to be a part of some of these stories.  God is so awesome to have picked our family to be here right now at this time.  Thank you for praying for us.  Thank you for all of the goodies that you sent us with the Skibbas.  That was such a treat!

Love you all

Rachel

Skibba Visit

This has been such an amazingly, fantastic 10 days.  We have had so much fun with friends of ours from Wisconsin, Melissa and Jacob.  We have been so blessed by them.  They just loved all over us.  Our church family, the Cornerstone group blessed our pants off!!  Our family, Mom, Dad, Carlena, Annie, Brenda, Andrea, Rachel- Lisa Kenny, the Sorensen's, Asha,Torres...all of you-Thank you for all that you did to make us feel so special.  Thank you for all of the time and effort and money you each spent picking out the "perfect" things for this Indo family!  Thank you to for praying for Jacob and Melissa.  Thank you for helping them get ready to go.  Thanks to all of you that watched their boys, took care of their dog, watched their house etc. Those of you who have been praying for our family, for health and safety.  THANKS SO MUCH!!!  This trip was exactly what our family needed.  We were so encouraged!

We took them to many of our favorite places. Sorry the pictures loaded out of order.  We have internet right now so I am just going to hurry up with this email and send them like that.  I labeled them so hopefully you won't be too confused.

The Cross

The kids at Kali Biru LOVED Melissa, especially Paska and April.

Flying with MAF pilot Steve Richards into the village of Mamit.

Taking the boat out to our favorite beach in Depapre.

In Mamit.

Gotta love MAF!

Sekolah Harapan (School of Hope) in Mamit.

Clay body treatment at Kali Biru.

More pictures at Mamit.

At Kali Biru (Blue River).

Kali Biru.

Harlem Beach.

Steve, our MAF pilot.

Jacob, with our friend, Jason.

Melissa, Rachel, and Jodi.

One of our favorite meals- Nasi Uduk (Rice with coconut milk). 

Melissa with wacky Tammy and her son Ransom. 

Wyatt with his NEW GUITAR!!!!!!!!  How awesome are you guys? Thanks so much!

Coconut drinks on the side of the road.

Pizza Hut-Fish sticks and potato chips on pizza?

On the boat to the beach.

Going to church.

On MacArthur hill.

Snorkeling in the Pacific.

MacArthur memorial.

What a spot!

I couldn't wait to hug this Chickie!

Look at all this stuff!!!  Can you believe it?

Outside our Hostel the morning the Skibbas left.  :'(

We miss you already!  The house is too quiet. Without Jacob, there is no one is here to talk to the cecaks.

These two are such a treasure!  Love you guys!