Clean Water

Our mobile clinics go to some of the most remote places on the planet and serve the poorest people in these secluded mountain regions and isolated islands. I have personally been on several of their mobile clinics and I am amazed at, and blessed by, the devotion of these mobile team members. Sometimes the teams are greeted with dancers and music and there is usually food served to the team members. These teams stay in the villages for as long as three months or just for the day. The lines of patients can be long as they wait to be seen by the medical staff.

These villages do not always have clean water available. I recently met an amazing man, Jon, who is an inventor and specializes in clean water systems. Jon donated one of his smallest units—only 21 pounds—which are very portable but very efficient. You can literally pump out of any river and have drinkable water. The fact we can have good water at any place makes our medical care that much better. This clean water hand pump system is just what we need to improve our treatment. If it saves a life or reduces suffering it will be worth every mile it travels to these remote places.

Staying In Touch

When I was a child we used to take two opened tin cans, punch a hole in the bottom of the cans and put a string in the holes. We would stretch the string out until it was tight then we would talk into one can and the other end was placed on the ear. This was a lot of fun as we would play for hours with our home-made phones. It hardly seemed possible that within my lifetime we would be able to not only talk to people anywhere in the world but now we can even see them as we are talking. Staying in touch has reached new heights. I am sure all of you know what skyping means. I am still astonished at the technology that is available to the average person at a reasonable cost.

The importance of staying connected with our work in Indonesia is a high priority. We are in a remote area of the planet but in a few moments and a couple clicks I can be talking live with one of our staff. It is also a challenge keeping every system operating. The next step for us is to get a “tele-medicine” system operating. This will require a very fast internet connection. Once this system is up we will be able to get the advice of medical professionals from all over the world. They will be able to see the patient live and consult our medical staff as far as the best care for the patients. It is amazing that we can go from cans and string to satellites and C-bands.

Lives Saved and Seeds Planted

She was tiny and unconscious. It was in the wee hours of the morning in the equatorial heat. The mother held her baby believing there was nothing more that could be done to save her life. A wonderful medical student form the University of Washington and his wife, who was a nurse, and an emergency room nurse from Australia were called to the hospital to help this infant. They knew they had no time and only one option—to inject the child with blood from her mother. They were all praying for this newborn when it responded to the procedure. A life was saved thanks to clear thinking by passionate medical workers. Why did I tell that story—because this is what the year is all about. There were 8,000 other stories—some dramatic others just routine. These people have trusted our staff and we are blessed to have skilled volunteers and an amazing staff of Indonesia medical workers.

The wide-eyes of our school age children gazed in excitement in the new classes they are now attending—21 pre-school and 25 in the combined kindergarten and grade one class. The school is an investment in the future. The children are unwanted by their parents but we see them as beautiful and full of potential. It is a huge commitment with a big payoff. These children will be the best educated in their generation in this remote region. Yes—2011 has been a year of planting wonderful seeds.

I do not know if you could look at it as the end of the year or the beginning on another. We close out the amazing days of the 2011. It had plenty of challenges but the blessings way outnumbered the obstacles. We offered hope to anyone who came asking us for help—our leaders served with distinction. Now 2012 is in our sights and I will look into the empty pages of the calendar wondering what lives will be saved and how will the seeds grow that we planted.

Cool in the Southland

I have been in Australia for a couple weeks but it rather cool. I have been blamed for bringing the cold temperatures here. It was minus 40 when I left Alaska and then warmed to above freezing. It was hot here and then I came and it has cooled.

The good news is the people have been wonderful and warm to me. I attended the wedding of Hendra and Miriam near Melbourne and now I am in New South Wales. It has been great to establish friendships and see new doors open.

Last night, I was with Leslie and Ruth at their home. They are an amazing couple and have a beautiful family. They have a heart to serve in Kusuri. I can see the gifting they have as they shared about the progress they have made in support and training. I also got to see Lodi, one of the key staff at Kusuri, for a couple hours. He is pure gold--he is learning about our culture and how different it is to live in a new culture.

I have a week left in Australia. Then the long trip home to the real cold of Alaska. If it begins to warm dramatically in Alaska when I arrive--I will begin to wonder.

Thawing Out

I am currently in Australia just north of Sydney. It was a long flight from Alaska to Sydney and a long way from the minus 40 I left. Just before I left the deep freeze--my car stopped on the highway and I had it towed home. I still do not know why it stalled. I figured--I will deal with that when I get home.

I have been speaking where the door opens here in Australia and have renewed friendships. These are friends I have met over the years and now we get to spend quality time together. There are doors opening to new opportunities to develop partnerships from here in the Great Southland.

The one thing that is very hard to get used to is the Christmas decorations without snow. I do not mind it for a change. I will be thawed from the arctic freeze by mid-December when I return home.

Celebration

It is over 100 degrees F. warmer than when I left Alaska. I came out of the deep freeze and into the beautiful fertile valley just over an hour east of Melbourne in Australia. I am here to celebrate the wedding of two amazing young people--Hendra and Miriam.

Hendra is the typical groom--nervous and just wanting the wedding to be finished. He is an awesome young man. There has been a lot of activity around here--with waves of people coming and going.

I get to reunite with friends and I am looking forward to the time together. I am going up to New South Wales in three days. I am so blessed to have great friends and now adding to my list of friends.

Friends--Down Under

I was in Manila in 2002 and met some Australians. I gave them my best Aussie accent for “good day mate”. They laughed and told me my try was pretty bad. We spent the next day getting to know each other. It was the beginning of a friendship. I was invited to come to Australia and went in 2003. It was an amazing time of seeing doors open for our efforts in Indonesia. I met a lot of people—spoke at schools—interviewed on radio—met with many groups over the six weeks I was in Australia and enjoyed soaking up the warmth of those who live in the Great Southland. It is a beautiful land where I walked along Manly Beach and later stood awestruck with the stunning vistas of the “Outback.” This is a unique land of great reefs and good people.

I will be traveling to see my Australian friends this next week—after a stop in Seattle. I am anxious to sit and have a “cupper” with them. The purpose of the trip is to attend the wedding of Miriam and Hendra Pontomudis. This is a very special couple and I want to support them in their new life together. I will also be meeting Peter and Esther Scarborough on the road and getting to know Bill and Leanne Anderson the new Hohidiai directors in Australia. Two weeks of my time will be in New South Wales to promote the work and see more of my friends in Newcastle and Taree.

The time I have spent in Australia over the years has been full of amazing open doors and fellowship. My Aussie friends are of the same heart and have been such a great help to the work we are doing in Indonesia. Many of them have volunteered by coming to Indonesia to give their time and support to the poor we serve. It means so much to me to have these people as partners and friends.