The sign said--Butler population 200. It was raining and it didn't take long to get a glimpse of what turned out to be Butler. There was a Post Office on the main road and a couple closed down shops. I am sure the vast majority of you have never been to Butler, Illinois. My friend, David Hunter, recommended we stop there after a recent speaking engagement in Central Illinois. We were looking for "Love Packages". There were no signs with arrows--we just began to drive around town and we found it in a short time. That is one of the blessings of a small town--no maps needed. There were two large warehouses and a couple cars parked at an open door.
We looked around for a few minutes and then stepped inside and gave a yell. That was when we met Steven Schmidt working in the warehouse. Steven told us how he started this work by looking at a small stack of Bibles in his home. He thought he should send them somewhere because he didn't need all those Bibles. That was the seed that began a massive distribution work. This is a small town where a mighty work is being done. I was impressed at the humble and determined efforts of this place. They shipped 828 tons of literature to all parts of the world last year.
I guess big things can come in small packages. It is just another reminder that small can be mighty. The determination and loving effort of this team has made a huge impact around the world. Now you know Butler, Illinois is on the map thanks to "Love Packages".
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
My Treasure Hunt
My Treasure Hunt was the title of the article that Brother Terry wrote back in 2005 for the pages of our annual report. I read it again today because I am near his home in Illinois and really missed seeing him. He passed away this last year after a hard fight with cancer. He fought with grace even though he was in terrible pain. I loved him very much and admired his strength and heart.
In his article he spoke about another man he met in Indonesia named Cornelius. Little did he know at the time that he and Cornelius would have a lot in common. He wrote, "The treasure was in the home of a man to whom Esther, IFC Medical Director, had been ministering to through her love, compassion, and health care. His name was Cornelius, he had cancer." Terry prayed with him and comforted him that day. Cornelius died in the next month but not until a man named Brother Terry was able to give him the treasure of his love and prayers. I imagine Terry and Cornelius have met in eternity--two men from different countries but forever brought together but the grace and compassions of Christ.
Yes--Brother Terry--you did find the treasure. Thank you for not burying it.
In his article he spoke about another man he met in Indonesia named Cornelius. Little did he know at the time that he and Cornelius would have a lot in common. He wrote, "The treasure was in the home of a man to whom Esther, IFC Medical Director, had been ministering to through her love, compassion, and health care. His name was Cornelius, he had cancer." Terry prayed with him and comforted him that day. Cornelius died in the next month but not until a man named Brother Terry was able to give him the treasure of his love and prayers. I imagine Terry and Cornelius have met in eternity--two men from different countries but forever brought together but the grace and compassions of Christ.
Yes--Brother Terry--you did find the treasure. Thank you for not burying it.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
On The Road
I will be traveling tonight on the late flight out of Alaska. We had six inches of snow yesterday and I think I will find green grass in my final destination--Illinois. IFC has many friends and partners in mid-state Illinois.
My friend, Terry Holderread, invited me to come to Illinois in 2003. We called him "Brother Terry" which fit him so well. He was a brother and friend to everyone. I miss him since his death last year. I would get regular notes from him and lots of encouragement.
There are so many of our partners in mid-Illinois and it will be good to see them again. This is a big part of our work--building friendships and new partners.
I will be on the road for the next two weeks.
My friend, Terry Holderread, invited me to come to Illinois in 2003. We called him "Brother Terry" which fit him so well. He was a brother and friend to everyone. I miss him since his death last year. I would get regular notes from him and lots of encouragement.
There are so many of our partners in mid-Illinois and it will be good to see them again. This is a big part of our work--building friendships and new partners.
I will be on the road for the next two weeks.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Doors Never Close
Peter Scarborough, IFC Field Director recently wrote, "We are looking forward to the patient ward (hospital) being finished in just over 2 months from now. We are also looking forward to the day when the ambulance arrives.
We squeezed three guys onto the floor in the back of the car - would you believe that they were found in this state (broken bones, head injuries, and bleeding) by the road! We had another two inside the clinic being treated so had to move these guys along to the hospital (in Tobelo) which is still 45 minutes away - I am not convinced that they will all make it alive. People just passed them and did nothing, our car was on the way back from Pediwang and our driver stopped to pick them up. The kids were in the car - little Theresa (age three) came running in saying "Celaka" Celaka" (which means "accident" "accident", and saying "Takut" (Scared). We are seeing more and more accident cases like this. None of these three had a helmet on, they were all on one motor bike."
The doors to our clinic never close to emergencies. We are the first and sometimes the only medical help many people have. It looks like we are at least two months from completing the small hospital that will be adjacent to our clinic. We will also have an ambulance to assist in emergencies.
I did not post the photo of these three men in the back of our car because it was just too shocking. We pray all these men were able to survive this bad accident that Peter reported.
We squeezed three guys onto the floor in the back of the car - would you believe that they were found in this state (broken bones, head injuries, and bleeding) by the road! We had another two inside the clinic being treated so had to move these guys along to the hospital (in Tobelo) which is still 45 minutes away - I am not convinced that they will all make it alive. People just passed them and did nothing, our car was on the way back from Pediwang and our driver stopped to pick them up. The kids were in the car - little Theresa (age three) came running in saying "Celaka" Celaka" (which means "accident" "accident", and saying "Takut" (Scared). We are seeing more and more accident cases like this. None of these three had a helmet on, they were all on one motor bike."
The doors to our clinic never close to emergencies. We are the first and sometimes the only medical help many people have. It looks like we are at least two months from completing the small hospital that will be adjacent to our clinic. We will also have an ambulance to assist in emergencies.
I did not post the photo of these three men in the back of our car because it was just too shocking. We pray all these men were able to survive this bad accident that Peter reported.
Friday, April 11, 2008
500 Days
Our team had three consecutive days of flights canceled. It was not frustrating because we looked for the good and filled these days meeting people. These three days were filled with divine appointments. I have learned not to get up tight or fretful but walk through the doors that open.
It was during the three day pause in our travels that we met a woman who taught us all about life and death. Her name is Hawila and she was the mother to Gloria. Gloria was born with a major birth defects that resulted in her severe disfiguring. She had no skull on the upper half of her head. She had what looked like a sack holding her brain, no left arm, the mouth and nasal openings were just holes. In spite of all these problems she was clean and was age appropriate in every other way. It was the peacefulness of the home that first struck all of us. Hawila told us how she was told Gloria would not live four days and she should just let her die. We got a lesson in real hope as she told us how she would not give up on her and that even though she had major problems she was still her child. I came back to the U.S. and sought to find an open door to help her with her medical challenges. The reality was she was so badly deformed that the prospects of helping her was a reaal long shot. It would take a team of doctors to help her and that team could no be assembled. I was careful not to give Hawila and her family false hope but we prayed for God's will to be done. I had a doctor on the last team and my hope was he would help with a medical opinion on the chances of her getting treatment.
I got word before our team left that Gloria caught a bad cold/flu and never recovered. She died on January 12th. My heart sunk as I knew we had run out of time. We had looked for doors to open here on earth but now the doors to the glories of heaven had now opened for her.
I wanted to spend some time with Hawila and her husband when I got to Indonesia. They were able to join our team for dinner one night. I greeted them as they came in the restaurant--we shed some tears together. Little did I know I was in for another lesson-it was a seed planted in the disappointment of the loss of this child. Hawila looked at me and said, " God gave us Gloria for 500 days". How many times do people blame or lash out in the numbing pain of the loss of a loved one. These words seemed to cut through all the moments they had their hopes dashed or just prayed for the doors to open. She showed us what gratitude looks like. She did not lay a charge at the feet of God or show anger that the doors did not open as we had hoped. It was contentment with tears. Oh--how I want to let that sink into my being. We are reminded that every life has meaning even if it is here for only 500 days.
It was during the three day pause in our travels that we met a woman who taught us all about life and death. Her name is Hawila and she was the mother to Gloria. Gloria was born with a major birth defects that resulted in her severe disfiguring. She had no skull on the upper half of her head. She had what looked like a sack holding her brain, no left arm, the mouth and nasal openings were just holes. In spite of all these problems she was clean and was age appropriate in every other way. It was the peacefulness of the home that first struck all of us. Hawila told us how she was told Gloria would not live four days and she should just let her die. We got a lesson in real hope as she told us how she would not give up on her and that even though she had major problems she was still her child. I came back to the U.S. and sought to find an open door to help her with her medical challenges. The reality was she was so badly deformed that the prospects of helping her was a reaal long shot. It would take a team of doctors to help her and that team could no be assembled. I was careful not to give Hawila and her family false hope but we prayed for God's will to be done. I had a doctor on the last team and my hope was he would help with a medical opinion on the chances of her getting treatment.
I got word before our team left that Gloria caught a bad cold/flu and never recovered. She died on January 12th. My heart sunk as I knew we had run out of time. We had looked for doors to open here on earth but now the doors to the glories of heaven had now opened for her.
I wanted to spend some time with Hawila and her husband when I got to Indonesia. They were able to join our team for dinner one night. I greeted them as they came in the restaurant--we shed some tears together. Little did I know I was in for another lesson-it was a seed planted in the disappointment of the loss of this child. Hawila looked at me and said, " God gave us Gloria for 500 days". How many times do people blame or lash out in the numbing pain of the loss of a loved one. These words seemed to cut through all the moments they had their hopes dashed or just prayed for the doors to open. She showed us what gratitude looks like. She did not lay a charge at the feet of God or show anger that the doors did not open as we had hoped. It was contentment with tears. Oh--how I want to let that sink into my being. We are reminded that every life has meaning even if it is here for only 500 days.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Looking To The Future
There will be a transition in our work in the years to come. It has been our heart to give this work into the capable hands of our Indonesian staff--they are smart and dedicated. We are building the infrastructure while selected members of our team are being trained. It will be a number of years before this transition is completed but we are now investing in the future.
Well over 50 young people have completed the one year medical course taught by Esther Scarbough. They follow that training with a one year internship while serving at our clinic and mobile clinics. They get very good training and experience in those two years. They would be close to a starting EMT--with a focus on tropical diseases.
Nius and Melly are in Medical School in Jakarta. They are working hard and doing well in their studies. Neither one of them would have a chance to get this education because they come from poor families and this door would never open for them. It really is a miracle they are in Medical School.
Melly was short of support and the date for payment to enter school was coming. She decided if she could not go then she would give her support for Nius. Melly is a jewel and was willing to give all her support away to help Nius. This shows her heart and the kind of leader she is going to be. She is loved and highly regarded.
Nius is one of the bravest men I have ever met. He is a man of integrity with a desire to serve the poor. He does not want to get wealthy--he wants to help the suffering poor. He is also doing well in his studies. It is hard work but he is giving his all. This is a God given gift in his mind.
Our medical work needs more than two doctors to provide for the needs that we see on a daily basis. We now have two others in nursing school, two in dental school, one in pharmacy school. and two are training to be midwives. These are the ones we are investing in for the future. The time will come when we will hand the baton to them to run the medical work. That will be an awesome day.
Well over 50 young people have completed the one year medical course taught by Esther Scarbough. They follow that training with a one year internship while serving at our clinic and mobile clinics. They get very good training and experience in those two years. They would be close to a starting EMT--with a focus on tropical diseases.
Nius and Melly are in Medical School in Jakarta. They are working hard and doing well in their studies. Neither one of them would have a chance to get this education because they come from poor families and this door would never open for them. It really is a miracle they are in Medical School.
Melly was short of support and the date for payment to enter school was coming. She decided if she could not go then she would give her support for Nius. Melly is a jewel and was willing to give all her support away to help Nius. This shows her heart and the kind of leader she is going to be. She is loved and highly regarded.
Nius is one of the bravest men I have ever met. He is a man of integrity with a desire to serve the poor. He does not want to get wealthy--he wants to help the suffering poor. He is also doing well in his studies. It is hard work but he is giving his all. This is a God given gift in his mind.
Our medical work needs more than two doctors to provide for the needs that we see on a daily basis. We now have two others in nursing school, two in dental school, one in pharmacy school. and two are training to be midwives. These are the ones we are investing in for the future. The time will come when we will hand the baton to them to run the medical work. That will be an awesome day.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Anto's Story
The smell was overpowering as Esther Scarborough, IFC Medical Director, searched for where it was coming from. She walked to a shed behind a home in that remote village in East Indonesia. There she found a badly burned boy near death. He was weak and his burns that covered both legs from his hips to his feet were molded and infected. His burn was so bad that his family had given up on this 17 year old boy. They had “put him out” to die.
Anto had been burned in an accident and was near death when Esther found him. Esther said—she got mad when she saw him and told him he was not going to die but live. They picked up his limp body and took him to the clinic. His burns needed immediate treatment. They needed to be cleaned and the damaged skin removed. He also needed a lot of support. Can you imagine being taken by your family to a shed and left to just die? Anto had his entire life before him but he had to be treated for these terrible injuries. Esther and the medical staff performed the painful process of cleaning the burned skin and began therapy. This was a slow process but day by day and month by month Anto began to improve. He was a quiet young man who had a lot of strength. I watched the staff change his sterile dressings many times. I saw his transformation as he went from a bed to a chair—from a chair to a wheel chair—from a wheel chair to crutches—from crutches to walking a couple steps—from steps to walking—from walking to running.
He had made good progress and worked very hard through a lot of pain to go from a “death shed” to a vibrant teenager who was now running. Anto wants to be a medical worker. He has experienced the life giving care and wants to give it to others. Esther has become an important part of his life because she saw a future for him at the lowest point in his life. Anto is an example of what can happen when a person has a bad burn in remote areas of the world. They do not believe there is anything that can be done for some of these injuries. We need to educate people in these regions that many of these injuries are treatable.
Anto had been burned in an accident and was near death when Esther found him. Esther said—she got mad when she saw him and told him he was not going to die but live. They picked up his limp body and took him to the clinic. His burns needed immediate treatment. They needed to be cleaned and the damaged skin removed. He also needed a lot of support. Can you imagine being taken by your family to a shed and left to just die? Anto had his entire life before him but he had to be treated for these terrible injuries. Esther and the medical staff performed the painful process of cleaning the burned skin and began therapy. This was a slow process but day by day and month by month Anto began to improve. He was a quiet young man who had a lot of strength. I watched the staff change his sterile dressings many times. I saw his transformation as he went from a bed to a chair—from a chair to a wheel chair—from a wheel chair to crutches—from crutches to walking a couple steps—from steps to walking—from walking to running.
He had made good progress and worked very hard through a lot of pain to go from a “death shed” to a vibrant teenager who was now running. Anto wants to be a medical worker. He has experienced the life giving care and wants to give it to others. Esther has become an important part of his life because she saw a future for him at the lowest point in his life. Anto is an example of what can happen when a person has a bad burn in remote areas of the world. They do not believe there is anything that can be done for some of these injuries. We need to educate people in these regions that many of these injuries are treatable.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
A Tribute to Some Good People
IFC has been serving the people of Indonesia since 2001. In those years we have had many amazing people help us with support or by joining a short-term team. I want to give a tribute to a couple of these partners.
I met a rancher named Greg in Australia. I went to his home on the edge of the outback and had a cup of tea one afternoon. He reminded me of what we think about when we imagine an Australian rancher. He and I sat and spoke about the challenges the refugees were facing in the refugee camps in North Indonesia. We prayed together and then I got in the car to leave his place and he called me back into the house. He looked me in the eyes and said--I believe I need to help. He just wrote a check while telling me he wished he could give more. Greg has a tender heart and a quick response to compassion. I left there blessed to have met Greg and to see how he was so willing to help. Greg has been a long distant friend over these years.
I have another friend of mine who lives just a 30 minute drive from my home. Patrick is a very talented photographer and has a growing business. He has blessed me and the work of IFC from the first day we set out to make a difference in Indonesia. Patrick has made it possible for IFC to have a web-site, first class display and this blog. I admire his gentle spirit and the help he has been in so many ways. We also have common ground in that we both enjoy reading A.W. Tozer.
I am thankful for good people who have stood with us. Those standing with us stretch from the Australian Outback to the Alaska Wilderness--ranchers and photographers. We share one desire and that is to help the least and poorest (former refugees) in East Indonesia.
I met a rancher named Greg in Australia. I went to his home on the edge of the outback and had a cup of tea one afternoon. He reminded me of what we think about when we imagine an Australian rancher. He and I sat and spoke about the challenges the refugees were facing in the refugee camps in North Indonesia. We prayed together and then I got in the car to leave his place and he called me back into the house. He looked me in the eyes and said--I believe I need to help. He just wrote a check while telling me he wished he could give more. Greg has a tender heart and a quick response to compassion. I left there blessed to have met Greg and to see how he was so willing to help. Greg has been a long distant friend over these years.
I have another friend of mine who lives just a 30 minute drive from my home. Patrick is a very talented photographer and has a growing business. He has blessed me and the work of IFC from the first day we set out to make a difference in Indonesia. Patrick has made it possible for IFC to have a web-site, first class display and this blog. I admire his gentle spirit and the help he has been in so many ways. We also have common ground in that we both enjoy reading A.W. Tozer.
I am thankful for good people who have stood with us. Those standing with us stretch from the Australian Outback to the Alaska Wilderness--ranchers and photographers. We share one desire and that is to help the least and poorest (former refugees) in East Indonesia.
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