Beyond Reach

I have been in the remote island of Halmahera in northeast Indonesia. There is no access to the Internet there--so I have been beyond reach since the 13th of August. Today we started traveling at 1:30 a.m. It was a four hour car trip on sometimes marginal roads thru the beautiful jungle of this island. The equatorial sky was brilliant with stars this morning. Our car nearly ran out of gas but we found a light on in a home along the road and got just enough gas to get us to the port. We then got on a boat for about an hour shot across an inlet (I always love the boat) then on a public car, one hour airplane flight and another public car to our lodging. It has been a tiring but inspiring day.

There are some amazing people living at our medical base in that remote place. They have been working to serve the poor and sick for just five years now. I love coming to the base because I get to see the fruit of the work. The most touching stories are not the buildings or programs being started--it is the lives that have been rescued. This place is a rescue center. You can see it every place you go--from the little children in the care of our staff to the sick who come into our clinic and hospital. It speaks of servant-like sacrifices to meet the pressing needs of the poor and former refugees.

I would love to live on the base and see it everyday. It is seeing the people blessed by our efforts that puts my work in perspective. I am energized and focused on our important work.

I am still in Indonesia for three days. I will be coming back to the U.S. with a number of projects I need to organized. It is an honor to be a part of this work and to be partnering with selfless servants who serve without complaint everyday.