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.

More Hope

In June of 2003 Yulce was brought to the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles for treatment of her burn injuries. She received 12 surgeries in her first year and returned home in June of 2004. Her story was made into a documentary called “A Face For Yulce” which was shown here in the U.S. and all over the world. It was a great story of hope and determination. She displayed her strength and courage as she came back to the U.S. for more plastic and reconstructive surgery and additional surgeries to repair curvature of the spine. This time she stayed over three years before returning to her home in June 2009. Yulce had changed a lot in her outer appearance, spoke perfect English and enjoyed the same things an average American teen does.

The concern was her adjustment to her life back in her home village. She lived a middle-class life in L.A. and now she was going home to a much different way of life. She was very concerned about it and verbalized her fears about going home. She has actually done very well in all the adjustments to life at home. She accepted her family and settled into life in her village. I saw her a couple months later and she was happy and respectful to her parents.

Last week I was contacted by a production company that wanted to do a follow-up story on Yulce. They believe her story is needed at this time. There are many people who are struggling and could use a message of hope. A lot of work needs to be done and Yulce has to agree to the new program. Her amazing story is a message that will encourage others to be more hopeful as they face their own challenges. Her life is marked with courage, strength and hope. She will be a testimony to all of these throughout her life.