Jien--a fighter

Little Jien is still alive and continues to fight. She is now 9 years old. Jien has T.B. and has recently lost two kilograms (around 4 pounds). She is now around 15 pounds. She has little gains but she need to have sustained weight gain.

Jien's mother died of T.B. and she has a grandmother with her. She gets lots of love and support from the medical staff. She has had very good medical care but continues to barely hold on to life. She does not like the feeding tube but it offers a way to get the life giving formula into her stomach. She doesn't seem to process the food she consuming.

She has taught us a lot about having a"will to live". She is a fighter. We pray she will win this battle.

Great Year

It was a normal year in many way--365 days--12 months. It began with the same hopes and dreams as most other years. It was also entered into with wide-eyed anticipation. 2010 is the 10 years anniversary of IFC and landmark for our supporters and staff.

IFC began in 2000 with a short sited plan of simply helping refugees in a crisis time in their lives. We did not know how long we would be involved in aid work. Now 10 years later we are not only involved--we are committed for the foreseeable future.

This year was a year of development with the construction of a single staff living quarters, a second Children's Home, a third (four apartments) unit in the Leper Rehabilitation Center, an Eye and Dental Clinic and temporary HIV housing unit. These facilities will all serve the poor and provide services to those who are in challenging or hopeless situations ion their lives. The amazing leadership of Peter and Esther Scarborough and their staff are the reason we have seen these advances. There has been a lot of prayer involved in the process.

There are also many people who believe in what IFC is about. This year is a tribute to everyone who has given funds, prayed, went on a team or donated in-kind gifts. More than 10,000 people came to our clinic and hospital asking for help this year--no one was turned away. If we could help them we did everything in our power to serve them.

Yes--this was a great year. How can you go wrong serving the orphaned and the helpless. It is an honor to be a part of their lives and a part of the answer to their prayers for help.

Merry Christmas

The year 2010 is nearly completed. It had it's challenges and blessings. I reflect on the amazing goodness of God and the great friends we have. I am also reminded of the importance of making your life count.

So--Merry Christmas to all of you and a blessed New Year.

Frozen

It is a deep chill here in Alaska. Just before Christmas this cold snap has come to the northern regions. The vehicles can fail to start and the homes are a concern if the heat source fails. It takes a special person to live in the north. It looks like the chill will stay around for a while.

If you live here for more than 20 winters you are called a Sourdough. We might be called other names by people who think this is just crazy. The crazy thing is people just continue going forward--they go to the store and will keep shopping before Christmas.

Well--have a warm and wonderful Christmas.

Give Me Some Lip

This Monday Tison got up just like any other day—other than he could not have breakfast. He got dressed and bundled up in the car. It was around minus 25 degrees F. so we had to wait for the car to warm up. We arrived at the surgery center and he knew the routine. He got his wrist band and was escorted to the pre-op room. The nurses were hardly noticed as they did their paperwork and took all his vital signs. We did find out he is gaining weight at a good pace. He hardly looked up with all the poking and questions. The surgeon came in and was greeted with a big, “hello”. There were several things the doctor was looking at but he would not allow Tison to be under anesthesia for more than 90 minutes. The main concern was a graft on the lower lip.

Tison came out of the surgery very well. He was to overnight in the hospital. He woke from the surgery and wanted to eat. He was hungry after not eating in the morning. He then started to watch the movies—they have a large selection in the pediatrics unit. He thought he could stay up longer than me. I told him he was going to have trouble staying awake longer than me because I had just returned from Indonesia and was still jet lagged. Well—at 1:30 a.m. he went to sleep. I stayed up all night and was still awake when he woke up at 8:30 a. m.

The staff at the hospital were just awesome. He had a very restful night and is recovering from this surgery very well. He will have the stitches removed from the lip next week. It is one step at a time.

I Saw the Mountains

After over 20 hours in flight--I caught my first view of the mountains of Alaska. The beaches of the remote islands of Indonesia have a wonder and beauty--there is a stunning, jaw dropping awe to the peaks of these snow cover mountains. I was viewing them from the comfortable seat of a jetliner. Regardless of whether you are looking up to the massive rock towering over you or looking down from the heavens--they are just amazing.

The warm weather is replaced by the cool reunion I had stepping as I stepped off the airplane. I have only memories that warmth as I think of the staff the heroes who work everyday to serve the poor. I saw their tears when two very ill patients died. They just came in way too late to be helped. One old woman, who had advanced breast cancer, was brought to the hospital by a local doctor who said--she will die soon but I wanted her to be here where she will be loved and shown dignity in the last days of her life. I also witnessed the joy on the face of a leper who loved playing the card game UNO. He got a lot of pleasure in giving his visitors a draw four card. He was a good sport even when he lost. The second Children's home is moving along and will be ready for occupancy soon.

I have got to get some sleep--my body time is somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. It is good to be home.

A Voice in the Jungles

The downpour of refreshing rain is falling here in Manado Indonesia. I have been on the remote Island of Halmahera in East Indonesia for three weeks with two teams. We are back in the big city with malls and crazy drivers. We are on a slow trip home--departing in six days.

The time at the Hohidiai base was awesome--I will have more to write later. I have a few minutes before the team comes back from lunch and then we are on the run again. A total of eleven amazing people joined me on this adventure--each one brought gifts and lots of energy. I have been blessed to travel with some of the best people on the planet.

I just wanted all of you who keep up with our efforts to know I am still alive and will soon be home in Alaska. I go from above 90 degrees to minus 20 in Fairbanks.

Keep praying for Jien, the eight year old child with T.B., she is holding with little weight gain. This is the voice in the jungle coming back to the snow and cold.