NTM

Finances: Our sending churches wants us to be at 85% of New Tribes Missions’ recommended support before we leave in 2 1/2 months. They are strongly encouraging us to stay until our levels increase. Basically, we need 35 more people to support us at $37/month. We are praying that God will meet this need. Visas: We sent in our visa information to Indonesia in February. On April 25th it will be pre-approved. Within 60 days we will have to go to Washington D.C. to get our passports stamped. From the date it is stamped we have 90 days to enter the country. We would like to head over sometime in early to mid July. If we have to wait until September, we will wait until June 20th to get our visas stamped into our passports. This will give us three extra months in the states to raise our support to 85%. Checklist: For this last year we have lived with families so that we could save our money. As a result we have enough saved for our plane tickets ($2,000), visas ($1,500), and for the set-up costs in Indonesia, ($5,000).

WHO YOU CALLIN’ UGLY???

A couple weeks ago, I got together with 12 other ladies at the church and we constructed some UGLY QUILTS. We made some rectangles on the floor using painters tape, this was our ‘pattern’. Then we just went crazy putting fabrics together. Most of the quilts were U-G-L-Y! Some of them turned out  pretty though! After they were laid out, the ’seamstresses’ went to work sewing them together. After four hours we had over 10 quilts made!!!

UGLY QUILTS is a really neat ministry, and anyone can participate. Click HERE to learn more!

Phil Page went missing…

on October 25, 2008. The following week many people spent their time and resources searching for him. Snow soon became a hindrance and the searches were discontinued until spring. On March 21, 2009 a public search was scheduled. Starting at 9:30 Andrew and I, along with many others, began combing the woods. We walked through muck brush and prickers. After walking about 300 yards a couple of the men spotted something abnormal in the water. Andrew and I watched as a fellow took a canoe over to identify the object. He confirmed that it was a body. We walked back to the house and waited several hours as the body was removed from the water and identified as my brother-in-law, Phil Page.

This is a prayer request close to our hearts. Please be in prayer for my step-sister, Amber. [We have the same name] They have three children, Philip, 7, Dorie, 5, and a baby due in June. The funeral will be held on Saturday, which is also my birthday. Phil was a believer, and we have no doubt that he is now in the presence of God.

This is it?

After a lot of research, we chose to go with an asian airline. They are known to have excellent service and low low low prices! Unfortunately asian airline companies also have stiff guidelines that they must adhere to. The picture above shows what one person’s luggage can be. Here are the baggage allowances for one person…

2 Check in bags each with the following restrictions:

* 50 pound limit

* First checked bag can be up to 62 total linear inches

* Second checked bag can be up to 45 total linear inches

1 Carry on with the following restrictions:

* Up to 45 total linear inches

* 12 pound limit

We can also have a laptop and small camera. This is going to be an interesting task…

1 Corinthians 12:14-24

Andrew used this scripture twice this week. Last week at Braintrim Baptist Church, and this week at Mehoopany Baptist. After we present our ministry, Andrew explains the importance of each body member in missions work. He particularly likes verse 23. It is important for those who are in support roles to understand how much they are needed and honoured in the eyes of the Lord. It is also important for those of us who are working in the tribe, to remain humble. We are only one part of the body, with no more or no less importance than all the other members.

Our months in Pennsylvania have been busy with speaking engagements… we had FOUR this week! Praise God!

Andrew reminded me why we are in missions…

It isn’t for the tribal people – that will fade.

It isn’t to save people from Hell – we can’t.

It is for the glory of God!

Only HE can have unfailing love for the people, and only HE can save them from Hell!

JAPANESE ENCEPHILITIS?

Today Andrew, Chase and I all went to get a JE vaccination. There are three shots in the series. Andrew and I had our second one today, while Chase just received his first. The JE vaccination is $102/per shot/per person. Being protected from this nasty virus, is well worth the price! I added an excerpt about Japanese Encephalitis below…

"Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a serious infection caused by a virus. It occurs in certain rural parts of Asia. Encephalitis means swelling of the brain. JE spreads through the bite of infected mosquitoes. It cannot spread directly from one person to another.

Japanese Encephalitis can cause:

* Mile infections with fever and headache

* Sever infection with encephalitis. About 1 in 4 of such cases results in death. Symptoms of more severe infection are headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, abnormal movements, occasional convulsion (especially in infants), coma, and paralysis."

No Children’s Medicine?

Indonesia doesn’t have most types of children’s medicine. Surprising? They are a developing country, and lack a lot of the commodities/essentials that we, as Americans, take for granted.

In planning our move to Indonesia, I have carefully gone over information sent to me and put together a list of items we need to take with us. It is interesting the things that make it into our luggage, knowing they aren’t available in Indo.

This weekend we spoke at one of our churches. They were amazing, encouraging and providing. The church gave us a basket of children’s medicine. It may not seem a lot to some people, but they recognized and fulfilled a need.

Here are some other items that you can’t (or are very expensive) buy in Indonesia:

Sunscreen (funny, eh?)

Oregano

Jello

Bed sheets – I’m interested to see what they use

Can openers

Vegetable peelers