NTM

   Way back in the seventies, while we were in missionary training a popular song was, The Choice is Mine. It captured our hearts, much as it did others’ hearts, and was heard repeatedly at least in the fellowship circles in which we were involved. That phrase came back to me yesterday (Tuesday) in a big way as I met with my radiation oncologist for my end of treatment exit appointment. “The choice is really yours on how you respond to this treatment” was his comment. Of course, he meant that a positive reaction would go a long way toward my recovery from the cancer treatment (Which begs the question, “Why should we have to recover from treatment?”). That those who take a positive approach do much better than those who don’t.
    So pray with us that we would take a positive approach but that the positive approach would be to continue to trust God completely regardless of what might lie ahead. We realize that there may well be some truth to positive thoughts, etc. but also realize that our lives are in the hands of the Great Physician.
    Here is where we stand in our journey through the cancer wars:
      1. Yesterday I finished my last of 33 radiation treatments.
      2. The side effects to this point are not too severe. Some definite weaknesses in the pelvic region where the radiation took place. Also a persistent feeling of fatigue and some lack of incentive.
      3. We wait now for thirty days (July 30th is the next appointment) before returning to the doctor. This will give some time for physical healing to take place and give enough time for tests to be deemed accurate and verify whether the radiation was effective or not.
      4. So we wait, rest, and recover for the next month.
      5. Be assured, we are encouraged in completing this step! Radiation can be a daily occupation for which the compensation is not always of agreeable nature.
   Pray for:
      • Patience!
      • The will to remain active. Being active and pursuing life is deemed very high on the list of critical helps. There are limitations including the normal “Don’t over do it!” precautionary statements but a need to find the power to engage in what might be termed ordinary activities is critical.
   Thanks:
      1. To all who have sent cards and emails of encouragement. During this past year we have heard from people just down the road, as well as from people on six different continents. We are still waiting to hear from Antarctica!
      2. To all those who have called to chat. I don’t think I am the best chatter but it is good to hear your voices and Cathy usually fills in the gaps.
      3. To those who have helped us financially. Individuals have helped out as well as churches. We never know where the help might come from and, here’s to let each of you know that all has been appreciated! Although our insurance pays the majority of our medical there are so many hidden costs but the Lord continues to amaze us with His provision. An example, a pastor called to insist that he come by to give us something. I tried to talk him out of it since he would have to go miles out of his way to come by our house. When he arrived he handed me a check from the church that I know had to come from people that were already stretched beyond their own financial limits. Thanks!
      4. A real praise was the gift of closeness and seclusion. Let me explain. We had been driving 156 miles round trip each day. One week we stayed at my nephew’s place while they were away on vacation which cut our trip down by two-thirds. Before that week was over, some friends called and loaned us their cabin in the country that is only a few miles from the hospital.
   I will close with the following quote from Romans 11:33 – “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

Thanks again for all you do! Arnie & Cathy

Greetings from Indonesia
The time we spent in Indonesia consisted of lots of travel and meetings. We started our time there by attending the annual meeting of the Indonesian Field Education Committee. Each region of the country sent a representative to this meeting and they made plans for the education of the children of the missionaries (MKs) field wide. Because many new missionaries are coming to Indonesia in the next months, there is going to be a need for more support of the schooling options they choose to educate their children.

Right now there are over 60 preschoolers on the field and more coming. There are also well over a hundred school age children there with more on the way. Because of this, they are planning to open one-room school houses in two areas where there are no schools available. These will start as day schools but they hope to be able to supply a dorm option for those who need it. There was also talk of opening dorms in the locations where the large intermission schools are located. This may not be necessary in the next couple of years, but the need will be upon us sooner than we think. The need for teachers in Indonesia is an immediate concern and the one for dorm parents is only a little less pressing. Pray for this need!

While we were in Djakarta, we were able to visit with Arnie’s cousin Kristin and her family who are missionaries with SIL. It was fun to see them in their home and hear about their ministry. (I told you we have relatives everywhere!)

Indonesia is a big spread out country consisting of many Islands. We spent many hours in airplanes and airports as we visited all but one of the areas where NTM works. We were able to visit two intermission schools, Mountain View International School and Hillcrest International School. We have students in both of these schools and teachers in one. Both schools are in need of teachers so there is another prayer request. Also, NTM would like to start dorms near both schools. If you are adding up the needs for dorm parents, we have just reached four couples and a fifth to cover for their times of home assignment. Since dorm parents are probably the hardest position to fill, this is a huge prayer request.

Continue to pray for us and our health and safety while we are in the Philippines and travel back home. We will be stopping in Nevada for Cathy’s dad’s memorial service and then on to Nebraska to spend Christmas with Scott, Lina and the grandchildren.
We are looking forward to that time and getting excited about Christmas even though it is hot and humid where we are now.

Our thoughts are with you and we hope you are enjoying the pre-Christmas season. It is one of our favorite times of the year.

Cathy’s tooth hasn’t hurt yet so keep praying about that also.

In Him,
Arnie and Cathy Sutton

Greetings from Thailand: flowers, orchids and silk, golden shrines and poverty. We arrived in Bangkok at midnight on Sunday and spent the night with Arnie’s cousin, Anna Siefers. On Monday we were able to spend the day with her visiting the International Community School where she teaches. We were able to visit her classroom as well as talk to all three of the administrators. That evening we visited some of the sights of Bangkok as she tried to keep us awake until a reasonable time to go to bed. Jet lag was catching up to us but sleep did not come easily than night. Our bodies were complaining as our inner clocks objected to the time change.

Tuesday we flew on to Chiang Mai where we have been ever since. Grace International School is located here. New Tribes Mission was very instrumental in establishing this school and now sends its MKs here to be educated. They also have several missionaries working on the staff of the school. One of these is Melanie Reimer who has established a department to help the home schooling parents in the region. Most of our time has been spent with her but we have also met with several of the other administrators in the school. We have found it to be a very profitable time.

Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for us. We seem to be getting over our jet-lag but Arnie is not feeling his best. Also, please pray that we will have a good voucher this month as the expenses for this trip will be on our credit card and we will need the money in our bank account to pay for it. We are hoping to some day get ahead enough financially so that we have a cushion in our account to pay for these expenses but as of yet, we seem to have to live from month to month. Unfortunately these trips abroad to minister to our missionary families are more expensive than living at home. Thank you for those of you who are supporting our ministry financially. Some of our supporters are suggesting that we take some time to raise some additional needed support. It looks like we may have made a mistake when we did not take our year of home ministry between our years of serving in Mexico and joining the NTM Care and Education Department as International Educational Consultants. Please pray with us for wisdom to know if we should request some time from the mission to try and raise additional financial support and prayer partners.

Thank you for you prayers,

Arnie and Cathy Sutton

Time and Space

"There is a time and a space for everything under the sun."  (My version of Ecclesiates 3:1)

We just returned from our MK Care and Education Administrators’ Conference in Florida and are involved in the Refresher Course for missionaries returning for home assignment this year.

Next will be the PFO in Florida for a group of associate missionaries heading out to various places around the world.  They will be serving for one to four years in key positions on the field.  Pray for my (Arnie’s) travel to Florida and back.

In July – home to Minnesota for a break during July.  We have been on the go since December and are looking forward to a bit of a break.  Pray that we’ll have a profitable time away from the office. 

Thanks for