NTM

Well, this has been a busy two weeks since our last update. It’s good to all be healthy once again and back in a routine. Anna got the kids back into the swing of home schooling 2 weeks ago. Paula has started JV basketball and is really enjoying that. She also has had more missions’ trip opportunities come up and rather than go on the same one she’s gone on the past couple of years, she will be opting for a different trip. She’s been invited to help with childcare at a regional conference on a different island here in Indonesia. She will be helping lead games, teaching and perhaps doing some babysitting in this other region. Then I will be coming to the same region to do a “tribal team kick-off” in helping two tribal teams get off to a good start. Please pray as I prepare lessons, schedules and Power Points for this.

This past week was a long, hard week. Over the past three years we’ve built a relationship with an Indonesian family in our favorite beach area. Grace, our second daughter had originally befriended their son who’s a local surfer and the same age as Grace. Then through him, we befriended his family who runs a little beachside “young coconut drink” stand in front of their simple home as well as managing a local fishing boat. Over the years we’ve enjoyed bar-b-cued fish together, boat rides out on the Indian Ocean and lots of visiting. A couple of weeks ago, the mother, came down with Dengue Fever and was admitted to a local hospital, then eventually transferred to a hospital two hours away in a bigger city. Pak Hasyim the husband called us and we went to visit her in the hospital two hours away from us in the big city. She was not conscious and not doing well. While we were there, they transferred her to an even bigger hospital in a bigger city. We joined them at the next hospital where we were again able to pray for her as well as help with  hospital bills. Well, just one day after getting back home, we got a call from Hasyim that his wife had passed away at only 37 years of age, leaving him and their three children, 15, 13, and 10 years old. Please pray for them as they all adjust to life without Ibu (mother) and that God would reveal himself to them and help them through this time. The day after she passed away, we drove the four hours to their little beach town to sit with them and visit and encourage them along with other friends and relatives. Please pray as we share Christ’s love for them as they do not yet know Him personally as their Savior. They plan to come visit us and stay with us for a couple days later this month. Go to our Photo tab under "In Memorandum; Ibu’s Family" to see more picture of their family.

Please continue to pray with us about future plans for our family as we weigh all the options with Katie’s graduation coming up. Katie also has some medical needs we’d like you to pray about as we search for the appropriate doctor which most likely means a trip to Jakarta or even Singapore. I also have some medical issues so will possibly combine a trip with Katie.

In summary, please pray for the following needs:
1. Finances for Paula’s upcoming missions trip as well as possible medical trips for Katie and me.
2. For our medical issues to be resolved.
3. For Pak Hasyim and his three children as they grieve the passing of Ibu Hasyim. For us to be able to share God’s love to them.
4. For wisdom in helping Katie pursue options/opportunities here or back at home for after she graduates from high school this year!
5. For enthusiasm in our ministry as co-workers come and go (either on furlough or onto other ministries) and the constant transition gets rather wearisome!

Dear Praying Friends,

I had always heard the general rule of thumb, both parents never get sick at the same time. Could you imagine what things would be like in a world where that was allowed to happen?

Well, just 7 days ago it happened…and continues to happen even as I write! About 10 days ago Anna Marie became very exhausted and run down with a high fever too. We later learned that she is suffering from Dengue Fever. Just 7 days ago after returning from Jakarta, I came down with chills, fever and a terrible sore throat. Mine was diagnosed as strep throat, something I’ve heard about, especially with kids, but have never experienced.

Praise the Lord that the kids have remained healthy. Kurt got a fever and sore throat, but he took a three-hour afternoon nap and jumped up doing karate or something, full of energy! KIDS! I wish we adults would heal up more quickly!

Grace continues to heal. Her foot and her scalp wound both became infected so she is sharing antibiotics with dad. She still hasn’t gotten back on the motorbike, which incidentally only suffered a broken tail light and cracked headlight mount, ya, Japanese built.

What a way to approach the holidays! Please pray for us to continue to heal and that we’d somehow be able to get into the holiday spirit! There will be more Christmas activities to attend with our local churches and friends. We do look forward to all of this, but just a bit apprehensibly as we wait on the Lord’s timing in getting better. Please pray also that the kids have an enjoyable Christmas. Last year was our first Christmas in the past 10 Christmas’s to spend it celebrating with family! So we now begin the next "drought" celebrating Christmas without family. Please pray that we’d look to Jesus as our true meaning to celebrate!

Thanks for taking the time to pray,

Grateful,

John for Anna, Katie, Grace, Paula and Kurt