Vino was brought to one of our clinics. I remember seeing him and wondering what could be done to help him. He had been badly burned in a kerosene spill accident. His right arm, right hand, chest and neck were scared and he needed expert reconstructive surgery. He was presented to the Children’s Burn Foundation and Grossman Burn Center. He came to the U.S. to be treated. He has made wonderful progress and is now free of the burns...

New bricks are setting ready for the beginning of the foundation for the next leper house. This new building will be the third house at the Tamarista. These are all four-plex units which will provide homes for the lepers and their families to live. We are in the process of filling the two other buildings with lepers from remote villages in this region. There are several lepers who have asked to come to the Tamarista. This is the stormy time of...

I was in one of the villages near our medical base and was served some coffee. It was one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had. I asked where did they get this coffee–an old woman smiled and told us it was from her tree. She told us that all of the fruit tree and coffee trees had been destroyed in the crisis. She got this twinkle in her eye and said, ” My coffee is from a few branches that survived.” I asked her if she...

The conflict (1999-2003) left this region devastated. There are ruins almost everywhere you look. This was a difficult time for those who survived the conflict. It is now a season of rebuilding their homes and lives. This photo seems to illustrate the status of this region. The portion of the ruins of a church is still standing next to the new church under construction. This is a place that is between the dark past and their future. Our hope is...

It can rain in the tropics–as you can see. This photo is taken at the Medical Base House–it was taken in February during the rainy season. These islands have dense jungles drenched nearly every day during the rainy season. The rich volcanic soil combined with a perfect climate produce ideal conditions for the growth of fruit and vegetables. It also provides a wet playground for the children at the base. Epen (big brother) is...

Yulen’s story in her own words:”I remember the time and date the 22nd of February at 7 o’clock at night Iwanted to light the kerosene lamp at our house. I put more kerosene in thelight then I went to put the container of kerosene back but I was stillholding the light when all of a sudden my hair and face was on fire. At thetime my hair was long and it was falling off onto my body, hands and legs asit burnt. I screamed and...

It was the only day we got a reprieve from the tropical rain. It was a beautiful night for this celebration. The Tamarista, Leper Center, had two four-plex buildings completed. We were there that night for a ribbon cutting and celebration of the completion of these leper houses. The children danced a traditional dance and we enjoyed a nice dinner. I shared the story of Mephibosheth who was a lame boy who was a relative to Jonathan. King David...

Children were being left at our clinic. There were some who just were not wanted but others were orphans. The number started to grow and we had to make a decision about how we would care for them. We decided to not only care for them but to provide a future for these little ones. They had no idea their lives just made a turn for the best. These were the seeds being planted for the future. They are like the oak seeds that were planted to provide...

In Indonesia you do not just go to the “emergency room” for treatment. You must have the money in advance for the treatment. It makes it very hard for the poor to get medical help. The IFC Clinic offers free care for the poor. This is a way for the poor to get examined and then treated for their injuries or sickness. If the patient needs surgery we try to help with that if we have the funds. We have provided many surgeries from...

If you have never been in the tropics during the rainy season you cannot imagine how hard it can rain. The rain keep the place green and provides some relief to the heat. It is now 33 C. (91 F.) with over 90 % of humidity. There is no AC so you get a little reprieve from the heat when the rain comes. It is fun to watch the children enjoy the rain. They just take life as it comes. What a concept. Let it rain and take one day at a...