It is more like a bee hive–full of activity. People are going everywhere–some are cleaning–some are working with animals–some are helping the sick–some are building new buildings–some are security guard–some are loving and caring for children in the Children’s Home–some are mechanics repairing our ailing vehicles–some are gardeners–some are translators–some are...

Dr. Stella is now our full-time doctor at the Island clinic. She is an answer to our prayer and will allow us to go to another level in our care of the poor. Dr. Stella is young woman who is very committed and has such a calming way about her. She came to us just in time to get us prepared for the new hospital. The hospital is now getting its roof built. It will be a 16 bed facility with radiology and a birthing center. Next to the hospital is...

Esther Scarborough wrote about a child she was told was unwanted. He was on another island and it took quite an effort to get him. The new born baby was found discarded in the garbage pile. He was heard crying by an old woman (grandmother) who rescued him.Here is Esther’s note:The baby has just arrived at our clinic. Vikki & Yenni who collected the baby from the island of Obi expected to be away just one week, I think they were away...

Lazarus and his wife live in the unit next to Hendrick and his dog. Lazarus is a leper with a wonderful quiet way about himself. He is fortunate to have his wife by his side. This is not the norm. We have seen many lepers who are just thrown away by their families. They are banished and left to their own or with a little help from their village. Lazarus has visible damage to his hands. His fingers are frozen in a disfigured open hand. He cannot...

What a great name for the Leper Center — Resting Place of Kings (Taman Rista). In the middle of the jungle of Halmahera this place of rest is now being built. There is one four-plex built and second four-plex is nearly completed. A water well is now drilled next to the site to provide good water for the residents.I went to visit the site and could see Hendrik, the first leper we brought to the base, supervising the work on the second four-plex...

The food program has made a big transformation since the days in the refugee camps. IFC still provides food for the needy. We provide nutritious food (eggs, fish, chicken, rice and veggies) for at least 15 leper families in our region. These are families who have one member of who has leprosy. We have found that in order for the leper to recover they have to stay on a regiment of WHO medicines and improve their health. The food is an important...

Yulce had an 11 hour surgery at the Shriner’s Hospital in L.A. to correct her curved spine. The curvature of her spine was a result of her physical growth (upward) and the contractures of her burn injuries on her face, neck and chest. The result was scoliosis–the curvature continued to get worse. The spinal surgery was on January 10, 2008. She is now recovering and standing upright. It is clear that she is greatly improved but she...

The Children’s Home continues to meet the needs of the abandoned and orphaned children in our care. A team from Alaska will be training the Indonesian staff about early childhood development. This will greatly enhance their ability to see these children advance according to their age. I know we have at least one new child–I will have more details on this “little one” later.

A great need in the remote regions where former refugees and the poor lives is accidental burns. We are seeing a growing number of burn victims and they come to us with serious injuries. The medical staff is learning how to care for burn injuries. In the last two years we have advocated for two children to get help in America. Yulce and Vino had horrific burns and we were able to find them help in America. There are many others who have come to...

IFC has supported and continues to support orphanages in North Sualwesi and North Maluku. There are many children who have been orphaned because of the conflict. We stand with these good efforts to care for these children. We have seen a number of children brought to our clinic and just left. We were caring for a handful of abandoned Children and just loved these little ones. We decided to provide a safe and nurturing home for them. In late...