Blog
Surprise
I went to Los Angeles to support Esther Scarborough, IFC Medical Director and co-founder, as she was going to be the speaker at a group of leaders. She was going to fly in from Kentucky and land at 4 p.m. drive to the meeting at 7 p.m. I did have some concerns because of the bad weather in the mid-west and all the reports of flight delays. She did have a little wiggle room but it was going to be tight.I got a call from her that she was delayed for an hour. That was going to make it even tighter. Then she called and said the flight was now...
read moreHendra Coming
I got the call from Esther asking me if we would be interested in Hendra coming to the U.S. It was excellent timing because we were at an important point in deciding the next step for Tison. Hendra has been the link between Tison’s parents and our medical team here in Alaska. Tison’s parents live in a very remote region of Indonesia and only come out occasionally. We are at a critical time in deciding the next procedure or the option of sending him home. He has a very badly damaged right hand. The fingers could be amputated but we...
read moreTen Years
It is hard to believe that IFC has been serving in Indonesia for ten years. January 2001 was the first introduction to this amazing nation and people.This past Friday a group of 280 friends and supporters gathered in Fairbanks for a wonderful night of food, laughter and reflection. Esther Scarborough, IFC (Hohidiai) co-founder, was the honored speaker. She is so gifted and inspiring–she always shares from her heart about the people. She has been called the Mother Theresa of Halmahera. I have witnessed her tireless work and servants...
read moreMilestone
It was January 2001 that I went to the refugee camps in North Sulawesi near the city of Manado. IFC was born to help the poor in these camps. It was an overwhelming challenge with 53,000 refugees in the area. This began a journey of IFC where we worked in food, clean water and medical programs.These were the early days and now it has been ten years. We have reached a milestone–one decade. It hardly seems possible that 10 years has passed. I can look back and see many challenges and also breakthroughs.It is the amazing people who have...
read moreJien–a fighter
Little Jien is still alive and continues to fight. She is now 9 years old. Jien has T.B. and has recently lost two kilograms (around 4 pounds). She is now around 15 pounds. She has little gains but she need to have sustained weight gain.Jien’s mother died of T.B. and she has a grandmother with her. She gets lots of love and support from the medical staff. She has had very good medical care but continues to barely hold on to life. She does not like the feeding tube but it offers a way to get the life giving formula into her stomach. She...
read moreGreat Year
It was a normal year in many way–365 days–12 months. It began with the same hopes and dreams as most other years. It was also entered into with wide-eyed anticipation. 2010 is the 10 years anniversary of IFC and landmark for our supporters and staff.IFC began in 2000 with a short sited plan of simply helping refugees in a crisis time in their lives. We did not know how long we would be involved in aid work. Now 10 years later we are not only involved–we are committed for the foreseeable future. This year was a year of...
read moreMerry Christmas
The year 2010 is nearly completed. It had it’s challenges and blessings. I reflect on the amazing goodness of God and the great friends we have. I am also reminded of the importance of making your life count.So–Merry Christmas to all of you and a blessed New Year.
read moreFrozen
It is a deep chill here in Alaska. Just before Christmas this cold snap has come to the northern regions. The vehicles can fail to start and the homes are a concern if the heat source fails. It takes a special person to live in the north. It looks like the chill will stay around for a while.If you live here for more than 20 winters you are called a Sourdough. We might be called other names by people who think this is just crazy. The crazy thing is people just continue going forward–they go to the store and will keep shopping before...
read moreGive Me Some Lip
This Monday Tison got up just like any other day—other than he could not have breakfast. He got dressed and bundled up in the car. It was around minus 25 degrees F. so we had to wait for the car to warm up. We arrived at the surgery center and he knew the routine. He got his wrist band and was escorted to the pre-op room. The nurses were hardly noticed as they did their paperwork and took all his vital signs. We did find out he is gaining weight at a good pace. He hardly looked up with all the poking and questions. The surgeon came in and was...
read moreI Saw the Mountains
After over 20 hours in flight–I caught my first view of the mountains of Alaska. The beaches of the remote islands of Indonesia have a wonder and beauty–there is a stunning, jaw dropping awe to the peaks of these snow cover mountains. I was viewing them from the comfortable seat of a jetliner. Regardless of whether you are looking up to the massive rock towering over you or looking down from the heavens–they are just amazing.The warm weather is replaced by the cool reunion I had stepping as I stepped off the airplane. I have...
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