Blog
Gold Medals
While Indonesia has only one gold medal that I have seen in the Olympics. I believe we have a lot of gold medal winners on our staff. If I were to give the medals I would award many of them with gold medals in compassion.Our staff members make a winning effort when they care for the lepers at our base and nearby. Olan is so committed to the health and emotional well being of these rejected people. Olan wraps their woulds and spends time talking to them while quickly becoming their friend. Eka has served the T.B. patients for years. She goes...
read moreBlue Sky
I just returned from a rare blue sky day in Valdez, Alaska. It is one of the most beautiful places in Alaska. The mountains that surround the city were just crystal clear and snow capped. Esther met with several people and shared the work in Indonesia with another large group. It was a worthwhile time of building partnerships.While driving back to Fairbanks we saw four moose and one caribou. The caribou was running down the road in from of us. He had large antlers and ran full speed down the road before dashing into the bushes. We drove 360...
read moreMiles–Miles–Miles
I have been traveling with Esther Scarborough and Nius. Nius has met with several groups to share about his life and work. He is in medical school and has an awesome story of how he desires to serve the poor in his region. We have past over 1,000 mile posts in the last week. We have seen several animals–moose, caribou, musk ox, bear and even elk. There is another more than 800 miles to go and mountains and rivers to cross. Esther will be in Alaska for another week and a half.
read more“The Last Frontier”
Tonight Esther Scarborough and Nius Sudan will arrive in Fairbanks, Alaska. They have been in California for two weeks and will be here in “The Last Frontier”. Nius will be speaking to several groups and he will be very busy. Esther will be traveling around the state and will find her way to Palmer and Anchorage on August 1-4.She will go to one of the most spectacular places in Alaska–Valdez. She will speak there and meet with friends. August 9-11 will be her short stop in Valdez. The beauty and fishing are world class. The...
read moreOn U.S. Soil
Nius Sudan and Esther Scarborough are in the U.S. They arrived in last week. Nius is an amazing young Indonesian man. He has been sharing his story of survival and courage. Esther Scarborough is the director of IFC’s medical work in Indonesia. She is a real hero and has served the poor and former refugees–saving countless lives.They will be in Los Angeles for two weeks and then to Alaska for a month. Nius will be speaking to a number of groups including at University of Alaska. He and Esther will meet with medical professionals in...
read moreFirst AIDS Death
This is a sobering report. I just got a note from our medical base in East Indonesia. They informed me that a father of four came to our clinic. He died yesterday from the effects of AIDS. The sad part of the story in that three of his children have also died of AIDS.Our teams go into public schools and warn the students about STD’s. I have witnessed these amazing teams as they tell these students the realities of the sexually transmitted diseases. These students look wide-eyed as they hear these warnings. Now what we have been so...
read moreNew Ears
Vino has been here in the U.S. receiving reconstructive surgeries to repair the burn injury he received in a kerosene spill accident in Indonesian. He has made fine progress as his right arm and hand were freed and his neck and chin were also reconstructed.He is a normal and energetic little boy. He goes to school and is fluent in English. He has lots of friends but the best friend is Dr. Richard Grossman who is giving him a new life. Dr. Grossman has performed all the surgeries and is happy with the results. His ears were nearly completely...
read moreZiba
I met with Anis, one of our Indonesian staff, and reminded him that he has an important job. He is in charge of finding the lepers and bringing them to our base for treatment. I also told him he is like the servant of King David who was sent to find the lame boy named Mephiboseth. King David’s servant was Ziba. He went to a very remote place to find this lame boy hoping to bring him back to meet King David. When the boy met the King he got on his knees and stated that he was no more than a “dog” in his sight. David accepted him and gave him a...
read moreMidnight Sun Festival
It is the longest day of the year. No it was not 25 hours long–but it is the summer solstice. The sun is above the horizon longer than any other day in the year. The Midnight Sun Festival is here in Fairbanks– it is literally light at midnight. There were some 30,000 people attending this Festival.IFC had a booth at the Midnight Sun Festival where we spoke to hundreds of visitors and many Alaskans about our efforts in Indonesia. We were there from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. We met people from Scotland, Australia, Canada and all over the...
read moreHe Will Be Missed
I have a heavy heart at the accidental death of a young friend of mine. Jeremy Earnshaw was on staff at the YWAM base in Newcastle, Australia. He and three friends went to spend the day at the beach after he called his father, Darryl, wishing him a happy Father’s Day. He and his friends were enjoying the day as they were walking near some rock outcroppings when a freak wave swept over Jeremy and one of his friends–they were pulled into the wild waves. Jeremy was never seem again. His friend was rescued by an emergency helicopter...
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