2013  is a fresh start — a road never traveled. It has 365 days of hopes and dreams.  We all know it will bring its share of  challenges, but IFC/Hohidiai has always faced each year with optimism and hope.  Our passion is to help the poorest-of-the-poor as they come to our clinics and hospital asking for help. I so admire the leaders and staff at the base in Halmahera–they serve with compassion. They sacrifice so much to be a part...

I get to travel with the most amazing people on this planet. They are a rare group because they travel to a remote region of the world, pay their own expenses and volunteer their skills and time. It is shocking when you think about it. These volunteers are: doctors nurses dentists counselors teachers construction workers computer specialists college students mothers retirees and farmers. They come from all over America and have one thing in...

Tison spent 18 months in America where he received reconstructive surgery for burns to his face, arms, right hand, both legs and feet. While he was in the U.S. he became very special to his host family who sent with me several gifts in a big, Green Bay Packers bag for him. I got to take it and give it to him.  He was so excited to get his gifts and card.  He has grown a lot.  Each time I see him I notice he is becoming a young man. He was also...

The beautiful palm trees of the islands of Indonesia have greeted me some 30 plus times. I anticipate each trip and look forward to spending time serving alongside the amazing Indonesian staff. I have fond memories of the amazing experiences I have had with hundreds of volunteers who have paid their own way to touch the poorest-of-the-poor. Respect is too small a word to express my feelings for these volunteers. At the end of this month another...

More than eleven years have past since I first set foot in Indonesia. It was a life changing experience to walk in the refugee camps and witness the sad struggle of thousands of people. Now, a decade later, those memories set the direction of our work. We have a passion to serve the poorest-of-the-poor in the remote island of Halmahera. The challenges are always before us–funding–medical resources–training of...

They come asking for help. They are poor and in crisis. Their needs range from illness to injuries. The one common thing about all of those who come is they all believe our medical staff can help them. Recently a little girl was brought to the clinic for examination. She had a growth on the right side of her head, including her right ear and it wrapped around to cover her right eye. The concern is that she was allowed to get to this condition....

The Delaware River has a lot of historic significance for the early years of the United States. Here I was with a band of over 50 men on the shores of the Delaware River. We could see Pennsylvania State just across the river on the steep bluffs that faced us like an impossible obstacle to climb.We were there for some historic landmarks of our own. We were gathered to have a time of refreshing from the Lord. We had the full cross-section of...

Thirty-five years is a long time. It is a lot of water under the bridge of life. Such is life when friends say good bye and new chapters open. High school graduations are a major event before the scattering starts. Those who spent almost every day together then are pursuing much different paths. I left high school to attend college. I had other friends who went directly to work and others got married. Whatever the reason, we all scattered and...

The little three letter word we use so often has so much power. It is the word “YES”. I can see myself as a child anticipating that word after asking a hope filled question. It might have been: Can I go to the lake? Can I have some candy? Can I stay overnight at my friend’s house? I can remember waiting to hear that little word — “Yes”. When you think about it, it is a very powerful word. It can bring a smile and the hope of a good...

Clean water is vital to good health. There are several ways to transform marginally safe or contaminated water into drinkable water. A common practice in the remote islands of Indonesia is to boil the water. It takes time and fuel to boil every drop of water a family drinks. A well (bore) can be drilled at a per-foot cost. It can be too expensive for some villages. Another option is to hand dig a well. This is a lot of work and the well remains...