Thanks

Wow, what a day.

Lynn is always such a great host. Supper last night (my first time having steak in almost two months), and then getting me back to the airport at IAH (Houston for those not up on the airport lingo). Since I did not get my bags the night before (and no one knew where they were...it was a bag mystery!) we checked through three boxes of donated clothes, shoes, and food she had (the food was for us...Raisin Bran Crunch is much cheaper in the US for sure!) My bags were still AWOL, or worse...since one was supposedly right down the hall, but could not be found, and the other? Who knew. Oh well.

She left me at the President's Club (long story, but I was flying First Class, which gave me access) which I remarked I had never seen. It seemed so mysterious! I hung out there for a while (lowdown: free food, nothing fancy...like fruit bagels, muffins, coffee/juice/water, etc., work stations, and fancy lounge chairs.) and then boarded the non-eventful flight.

What should I see coming almost the first bags out of the shoot? Not my priority checked boxes, but my AWOL duffel bags! Praise God for that. Valerie was able to pick me up, we got to the Union Church Thanksgiving meal, almost no problems.

One opportunity for prayer...the Musso is still without parts (double the "estimated" waiting period) the Ford will only start with a push, and the Defender was overheating and has a weird noise. I think the brief overheating was due to low coolant/water levels...but obviously getting that checked out would be a top priority...if one of the other vehicles was working properly.

Out of the frying pan (the US work schedule) and into the fire! But it is a good fire, and it is good to be home. Tomorrow I will get to check out the progress, talk to Oscar, etc. and start getting back into the groove in a hurry. Whew...I need a vacation already just thinking about it! Praise God for that as well...for so many opportunities to serve Him and His work here!

What a big family we are!

My time in the US is drawing to a close, and although I know I will miss quite a few people just relying on my recollection, I thought it might be cool to just share a list of how many people have been involved in making it a success, how many are involved with the mission that I was privileged enough to see, how many are just encouragers, friends, family that I got to see along the way.

It was a long trip...I calculate somewhere around 3,000 miles driven, plus probably 4,000 or more flown. This time though God blessed me with the tools to stay awake behind the wheel...no very close calls this year, so that indeed is a huge praise. Much ground traversed, many seeds sewn, and like most years, the long term results of which will probably take months or years to see blossom.

So, as best as I can remember on the fly (so give me some credit for just remembering who I am first off!), here they are. Enjoy, or just skip to the end and go "wow!" with me.

1. My Mom and Dad...and niece Abby. Nothing quite like having someone who is smiling long before you get there to pick you up at the airport and get you around.
2. Rick and Kay Wolford, Jamie Stuber, Doug Kelsey, Pat Barnes and everyone else that share in the cold running the FAME run...and Rick and Kay for letting me shower and lunch with them.
3. The whole load of elders, pastors, mission team members, spouses, and other missionaries that make spending the weekend at Center Pointe such a huge pleasure.
4. Everyone involved with Oaklandon CC youth group for listening, getting involved, and teaching me infiltration. Very cool.
5. The whole Wolford gang again...pink salad rocks!
6. Oaklandon Missions team...for caring enough to really partner, to want to know what God is doing, and pray for all of us.
7. My mom...for making chili
8. Everyone at the FCO conference...for treating me better than I deserve.
9. Whomever put on the Indy Monumental marathon. It was awesome!
10. My Grandpa, for leaving a testimony for Christ that lives in so many.
11. The nursing students at KCU....those who I got to meet in Honduras in June and again there, and those just met that will come in 2009
12. Jim Smelser...always running and gunning, giving me pause to thank God for him and the work at MP, and as well to stop and relax everyone once in a while.
13. The Lawsons...picking me up and getting me around Jacksonville to see several things and learn several things I did not have before.
14. Mrs. Marks, the Hamiltons, the Bowmans, and Mrs. Good for a stuffing good time...and learning more about people's changing habits in moving/parked vehicles than I ever thought I would know.
15. Everyone at Christ's Church that made me feel welcome and part of the family...as we are!...seeing we are all pieces in a much bigger puzzle.
16. Everyone at the Marks house...football and lasagna plus more interesting conversation than I should have been allowed to hear? Very interesting.
17. Ben and others at SWOB (as well as Meg Ryan) for their interest and planning for next year's trip...and showing me there really are several universities in Jax
18. Mark and Susan...going above and beyond to invest in God's work and us personally...and specifically me by giving me a world of time and friendship while in the ATL airport.
19. Tony and the others at FCO in Bloomington for actually seeming interested in God's story moving in our lives.
20. Brad for driving all over Southern Indiana with me...for great and caring advice, questions, for sharing his insights, intelligence and his time, which is in short supply (the time thing, not the intelligence and to Gail for allowing me to borrow him.
21. The folks at BHRP who showed us how they have gotten all that corn to us, how much time and effort it actually takes.
22. Judy for sharing more about CHE, and how we need to push ahead to get things started.
23. SOCC....the men's group for giving me further evidence on my depravity, to the missions team for inquiring and helping us in so many ways, and the staff for just showing how much they care.
24. Denny and Carolyn for such unique insights, advice, time, investment, thought, caring, and too much more to list...like making me feel smart because I knew how to install Skype.
25. Doug and Kerry...an example to follow, and for just good times of understanding.
26. Dave for lunch...and interest in the work and how to help.
27. Laura and Megan...for showing me that french toast is best done elsewhere, that I could channel Reid Duffy when called upon, and that some people sleep even less than I do.
28. Dr. Angela for healing my ailing teeth and doing it so incredibly well!
29. Clint and Rob for a meeting of minds and philosophy on how we can partner
30. Steve Zach and Kevin...for a relaxing lunch at Applebee's...oops, I mean Olive Garden. Applebee's in Castleton are rare.
31. Everyone at Hazel Dell for understanding my tardiness....structural engineering really is riveting when it involves Church construction! (one pun, one semi pun, not bad eh?)
32. Joel and my Dad, for sharing in the Big Ugly experience. A relaxing time when I needed it.
33. Brian for letting me know he was praying for me while I soplé pedacitos (slang for throw up) in Tulsa
34. The missionary convention...for putting together such an opportunity to see, experience, fellowship with, learn from, and grow through people I usually do not get to see much otherwise.
35. Marty and Leah for caring, for supper, for sharing.
36. CIY, for introducing me to an over 21 eating public house I definitely would not have experienced otherwise!
37. Mark, Susan and Rick for tempting me with some very interesting looking burgers.
38. Doug for being a great Spades partner and fully devoted to the cause, Nick and Justin for their enthusiasm and fellowship...if not their ability to emerge triumphant.
39. Our board of directors, for all they do to help the work continue to mature, grow, and be better organized....it is a big job they take seriously.
40. Hazel Dell again...for blessing me to be one guy at a pitch in meal for 1000 or so. What a great way to eat Thanksgiving styles I would never get to see otherwise, plus more Colts jerseys per capita than any other Church I have met.
41. Tom and Carol for their continued love and support of Honduras, the Church, and us.
42. Chad and Amy for hosting a Thanksgiving meal before I head off.
43. Lynn for putting me up in Houston on my way back.
44. My wife and kids for keeping in touch during their busy lives lo these many days.

More from the NMC

Well, a whirlwind it has been! I am trying to think of all the many blessings I have seen and received while here, all the people, prayer, workshops, Bible studies, and even Spades played and it hard to remember it all.

I can say I saw all the booths in the exhibition hall, but it was not without effort. It is amazing to see what is only a very small conceptual vision of what Heaven will be like with all the nations, people groups, languages, skin colors, etc. represented.

I gave a presenation of an overview of what is going on in His Eyes for about ten people this morning, which was very good not only to share that, but to get feedback, questions, ideas, and suggestions. It is so encouraging to see so many other people taking a role in His work there.

I am back getting ready for our big yearly board meeting in 1/2 hour, where most of us can actually see each other face to face (versus using Skype....or for our hunter extrodonaire who will be listening via an ear bud in his tree stand) which will be good, then supper, main session, packing in as much tonight as I can, and back to Indiana for one last stand before leaving for home on Wednesday (getting there Thursday)

So it has been a few days blog-less. I trust you are getting just fine without these collected writings.

I can honestly say I am ready to go home. Ready to see my family, ready to get to my home, ready to get back to the daily routine, if we have any such thing. Especially so I am ready because I am wiped!

People often ask how my vacation was, or as if these trips were more of just an opportunity to get away, etc. rather than work. Let me assure you, this year more than any I can recall I have been busy to the point of real stress, lack of sleep due to getting things done, and fully realizing that I will not get everything I wanted to do done a week before I depart.

All that with a cancelled FAME container that I would have had to seek out a few things for, pack, help load etc. Which in other years has taken several long days of my time.

Not that I am whining! By no means! It is a privilege and responsibility to be able to do the work to which I am called, and stress and lack of sleep are manageable to some extent. Not to mention the fact that being more busy means God has been blessing and expanding the work that much more! I just wanted to take this time (sitting on a layover in the Houston airport on my way to the missionary convention) to let you know, while visiting does present some great experiences, fruit for the mission and the kingdom, and an opportunity to drink free water and gargle in the shower...it is not all fun and games.

And people wonder why Valerie and the kids are not with me. I can not imagine putting them through all this again. I have not totaled it up, but even flying a few times, mostly staying in the greater Indiana area, and someone else driving me a few times...I think I have put at least 2000 miles on the mighty Sable. Good thing fuel is so cheap (I saw $1.66 this morning...filled up yesterday for $1.72.)

Now I am here in Tulsa. There might be some updates through the missionary convention if I have time, perhaps even with pictures! That is...if I am feeling better. I have been throwing up since I got to the hotel, so my experience of Tulsa so far only includes the airport, the van, the hotel lobby, and my room. Me thinks me fell victim to the "eat the complementary cookie and then get really violently ill" trick. How could I have been so blind.

Hazel Dell

One of the mission's new supporting Churches is a Church we have known for several years, especially through people coming on FAME trips, running events, and having visited a few times.

Today I was to be there for all the services and for a meeting with the youth group that is coming in July 2009. During the services I was to give a three minute presentation about the work in Honduras. The first two services went well (at least...no one told me if they thought otherwise.) Can you see this coming?

The third service I got to chatting with someone in the entryway who is coming in July with his son, and is a structural engineer. Interesting conversation. Just when I was thinking about heading back to the sanctuary to get ready, he mentions the company he works in builds commercial buildings...Churches. What's that? Churches? So we keep chatting about this most interesting topic to me...the mission...and the Churches planted.

The next thing I know, I happen to hear singing stopping....and then a huge silent pause, which is when I was supposed to be starting. I think I mumbled something as I ran (with my bum ankle) into the sanctuary. I suppose it is possible that I could have felt worse....let us just say I was embarrassed. Pastor Mark was very loving in his reaction. Whew.

It was very encouraging and educational to be there, sharing and others sharing with me as well. Good day...despite my blatant observance of "Honduran time."

notgnimoolb rewind

So I am back from Bloomington and all parts South of there since Tuesday. You heard about part of that in the last update.

Wednesday I met with Roger at SOCC to talk about optometry work and how groups do that for possible use for an area they visit in Romania. After talking with him, I was motivated to put that whole plan of action on paper. He seems to think people would actually be interested in having that information to copy and do elsewhere. Hmmmm, now to just find the time to do that. After that we met with someone to talk about the mission and what is going on there over lunch, then I met Denny and Carolyn at their house to talk more about the mission (Denny being a board member, and both of them very active in the work for many years) and then back to the Pour House (http://www.thepourhousecafe.com) to give an update on the work to the SOCC missions team, then out to eat, and then back to Denny and Carolyn's to talk more...until about 1:00am. Good stuff.

(here I am with Jim at the Pourhouse....having a cup of Guatemalan coffee...my first coffee in a year. I was wound for sound...my heart, hands, and propensity for fast speech...for a few hours afterwards. And people snicker when I remark at how so many people are addicts for this stuff?)

I got up at 6:45 to meet two of the students that came in May with the SOCC/CSF (not Cerebral Spinal Fluid, just in case you are like me and confuse the two) trip, we had breakfast at the Village Deli...Megan says the french toast is acceptable, but could use work, and that the strawberries were most likely not fresh. I for one had the waffle, nicely sized, with syrup holding reservoirs nicely spaced and just the right depth, with a deceptively healthy taste, also elegantly prepared with butter, but thoughtfully included on the side for those not interested in adding that rather tempting but not exactly healthy addition to their diet. Hmmmm....I did talk about Reid Duffy at that breakfast, I suppose that last section was me trying to channel him just a wee bit. I wonder how he is doing?

After a bit more brainstorming, I headed to Indianapolis to meet up with Dr. Greenaway, who offered to look over my teeth while I am stateside (she came to Honduras in January with big Jim Smelser). I took this picture while getting X-rays taken. I think I can honestly say it is my best x-ray picture I have ever taken. She is going to help me out in a big way on Monday fixing some issues in there (and I actually got to see them....she had a camera that showed me my teeth up close and personal...which was really cool...I will spare you any of those pictures.)

Sigh

I am worn out. I do not know why, but it caught up with me today. I was an emotional mess, struggling with materialism, stuff, issues, thinking about my kids future, about what I see happening in people I know, and do not know, Churches I know, and do not know, my immaturity, my depravity. I am not depressed, but just seeing things here and trying not to feel overwhelmed was enough to drive me to prayer, which is always a good thing.

So, what did we do while I was struggling with this internally? I met with the FCO chapter here at IU last night (Bloomington Indiana), then this morning (got up at 4:45) went with Brad to a men's Bible study, then off to see the BHRP (www.bhrp.org) where the corn we have distributed in Honduras is grown and processed, and then down to New Albany to see Doug, and as a cool bonus got to eat with him and his wife Kerry, and then back to SOCC for a fellowship meal tonight, and then back to Brad's pad, where he is the Head Fred of course, to catch up on all this email and such at about 7:30.

Tomorrow, more meetings, getting to see people, talk, discuss, and hopefully do all that to the glory of God and work in His kingdom.

JAX facts

So, I am here in Jacksonville, Florida (because, there are like a plethora of Jacksonvilles spread throughout the USA as I am sure you already knew) visiting Christ's Church and just feeling reall encouraged and strengthened whilst hopefully doing to the same to everyone I have got to see again as well as those I met for the first time, while hopefully faithfully giving an update on God's work in Honduras.

(here we have yet another Florida fried favorite....pickles. It is hard to go wrong with fried anything I suppose, and these were certainly no exception.)

I will be doing a little more meeting, as well as hopefully informationally sharing about an upcoming trip next spring before boarding another plane to head back to Indiana, where I will start heading South to Bloomington tomorrow afternoon.

As for things in Honduras....the Musso is still on blocks as they wait for parts to arrive from some far off land (that is getting to be problematic with that particular brand of car), Valerie's ankle is still sprained/strained and she is hobbling around with that as well as dealing with the pain, the busted washer and drier have been replaced (as well as actual beds for the kids...a first for them, all due to a family who has moved back to the US that is trying to sell most of their posessions in Honduras), the rains have lessened and rivers going back down, the Blue Ford is now out of "jail" but the trial will still not be resolved for probably another few months, Oscar gave the baby the first name...Oscar, Cecilia is officially finished with Kindergarten ("graduation" to take place a few hours before I get back to Honduras on Thanksgiving day) and....well....there is probably more news on the Churches and clinic construction, but I only get to talk to Valerie, Oscar does not call me like she does!

Running around

I would be remiss if not posting a little more about the marathon on Saturday. After talking to many people about the event, I have come to a greater realization just how much God was taking care of me and guiding me throughout the whole thing. Really cause to praise Him...I was sore afterwards, but could walk and carry on well enough that it amazed several people. The next day I could feel it walking a little, but really there was no knee, joint, or muscle pain. My ankle hurts a little today, but central Indiana weather is so beautiful...I went running this afternoon for a good hour. It was nice. I better get all the running in this nice weather I can before it turns cold again.

(this picture illustrates what happens when you sweat for five hours and run....the sweat evaporates, and you can get not only salt spots, but in this case when I scratched behind my ear, find almost table salt. Cool...but not too cool if you lose too much and do not put it back in your body one way or the other.)



Monday I went down to FAME to meet up with Rick and we went to Kentucky Christian University to promote the FAME trip to Honduras next year, trying mostly to recruit nursing students for that trip. It was great to spend some time with Rick, especially getting to chat and such while not being the one driving (and therefore allowed to nap from time to time) and see some of the past nursing students that have come on FAME trips.

Marathon

So we have been extremely blessed here in Indiana the last few days with incredible weather. Here in Brown County for the FCO conference (I really have enjoyed getting to see everyone, get to learn from the CE, hang out, service last night) and the leaves and views you get here are....incredible.

Today I ran the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. Yep...26.2 miles. The weather was cold to start, but warmed up eventually and was just amazing weather, and the course was beautiful. It had been a while since I have run a race here....the people coming out to encourage, cheer...that is amazing. My goal was five hours or better...but I got dehydrated and had to walk at least two miles (but that was through the most incredible views of the race...miles 18 and 19 a little of 20) so my time was 5:04 (officially 5:06 or something...it took me two minutes to get to the start line to actually get going.) I am sore...but think I will be good. It was a great run, I would do it again.

Things are going well...I head back to Geetingsville tomorrow for my Grandpa's memorial celebration of life service...pray that I would share the gospel in rememberence of the life Christ lived through him, and that hearts would be opened, as there will probably be at least a few with hard hearts.