First Distribution

Our convoy

Flooded Road

Building Barrows! 

Indonesia Friends & Family update #6

Hello everyone,

This has been a busy two weeks. We had a nice Easter weekend. I was disappointed we had no church and nice Easter songs when the phone rang and Steve invited us to real church in a Methodist church. We found it and had a wonderful time of worship. There were about 50 people from all around the world and all religions, catholic and protostant. But the pastor said we were all parts of the body.

Then Monday we had four truck loads of tools and fencing to take to Lhoong. That sounds easy until we got two thirds of the way and the road was under about three feet of water. The first two trucks went barreling thru. They said if the vehicle was diesel it could make it. The other two trucks and car did not dare go across. So Pete and August waded thru the water and caught a ride to Lhoong. After a half hour the other trucks went thru and I still waited with the car. Then a backhoe came and dug a trench and gradually the water went down and we too went thru the water. By the time we got to the office two trucks were unloaded. It made for a very interesting day.

We had our first distribution this week. It was a small one to the village of Cot. We gave each family a hoe and machete. The village is divided into three working groups which include one person from each family. Each working group got a chainsaw, three wheel barrows, ten rakes and some tools. The whole village got a 7500 watt generator. The chamat of the sub district came and gave a speech and then we could distribute. It was fun to see them receive the wheel barrows. They were not assembled so they just started putting all of them together and wheeled them over to the posko.

We also got our samples of school uniforms. We got all the sizes and now we have to arrange with the education director when we can go to the schools and make sure we have the right sizes. We wanted the teachers to make the list but some don't know the sizes. So we will bring the sizes to them. Hopefully we can do that next week.

Nick, the country manager, came Saturday. He went to the island of Nias on his way to see us. He showed us some pictures of the earthquake damage in the capital Gunung Sitoli. They were pretty gory. We are giving aid to Nias through a couple of partner organizations allready there. When the quake happened we had to run outside in our night gown. So now I have my purse and a coverup by my bed. Ready for a fast exit and a proper one.:

Please pray for:

I think I wrote you that the government is letting us stay 30 to 60 more days----an answer to prayer.

Please pray for the people of Nias. Many were killed in the earthquake there.

Also pray that there be calm and no more quakes.

That we can let our light shine here.

Thanks for all your e-mails and prayers,

God is good!

ila and pete