Tuesday 28 October 2008

Antioch COTN

Start:     Nov 16, '08
Location:     Shawnee Mission, KS
evening service

Thursday 23 October 2008

Steph travels to PNG

Start:     Jan 14, '09
End:     Jan 20, '09
Location:     Columbus OH Airport --> Singapore --> PNG (and a few stops in between)
Ready or not... here I come!
My trip includes a weekend stopover and visit with my good friend Sarah in Singapore :).

Moundsville COTN

Start:     Jan 7, '09
Location:     Moundsville, WV
Wednesday evening service

Friday 17 October 2008

One way

As of today, I have a one way ticket to PNG.  I leave the U.S. on Wednesday, January 14, 2009.  The trip will include a weekend stopover in Singapore so that I can spend a few days with Sarah, my oldest friend (to whom I am not related).  God is so awesome to have worked this out as the cheapest route to PNG, and it is truly a miracle.

One way ticket... how weird is that?

Tuesday 14 October 2008

Trinity COTN

Start:     Nov 16, '08
Location:     Kansas City, MO
morning service

Life on an experimental global farm

This past week I had the opportunity to live on a experimental global farm!  Here is the story...

Project MedSend (www.medsend.org) is an organization that provides grants to help with educational loans for health care professionals who are serving as missionaries.  I am blessed to be a MedSend grant recipient!  One of the requirements of the grant was that I attend a community development conference.  So this last week I traveled to the Fort Myers, Florida area to participate in the "Health, Agriculture, Culture, and Community" workshop that was sponsored by CMDA, King College, and ECHO.  There were 12 participants coming from Alaska to Texas to New Hampshire.  Six of us were health care professionals, and the others were training to work in community development projects.  All but one are headed overseas for full time service.  It was amazing to be with this group for the week, and to build new friendships.  The conference itself exceeded all of my expectations as we learned about the Biblical approach to health and development.

The course was held at ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Solutions), which is a non-profit Christian organization that partners with missions around the world.  ECHO basically serves as an experimental global farm where they research techniques to improve farming methods in developing countries.  They have a seed bank to supply seeds for experimentation and cultivation.  ECHO also provides educational programs and consultations in the US and around the world.  For more info:  www.echonet.org.

Saturday 11 October 2008

Belton COTN

Start:     Nov 2, '08
Location:     Belton, TX
evening service

Cove COTN

Start:     Nov 1, '08
End:     Nov 2, '08
Location:     Copperas Cove, TX
Saturday evening dinner, Sunday morning service

Tuesday 7 October 2008

"See Spot run."

Papua New Guinea has more than 800 distinct languages, representing more than 10% of all the languages in the world.  Luckily I only have to start with one of them:  Pidgin English or "Tok Pisin."  Pidgin was originally developed from Dutch, German, and English to serve as a trade language for PNG and the surrounding islands.  It is now recognized as one of the official languages of PNG.

I finally began my Pidgin studies in October.  Or perhaps I should say I resumed my studies, as I had picked up a bit of the language on my previous trips to PNG.  My companion is "An Introductory Programmed Course in Tok Pisin" which is a book and cassette tape converted to CD that was put out by the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL).  I have learned about 20 words and the Pidgin equivalent of "See Spot run" which in PNG is "See the pig run!"  So far I am having fun learning a new language, and it seems to be coming along reasonably O.K. 

Are there any native speakers out there who are willing to let me practice?

October praise & prayer

Thank you so much for your prayer support.  God is answering:  my deputation schedule has filled up and Pidgin English studies are now underway!  Here are a few requests for October...

* three intern couples are trying to sell their homes --> please pray for God to work miracles!

* my upcoming deputation travels, for safety and rest and for the services

* PNG paperwork (medical license, visa, etc.)

* Kudjip Hospital and the team in PNG

Thursday 2 October 2008

Visit to Lurae & family :).

Start:     Nov 20, '08
End:     Nov 22, '08
Location:     St. Cloud, MN
Eight years after leaving Cali, we are finally getting together! WAHOO!!!