Going to the Dominican Republic

This coming Monday I leave for the Dominican Republic. While there I will be working with our partner that runs a school for undocumented children. These are children that are excluded from getting a public education because they do not have papers showing they were born in the Dominican Republic. We also have a team coming in August that will help continue the construction on the school building. I will also be meeting with a new partner that is using the strategy for wholistic community development called CHE that IGN is now using. The process for building healthy communities takes time and they have spent many years in some of the communities in the DR. I am looking forward to this time to learn from them and see how things progressed for them over time. We (Tim & I) also hope to expand our partnership to taking teams to some of there locations. Pray for doors to open and relationships to deepen.

From there I will return to the states during the month of September before leaving for Thailand in October. Scheduling issues and lack of needed funds played a large part in this decision. (Final total = $6,045 [60% of budget] THANKS to EVERYONE who supported me both with prayer and donations!!). While in the states I will be speaking at churches, libraries, and small gatherings. I am looking to spend the majority of the time sharing with people so if you, or someone you know, is interested in my sharing with them, their church, or a small group let me know and we can set it up.

Concerning Kenya, there have been several issues with our (IGN’s) contacts being available as well as other issues that have arose, not to mention high & rising airfare costs to Africa. Tim and I have not felt that God is opening the doors for me to go to Kenya at this time. We are excited about the work we are doing there and the potential growth in partners as well. We both still feel I will make the trip at some point but this year does not seem to be the time. Other doors however have opened. I will be going to both Thailand and then to India. Thailand was a part of my itinerary since planning began and I confirmed today that things are set with our AKHA partner to go as planned. I am excited about working with the AKHA people and cannot wait to share with you all that we are doing there. Also, if anyone is interested in going to Thailand consider joining the team (Oct. 18^th – Nov.1) From Thailand I will travel to India. India has been on Tim and my hearts for a while and we have been praying for open doors to expand IGN’s ministry there. This week huge doors flew open and I am so excited about the potential there is for IGN to serve in India. If anyone is interested in going to India let me know. We are pulling together a team from November 12^th to Nov. 22^th.

Thank you for ALL your support! Look for me on the blog and please pray for me and those I will interact with. ( say a special prayer for my language skills, or lack there of… my Spanish still needs a LOT of work! J ) MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU!

Also note that IGN has a new address. It is:
IGN
5045 34th St. South Unit 621
ST. Petersburg, FL 33711

In Christ,
Cindie

Becca's recovery continues...

Update on Becca from her father Dave...

Clearly it has been a while since my last message. This email may well be the last "official" update on Rebecca as the most dramatic aspects of our recent challenges appear behind us. The primary reason for the extended lapse between this and the last update was our waiting to see how Becca would take to her cochlear implant. Only after I sent out the last email did I realize I'd neglected to mention that, by standard practice, cochlear implants are not made functional the day of the surgery. Typically, patients must wait a month to heal. That is to say, Becca has been experiencing her new form of hearing for just over a week now. It was two Fridays ago, on the 13th, that Becca, Amy and I went to the Michigan Ear Institute to receive the outer part of the hearing mechanism--the microphone and sound processor. This part is what sits over the ear like a regular hearing aid and connects magnetically to the internal machine. Sound waves are picked up by the microphone, converted to digital signals which are transferred to the implant inside the cochlea. Those signals are then converted to electrical impulses which register in the brain as sound. To be clear, what Becca hears with the implant is not the sound we hear. As an artificial means of hearing that replaces the inner ear, the implant translates everything into something with less nuance, more standardization. For much greater details on the workings of the device, see http://www.cochlearamericas.com/Products/2012.asp.

Of course, our naive hope as parents was that the solution to Becca's hearing deficit would be solved as soon as we had our new medical wonder hooked up. In practice, however, the adoption of such a life-altering appliance is not straightforward, especially for a four-year-old. Our greatest stumbling block has been simply keeping the rather bulky processor on Becca's dainty ear. Even with the manufacturer's special fastening attachment, the hearing aid drops off fairly regularly. Forget about running around the backyard. So far, stretchy hair bands have been reasonably effective. One wonders what we would have done had Becca been a boy. As for the actual functioning of the implant, it does indeed improve our daughter's hearing. She definitely picks up more words and doesn't need to look at our mouths so much. And we expect improvement over time as the device is fine-tuned for Becca. We will be back to the Michigan Ear Institute on several more occasions for reprogramming over the coming months. We were told to expect an adjustment period, both in terms of Becca getting accustomed to the implant and her brain adapting to the new sound. While we might have wanted to flip a switch to give Becca her hearing back, we are obliged to recharge and replace batteries, learn the meaning of two-digit codes and convince our daughter of her need to stick with this new part of her life.

I speak for the entire family when I say that each of us has experienced the lowest point in our lives in 2008. The whole experience has been physically and emotionally taxing. Speaking frankly, I can't say we've yet found the silver lining in these dark clouds. But then, so little time has passed. I will say that Jesus remains faithful and has in no way forsaken us. Throughout our ordeal, we have experienced a great outpouring of love from our family, friends and even strangers. We feel honored to be the recipients of others' sacrifices.

God bless,

Dave

Sharing Stories

Yesterday I had the opportunity to share the ministry of IGN with the Congregation of Mayfair Presbyterian church in Chicago. Everyone welcomed me and made me feel at home and it was a joy to be among them.

During one of the services I was singing praise songs with the congregation and it occurred to me how calm I was despite having to talk in front of everyone in a few moments. Not only was I calm but I felt secure, at home, like everything was right and that I was exactly where I should be, with the people I should be with, doing what I should be doing. Now for anyone who knows me well also knows that I am an introvert. I can come across extroverted, and I love meeting people and hearing their stories, but moving in a social setting often drains me especially when I don’t know people. I am also a behind the scenes kind of person. I love to work the lights, video, anything NOT in the spotlight. When I worked in the business world public speaking was something I only did when required too and every time my nerves would be so wound up that my stomach would be doing somersaults and sometimes my voice shook slightly when I spoke. So the realization that here at Mayfair Presbyterian church , as well as at other places I have spoken about the ministry, I was not nervous… not even a little, sent a very powerful message to me. It said that I was indeed right where God wanted me, doing what he made me to do, and that I did not need to worry about anything… he’d take care of everything and I just needed to do my part. As I sang I felt as I often do when at churches around the world; welcome, at home and united with other Christ followers in a common goal to love and serve God and love and serve people. The world felt small in a good way; like we are all in this together and together we can make a difference. Each of us finding the purpose for which we were created and acting on it. Finding the sweet spot where you feel you are exactly where you should be, with the people you should be with, doing exactly what you should be doing.

Thank you to all my friends at Mayfair Presbyterian church for your ongoing support, generosity, and encouragement. You are also in my prayers.

Happy Fathers Day!!

Happy Fathers Day Dad! Thanks for all your love and support. Your the Best!!

Happy Fathers Day to the rest of you Dad's including my brother Ken and brother-n law Brent!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!

On Sunday June 15^th I will be speaking at the 10:00 am service at Mayfair Presbyterian Church in Chicago. I will be talking about the “Children of Kenya” and showing pictures and telling their stories. The address is:

Mayfair Presbyterian Church
4358 W Ainslie St
Chicago, IL 60630
(773) 685-0104

Family

What makes up family? I think of the incredible family I have. How they are always there for me. They love and support me, they stand by me through everything, even in times where they don't agree with me when I look up they are there. I look at the encouragement and the Champions my sister and her family are to me and all I do. Their love grounds me and lifts me up to persevere. How my brother and his family are there to scheme with on potential financial endevours or to just laugh with and enjoy each others company. How my parents encourage and support and would drop everything to come help if the need arose. How my extended family, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins rally behind me in so many diverse ways. How blessed I am to have my family. Then I think of the others in my life. My friends and Christian bothers and sisters I have met along the way. How rich my life is to have them all. Daily I meet new people and daily I see how vast the love of God is. How family is not just those with whom we were born to but all people we choose to love and invest in. Family is not just my parents or siblings but my new friend in Papua New Guinea, my friends in Thailand, Kenya, South Africa, Haiti, and India. Family are friends in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Florida. Family is everywhere and I am so blessed that there are far more names and places than I could ever list on this blog.

Family is loving one another unconditionally as God loves us. This last weekend I had the opportunity to spend time in Michigan with some of the people I love. How wonderful to share time, rejoicing and in fellowship with them.

May you know the love of Christ and may the knowledge of the the fact that you were born into a greater family, that of Jesus Christ, give you strength, comfort, and encouragement to help you become all you were created to be.

Community Health Education…

CHE… that is the name of the class that we attended this last week.

Community Health Education is a wholistic strategy to help nationals evaluate, determine, and address their own needs. It is a tool that helps us facilitate the process while the nationals learn the skills needed to problem solve their own issues and make a better future for themselves. Faye Tim and I not only learned valuable skills that we will carry with us in our ministry but we met incredible people, like minded and focused on serving others in the most healthy way possible. We pray God crosses our paths again both personally and in ministry. We learned as much from those we were in the class with as we did from the class itself. Thanks also to all of those at Equip. Barrie and Tillie who own and run Providence Farm and Brenda and Harold who taught the CHE class. You are forever imprinted on my heart! Thanks for running the hard race and persevering under every obstacle and roadblock. Your lives are testimonies to how one life committed to loving and serving God can change the world. My life has been blessed by you and all you taught me not only in practical ways but in the stories you told and in the way you live your lives. God Bless!

Road Trip!!

Faye, Tim, and I left on Saturday morning to begin our long journey to North Carolina. The 12 hour trip went fast. Tim managed to get some work done during the drive, I practiced speaking Spanish (with LOTS more practice needed) and Faye entertained us both as we laughed at her hilarious comments as well as her own attempt at speaking Spanish (or making fun at how I speak it J hee hee ). We arrived in Black mountain North Carolina before dark and enjoyed a wonderful meal and fellowship with Tim’s long time friends (and Faye and my new friends) Sandy, Joe, Zee, and Klay Johnston. What and incredible family both parents and kids alike. In the morning Tim and I had the privilege of sharing our ministry and some words of encouragement with the youth group Joe leads at their church. We also attended church with the Johnstgon’s. Our time with them was too short and we hope God brings us together and again soon. Your the Best!!
From there we drove the short distance to Marion North Carolina where our class was to be held. Along the way we stopped at Chimney Rock and walked along the river. What a beautiful area! What an incredible start to our adventure!!