: )

Hello Hello!

Progress on our internet connection with Canadian Red Cross is moving, slowly but surely. They are just waiting for confirmation form HQ back in the motherland ;) So keep praying for that! It would be a huge help with research (requirements for organic certification, alternative rice varieties...you know, typical Indonesian rice farmer stuff)

David and I are able to drive ourselves to the internet place finally. I gotta admit, it's liberating! And yes Walter, while I do enjoy the ride in the shade of the jungle, I can imagine it would not be too pleasant in the dead of Indiana winter!

Our meeting with the country director went...well...we have a lot to pray about! Things are going well, we just landed right in the middle of a rather transitional period for FH Indo. I will share more details as I am able. Please pray for David and me and the rest of the FH Indo team. With budget adjustments and organizational restructuring...feelings could get hurt. Pray for unity amongst the team, that, like in Acts we would be of the same heart...loving, understanding, humble, gracious...and that by His grace we would unite under His gospel to share the love of Christ with the people of Aceh.

Things in Nias (where Craig, the other Indo intern is) are better! We were able to talk with him briefly over the phone and he said the spiritual attacks have subsided but there are still some tensions amongst the team. Continued prayers would be appreciated. From his text messages, phone conversations and blog posts it sounds like Craig is doing some great work over there in Nias. Lanjut terus brother!

Relationships here in Calang have been good recently as well. I spent some quality time with one of our Muslim staff members as we got rained out of some work Wednesday. We planned to head out to one of our sub-villages but the rain pouring down the steep mud hill prevented us from deliver more cocoa trees to our beneficiaries. It worked out well though as we spent some time in the truck (and then at the invitation of a typical friendly Indonesian...sipping Acehnese coffee in a little shack by the ocean) talking about Islam. This particular staff member spent four years in Islamic school. He's rather devout which, honestly is quite rare amongst the people here in Aceh. Considering it is the most conservative Muslim provinces in Indo, thus far I've not seen more than a handful of Acehnese in the Mosques during salat (prayer times).

I would really appreciate prayer for him. He was born and raised here in Aceh and really has a heart for the people here. He also seems to be open to receiving the gospel. Pray that God would continue to work in his heart and surround him with Christians who are willing to speak truth in love to him.

Well David and I are getting ready to head back to the posko. I think we have another swim lesson scheduled for this evening :) Thanks so much for all your support. It is always an encouragement to read comments from all the different people who are lifting me up in prayer.

And stay tuned! I hope to get some more photos/video posted soon!