Good Morning! Please Pray!

Good Morning, everyone!  Thanks you to all who have commented back to me and said they were praying for me, Liz, and all the other requests that have gone through.  First, before i get started with my blog i want you guys to continue to lift up Carrie, the one who is going through the intense KIMO therapy.  Pray that God would bring healing to her body so far she is doing well with the treatments.  These treatments are so intense that they will either do two things first it will destroy the cancer in her body or the treatments will kill her.  So please through out the week please keep her in your prayers.  Also, please keep Liz in your prayers.  We were hanging out at the SIL hostel where some of the students are housed.  These are students who's parents are out on the mission field and their kids are here to get their education for their future, but i will talk more on that later.  While Liz and i were there she started getting cold, she was thinking that she might be coming down with something, but she wasn't to concerned with it.  Well, i found out that she has 102 temp and is in bed.  Please pray that God would heal her quickly.  Also, keep the school in your prayers as well i think it was two blogs ago that i told you about the new school that they were building.  Well, found out that they will be moving into it in around June of this year.  There is still lots of work to be done on the different buildings but the campus is beautiful and it is surrounded by rain forest which is really pretty.  God has opened so many doors and continues to bless the school endeavors as they build by blessing the village around them or governments  providing finances, and even volunteers and workers for the construction part of the school.  Here i posted a picture of one of the buildings and a not so great picture the buildings when you first drive into the campus.  Thank you for all praying will talk to you guys soon with another blog!

11:30PM- What a Day!

Well, it's 11:30PM Monday night in Yaounde, Cameroon.  School started at 8:00am was out at 4PM.  I don't remember school getting out at four in the afternoon but it did.  the students had good days for the most part some i know lost good friends, who God moved on to other places, but as always God move one on He always brings a few more to replace that spot.  i can somewhat can relate from moving from Michigan to New Mexico back in 1991 with my family leaving my friends behind and going to a strange place with no one i know, but as always God allows new friendships to be developed.  though those friends are never replaced, nor should they be.  God created our hearts to be big and to have more room for another friend for who knows maybe that friend maybe a friend who like we are told in scripture "will stick closer than a brother"!  So i pray God will bring healing to those hearts, but as He heals the wounds may He open those hearts to except new ones.  i had my first experience or contact with the local wildlife here this afternoon.  It was a small encounter well actually close to 4 maybe 5 feet in length.  i am not sure what it was as of the kind of snake it was but it was pretty.  i caught myself wanting to bend down and pick it up, but then God kind of reminded me that i wasn't in Kansas any more and quickly tried to grab my camera, but it went on it's merry way to where ever it was going.  i have had people tell me that all snakes are poisonous unless dead, so once they are dead then you can ask the questions later, which i will agree with them on.  Liz and i had a wonderful supper with a missionary family who currently working at the school.  i unfortunately can't remember their last names but they are David and his wonderful wife Karen, they have two boys A.J. who is in 9th grade and Rex who is in 7th.  For supper Karen made us enchiladas for supper this is the second family to make me enchiladas in Yaounde.  They were very tasty.  They didn't have what New Mexico has, but for what they were they were good!  i helped myself with two helpings!  Liz and I then came home around 8PM she went off to meet with a fellow teacher to do their weekly prayer time.  i came back to the Riders and hung out with them for a bit.  i am going to miss this family when i leave they are such a cool and awesome family, i am richly blessed to be staying with them under their roof that God has blessed me to stay under.  Well, it's know midnight i need to get my sleep since tomorrow will be another full day at the school and i will be going to the site of the new school tomorrow, which i am very excited about the opportunity to go and finally see.  i have included a link for some pictures that you can take a look at and i will post a few tomorrow night!  God bless and good night or good afternoon which ever you prefer.  New School Photos

First Day of School!

Rain Forest International School (Video)
Hello, my family i just wanted to let you know that i am spending the day and Lord willing days.  i am having a blast hanging out with the students and enjoying the campus.  i have been able to talk with a mother of one of the students here.  i was encouraged to hear how much the school is an encouragement and a blessing to their daughter for being able to go to the school.  Their work is in a remote village in Central Africa Republic.  They work with the people build wells and areas where the people can get fresh water where the animals can't get to.  The school has many needs for teachers and hostel parents who watch over the students.  The video you watch will help out with a lot of questions and needs for the school, but i see definitely a need more for what the school is needing and what the teachers and staff do for these students.  This school helps out and allows fathers and mothers to continue their work that God has for them to do while their children are getting the education they need for their future as well.  i must sign off for now but i am going to going around and taking more pictures of the school and the staff.  i love you all and look forward to returning home and sharing with you all my adventures i am having here Yaounde.  God Bless!

Hard Ministry and Lots of Fun!

Hey Everybody this is going to be short i just got back typed out a blog and then Safari quite responding and lost everything but i wanted to see some of the precious children in the Tcheckovs village (i really hope  i spelled that right!) it is pronounced Check-O-s.  anyways i wanted to say thanks for all your prayers for me and for Liz.  It was a long day and hard work but she made it as well her and her students were amazing and the dramas they put on were wonderful as well.  The Omaande people are a special and beautiful people in the sight of the Lord, with an absolutely beautiful language as well.  they were kind and gentle and fed us some very delicious food.  I haven't starved and Paul i didn't bring any beef jerky (though it would have been nice to snack on though) i have been eating well.  I must go to bed now will write you all in more detail tomorrow.  Good night!

Just Hanging at RFIS School

Hey guys, i am finally on the internet so i can update you guys as much as possible now.  i am also going to start taking pictures and videos as well.  It has been a whirlwind since i have been here.  I have ideas of what i want to do, i have been struggling on what to do, but now i have an idea of what i going to do.  i am very excited about being able to update you guys as much as possible now.  I am beginning to see a need for missionary care and how much it is laking sometimes.  It is the little things that means a lot to our missionaries.  The littlest things like a letter or a card just to say we are praying for you means the world to them.  i also found out that even care for our missionaries sometimes are laking, for example, i found out from Liz about a missionary who's name is Carrie.  She was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma cancer.  I found out that a lot of people that used to sponsor her have dropped her, since she returned back to the states.  My heart is grieved because her she has to return back to states because of health issues only to find out that she has stage 4 cancer, and doesn't have much time to live, but God has been faithful to her despite her donors have left her.  It has shown to me that despite people may leave, for whatever the reason is, God will never leave His children, He truly is our Father.  Please keep Carrie in your prayers she will be starting a strong dose of KEMO therapy this coming Monday and this procedure is very dangerous which may kill her.  So please keep her in your prayers that God will protect her and heal her.  I want say thank you for your out pouring of love towards Liz and myself.  I know that Liz knows that you love her and that her church in Santa Fe cares and loves her.  Thanks for your prayers and love towards me and to Liz.  Don't stop praying for her and for our missionaries and those who may know personally.  That God would continue to provide her financially but also with health as well.  Also, please keep in your prayers Liz that wisdom would be given to her on some decisions she is going to have to making here on her furrow.  Thanks for all you guys are doing and covering my duties while i am away it is because of you that i am able to do this!  Thank You!

Update on Yaounde, Cameroon

Hey everybody, i wanted to apologize for not posting anything in a day or so.  i arrived in Yaounde on the 5th of January at 5:30PM.  When i arrived it was raining which it didn't rain for over a month and a half, so it is was a great blessing from the Lord to see it rain.  Since then it has been humid and hot and overcast and cloudy.  i spent the day, Wednesday, with Liz and went to the SIL Admin office to turn in my money.  After going to Admin we went to the market to get groceries, i have been eating really healthy, i mean really healthy.  Nothing has preservatives everything is fresh and freshly grown from the surrounding regions here in Yaounde.  Today, we are getting ready to run some errands to get ready for the dedication on Saturday.  We will be going to a village that is close to the dedication on Friday.  Please pray that God will ope up oppurtunities to share the Gospel with that village, and also be able to share the drama presentation as well.  We will be leaving early on Friday, 6:30am in the morning, it is a two hour trip to the village.  Please pray that God will give us safe traveling mercies.  I will try to do another blog here shortly i am working on getting internet access so that I can work on my laptop, and not i taking up Liz's laptop.  Well, i need to sign off for now, but God bless you and you are all in my prayers and thoughts daily.

Next Stop Brussels

Well i wanted to let you guys know that i will be heading to Brussels shortly and wanted to let you guys know that i don't know if i will have internet until i get to Yaounde, Cameroon, but I will write you and keep you in contact as soon as possible.  It is currently 4:52PM and it is 10:52 PM in Brussels.  My flight is around 8 hours, i will be leaving Brussels around 10:00am on Tuesday.    i will post some more blogs here shortly.  I was challenged by Spurgeon in 2 Peter 3:18 "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  the scripture used was a challenge to continue to grow and to continue to also grow in my knowledge of my Savior, because i can never learn enough about my Lord, because He is infinite and i am finite, can i ever out learn God that thought makes me laugh because i know i can't and never will.  i came across in my reading of Spurgeon in his "Morning and Evening" he said this and this challenged and blessed me and I pray it will do the same for you guys as it did for me.  Spurgeon said "If you know the love of Jesus- as the hart panteth for the water -brooks, so will you pant after the deeper draughts of His love,  If you do not desire to know Him better, then you love Him not, for love cries, 'nearer nearer'.  Absence from Christ is hell, but presence of Jesus is heaven.  Rest not then content without an increasing acquaintance with Jesus."  Love you all!  God bless and be with you!