Quiz Question

So, do you think we went to the shopping mall or watched a movie yesterday afternoon????

Neither!
After the doctors, I parked the car in a parking lot and Kylie and I went to sleep until just before Rich arrived. Boy, did that feel good - and 't was much cheaper than the other options :)
We were even able to see his plane land - which was special!

Thanks for your Prayers!

Ok, here's a short report about yesterday:



HIGHLIGHTS:

• Got out of the house on time and without stress


• AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL scenery, as the rolling hills and everything was covered in frost - yeah folks, it's WINTER here!


• Smooth trip up to Auckland and didn't get lost all day :)

LOWLIGHTS:

• Leilani had to stay in the van at the airport for 2 hours (it was warm enough). She was too weak to stand up (she could have stayed in Tauranga with friends but insisted she was well enough to go)


• Nathalie almost passed out while standing in line for check-in. She was so miserable and pale that I almost didn't let her go. We found out today, as she was going through security (after I'd left), she graced the floor with what had been a milkshake just half an hour before. She was quite sick and feverish during the flight and still is. SHE NEEDS PRAYER and so does the family she's staying with - 9 people plus our kids!!!


• As I was at the airport with Nathalie and Jeremie, Kylie was getting worse and complaining about an ear-ache. It got so bad after we left the airport that she was crying with pain non-stop, asking to be taken to a doctor.

MORE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Amazingly, I found a doctor, although I had no clue where there was one (long story involving a taxi ride...). He treated Kylie for free and we got medication for her. She is still quite sick.


• It seems that Jeremie was very kind and helpful to Nathalie on the trip and his cold is getting bette. Good news!


• Rich's plane came in on time and we had a smooth trip back - got home just after 8:00pm

I won't go into the "lowlights" of yet another miserable night with sick Kylie, but it sure is nice to have Rich back! We talked for hours last night. After helping during the night, he made the fire this morning and let me stay in bed and catch up on sleep (or kind of sleep, with the constant back-ground "noise" of coughing going on by the girls).

Would appreciate your prayers!

If you get this, could you please shoot up a prayer for our family. We are just about to leave for Auckland. Most of us had a horrible night. All the girls (except for me, Thank God!) are coughing up a storm, Nathalie and I hardly slept at all, Jeremie has come down with a sore throat, too.

We REALLY need God's intervention, healing and strength to make it through this day.

Nathalie and Jeremie need to be healed and well to enjoy their long-awaited trip!

Thanks so much!!!

Wanna sing at a funeral?

Ok, so here I am on the last day before Nathalie and Jeremie's big trip to Tahiti. Two teenagers are going mental with excitement (not saying any names), there's a huge list of things left to do and two sick children (Leilani and Kylie) to care for.

Now, is this typical or what: the phone rang more times today and we had more people coming to our house than sometimes in a week.

To top it all off, I thought I didn't hear well when I got a call from our church, asking if I had time RIGHT NOW. They were going to have a funeral and suddenly realized that they had nobody to sing. And guess who they called up to ask if she could make her lovely voice resound at the funeral???
Guessed it! Yours truly!
Now, I should feel quite honored to be asked that, especially since I have never once sang at church except for in the pew... :)

However, as you guessed, I kindly declined and had a hearty laugh with the kids when I got off the phone!

Our church is actually a really good church, normally very well organized. Check out our new website www.livinghopechurch.co.nz

Anyways, still got quite a few things to tick off my list and then hopefully get a good nights sleep before getting up at 5:30am to get ready to leave to the airport.

One bonus: we get to pick up Rich from the airport 4 hours after Nathalie and Jeremie take off. Hopefully Leilani and Kylie will be well enough to walk around the shopping mall with me during the waiting time. If not, we'll just have to find a movie theatre with an appropriate film for Kylie, although Nathalie will be very upset in that case, because she wanted to be the one taking Kylie to her first movie.
But - as we say in Germany - you can't dance on every wedding.
She's going to TAHITI!!!

After yet another phone call, I better close here and get to work.

Asking for prayer

Here is a short update I just sent out to those that pray for us:

There are times when Rich and I handle our times of separation quite easily. Other times are harder – like this time. We miss each other A LOT!!!

Last night, I had a vivid dream that left me with the sense that our marriage is under attack from the enemy. I found out talking with Rich on the phone today that the wife of the Fijian leader for IWT had a very similar dream last night. Hmmm, interesting…

Heading up a big project like what’s happening in Fiji is always like being on the frontlines of a battle-field. In our case, Rich’s frequent travels to Fiji definitely put a strain on our marriage. When he’s home, we do get to catch up, but there are so many things to take care of that the level of stress is significant – and the intimate, romantic side of the marriage suffers.

Soooo, if you think of us, it would be nice if you could pray for a hedge of protection around our marriage – and that of Taubale and Ofa – and all other couples involved in the project. That we would be able to have quality time when we do get to be together and that our marriages would thrive – in the midst of the battle and sacrifices – and our love for each other increase.

Yesterday, Leilani came down with a violent case of the flu – PLEASE PRAY for quick healing and that nobody else in the family would get it!!! I will drive Nathalie and Jeremie to Auckland to the airport on Wednesday, as they will fly out to Tahiti. I will pick up Rich a few hours after the kids’ departure. So we really ALL need to be well. It looks like Rich will only stay home for 9-10 days before heading off to Fiji again.
THANK YOU HEAPS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!

Some more photos

Here are some photos of (most of) the cute kids I've been looking after this past week:

Am I ready for the orphanage stuff or what?

Actually, I heard first-hand today from a friend from our church who has just come back from a missions-trip to Rwanda, Africa - about the conditions in the orphanages there - just appaling!!!

She said they went to the supposedly best orphanage in the country. There were 150 babies and children up to age 5 with 4 (!) full-time staff - and a few additional people hired part-time. The way they carried the babies and treated them was shocking and when she picked one up, it was completely soaked - sheets and blankets and all. Their biggest need they said was disposable diapers, since they can't wash and dry all the cloth ones when it rains.

I think some basic training in baby/child-care would be appropriate too - according to my friend's report! I CAN'T WAIT TO GO!!!!

In case you've forgotten how I look like

I know - - - I've been awfully silent. Life's been real busy this week with Rich gone and all. Just thought to let you see Kylie's work of art from this morning.

Lately, she wants me to paint her face every time we go to Playcenter - usually she wants a tiger painted on her face.

Today, she REALLY wanted to return the favor and here's the result of our budding artist:

Did I mention that I managed to get a few funny looks on the way home in the car? AND - I had the audacity to quickly stop by the chemist (pharmacy) to pick up something on the way home - - -

A Day to Remember...

Rich and I got engaged exactly 20 years ago today!!!
It's hard to get my mind around the fact that it's been sooooooo looooooong since that amazing day in the gorgeous Swiss mountains.
How come I still feel so young - and yearning for one (or more) more children... ???
And how come the memories of that special day are still so vivid in my memory???
WOW - is all I've got left to say - 20 years!!!

Kylie's special appointment with God

One more addition to our "Special Outing":
Benny Hinn was very strong about not allowing any noise, distractions or children playing in the aisles while he was preaching and we were hoping that Kylie would stay still. She was absolutely amazing and sat still during the 4 1/2 hours of the meeting!!! I guess there were more miracles than healings and salvations :)

What blew me away was that Kylie was actually listening to the preaching. She sat on my lap colouring and every so often looked up to me, reacting to something Benny Hinn said. Like the time he said "We're all going to die". She looked up at me with an open mouth and amazement in her face, repeating quietly, yet dramatically to me, "We're going to die!"

When the altar call for salvation came, she put up her hand. After a few more explanations, Benny said for every one that had put up their hand to come forward to the stage. So Kylie jumped off my lap and started to go forward - with me following, of course.
And there, in front of 12.000 people, along with hundreds of people, sucking on her thumb, she made a public statement that she wanted to belong to Jesus. She readily repeated the prayer and was happy as (as they say here). I felt that she really understood what she was doing - in her 3-year-old way. BEAUTIFUL!!!

One more thing: the next morning around 6am (Rich and I shared a bedroom with Leilani and Kylie that night) when everyone was still fast asleep after a late night - Kylie woke us up by saying: "Mom - - - I really love you!" When I didn't react cuz I was still trying to sleep - she repeated herself a few minutes later, until I responded.
Isn't that so sweet? Now how's that for losing sleep - compared with the many other times our children robbed our sleep in the past - - -
I JUST LOVE HER - AND ALL CHILDREN!!!

Special Family Outing

With Rich being gone so much (he's going to Fiji again on Saturday), we decided to go on a special family outing to Auckland last Friday/Saturday. The kids REALLY wanted to go to a Benny Hinn meeting there, after watching "This Is Your Day" on a regular basis when we were in Germany last (on God TV via satellite). So off we went.

It was an adventure just to get there. We thought we'd be fine for time getting there 1 1/2hours before the start of the evening (after driving 2 1/2hours). WRONG!
After getting stuck in traffic and being a little later than anticipated, we stood in a huge line of people - like sardines in a can - to get into Auckland's biggest indoor stadium for close to an hour. There were still 2-3000 people outside with us when the organizers decided to close the doors because the house was full.

Now comes the good part: our Samoan pastor friend (the really generous one, remember?) that we were going to stay with that night after the meeting, felt to come to the entrance. He was inside, getting concerned that we hadn't arrived yet and wanted to look for us. That's when he found out that they were going to close the doors...

What now? He quickly reacted and after a short phone call from Rich (thank God for cell phones!) just in time (we didn't know they were going to close the doors, Rich just felt to call Salomon), he got the main security guy and insisted that there was this pastor outside with his family that HAD TO get in. He even took off his own pastor's badge and showed it as if it were ours ...

And we couldn't believe our eyes when the security guy came outside - we weren't far from the entrance - and signaled for us to get in quickly. I guess it wasn't hard to spot us - we were just about the only white people in the queue... Auckland is amazingly multi-cultural - we love it!
Anyways, little did we know at the time that we would have stayed outside had he not done that... OUFF!!! Made it JUST in time! And felt really sorry for all the people left outside ... :(

Not only that - we were then escorted by Salomon to some of the best seats in the 12.000 seat stadium - in the VIP section. Now that was another answer to prayer. We'd prayed for good seats, since the kids wanted to be as close as possible to the "action" - and "action" there was!

God's kind of action - it was amazing, beautiful, touching!!!

I don't care how some people critizise Benny Hinn. We found him to be a man of God - preaching the Gospel clearly (and no, not asking for money in an exaggerated way!).

We were sitting right next to the aisle where empty wheelchairs kept coming with people walking behind them - and a long line of people standing in line waiting to testify to a healing God had done. I think we will never forget the joy, tears and faces of the people on stage testifying of numerous healings, including deaf ears opened, arthritis gone and all kinds of other pains gone. There was a man who had been dismissed from hospital that afternoon. The doctors sent him home, giving him one week to live - he was dying of cancer and in a lot of pain. He felt God surge through him and all his pain was gone. He was convinced he was healed! And on and on!

OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!!!

Kylie's new bike

It's taken me a few days :)

- here's the promised photo of Kylie with her new bike. She went to "kindi" with it yesterday for the first time - totally thrilled and LOVING it!!

Another blessing

I've just got to share another big blessing we received today:
I babysat a little boy today just to help out his Mom (will be doing that every Wednesday morning from now on - him and his little sister - sister was sick today).

When I dropped him off at home, his Mom asked if we would like a bicycle for Kylie. She had been given one - in pink - and didn't need it (she's got 3 boys and her daughter is only 1).
So we gladly took it, and after a little fixing up, Kylie is now able to use it - with training wheels. She is soooo happy and proud of her new bike!
Photos to follow :)

Amazing! Thank you, Lord!!!

Celebrating the Queen's Birthday in Style

On Monday, it was the "Queen's Birthday" - a public holiday in NZ (and Britain, I suspect). We invited a family with 8 kids for "afternoon tea" ("Kaffe und Kuchen" for you Germans). Actually they came with "only" 6 kids. Anyway, we had a really fun time with them - and got blessed off our socks: one of their sons is a passionate diver and he had just gotten lobster (or crayfish, as they say here) the night before.

From a previous visit with us they knew that we loved lobster. so they brought us a couple - and we had them for dinner.

Look at those beauties - they fed our whole family!

They were exquisit - and we felt soooooooooooooo blessed!!! Once again, the kids were just over the moon - one of them was even touched to tears by this wonderful gift... and the scrumptious taste of the lobster melting in our mouths - - -

What a generous Father - to bless us so much!

Just imagine what we would have missed, had we not invited them... :)hmmm.

Showing hospitality is a lot of work and as much as I enjoy it, I have to continually make a conscious effort for it. It would be easier and more comfortable just staying as a family, but we feel it's the Lord's love that we extend in hospitality - and we get blessed in return every time - usually not with anything material - especially not lobster -

But our lesson this time was once again that you can't outgive God.

Thanks, Lord!!

Catching up (and fish) time

My lack of writing is due to "happy happenings" at our home last week. It's been great catching up with Rich and also having John with us!

John was such a blessing to Rich in Fiji and then to us here!

On Wednesday, he treated Rich and a couple of guys from the House of Prayer to a day of fishing. It was a gorgeous day with fantastic fishing! They were taken out by a charter boat that normally takes up to 30 people - that day it was just the 4 of them! They had an awesome time!

And the rest of the family enjoyed some raw fish salad on their return - yumm! Even after a few give-aways we still have more fish in the freezer!

Here are the fishermen with some of the fish

And Jeremie preparing a plate of raw fish for himself - thinly sliced with Olive oil and salt! You should have seen the passion he prepared this with, it took him a LONG time and then he was reluctant to share it... :)

He doesn't show excitement very much, but boy, did it come out then - my island boy!

As for the hoped-for photos from Fiji - well - - - they weren't quite the 250+ I expected to see - - - :) John just took a few so here are a couple.

For more photos I guess I'll have to go myself one day.

This is a service where Rich was preaching and sharing about the vision for IWT.

Having a cup of tea with one of the local people

Sitting with a planning committee and explaining them what they need to do.