The Adventures of Nate & Cecilia

Not so random encounter with David

2012-01-10T08:58:00.000-05:00

Cecilia, Nate, David and Gina at their house in 2010

Last August, we were planning and trying to book flights for Ecuador in December. There was a glitch in the online booking process which caused us to have an extra stop and a 6-hour layover in Atlanta. We did not mind it too much as we at least saved some money that way, and we thought one of our friends in Atlanta might have time to come and see us at the airport.

The day before our flight, Cecilia posted a note to our friends who live in Atlanta to ask if they want to stop by the airport to visit. We got no response, but when we got to Atlanta we figured we’d try to connect with them again.

Since we hadn't been in the US for a while, we didn’t have a cell phone plan. Our only hope was to contact them through the Internet. Most airports do not have free Internet, and it usually costs an obscene amount of money to log in for just a half hour. But when Cecilia opened her laptop, it quickly connected to the Internet, free of charge. What a nice surprise! Nate was carrying his laptop too and tried to do the same thing, however his computer wouldn't connect at all.

Cecilia made a call from her computer to the home of David and Gina Ashley, great friends living in the Atlanta area. Gina answered and told us excitedly that David was actually IN the airport right then, waiting to catch a plane!

She gave us his cell phone number and she told us she'd try to call him too so we could meet up. We were in concourse A of the busiest airport in the USA. We called David’s cell phone, but with no answer. We called Gina back, and she told us that David was ALSO in Concourse A, in the food court looking for us. We happened to be sitting just 40 yards away. We made our way there and sure enough, there he was!

We embraced and sat there just amazed that we made that unbelievably improbable connection. It was even more amazing to hear that David was planning to take an earlier flight and shouldn’t have really been there. Somehow, the furnace in his house broke and it was exceptionally cold that day. He needed to change flights due to his heater malfunctioning.

We got a chance to catch up and talk about some of the important things going on in our lives. We walked with him to his gate and saw him off, the last one to get on the plane. We only saw each other for a total of about 30 minutes. After he caught his flight, we still had about 4 hours to kill. We sat back down and Cecilia once again pulled out her laptop. Nate remarked, “It would be pretty spooky if you couldn't connect to the Internet for free now.” Cecilia opened her laptop, we waited for it to boot up, and opened an Internet browser. To our great shock and amazement, the internet was not available. It was and always had been a service that cost about $8 per hour of use.

It is kind of a long story, but we had to tell you the details in order to realize that this was not only a coincidence, it was “arranged.” It is not the first time this kind of thing has happened to us. Sometimes we feel all that we are doing is kind of crazy and we want to know that it is not just us doing whatever, but that God is truly with us. So God shows us his love and care by arranging such unlikely meetings with dear friends and mentors that encourage us. But the most encouraging thing is to feel God's love so tangibly.

On that flight from Atlanta to Quito, we experienced the worst turbulence we’ve been through, then our plane couldn't land in Quito, so we were dropped off in Guayaquil, a coastal city in Ecuador. That experience at the Atlanta airport was very helpful through the next things: to remain at peace knowing that our lives are in God’s hands. So we were able to enjoy our day in Guayaquil, the hospitality and food of the Hilton hotel (courtesy of the airline), and wait again in Quito to receive Nate’s family coming delayed. We spent two full days in airports and then we arrived home to spend a full wonderful week with two of our families together. What a treat from God this life is!

Two families enjoying breakfast in Quito, Ecuador

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

Umoja: Ansanm nou kapab!

2011-07-10T17:00:00.000-04:00

“It’s not like it used to be,” we hear our friend say, “my father tells me that 25 years ago people cared for each other in Port Au Prince. There was a sense of community. And now, everyone fends for himself.” He tells us this with nostalgia and with a desire to recover that which was lost. Our friend is the coordinator of the exciting work we are involved with: working with church leaders to come together and care for their community through a process called Umoja.

“Umoja, which means ‘togetherness’ in the Swahili language of East Africa, is an exciting and transformational church and community initiative. It helps church leaders and their congregations work together with the local community to bring about positive change for the whole community.” Tearfund website

Recently, we had the privilege to be part of the first Umoja workshop in a community near Port Au Prince. Going through the crowded streets of Carrefour, looking carefully to not miss the turn to Bertain, the dirt road became narrower, we crossed the river and went up and up on a bumpy road wide enough for only one lane. At the end of this road is the church, where the workshop took place. As we stood at the door we could see the hills full of houses and a ravine dividing the two hills and the turquoise blue sea in the distance. We can close our eyes and feel like we are back at the door taking in the view and all the life of the place.

View from the church in Carrefour Bertain

Inside the building, any breeze that came through the open windows was a refreshing relief from the heat. It was hot, not only from the weather, but also from the intense discussions that went on throughout the week. Jokingly at first, the pastors came up with a slogan for the workshop. One person would yell “Umoja!” and the others would follow “Ansanm nou kapab!” which in Creole means “together we can!” By day four, it had deepened into the minds of the whole group that yes, together they can bring change little by little to their community.
We were not only observers, but were able to participate. Nate prepared one of the sessions trying hard to use his limited knowledge of Creole and with the help of our fearless, multilingual leader. We organized games and activities to energize the group. It was great fun to see the church leaders get into a game of “dog, cat, rooster” (our full-body, Haitian-adapted version of “rock, paper, scissors”). On the last day we finished strong with a celebration and were pleasantly surprised by their outpouring of gratefulness. They had prepared a fruit basket, books, a framed plaque and even a hand-made Umoja flag!

Receiving a plaque and fruit basket from participants on the last day

It was so encouraging, not just because of their gratitude, but because it showed they can do great things together to care for one another. This was a step towards the church awakening to its role as a catalyst for community change. We pray God will give them strength to carry out the things they have purposed in their hearts: to pass the vision to their community and see it become an attractive place to live and raise a family.

Ayiti Cheri: Perceptions

2011-06-10T00:11:00.000-04:00

Ayiti Cheri means “My Dear Haiti.” We’d like to share with you about some of the things we’ve experienced in this country that is becoming dear to us and tell you how we perceive these experiences: two foreigners in a beautiful land with beautiful people, but with many struggles as well. This is the first of a series of stories about our life in Haiti.

Questions of conscience

One thing is to talk about disparities between the rich and the poor, but another thing is to see them both living in such close proximity. Imagine eating at an expensive restaurant while you watch a video about starving children. Would you be able to enjoy your meal? What kind of things would come to your mind? Think about it.

One day we were celebrating a friend’s birthday at a nice restaurant in a wealthy neighborhood in Port Au Prince. We were very happy to share that special time with friends and we enjoyed ourselves. The menu has its prices in US Dollars and if you want to pay with the local currency, they’ll charge a higher exchange rate… How interesting, do they think we are rich?! Well, maybe we are rich here: we have access to private transportation, we eat more than one meal per day, we drink water that does not make us sick, and we are blan (white, foreigner), which puts us in that category by default anyways. But as we stepped out of the restaurant, right in front of us, there was a sight that brought uneasy feelings: the park was filled with tents and people living in them. Then the questions came:

“Is it right for us to spend money at a place like that when there are so many people living in such circumstances? But, we ourselves can’t take care of all who are in need. Maybe it is okay to enjoy ourselves like that sometimes. What kind of people are we that we feel okay spending in the same way, as long as there is no sight like that in front of us? How interesting is human nature, that we prefer to separate ourselves from that kind of sight, so we can feel okay about living our lives comfortably.” These were all thoughts that came to mind and things we had to “debrief” with each other. Questions of conscience. And they keep coming.

They keep coming as we finish having lunch during field trips and old ladies come begging for money touching their bellies and saying “I am hungry, give me some money,” as we drive through the busy streets of Pòtoprens and little kids offer to wipe the car if we give them some money, as we drive with teams of Americans and people yell in English “Give me one Dollah!” when they see us pass by. We struggle saying NO to people because it is easier to give them a coin and feel good about ourselves. But we say NO. We decided we won’t give money to people asking or begging for it because if we do, it’s almost like making a contract with them that says “I will give you money, if you get out of my way.” We feel we don’t treat people with dignity when we hand out money or things without knowing their names, their family or whether our “help” is really what they need to have a life with dignity: to come out of poverty, to take care of their families, to leave a legacy to their grandchildren, and to see others and themselves in a healthy way in order to interact with each other honorably and respectfully.

And you know what? We wrote this yesterday, but today instead of saying NO, we said apre (later) to the kid outside the bakery. We brought a snack out in case he was still there, and he was. And as we were leaving we saw him share the little snack with a younger child. As you see, each day is a new day, and we can’t base our actions on strict dogma. We will keep asking God to guide our interactions to act wisely, and to help us wrestle with the big questions about life, development, poverty and true riches.

How we got to Haiti the long way around

2011-05-23T23:32:00.004-04:00

“Where are you from? Where did you use to live? What drew you to Haiti?” are frequent questions we get, but we lack simple ‘conversation-friendly’ answers because we are a cross-cultural couple and lived out of suitcases for more than a year. It seems the answers are getting more and more interesting the longer we are together.

Where are you from?

Nate: “Well, I am originally from Massachusetts”
Cecilia: “And I am from Ecuador, but we used to live in Ithaca, NY until about a year ago”
Nate: “Then we travelled to many places for a full year”
Cecilia: “We did not intend that, it just happened that way”

On a mountain with Port Au Prince in the background

Interesting… So how did you end up in Haiti?

It’s hard to point out a specific instance that drew us to Haiti. Was it when we read Taking the High Places, a book about the amazing story of a missionary to Saint Marc? Was it when we applied for a job to work as a couple in Haiti? Was it the desire to come and help after the devastation of the earthquake? Was it our visit to Haiti last October? It was not one, but all of these that drew us to Haiti... And we took the long way around.

We thought we’d be in Sierra Leone for all of 2011. We had signed up to work in West Africa for two years with another organization, but throughout our first months with them, strange things happened that made us both, the organization and us, come to realize we were not a good fit for each other. Then all of a sudden we found ourselves with no house, no car, no job, and no plans. We had quit our jobs and raised funds to do volunteer work for at least a year and now we had to start from zero after an almost two-year process of praying and seeking a place to serve overseas. Fortunately, we have loving families and friends, who encouraged us not to give up, took us into their homes and gave us time to figure out where to go from there.

We put ourselves ‘out of commission’ for a couple of months in Ecuador and escaped the harsh winter of the Northeast of the United States. We were able to pray and think clearly about our calling and purpose, skills and desires. Slowly but surely we were able to discern our next step and signed up to volunteer with World Relief Haiti.

So here we are. We are happy to be here and happy to meet new friends. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our first weeks in Haiti. Time seems to go fast as things get done really slowly, though our language learning has been amazingly quick. We love getting big smiles from people when they see us trying to communicate in Creole. We’d love to share with you what we see and experience here daily.
What do our eyes see in Haiti? It’s not easy to put into words. But, si Bondye vle (God willing), we’d get to share the answer with you soon.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.” - Proverbs 19:21

Mural Painting

2011-04-11T19:03:00.001-04:00

While at Dulce Refugio, we worked with the kids and leaders to paint a mural on one of the walls of the new building. It was a blast!

After buying the oil paint, thinner, and some cheap brushes at the local paint store we were ready to take on the 10'x13' wall that would mark just the first in a series of murals on the first floor of the new school at Dulce Refugio. Nate did the design with the help of Cecilia, the pastor, and some of the leaders. With the help of the church's new projector and Nate's computer, we were able to project the scanned drawing right on the wall and trace the outlines.

The students,the student-leaders, and our friends from Georgia who came for a short visit did most of the painting, and they were really enjoying themselves. Tracing the outlines on the walls only took a few hours, after which we were ready for lunch.

We came back a week and a half later to do the coloring. It took a little bit longer but it was way more fun, mixing paint and coloring on such a large scale, and watching the mural emerge before our eyes. The students and the student-leaders did most of the painting, and we were all having fun. We had to quit and pack up when it started getting dark, but we returned two days later to finish the job.

We hope to someday come back and help with the painting of at least two more murals of the same size that will link together to finish the scene. Until then, Manases, the artist of the group and the pastor's son, is in charge to continue the work we all started together.

Image of the finished mural

Ecuador update: Looking back, looking forward

2011-03-16T20:50:00.001-04:00

This is a brief recount of where we’ve been and what we are doing now in Quito, Ecuador.

Nate, Cecilia, and some of our work-mates at the church, Dulce Refugio

We left for Africa last July and it seems like a lifetime ago. We have memories of our very patient night guard at the house in Togo who tried with all his might to teach us a bit of French, but I think he just wanted us to keep him company at night. We remember how in Benin, Stefan rounded up five moto-taxis for our group to ride out to the orphanage because the van broke down. We remember how we were treated like honored guests in Accra, Ghana by our good friend, Faustina. She took us to a friend’s birthday party with traditional foods, dance, and music. The Archbishop of Accra even showed up with his big hat and robe. In Sierra Leone we had to ride a water taxi to get to the city from the airport. In the middle of the night after a long flight, the rolling waves and the sound of the sea was calming. A TV was playing American music videos and when the music video of “We are the World” came on I had to choke back tears. The song is not great, but it was a call to action from the most well known rock and pop stars in the United States at the time all in one studio singing together trying to change the world. Watching it together with Sierra Leonean citizens in the middle of the night on a giant river heading for the distant lights of a huge dark city in an un-known country which had recently experienced terrible civil war, I paused to reflect. We really want to help people who are suffering. We really want to share the love of Jesus with people. “We can’t do it alone” I thought, “We have to come together and learn from each other, teach each other, and most importantly love each other. All those in Mercy Ships, citizens of Sierra Leone, missionaries, aid workers, government agents, poor and rich, anyone wanting to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.” Nate and Cecilia will only play a small part. I hope we can look back and say we truly sought to understand each other and to love each other as equals in the eyes of God. If we can do that daily, consistently, won’t that make all the difference in the world?

Now we’re in Quito, Ecuador where the daily climate is always sunny and always rainy, somewhere in this sprawling city in the clouds. I can look out the huge picture windows of the apartment and see the whole city stretch out to the North and South. To the East are the high peaks of the Ecuadorian Andes with their snowy tops and their ever-present drapery of clouds hovering around the peaks. This is the context in which Cecilia and I are living and working part-time with Cecilia’s church and after-school program, “Dulce Refugio”, where disadvantaged kids get a free lunch, get help with their homework, get to use the computers, and get a positive influence in their lives. We’re focusing on helping with the building project they are doing, and I’m learning more about concrete building techniques. We’ve also been in contact with organizations outside Ecuador and the US who we may be working with soon. Every day is full of work and play, conversing with family and friends, and for me, learning the language more and more every day. Now I can communicate with my mother and brother in law clearly! We met a very nice Haitian couple who are struggling with the Ecuadorian immigration system, and we’re starting to become friends with them. We met in the ministry of the exterior because I needed a visa this time. Right now in Ecuador, I don’t think the government is prepared for the huge amount of foreigners pouring into this country from places like Columbia, Peru, Cuba, and Haiti. Ecuador’s cost of living is still very low, the health care system is pretty good, trade and commerce is excellent, and the public transportation system of buses and trolleys is so prevalent that you can pretty much get from any part of Ecuador to any other part in less than 2 days, cheap. That is, unless you want to go deep into the Amazon or fly to the Galapagos Islands which are a bit more remote.

We look forward to another month of work with the church, and we will be back in the US for a few weeks at least as we get ready for our next big adventure.

Pictures to follow.

Port Au Prince: SUPPLIES!

2011-01-15T15:11:00.001-05:00

In October 2010, we went to Haiti with Mercy Ships as part of a short term medical team. We went to work in a clinic that is part of a larger organization called Mission of Hope. Since the earthquake, this ministry has been instrumental in distribution of food and medical supplies, and in providing healthcare to the Haitian people around Port-Au-Prince.
On our 2 week trip we learned more than we could have imagined. Please enjoy the following short account of just one aspect of the work we did there.

Mission of Hope arranged our transportation from the airport and we piled into the back of a big, white, dusty box truck. Our team leader, Gary, referred to it patronizingly as the “new, box limousine complete with side bench seating, rear entry, louvered sun shades and forced air 'conditioning'”, and he assured us that there's a few major bumps in the road so just think, Disneyland ride and go with it. It put the team a little more at ease with the dusty and hot journey that took us across the plains north of Port-Au-Prince, skirting past the tent cities that creep up the hillsides, past the mass grave of earthquake victims, to the quiet little town of Titanyen.

The medical teams worked hard alongside the local doctors and nurses in the clinic, and we non-medical people found a niche working with the mountains of medical supplies that continue to come to Mission of Hope as donations after the earthquake.

After acclimating to our new surroundings, we met Dr. Lex (name changed for anonymity), the clinic administrator. He's a big Haitian man, a doctor and a keen manager. He has a booming deep voice and a kind smile. He seems to be constantly busy and clearly not afraid to get his hands dirty to work hard despite the shirt and tie he wears every day at the clinic. While walking with him through the biggest of the supply tents, Nate asked, "what exactly do you want us to do?" Dr. Lex didn't give a straight answer. He told us we could work to sort and organize the supplies how we thought best.

Nate pressed the issue, "We are here for you. We want you to tell us exactly what you want us to accomplish."
After some further convincing that we were, in fact, not going to just do whatever we wanted, Dr. Lex's face brightened, he stood up straighter, and snapped his hand out to shake Nate's. "Yes, I like you," he said, "I like you very much."
After that little breakthrough, he told Nate what he really needed to have done. Scanning the huge cache of un-sorted supplies in various boxes of all shapes and sizes, some toppled on one another, some crushed, some wet and moldy, Dr. Lex told us he was extremely frustrated that he knew he had a valuable wealth of medical supplies that would last the clinic a very long time, but he didn't know exactly what he had.
He told us, "I want you to start here," pointing to a formidable pile of cardboard boxes in various stages of disarray, "and tell me exactly what I have and how much."

With our new-found direction, we went to work sorting and counting alongside the long-term supply guy, we'll call him Mr. C. We found everything from band-aids to neurosurgery equipment to bedsheets to prescription medications. It seemed like you could outfit an entire hospital with the endless piles of boxes that various doctors offices had packed up and shipped shortly after the earthquake hit. We went to work sorting, labeling, stacking, and distributing supplies to the clinic as they needed.

We also generated quite a large pile of trash. It was mostly expired medical equipment and drugs that the government has forbidden the hospitals and clinics to use. If they did an inspection and found expired stuff even on the shelves in the clinic, they would be able to shut the whole place down. It's an extreme measure under the circumstances, but also understandable. It seemed to us that the people of Haiti are tired of receiving the world's thrown away stuff. In fact, some of the medical supplies we saw had expiration dates of 2002 and 2003, and the most expired item we found had an expiration date of 1998! As the days wore on, Dr. Lex seemed pleased with our work as we gave him some progress reports.

At the end of two sweat-soaked weeks in the greenhouse heat of the supply tent, we managed to finish searching through every single box in our pile, and utilizing a simple cataloging system we all devised, we could tell Dr. Lex exactly what he had, how much, and where it was (generally). We did some work, and we thought it was good, but we didn’t know the real importance of it until Dr. Lex, on the last day after lunch, sat us down in the only air-conditioned room in the entire campus, and thanked us. He told us he never takes time to seek out and thank a short-term team, except one that came right after the earthquake, and us. He said he’ll never forget that we came not only to work, but to do what he asked, and we did it well. He said we were a good example for the other workers under him, and he will remember us forever. He invited us to come back as soon as possible with a wink, and an expression that seemed to say, "I know you will be back." We will never forget that encounter. We saw the true value of humbling yourself and truly become a servant.

An epilogue to this short success story:

One night at dinner with some of our teammates, we were talking about our work in the supply tent as the doctors and nurses were recounting their life-saving work with patients in the clinic, and someone mentioned this bible verse to which we all burst out laughing:

"The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike." - 1 Samuel 30:24

We thought that was a fitting synopsis of our time there. We doctors, nurses, Americans, Haitians, and others all shared alike.

The fruits of our labor in the supply tent: Order from chaos.

One of our teammates helping a prosthetics recipient to walk again. One of the supply tents on the hill in the background.

Scrubs found mixed with the supplies, size XXXXXL

A mid-week trip over the mountains in "The Limo"

Sierra Leone: City of Rest

2010-11-03T22:58:00.002-04:00

The Aberdeen West Africa Fistula Centre front door in Sierra Leone where we went to an international Christian fellowship.

We walked through a metal door in a high concrete wall with a sign on the side that says "Mercy Ships Sierra Leone: Aberdeen West Africa Fistula Centre". Years ago, Mercy Ships helped to construct and staff a women's fistula clinic in this area of Freetown, Sierra Leone. Slowly and carefully it is being turned over to the Freedom from Fistula Foundation. We went there and made a quite expected connection.

The courtyard of the fistula centre from the back seat of our cab. Notice the bumper sticker theology on the dash.

This women and children's clinic is a beacon for good medical practice in Sierra Leone, but also a beacon for a small international fellowship group that meets there once a month. We spent the evening there connecting with people from all over the world who have the same heart for the local people and are doing work in ministry, construction, training, health, and infrastructure. One woman we met from the Netherlands is an advocate and administrator for a place called "City of Rest" in Sierra Leone. We visited there and met some of the most forgotten, poorest, and socially outcast individuals in the city of Freetown. These are the mentally disabled and those battling drug and substance addiction. City of Rest is trying to give them a second chance in life. They do what they can with what they have but with a vision to do more. We salute the many amazing people who do this work. Here's a short video of our experience at City of Rest that we edited on the plane back to the US. It's rough, but gives you the idea.

A short video we put together about "City of Rest", a ministry which works with mentally handicapped people and people struggling with drug addiction in Freetown, Sierra Leone

We only spent 10 days in Sierra Leone before we caught a plane back to the US, but it truly was a restful and encouraging time. The people we met, the tranquil seas, and the rolling mountainous land impressed upon us that those words, "City of Rest" summed up our experience in Freetown. Of course, this is in spite of the obvious difficulties the country is experiencing. Today, we encourage you to find rest in your own surroundings despite the pressing problems and the stress of life around you.

We left Sierra Leone to the US. We will be back in Sierra Leone in January.

Sierra Leone - Land of Beauty

2010-09-21T21:30:00.001-04:00

Our first impressions of Freetown as we went up to the team house on the hill that first day were of beauty and majesty. We will never forget it.

We touched down in Sierra Leone on the 4th of September at 3:00AM. The airport is actually across the river from Freetown, the capital city, so we took a short bus ride in the pitch black and arrived at a little ferry port, where we hurriedly got out of the bus only to wait at the dock for almost an hour in the night before the water taxi was fueled and ready to go. We were too tired to complain. We met our driver on the other side just as the sun was giving light to the surroundings. He whipped us through town in his Toyota 4-Runner in the early morning before the rush of traffic, and headed for our destination: the off ship programs team house.

As he drove, the sun climbed higher and higher, and we could see for the first time, just how diverse and majestic the landscape of Freetown, Sierra Leone really is.

He took us up and up and up through the hills till we reached the house perched on the side of the hill, overlooking the undulating landscape spotted with houses and deep green woods. You could see the burnt orange veins of dirt roads carved out of the vegetation.

We drove on the main road till we reached the house and when we got there, we were greeted warmly by the men at the gate and the caretaker of the property. Over the following 10 days we proceeded to get to know the city, the people, and start to prepare the house where we will be living while the Africa Mercy is in port.

We left Sierra Leone for a brief time to spend some time at the Mercy Ships headquarters in Texas, to visit the family in Ecuador, and return to Sierra Leone in January.

The Pocket Notebook

2010-09-21T20:56:00.001-04:00

On our journey from Ithaca to Texas to Africa, we've collected a few things along the way. However, none have been so helpful and used to such benefit than one spontaneous and seemingly insignificant gift from a friend in up-state New York. It's a little nicely bound pocket notebook.

It's lime green so it's easy to see, and the cover is bound so you can slip it into your back pocket quick and easy. I had no idea that armed with this notebook and a pencil I was well prepared for Africa.

This past 2 months we have worked, prayed, worshiped, laughed, and ate African food with our African brothers and sisters from Benin, Togo and Sierra Leone, and we have discovered that networking is life. That little notebook in my back pocket to write a phone number, or an email address, or to write a map of where to go, or to draw a little picture for a child, or to make a little business card on the spot and rip it out to hand to a new acquaintance is like gold. Initially, I thought exchanging contact info with someone you have talked to for just 10 minutes was a bit absurd. Then, I thought it was just a cultural formality. After further reflection and asking a few people about it, I realized the truth. Everything is in who you know. The more contacts in the more places, the better. I heard stories of people who travel Africa and call on their friends when in need of help at borders, or when they have no money, or if they've been robbed. When you're in someone's book, you're on call for them. I now have a book of my own full of important contacts from all around West Africa, and I look forward to the time I can call on them when I'm nearby. I trust my little address book will continue to be the most valuable thing in my pocket while we work in Africa, and I bet I will be filling many many little books in the future.

Some new friends in the Team house garden in Lome, Togo.

A couple pics from Benin

2010-07-29T16:31:00.000-04:00

We just wanted to update you with a few pictures before we depart Abomey, Benin tomorrow.

This is Mama Arlette, the Children's home leader, where we worked with the kids and on some various building projects. The kids are awesome. She's reading out some letters the kids wrote to us on the last day.

This is Abbalo. He's one of the orphans at the Children's home. We got a chance to have a full-on water balloon fight in the courtyard. Boys vs. Girls. Abalo was the last man standing, so we eventually snuck up and doused him with water from the balloon bucket. He was still smiling though.

More updates to come. We are on the eve of our departure to Togo. Pray for safe travels!

Basic Safety Training: Fighting Fires

2010-07-07T23:33:00.000-04:00

This week marks the last week of our training in East Texas.

It began with Fire Fighting practical training.

In the hot sun, in a hotter shipping container, with full turn-out gear and SCBA(all the stuff we're wearing)

It was nice to get out of the heat after a couple hours in those suits. We salute the firefighters who risk their lives in such gear and conditions. The work they do is unlike any other.

Up-Country Adventures in Togo: Healing in the North

2010-07-02T22:16:00.002-04:00

I love this report. It shows both the difficulties of practicing medicine in the poorest places of the world, but also the transformation it can bring to people's lives. It's only 11 days till we get on the plane to Africa, and we are more than excited. We hope you enjoy this story, written and photographed by Mercy Ships staff:

Dr. Tony Giles, maxillofacial surgeon, and his wife Ann, an OR nurse, have worked with Mercy Ships in many capacities over the past fourteen years. Recently, they conducted a 28-day screening tour in the northern areas of Togo, from Dapaong to Kpalime. It turned out to be quite an adventure!

Travelling more than 2000km through plateau, jungle, mountain pass and desert scrub, they encountered high winds, downpours, sudden electrical storms and power outages. They worked twelve-hour days – screening and performing surgeries with sub-standard equipment and local anesthetics. A power outage occurred during one surgery, but the flickering light of Dr. Tony's mobile phone allowed him to complete the procedure. And in Dapaong, Dr. Tony removed a pear-shaped growth from the forehead of a 99-year-old man under local anesthetic.

Tony and Ann were greatly encouraged by their Togolese team members. The two observers from the Minister of Health, realizing what was being done for their citizens, took an active and very helpful part in the screenings. The five volunteer translators, two of whom were drivers, helped to transport patients to and from the ship, the Hospitality Center, and testing facilities. They also organized minibus taxis to take patients home and to bring new patients to the screenings. Since they were so closely involved with the screening process, Dr. Tony trained them in pre-screening. As a result, they were able to continue the process with 95% accuracy during the week that the Tony and Ann returned to the ship to cover for Dr. Gary Parker.

Madame Adjeh Assoupi, from the Office of the Minister of Health, joined the team at Atakpame. She was instrumental in solving many of the problems encountered on the tour. Because the surrounding area consisted primarily of farming communities, there were many hernia problems – more than could be handled on the ship. Many of these people could be treated locally, but couldn't afford surgery. So, Madame Adjeh arranged for government funding for them to have hernia surgery at the hospital for a very small charge.

Shortly before leaving Atakpame, a 60-year-old man named Koffi arrived with a limpoma, a large growth on his back attached to his neck. Surgery had been completed for the day, and the team was about to move on to Kpalime. Madame Adjeh suggested transporting Koffi to Kpalime, where Dr. Tony could perform the surgery. She also made sure a diatherm ( to prevent bleeding) would be available for the surgery. She then made overnight arrangements at the local hospital for Koffi, and he went to Kpalime with the government film crew the next day. Using the hospital's instruments, Dr. Tony removed the 12-pound growth, the largest ever to be removed under local anesthetic. The entire procedure was captured by the government film crew. Madame Adjeh and the Assistant Director of the hospital even secured some badly needed clothes for the man and arranged for him to be returned to his village the next day.

Koffi Before

Koffi After

Dr. Tony and Ann told the people, through the interpreters, that goitres are caused by poor diet and a lack of iodine. The film crew interviewed them and also got the local dietician to talk about it on camera. Then the crew went to the local market and filmed the foods, like fish and shrimp, that would help with these problems. This type of adult education can go a long way toward eliminating these problems.

The screenings were advertised through churches and on government radio. The President's TV crew joined the screening team in Kara to film the proceedings, which were broadcast daily in ten-minute segments. The word definitely penetrated the area, but no one realized that such publicity might cause a security problem. By the time the team reached Kpalime, there were so many people surrounding the screening site, an open circular shelter in the ground, the team couldn't get in. The Prefect of Atakpame tried, unsuccessfully, to control the crowd. Finally, the army was called in to restore order. Dr. Tony described the incredible scene: “People just invaded. We were surrounded. We were stuck. We couldn't move. We got a megaphone, but people still didn't want to get out. They didn't want to lose their chance of seeing us. But we couldn't see anybody because we couldn't move. They swarmed everywhere – around us, behind us, in front of us… cramming in. I thought they'd crush us.”

Crowds pressing in at an up-country screening in Togo

They saw many facial tumors, cleft lips and cleft palates, VVF women, burns, hernias, and orthopedic problems – in all, over 3,000 people during the tour. They performed 31 surgeries with local anesthetic and selected 200 patients for possible surgeries. However, Dr. Tony is quick to acknowledge that their primary interest is in the individuals, rather than the numbers.

Due to the strong relationships forged during the screenings and everyone's willingness to help, the partnership between the government and Mercy Ships was played out once again with a remarkably successful result.

Dr. Tony and Ann have seen many miracles over the years, and this screening journey has added to their list. “You see all sorts of things happen. You begin to get confidence,” he explained. “It works … God does it. And these people's lives are changed!”

Story by Elaine Winn
Edited by Nancy Predaina

A Visit With Edoh

2010-06-17T22:47:00.002-04:00

We have shared Edoh's story with some of you before. Recently, a team went to Edoh's village and made a report. That report is printed here. If you haven't heard Edoh's story read on.

A sweet, gentle young woman walked forward, holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Thirty joyful family members joined her in welcoming the visitors from the Mercy Ship. This was Edoh - a life restored by mercy.

Edoh is the youngest of six children. When she was about four years old, her eye became very red and began to swell. Her mother, Afua, desperately tried to find help, going from hospital to hospital in Togo and Ghana. But no one could help her little girl.

By the time Edoh was nine, a massive facial tumor had displaced her left eye, distorted her cheek and mouth, and left her teeth protruding at odd angles from the edges of the mass. She struggled to eat and breathe. The tumor was literally stealing the breath of life from her - she was slowly suffocating.

Then Afua heard about a hospital ship, a Mercy Ship, that had arrived in her country to offer free medical care. So, she took Edoh to the screening.

A huge crowd of six thousand crushed into the stadium in Togo, almost tearing off the gate. These desperate people were living lives of misery and rejection because of their abnormalities - viewed as a curse in their culture. Unable to work, or even live in society, they saw Mercy Ships as their only chance to have a normal life. They wanted a chance for a free surgery, the chance for a miracle.

But in the midst of all that suffering and desperate longing, mercy raised its head. A little girl's gasping struggle to breathe captured the attention of the crowd. Arms of compassion - some weak and some strong - lifted Edoh and passed her to the front of the long line.

Edoh remembers that moment - the moment that changed her life forever. She recalls, "I remember being lifted over the heads of the crowd and being passed along to the gate. A nurse saw me and said, 'This is the type of surgery we need to do.'"

And that day Edoh received an appointment card for surgery ... an appointment to receive life instead of death.

The doctors warned Afua that this was a difficult, risky case. But she wisely replied, "God gives children; God can take away. We will give it all to God and go ahead with the surgery."

And her faith was rewarded. Edoh returned home to a very surprised community. "It's a miracle!" they exclaimed. And they held a big party to celebrate.

A year later, Dr. Luer Koeper, a maxillofacial surgeon, who had helped to remove the tumor, took Edoh to Germany for a second surgery on her lip. Then in 2003, she had another surgery on her lower eyelid.

And now, 15 years after her first surgery, this "walking miracle" was welcoming Mercy Ships volunteers to her village.

Edoh happily described the transformation in her life. She recalled how she used to stay away from people. She couldn't go to school. She became very shy, hiding in her home. But now she can go everywhere - including school.

In fact, Edoh is a good student. After she completes her secondary education, she wants to become a nurse to help others - just like the dedicated Mercy Ships volunteers helped her.

The celebration arranged by the family continued at the "cascade," a beautiful waterfall that roars down the mountain behind Edoh's home. There, her brothers played their native drums, and everyone sang praises to God for His mercy toward Edoh.

A smiling Edoh added, " If it wasn't for the Mercy Ship, maybe I would be dead. Mercy Ships changed that. I used to look in the mirror and feel pity for myself. But now I think about what happened to me, and it's all about God. I put everything in God's hands."

Written by Elaine B. Winn
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos by Debra Bell

GATEWAY Training

2010-06-16T22:04:00.000-04:00

Our itinerary for the next month is to learn. We are in some intense training to prepare us for life in Africa and in community. Mercy Ships in Africa works and operates as a community unit. We see at the Operations Center here in Texas that there is very little waste, everyone here has a crucial purpose, and everyone works very hard and passionately at the job they do.

Thanks to all who have supported us and are continuing to support us in this work through finances and prayer. We have secured about 85% of our funding for the 2 years of service. If you would like to contribute so that we are 100% funded, we would be grateful. You can just click the "Donate Online" button.

We will continue the next few weeks with stories about what Mercy Ships is doing, and what we will be involved with when we get there in just 4 weeks!

Stay tuned..

.

Road Trip 2010 - DONE

2010-06-13T00:24:00.001-04:00

We arrived at Mercy Ships Headquarters and completed our first day at Gateway Training. We even had a chance to catch some of the World Cup! Now to pick up where we left off and wrap up our journey to Texas:
From Raleigh, North Carolina, heading South West to Georgia, we stopped in Cumming, GA to visit our great friends, the Ashleys.

David and Gina are great hosts, and their kids Ethan, Evan, and Ryan are tons of fun.

We stayed for a couple nights with them and re-connect after not seeing them for many years.

We geared up for the 9-hour ride from Atlanta to Little Rock, Arkansas and left early in the morning.

With a short stop in Memphis, we were in Little Rock before we knew it. We met one of Cecilia's good friends from college who just had a baby,

and a great couple we met through an International Christian Fellowship back in Ithaca. Mark and Karen were great hosts even though it was a short visit.

From Little Rock, we drove North West to Fayetteville. There, we spent a whole week with our dear friends, Tom and Barbara. At their house we met many internationals, including a couple from Togo!

We also visited friends and mentors of Cecilia's while at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

They are all very special people in our lives, and we are blessed to know them.

We are now in Texas after a week in Arkansas, and a 6 hour drive this morning. We are ready for the next month of training, rested, relaxed, and refreshed after:

8 different overnight locations, 19 states crossed, 50 hours of driving logged, 3,095 miles traveled in 30 days.

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HOSTED US, HELPED US ON OUR WAY, OR PRAYED FOR US!!! WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!!!

Tom is a bee keeper, and we had the privilege to help label his first big batch of honey!

It's a BEEutiful thing!

DC Excitement to North Carolina Respite

2010-06-04T18:37:00.000-04:00

Washington DC is a place of inspiration for both of us. The city is a hub of action, and it has moved us to action in many ways. We re-affirmed our vision to work internationally with the poor when we were there in April, 2009 while visiting friends, and we both felt at peace to quit our jobs to seek work in that capacity. Therefore, it is appropriate we returned for a visit on our way to Texas for training with Mercy Ships.

Our good friend, Emily invited us to stay, and she was happy to accommodate us royally in her small apartment, right in the middle of the city. Emily works in the huge non-profit sector in DC with an organization called AED. She introduced us to many of her friends who all have a passion for working internationally and making a difference in the world. We were only there for a day, but it was filled with action!

We ran in the morning, applied for our visas at the Benin Embassy,

checked out the “wild” animals at the DC Zoo,

and had a party at Emily’s house with friends. We got a chance to see Ayago, our friend from Kenya who we met in Ithaca. He’s now living and working in DC too.

Later that night we went Latin-dancing with Emily and her friends and danced late into the night. We know Africans love to dance, so we see it as part of our continuing cultural training. We left DC exhilarated yet tired.

We left early the next morning for North Carolina to visit our friends Wesley and Barbara Moses. To contrast the action and excitement of Washington DC, our time in North Carolina can be characterized as immensely peaceful and restful.

Wes and Barb just had a new baby, Josiah and we had fun holding him, trying to make him smile. We played tennis, met some of their friends and went to their church in Raleigh.

Our time with them was so restful both physically and spiritually, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to stay with them.

Next stop: Georgia, The Peach State! and play time with the Ashleys.

Hartford to NYC to Philly

2010-05-27T08:58:00.023-04:00

Travelling South West from Connecticut with our GPS at hand, we made an un-planned, spontaneous visit to our friends Brian and Kristin in Brooklyn, NY. We had seen them a week ago when they picked us up from the airport, but it was only about 25 minutes out of our way to visit, so we swooped into Brooklyn to find Brian a little under the weather.

Get well soon, Brian!

From there we headed South West to Philadelphia to stay the night with our friends, Ben and Kate. Kate was away, but we visited with Ben, and had a great time catching up, talking about Mercy Ships, and breaking a sweat playing Wii.

We had lunch with Behzad, a friend from Cornell, who is also living and working in Philly. He had to go back to work like most "normal" people, so we got a chance to tour his lab at Penn University, walk the campus, and just hang out at the Penn bookstore. They have a really nice bookstore.

It's a great blessing to visit so many of our friends: people who have made a great difference in our lives for the better.

Next episode: Washington DC: Wild-Asia meets Metro-Urban at the DC Zoo.

Road Trip III

2010-05-25T13:24:00.000-04:00

Today marks our second day on the road to Texas.
We have been planning this trip for months, and finally we are on the road. Our first stop, Jeff and Tatyana's new home in Hartford, Connecticut! They just moved in last month.

We arrived at around 6:45PM to see Jeff chatting with one of his new neighbors, Tom. We had a great night of getting acquainted with their new house, which is a beautiful old English Tudor style home, and having great conversation. Unfortunately, Tatyana is in her residency and was on the night shift while we were there, so we didn't get a chance to see her much. She'll be a great doctor, and when she gets established, who knows? Maybe she'll come volunteer with us in Africa!

Jeff gave us a walking tour of their new garden which he has been feverishly planting and preparing. We ate some of the first fruits, which were three perfectly ripened strawberries from the patch he had planted recently.

It's amazing that even though the garden is very young, it is already producing fruit and flower. I have a feeling the next time we come, there will be all sorts of fruits to enjoy.

Jeff has the uncanny ability to make people feel welcome. We know he and his wife, Tatyana, and soon their new baby who is due in a few months, will certainly be a light in their community. We are so glad to start our trip with them.

We'll be updating more as we go. Please stay in touch!

Keep on Grillin' Jeff! We'll see you again real soon!

Ecuador, Deep and Colorful

2010-05-09T15:27:00.001-04:00

We´ve been in Quito, Ecuador since Tuesday, May 4. We´ve seen and done much, but mostly we´ve just been living here with the family and enjoying the rich experience of being in the hot sun of the day and the cool breeze of the night.

We´ve gone to a parade held by the school where Edwin, Cecilia´s brother, teaches.

The parade was set to begin at 10:00 AM, and sure enough, people were arriving, getting ready, and assembling on the street at 10:00 AM sharp. Parents and locals gathered for the procession of the yough.

The parade began with the ¨War Band¨setting the beat. All drums, some snare, some bass.
The batonistas surrounded the drummer boys in front and behind, twirling their batons.
The valedictorian of the school and the two other best students led the procession bearing the flags of the nation, the school, and the city.

Following was a display of the many cultures, dances, and people groups within Ecuador. The entire school from the youngest first graders to graduating high-schoolers had a part to play.

In the park nearby, some kids were setting off firework rockets that boomed overhead, and seemed to match the beat of the drummers. One mis-fired and landed in a half-constructed building across the street from where we stood watching. Lucy it exploded on the ground behind a brick wall, hurting noone, just setting off a few car alarms.

We watched from the shade of a building, Cecilia, Nate, and the moms, Maria and Christine. It was a seemingly endless parade of children, bands, and cars dressed up to portray the rich culture of various different parts of the country.

I was struck by the amazing fact that here in Ecuador, the culture, the history, the dances, and the people are connected and celebrated by all. It´s not for the tourists to come and pay to be entertained. It´s close to the heart of the people, and it´s celebrated in the streets far far away from the tourists with their cameras. To be there was like being included in a procession that has been marching along since the distant past, before the spanish came, before there were written records and recording devices to capture the moment forever. It was like being invited as a very special guest, and I will always remember it.

A gathering for friends, food, fun, and farewells

2010-04-23T10:08:00.000-04:00

This Saturday, Cecilia and Nate will host a little get-together to describe some of the work we will be doing in West Africa with Mercy Ships. If you have not heard about what we will be doing, please come. It is open to all, and we will have pizza to munch on. Even if you have heard our story already, and are in the area, you are most welcome to come anyway.

Please RSVP by commenting on this blog post below, sending an email to nathan.tarter@mercyships.org or get on our facebook group and post a message.

When: 6:00PM, Saturday, April 24, 2010
Where: Crossroads Life Center, 604 E. Buffalo St., Ithaca. (map below)
Why: To say a farewell to our friends in Ithaca and discuss our future plans to work in West Africa with all who are interested. We want to keep in touch, and maintain strong connections with you in the US.

Thank you!

See you at the Crossroads...

View Larger Map

Crossroads on the corner of Buffalo St. and Stuart Ave.

What's in a name: African Roots to American Fruits

2010-04-21T15:19:00.000-04:00

My Grandmother is a wonderful storyteller. She weaves stories that put you on the edge of your seat, and that make you stop to think. She holds a huge library of fiction and non-fiction in her head, and you never know what story she'll choose from the annals to entertain you with. Here's a recent one that tells the story of my family's Surname, "Tarter".

Gustav Tata grew up in South Africa to Indian ex-patriots. It was in Africa that he was educated and became an educator himself. He became well known on the island of Zanzibar, where he lived, off the coast of Tanzania.

Zanzibar

He became a leader in education, eventually throughout an entire district of Tanzania. Through his close ties to England, and by virtue of being educator to some of the British who were in Tanzania, he fell in love with a British lady, I think her name was Penny. They had 3 children in Zanzibar, but she was not interested in staying. She took the children to live in England despite the fact that Gustav would not come to England. It was a multi-cultural marriage, but it seems neither of them were ready to start a family outside their own culture. It came to pass that Penny legally changed her family name to the more British-sounding "Tate" instead of enduring the questioning glances and ill repute of having a very Indian surname.

Gustav visited his wife and children in England very seldom, and much legend and story grew up around him in his absence. They told stories of Gustav's exploits as a big game hunter on the plains of the Tanzanian savannah and the jungles of the African continent. They called him "Bowana the Hunter", and passed the tales of daring and danger on to their friends and later, their children. The middle child, Peter, who is my Grandfather, was rather individualistic, funny, and inventive. Over the course of time he decided to change his name once again. For some reason, he legally changed his surname to "Tarter". He met his wife, Patsy, in London, had 3 boys, and moved to the US in 1956. The three boys grew up to marry, and have children of their own. Peter Thurston, the middle child, had two boys. One of those boys is me.

I had no clue of my Tata heritage, spanning from India to South Africa to Tanzania to England, only to be changed twice in one generation. The strangest thing is that when I went to college and started using on-line identities for chat groups and AIM, the screen name I chose was "Nate Tata". It seems that unwittingly I went back to my roots and dug up the old family name without knowing a thing about it. My actual idea was that "tata" is close to how you'd say the word "Tarter" in Massachusetts, with the typical New England accent. Further, I had no idea I would marry my wife, starting my own multi-cultural family. I am confident we will not have the same difficulty my great grandfather experienced as his family was split across continents and oceans. My wife and I are solidly "in it together", wherever the Lord may lead us.

Now Cecilia and I travel to Africa on an adventure of our own. We will be in a completely different part of the continent, but who knows? I will certainly be on the look-out for some long lost Tata relative as we traverse the landscape and seek our place in the world. If I find them, they will probably look much more Indian, or African than me. I imagine what a family picture might look like, going back just 3 generations. We'd look African, Indian, Scandinavian, and South American. Blood from all over the world runs through our veins. I have no "homeland", and I am thrilled by the opportunity to work internationally with countless others from all over the globe.

Learn more about our work with Mercy Ships: Click Here

If you'd like to donate financially toward our work with Mercy Ships: Click Here

Announced: Mercy Ships Sierra Leone Field Service in 2011

2010-04-14T15:13:00.003-04:00

Mercy Ships has signed a protocol with Sierra Leone for their next full-term field service starting in February 2011.
This is exciting for us because it will be our first full-term field service with Mercy Ships. We will be in Togo in July, then travel to Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone has a long and tragic history, and an incredibly complex and interesting culture. You can read a little bit about it here: http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Sierra-Leone.html. We look forward to serving the people of Sierra Leone, and will be very thankful for your thoughts and prayers for the health and well-being of the people.

An excerpt from the link above:

M EDICINE AND H EALTH C ARE

The United Nations estimates that Sierra Leone has the highest death rate in the world, and the second highest infant morality rate (195 out of every 1,000 infants die within a year of birth). Life expectancy at birth in 1995 was only 34.1 years, down significantly from previously improving figures.
Even factoring in war-related violence, malaria is still the number one health threat. Schistosomiasis, bloody diarrhea, tetanus, measles, and polio are also endemic in some areas. Access to clean drinking water and adequate sanitation, especially in the rural countryside, is limited.
Medical facilities are extremely strained and are continuing to decline, especially since the 1991 conflict began. Yet even before this, the centrally organized national health service reached only an estimated 35 percent of the population, with less than 1 percent of annual government expenditures being allocated to health care. There are also an array of widely used indigenous practitioners, including midwives, broken-bone specialists, herbalists, society leaders, and Muslim-based ritual specialists.
_________________________________________________

Mercy Ships goes to Freetown, Sierra Leone to help break the cycle of poverty in this country and provide some hope for those who are forgotten and outcast.

Click to enlarge

A piece of my heart will always be in Ecuador

2010-03-25T21:41:00.004-04:00

Nate and I will be flying to West Africa in three and a half months and my heart beats faster just thinking about it! Many times I have cried while watching videos about the beautiful African people because my desire was to be on the other side of the screen with them. But as the excitment about being in Africa increases, there are also feelings of sadness about being far away from family and friends. I have always wished that visiting my family in Ecuador was as easy as taking a bus and going away for the weekend.

In the last weeks, I've had an increasing desire to visit my home country one last time before our two year service with Mercy Ships. And after praying about it with Nate, we remembered that a check from his past job had not been deposited and was being reissued. The amount in the check was almost the exact amount of the price to buy two round trip plane tickets to Ecuador.

Can you guess where am I going with this? Yes, we are going to Ecuador!

King David was right when he wrote "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). God is good!

There is one more desire in my heart regarding my connection with Ecuador. Let me tell you about Dulce Refugio:

"Dulce Refugio" means Sweet Refuge, and it is the name of my home church in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. I love being at Dulce Refugio, especially the days when 270 children (ages 3 to 18) come to spend time with their "Aunts and Uncles" who help them with their school work, prepare lunch for them, play with them, heal their wounds, and teach them about the Bible and God's love for them. I admire those serving the children. They love them so much: in word and deed. And the children are such a joy.

Dulce Refugio at lunch time

Nate playing tug-of-war with Dulce Refugio kids

Here is a video we made in 2009 about Dulce Refugio inviting people to come with us last July. We went with a group of seven took 13 suitcases full of school supplies, medicines, clothing, and Bibles and 9 laptopts. Praise the Lord! It was a wonderful experience.

People say that an image says more than a thousand words and I hope you noticed the condition of the facilities where the children come to be loved and helped. They are not in good condition and they are too small. Currently, Dulce Refugio is constructing a four story building with classrooms, a clinic, a computer lab, a kitchen, a church sanctuary and even a play ground on the terrace. The dream is to serve 500 children and even have an "Integral Development Center" where the kids come to school and receive help in areas including physical, emotional, and spiritual.

3-D Representation of new building

Current building site: foundation and ground floor columns

Can you guess how much money a project like this would cost?

In the U.S. probably over 1,000,000 dollars... In Ecuador, only 1/10th of that...

My desire is to see Dulce Refugio finish this project in 2010, and I found out today that people at the church have been praying about the same, by faith. I have seen their hard work and love. They do not give up. I also know raising 100,000 dollars in Ecuador is very difficult and without God's intervention, the building will be under construction forever.

Please join us in praying for provision for this specific financial need. This is something that God has put in my heart. Please pray also about how you can help, whether by donating financially or by sharing about this need with your friends and church. We welcome anyone who would like to come to Ecuador and visit Dulce Refugio with the desire to help. We will be there from May 4 to 18. Call me at 607-342-5038 for more information.

May God bless you abundantly in all you do and may you be a blessing to many.

-Cecilia

"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. O Lord, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you."
1 Chronicles 29:14-18

Mercy Ministries in Benin, 2009

2010-03-23T13:11:00.000-04:00

This story was published in 2009. I include it in this blog because we will be a part of this type of work starting in Togo, then Sierra Leone. Cecilia and Nate will be land-based "host receivers", as part of a team to further coordinate the work of Mercy Ships on land. Please read to see one side of the work Mercy Ships is doing to bring hope to a world of need.

Many crew members of the Africa Mercy hold positions that involve little or no interaction with the local community. Thus, in every field service, Mercy Ministries provides opportunities for crew members to work within the local community through partnerships with longstanding, land-based ministry projects. "Many of the crew work eight-hour, very routine jobs onboard the Africa Mercy," said Mercy Ministries Coordinator, Ines Kronester. "I think they appreciate the opportunity to get a feel for what is going on outside in the local community. It's important to see how other ministries are working in Africa."

Mercy Ships crew member visit children at the School of the Deaf in Benin. It's one of several land-based ministry sites crew members regularly visit.

Before the Africa Mercy enters a country, a small team is sent in advance to begin forming relationships with local ministries. Upon arrival, Ines identifies approximately ten ministry sites crew members can partner with throughout the field service.

"Ideally we find team leaders for each site. Crew members can then sign up to go out and minister at theses sites during their spare time. Ideally, most opportunities occur in evenings and the weekends," said Kronester. "It's very low-key at the beginning. We start by doing visitations, playing with kids, and supporting long-term ministries in practical ways like painting and cleaning."

During the 2009 Field Service in Benin, ministry opportunities have included working at a home for trafficked and abused boys, alongside the Missionaries of Charity, and supporting Soeurs Salisiennes, a skills training program for market girls run by the female branch of Don Bosco.

Ines Kronester, of Germany, reads a story to children at the C.E.O. Boy's Home for abandoned and trafficked street kids.

The skills training program has been one of Kronester's favorite ministry sites. "It's an amazing program," she said. Participating girls come from the harsh market, where they have a rough and stressful daily routine. Each is given the opportunity to complete two of the six-month courses on baking, pastry-making, cooking, or soap-making. Girls are taken in overnight for a small fee and complete the skills training in the mornings, returning to sell in the market in the afternoons. The program is designed to enable girls to sell better items in the market or leave the harsh environment altogether.

One of the children at the C.E.O. Boys Home works on a special art project.

Mercy Ships crew have had the opportunity to share the message of Jesus Christ during their visitations. "We visit the program every week. Because it's girls who are coming from the market, it's not a place where everyone is well-behaved and quiet. They can be really rude and competitive. But many have never really heard about Jesus. We try to bring a piece of the Gospel message across with very simple language, visualizations, and acting out scenarios," said Kronester.

Market girls participate in the Soeurs Salisiennes skills training program. "We visit the program every week. It's an amazing program," said Ines Kronester.

On average, eighty crew members visit various Mercy Ministry sites every week. Often, crew members discover serious needs of land-based partners. Many times, crew members have offered further assistance through financial offerings and special projects. "It often becomes much bigger than visitations. Crew members feel like they've left something behind, something very purposeful," said Kronester. "We try to offer a broad range of ministry opportunities so everyone can find their place. We've gotten a lot of feedback from exiting crew members saying these are often the most valuable times for them. It's been well-received."

Written by Megan Petock

Edited by Nancy Predaina

Thurston Ave. Love

2010-03-17T00:02:00.001-04:00

Sunday, March 14, 2010 was a cold, cloudy, rainy day on Cornell campus. The past week has been tragic for the student body here. A number of students took their lives by jumping from some of the bridges that span the gorges on campus. Why do I mention this on our blog? Because some friends chose to stand at this bridge, the Thurston Ave bridge, and try to impact people for the better. They went with chalk, and a pleasant disposition to try to brighten the mood and let students know that someone really does care.

It was a somber atmosphere, with a security guard in a red jacket posted at the bridge too.

People wrote things like "Thurston Ave Love" and "be the change" on the concrete in bright letters.

We bowed in prayer for the whole campus, then left. It's a small thing to do, but I KNOW that if we reach out to others, it is well worth the investment in time, money, and whatever else it could be. When you reach out to someone who need a little hope in their life, you are changing the world.

Those are hard words to really follow. I have a few ideas though:

1. Play positive music from loud speakers in the Arts quad while classes are changing. For that matter, when you drive on campus, roll down the windows and play loud, good, positive music from your car. Of course some people will look at you strange, but others will start walking to the beat and smile at you.

2. Set up random "free tea and coffee" stations, staffed by positive people who are willing to smile, and chat for a while.

3. When you talk to your friends and acquaintances, REALLY REALLY LISTEN.

Learning French

2010-03-13T23:40:00.002-05:00

I am psyched about learning French.
It is a wonderful language, especially when spoken by our tutor, Germain. He is a wonderfully strong-willed man, originally from Congo. He came from a rural village to study in France and has been back and forth many times. He has been in the US for about 6 years now, and has been teaching at Syracuse University, and tutoring high school students French here in Ithaca. He has a heart for teaching, and we have a great time when we get together. We don't just have a French lesson, but we talk about Africa, about world issues, about history and the problems of the day. He is African, and he has an African perspective. He is also schooled in Europe and has a very unique viewpoint from there as well. He can see things from both sides. He knows what it's like to be both African and European. We have a great time talking and I always look forward to his arrival at our home. God has brought many people into our lives to prepare us for this adventure in Africa with Mercy Ships. Germain is one of those people, and we thank God for his presence in our lives.

Je suis heureux!

Rusty old boats in the Congo river, Brazzaville.

Useful boats in the Congo River, Brazzaville.

Togo History and Culture

2010-03-05T17:30:00.001-05:00

We are headed to Togo in just a few months. Here's a great website on the history and culture of this very small country in the West of Africa. You can find articles on most of the countries of the world here.

http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Togo.html

Here's an excerpt:

M EDICINE AND H EALTH C ARE
Similar to other underdeveloped, tropical nations, Togo's population is challenged by numerous health problems, including parasitic, intestinal, nutritional, venereal, and respiratory diseases.
Public health problems are exacerbated by inadequate waste disposal, sewerage, drinking water, and food storage.
In the 1990s, life expectancy at birth was fifty-one years, though this is declining steeply with the onset of AIDS. Malaria, commonly referred to as palu, remains the leading cause of illness and death. Other common diseases include schistosomiasis, meningitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and HIV/AIDS.
Traditional healing methods and preparations continue to be the most widely used form of health care in Togo.
Houses like these in Tata village house a large number of Togolese citizens.
Every small town has an herbalist, and one market in Lomé specializes in the sale of medicinal herbs. Frequently medical treatments are coupled with visits to the local vodou house or fetish priest.

“Food For Life” Agriculture Training Program

2010-03-02T23:36:00.002-05:00

This story was originally published by Mercy Ships and is re-printed here to illustrate the kind of projects we will be working on as land-based team members with Mercy Ships in Africa.

Jean Claude Mouditou has always loved agriculture. “Agriculture is a part of my life. It’s something that is very precious to me,” he said. Utilizing his education and experience, Jean Claude is spreading this passion to farmers in

Benin

Every day, he leads 30 men and women, equipped with machetes and tall rubber boots, into the fields of the recently constructed Bethesada Community Development Agriculture Training Center in Hévié, Benin. Jean Claude is running a three-month agriculture training program, “Food for Life,” which teaches farmers biblical, organic, agricultural skills in nutrition and crop production.

“We begin the day at 8 a.m. in the morning,” said Mouditou. “First, we learn a lesson in the classroom. Then, we go to the farm to practically apply what we learned. Usually we work in the fields until 5:30 p.m.”

In Benin, many farmers practice misguided agricultural techniques, which decrease crop production. The inability to adequately produce food largely contributes to poverty and diminished health, a problem which has been specifically targeted by the government.

“Our system is very different from the traditional practices of farmers. Farmers think you need to burn the land and use harmful insecticides. But with our system, we are teaching farmers to use the material and principles. These techniques have not been seen before,” explained Mouditou.

Both students and community members have been surprised by the efficiency of Mouditou’s agricultural principles.

“Using local seed and organic farming principles, we grew corn in six weeks. Normally, it takes farmers 3 to 4 months to grow a crop. The corn we grew was much larger than the local farmers. It was a very big surprise to the community. Never before have they seen anything like what we are doing,” said Mouditou.

Both the “Food For Life” program and the training center are the result of a partnership between Mercy Ships and Bethesda, a Benin-based NGO (non-governmental organization). Bethesda will oversee the continued use of the training center for agricultural development when Mercy Ships leaves Benin.

Thirty farmers are currently enrolled. Seven have been training with Jean Claude throughout the past six months, being educated to become agriculture trainers. In conjunction with Bethesda, the trainers will conduct “Food For Life” after Mercy Ships leaves

Benin

. Already, they have begun taking ownership of the program.

“The seven trainers are doing most of the teaching now. At the moment, everything is going very well. I am here to support and answer any questions they have,” said Mouditou. “I am so excited to see those I trained are able to lead the program and train others.”

Each farmer involved has made a commitment to share their newly acquired knowledge with other farmers, creating a lasting impact on Benin’s agricultural community.

One of the students spoke for the group saying, “Thank you, Mercy Ships, for giving us the opportunity to attend this training for free. We are determined to finish this training, no matter what difficulties we face, to help our country to reduce the problem of poverty.”

Mouditou is excited about the progress of the students. He considers it a great privilege to serve God with his agricultural knowledge.

“The Bible says Apollo planted the seed and Paul watered it, but the Lord grew the seed. We can obey and put the seed in the ground, but the Lord grows it,” said Mouditou. “Through the program, students are discovering the Lord. They can see the beauty of the Lord through agriculture. I am so grateful to be a part of that.”

Written by Megan Petock

Edited by Nancy Predaina

Photos by Megan Petock

Maomai Dangbenon: Salvation Has Come

2010-03-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

This story was originally published by Mercy Ships and is re-published here to show the kind of restorative work Mercy Ships does in the lives of people.

It was the middle of the night, and Perlagie couldn’t sleep. The image of Maomai, her three-month-old baby girl, flashed through her mind every time she closed her eyes. A huge tumor the size of the baby’s head was jutting out of Maomai’s neck. Perlagie looked over at her daughter, peacefully sleeping in her hospital bed, and began to cry.

For over a week, Perlagie had stayed in the hospital, waiting and praying for a doctor to help Maomai – but no one came. In the morning, they were being sent home. Perlagie didn’t know what to do.

When Perlagie finally fell asleep, she had a dream.

“In that dream, I saw a person, who told me I should be quiet and pray – that salvation shall come.”

The next morning, Perlagie felt confident and peaceful. She didn’t know where help would come from, but she knew God was going to take care of her baby.

***

Maomai was born with a teratoma, which means monstrous tumor. It started out as a small, golf-ball sized lump on her neck, but within three months, the tumor had grown to the size of her head.

Everyone in Perlagie’s village was afraid of Maomai. The grotesque tumor was difficult to look at, and the villagers thought they could be contaminated by it. No one would touch or play with the small baby.

“One time I was in the bathroom, and the baby was crying. People were around the baby, but they would not touch her because of the tumor. They left her crying, alone. Even the members of my family,” said Perlagie.

Perlagie was alone. Maomai was a precious, beautiful baby girl, and she could see that, but others simply couldn’t see past the monstrous tumor. In a country where perceived physical differences mark people as outcasts, Maomai was treated like a monster instead of a baby girl.

“I was very, very, sad. I was not able to sleep,” said Perlagie. “Every day, I was crying. Also, I was not eating. I had no appetite because of the condition of my baby.”

Perlagie and her husband wanted to get Maomia help. They took her to a local hospital, but there was no surgeon to perform her surgery. Perlagie didn’t become anxious or fearful. She confidently left the hospital, trusting God to bring healing and deliverance from the tumor.

When Perlagie returned to her village, her sister-in-law told her about the Africa Mercy, a hospital ship filled with doctors and nurses, which had come to Cotonou. She had just returned from the ship after being treated for an eye problem and thought they could help Maomai.

Perlagie brought her daughter to the Africa Mercy and was screened by the medical team. It was obvious that she needed immediate surgery. But the tumor had made it difficult for her to feed, and Maomai was very underweight – too underweight for surgery. The Mercy Ships medical team placed her on a feeding program and scheduled her for surgery in one month. Mercy was on its way. The salvation Perlagie had dreamed of was becoming a reality.

A month passed, and it was time for Maomai’s surgery. The morning of surgery, Peralgie worried it would not be successful.

“I started crying. Some nurses and translators told me the operation was possible with God. The doctor will be successful with surgery, the tumor will be removed, and the baby will be healed. They gave me that hope,” said Perlagie.

After six hours of surgery, Maomai’s tumor was removed. It weighed 375 grams, 15% of her body weight. The monstrous tumor was gone, and the beautiful baby girl remained.

Maomai spent over a month recovering in the hospital. Still struggling to maintain her weight, she had to be fed through a surgically placed feeding tube.

The nursing staff encouraged Perlagie to use the feeding tube. At first, she was hesitant. Perlagie distanced herself from Maomai. But as she grew more comfortable in the hospital, things changed. The nursing staff taught Perlagie how to use the feeding tube. As she took ownership of Maomai’s care, their relationship thrived.

“Initially, we were worried about her,” said pediatric nurse Ali Chandra. “But now she’s been here for over a month, and she’s blossomed. Perlagie has completely bonded with Maomai in the time they’ve been here. And it happened as we started teaching her [to use the feeding tube]. She’s doing really well,” says Chandra.

Maomai has continued to grow stronger since her surgery. Not only has she gained weight, she’s gained vibrancy.

“Maomai used to be this kind of listless baby, and now she’s bright. She’s doing more age-appropriate things than before,” says Chandra.

Psalm 13:5 says, “I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation” (NKJV).

Perlagie knows this to be true. She trusted God to take care of her baby, and He brought her salvation. Perlagie is rejoicing in His mercy.

“I thank God, and I thank each of you, for all you have done for me. God is healing and still working. I have seen my salvation in this child,” she concluded.

Written by Megan Petock

Edited by IOC Editing Team

Photography by Debra Bell and Megan Petock

Lunch of Mercy: Nate and Cecilia present their vision at Peter's over chili

2010-02-21T23:42:00.000-05:00

We presented our upcoming work with Mercy Ships at some great friends' house today. We met with many of our international friends from Cornell International Christian Fellowship and shared some of the history of how we decided to work with Mercy Ships, and some of the logistics of what we are doing. It was a great chance to present our vision and mission to some of our closest friends here in Ithaca. Thanks all who came!

Cecilia and Joyous discussing something important over rice and cornbread.

All together after watching some Mercy Ships videos.

It looks like Peter has found some interesting reading material. That book, "Ships of Mercy" is a great story about this ministry called Mercy Ships.

Discussing and eating. Peter really knows how to make some good chili.

We had some great food, including this beautiful salad that Edith brought. We also ate chili, cornbread, rice, stir-fried veggies, and some pie for dessert.

We have about 3 whole months to complete our fundraising before we go. With your help, we will be able to carry out the desire of our hearts: go to the poor of the world to learn, and provide help and mercy wherever we can.

Thank you!

ROAD TRIP II

2010-02-17T23:54:00.004-05:00

Here's the details: Cecilia and I just finished our basic planning for our Road trip through 19 US States on our way to Mercy Ships headquarters, Garden Valley, TX. We'll be stopping at many houses on the way. If you're near our route, let us know and we might be able to meet you!

Take a look, and follow the blue line from Ithaca to Garden Valley!

From Garden Valley, we'll be going directly to the field service and starting our work in Africa. We are amazed at how fast the departure date is coming.
We leave Ithaca on May 2! I hope the old VW makes it ok.

That's the VW after a hike up Mt Washington. If it can make it up Mt. Washington, I'm not worried.

Back from Ecuador

2010-02-15T18:06:00.002-05:00

We returned from Ecuador on January 28th to the warm greetings of friends in the cold city of New York. Here are some photos of our time in Ecuador.

My daily literature for the trip. This book is AWESOME! and it has some history about how Mercy Ships got started.

Quito in the morning, fog hovering over the city.

I never thought I would have been ice skating in Ecuador. This is me and John, Cecilia's high school track coach.

We went to visit for lunch, and we ended up ice skating, going to their house, and staying for his son's birthday party. We sang karaoke, ate dinner, and had cake, but we never ended up eating lunch. That was the way our trip went. We made plans, and changed them on the fly constantly.

Truck full o' meat. Looks yummy!

Walking the streets of the "old town" in Quito with Cecilia and Edwin.

Some of the family at the church. It was Jordhy's baptism that day. he's the kid with the icecream cone to his face and the gray suit on. Cecilia and I are his godparents and we are happy to do our best to provide a good influence in his life and to teach him English. He's very interested in learning.

I can't tell if Mauricio is laughing with me or at me. It's probably something I said wrong in Spanish.

The "hermanos" of the church. These are the young leaders who keep the place fun and interesting. It's an honor to know each one of them.

Nate is teaching math! How did that happen?!

Now Cecilia's teaching math!? Edwin invited us to teach his math classes for a day. We taught a basic lesson in arithmetic progressions in English. I think the students understood most of what we said, but I have no idea what they were saying!

Cecilia and Abuelita at Ceci's birthday party. The cake in the foreground was made by Cecilia's mother. It's a Raisin Orange cake, and it was deeeelicious!

I hope you have enjoyed this photo tour of our latest trip.

We had a wonderful time and we will be back someday in a year or two.

We now look forward to our next adventure with Mercy Ships and will be fundraising full time. If you would like to donate to our work, please just click on the donate button at the top of this webpage and follow the links. You can set up a one-time tax deductible gift or make a monthly contribution to keep us going while we are in Africa for our 2-year commitment. We will keep you updated on all our stories and travels. Thank you for your partnership in this work of mercy.

African Mercy

2009-12-28T20:28:00.003-05:00

Waiting line at a Mercy Ships screening day.

The MV Africa Mercy was docked in a port city in West Africa. The medical needs were so great that people came by the thousands. The doctors would screen hundreds of patients to qualify them for surgery or treatment. Mercy Ships founder, Don Stephens remarks that screening days, while hectic and exhausting, go on with very little uproar. Africans have an uncanny inner peace that becomes apparent as they gather and wait in virtually endless lines for a chance to see a doctor.

Don Stephens and medical personnel at a screening day

This day saw a much larger crowd than usual, and the crowd pressed against the temporary fencing, risking the safety of the people at the front of the line. The crew saw they would need to shut down the medical screenings and disperse the crowd for the day. They closed the chain-link gates at the port. A man way in the back, without a hope of being seen that day held his infant daughter who had a large tumor growing on her neck that pushed against her wind-pipe. She might be suffocated before they could come back. In desperation, the man lifted his daughter up over the crowd and put her in the hands of someone who was a little closer to the fence. One by one, people passed her toward the closed gate. On the other side, the Mercy Ships crew could see what was happening, and eventually could hear the small child wheasing and gasping for breath. Africans in line, suffering horrible pain and diseases themselves, saw that this little child was in more desperate need. They passed her one by one to the fence and then up and over the fence into the arms of a Mercy Ships crew member. The child was taken into surgery soon after, and the tumor was removed from her neck. The doctor who performed the operation said it was a very close call. The benign tumor that pressed against her esophagus could have stopped her breathing within weeks.

Later, she was re-united with her overjoyed father. This is a story that makes me weep for Africa. In a land with rich natural resources, the people live in poverty. The death toll is high. Wars continue to scar the landscapes. There is so much suffering that doesn't need to happen. The people of Africa are strong and courageous. They are able to govern themselves. Most importantly, they share mercy with each other. We go to Africa to encourage and share that mercy.

Would you support us? Click Here

-Thank you.

Locals in Togo working together to deal with flooding in the capital, Lome.

A Musing Post

2009-12-26T16:35:00.001-05:00

Whoa Andy, You look like a rockstar in the Riviera. Where were you, anyway? The columns in the background and the reflection in your sunglasses look like it's pretty ecuatorial... hint hint

The Calling, Chapter IV "TODAY"

2009-12-15T14:37:00.001-05:00

What we're doing:
Our task is to live and work in Togo near a huge hospital ship called the "Africa Mercy". For at least 2 years, we will be hosts to the entire world by facilitating the work of volunteers who come to Africa to help make a difference in a world of need. We will focus on building capacity and infrastructure in different countries' fragile health care systems. We have facilitated short term work like this before in Quito, Ecuador. We brought a group for 1 week to help a local church build a new facility and to work with kids at Vacation Bible School. The challenges and cost of organizing and bringing a group of volunteers to an unknown environment are high, but the reward is SO MUCH HIGHER!

Our Ecuador team leading songs for the kids at Vacation Bible School was hilarious. Those kids just don't want to stop singing praises to God!

How we get there:

We will get to Africa only with the support and financial commitment of people who share in our vision to see lives changed for the better. Our parent organization, Mercy Ships, is a global, non-profit organization, and will provide tax-deductible receipts to US donors. We must be fully funded before we leave in June, 2010 with consistent monthly support. Would you consider joining our support team at home? If so, please CLICK HERE

Why we do it:
We were in Quito, Ecuador and despite some awkward moments of mis-understanding and language trouble, we were un-phased and started working with the children. Outside on the playground, the scene that unfolded before me tugged at my heart: Andrew was out playing soccer with some of the boys. Nick had a new best friend perched upon his shoulders, walking proudly through the playground, taking photos with his big camera. Tess was playing basketball with some of the girls, exemplifying good character in sports. Heather, who speaks quite a bit of Spanish, was virtually buried in a pile of young girls who asked all sorts of questions about everything faster than she could work out the answers in Spanish. The others in our group were doing likewise, loving the children they came to help. This is a work of love, and imparting hope in individuals. I was moved by the scene. The week came to an end, and there were many mixed emotions and stories:

"There is so much more to do, and no more time!"
"I'm exhausted, but it is totally worth it."
"I want to come back."
"This has definitely broadened my perspective on life."

These comments fuel the fire which burns in Cecilia and I. We want to see people come outside themselves and see a bigger world. A world where God works in miraculous ways, and love is expressed not just with words, but with action. We know that every mission trip or volunteer service is a two-way street, blessing both the giver and receiver. We have committed to facilitate the work of volunteers from all over the world in Africa, and to be a catalyst for change where it is needed most: In the heart.

Thank you.

Ecuador team: Cecilia and Nate organizing games

Ecuador team: Heather, in her "pile" of inquisitive girls with the boys playing soccer in the background.

Instructions for Giving through Mercy Ships

2009-12-15T13:51:00.003-05:00

You can join us in the mission to bring Hope and Healing to the world's forgotten poor! You can donate two ways:

1. To donate online through Mercy Ships, it's easy! Just CLICK HERE and click on the "Contribute Now" button. follow the steps on the website.

2. To make a contribution by mail, please send a check written out to "Mercy Ships". Write a separate note that says "Contribution to the account of Nathan Tarter". Send your check and note to:

Mercy Ships
Crewmates
P.O. Box 2020

Garden Valley, TX

75771

The Calling, Chapter III

2009-12-08T14:00:00.001-05:00

Rewind, January, 2009

Ecuador in Winter is like Springtime, and we're here. Thank God, because the cold winter months in Upstate New York are pretty tough to bear for a Southern girl like Cecilia. Before we left, I went in to my Boss' office to tell him we had bought plane tickets to Ecuador and we'd be there for the whole month of January. Amazingly, my boss was sympathetic, and told me I could come back to work when I got back to the US. I'm just glad I wasn't fired on the spot.
We spent Christmas with my folks in Massachusetts, and now in January it's Cecilia's turn to be home. She's been away for so long that you can't help but see it on her face. She doesn't always show it, but I can see it. Relaxation.

This time it's only me and Ceci. We don't have any special itinerary, no important things to do, just spend time with the family, travel a little, and really introduce me to Quito. It is here that I begin to really understand a different way of life. It is here that I get a chance to loosen my grip on my own life. Jesus once said "If you want to gain your own life you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you will find it." That saying resonates with me here in Quito because there's no way to get by without a guide. As a foreigner who doesn't know the language or the customs, I must constantly put my life in someone else's hands. Jesus tells us to do just that. "Lose your life. Give it to me. Trust me." Some foreigners who are afraid of getting hurt or dying might not ever leave the house in Quito, and it's a pretty modern city. Cecilia grew up with a very clear understanding that she had nothing but God to take her through life's difficult struggles, and that she's at His mercy. That was true when she went to Zamorano University in Honduras with no money. It was true when she transferred to the University of Arkansas and arrived in the US with $40 in her pocket and spent the first $20 on cab fare. It remains true even when we got married, we started with no money in the bank, and had to rely on God to help us pay our first month's rent. God has provided, and given all that was needed. I believe people who tend to desire security and financial independence, like myself, can learn a few things about faith from our brothers and sisters who grow up in poor countries. It was not the first step, but a very important one on my road toward missions. I am continuing to become more able and willing to lose it all for the sake of Christ.

It was a work of faith to even come here to Ecuador for a whole month. When we came back I was encouraged that it was right. My boss said after our return, "Nate, we missed you for the month you were away, but you picked the perfect time to go. We might have had to lay off someone during the Winter if you hadn't taken your trip that month."
Now fastforward to January 2010.
We are looking forward to our next trip to Ecuador from January 4-28. The tickets are bought, and we are ready to go. I have been to Ecuador many times now, and it is not as new and dangerous to me anymore. I believe it is almost a home away from home now. I look to the horizon though, and prepare for our next big step of faith. We are going to Africa to work with Mercy Ships. Our faith will grow and we will gain experience working with the poorest of the poor in the World. I am excited how God will use our willingness to go, and I am excited for you too! God will use you if you call upon him to take your life and make it His. He is a truly Awesome God, and believing is seeing.

Please comment on this post if you have a great story of faith to share!

Last "Andy" Post... The Man Speaks for Himself.

2009-12-07T12:33:00.002-05:00

December has come with a thin, crispy coating of snow on the ground. The snow flies often and the wind blows strong in Dryden. Cecilia and I have come back from Massachusetts to re-enter our normal lives of travelling, writing, fundraising, and working. Thanks for all your support of Andy, my brother. He is doing well physically, mentally, and is "on the mend". You can call him yourself! It turns out his cell phone was with the police the whole time, and he got it back again last week. So all of you who offered a phone, thanks.

Andy, when you read this, I'm hope you start writing some comments to these posts. Give it the personal touch that only you can give and let the world know what's really up!

Andy telling Mom, Cecilia, and Gramma Patsy what's really up. June 2009

Andy - Out of the Hospital, into the Home

2009-12-03T09:52:00.001-05:00

As of Tuesday at 6:30 PM Andy came home to the house in Rehoboth. We are overjoyed with the progress he is making and look forward to his recovery.
Thanks very much for your prayers and support.

Andy at home, Christmas 2008

Morning update: We're back in Ithaca

2009-12-01T10:09:00.002-05:00

The last we saw Andrew was Sunday afternoon at 4:00PM when we said goodbye and took the car ride back to Ithaca. He was doing well, still in pain with his broken arm, and still not remembering everything. His memory is stronger now, but only time will tell when he gets all his short term memory back. Now we are in Ithaca, and communicating to the family by phone and email only. You can still visit Andy at the hospital as of today, Tuesday. They will probably discharge him later today, and then you can visit at the house in Rehoboth if you get the chance. Just call ahead.

I look forward to the day when Andy and I can look back on this time and remember all that it has brought to this family. This experience, I believe, can only make us stronger.

Blessings.

Saturday Morning Update: Andy Tarter on the mend

2009-11-28T10:16:00.004-05:00

Andrew Tarter, age 27, resident of Rehoboth MA, USA is now well on his way to having logged the most time in a hospital bed of anyone in his immediate family. This is day 8 in the hospital and he probably won't be out of there till late on Monday, November 30 at the earliest.
He was transferred out of the ICU and into the Co-Op building on the other side of the hospital. His room is smaller and visiting hours are from 1 PM to 8 PM. If you want to see him, that would be fine. Please keep visits short because he is still on the mend and gets very tired very quickly. Thanks!

When he wakes up from sleep he gets very disoriented. He doesn't know where he is, and probably gets a little freaked out. The nurse is there to help him stay calm and not try to make a break for it. His arm is on the mend, his shoulder will heal fine, the bruises in his upper body will subside, and I am confident he will regain his short-term memory. You see, he doesn't capture the things that are going on in his long-term memory, so right now it's clear that he doesn't remember what happened just a couple hours previously. I also feel bad asking too. If someone asks him "what did you have for breakfast" he'll look, and in a split second I can tell he doesn't really remember, and he glances around in confusion. After that split second of confusion, he makes something up. I bet he's trying to be normal, and act cool because it must be horrible to know that you should remember something but you just don't.

Like I said, I'm confident he will recover his short-term memory but it will take a little time and patience from us all. The pain medication and anesthesia probably doesn't help matters either. Please pray that God would fully heal him.

Andy in the yard, Summer 2009

A Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T20:57:00.001-05:00

Cecilia and I spent the day re-arranging the house so Andy can stay on the first floor. The living room is now Andy's room, and he's lucky because now his room has the TV and stereo system. We went to Grandma's to make cinnamon buns, chat, and eat soup for lunch. Then we zipped over to the hospital to spend some time with Andy, Mom, and Dad. He was up and watching the football game when we got in, and had just been served dinner. Steak and potatoes. I guess the turkey was for lunch. I think turkey is a little over-rated for thanksgiving. I mean, who really cares about eating a big old chicken once a year anyway? That is, unless it is deep fried outside in a big pot of oil. Now that is delicious and greasy and really sticks to the ribs. Andy went to sleep at around 6:30 PM and that's when we left.

I hope he comes home soon. Cecilia and I are going back to Ithaca after the weekend and we are wondering what will happen with Andy. Then I think of where God has taken him and how many great friends Andy has and I am at peace to know he will be alright. This entire ordeal has been a major test of faith for all of us, and I am hoping that we will learn all that we are meant to through the storm. Some say that's what life is like: The test comes first, then the lessons.

Thank you all for your support of Andy in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanksgiving Eve at the Hospital

2009-11-25T18:47:00.002-05:00

We all have a lot to be thankful for. Andy is still a little disoriented but is doing very well. All the nurses are taking good care of him and he even has someone stationed to sit with him to make sure he doesn't try to get out of bed on his own because he's still a little unsure of what's really going on. He still doesn't remember what happened to him. We're thankful that he walked around once today and he's taking nourishment. He was complaining, saying: "It seems all I do is EAT around here. They feed you like a hundred times in this place." Please pray that God would grant him his memory back and that he would be able to come out of the ICU soon.

Andy has a roommate in his ICU room too. I don't know about patient confidentiality so I won't say his name, but he got here the same night Andy arrived. He was involved in a car accident too, but his injuries are very different. He's having a great deal of trouble breathing and he's coughing up fluid in his lungs. We have gotten to know his family a little bit while we've been here for the past 5 days, and they are great people. It also turns out that he knows one of my cousins. They're both from the same town and went to school together. What a small world! We're praying for him and his whole family too. He's in a really tough spot and in need of lots of surgery very soon. Please pray with us that he and Andy would be completely healed and guarded against all infections.

We'll let you know when Andy can take visitors and maybe you could swing by. Thanks again for your support in this trial.

Surgery went well

2009-11-24T16:54:00.004-05:00

The surgery lasted a little over three hours. The surgeon said it went well. He is back in his room at the ICU trying to wake up (still under the effects of anesthesia). He will stay in the hospital for a least two more days.

Andy is in the OR

2009-11-24T12:19:00.005-05:00

Andy is having surgery on his left arm as I write this. Please pray for wisdom and skill for the doctors and nurses. Our faith is in God. We are amazed at how quickly he has recovered. Yesterday he ate two good meals, got up for a little walk, and sounded much better when he spoke with us. He's short-term memory is still not recovered. Pray that he will be healed completely.

Update on Andy

2009-11-23T23:17:00.002-05:00

I've got news about my brother.

When we walked in to see Andy this morning he had breakfast sitting before him, uneaten. He was sitting up in an easy chair and cracking jokes with Karen, the nurse! Andy is in alot of pain, his arm is still broken, waiting for surgery, but I can tell his spirits are high despite the pain and disorientation he is having. He hit his head pretty hard somehow and doesn't remember that he was in an accident. He's also lost his short-term memory too. I pray that will go away soon, and we can have some nice long conversations.

We are starting to put together all the details of his accident, which makes the sight of Andy even sitting up in a chair all the more miraculous. Dad went to go get the truck from the impound. We figured we'd get it towed back to a mechanic to maybe fix it. Those hopes were dashed when he saw the truck for the first time. It's a big, twisted ball of metal.

Every day for the past 3 days I'm surprised by God's grace. He's really got Andy in the palm of His hand.

Andy, Summer 2009

Please Pray for my Brother

2009-11-21T00:57:00.001-05:00

Andy is in a tough spot. He has suffered from a car accident and was taken to the hospital in Rhode Island tonight. It was just a couple hours ago that he was in critical condition, and has now since stabalized.

Please pray for him. He is on the edge and he might not even know it yet. He's got a long way to go before recovering from this, so we are praying that God would care divinely for him and heal him miraculously. He might never completely heal from the wounds he sustained tonight, but I pray that it would be a catalyst for change in his life, and that God would grant him life to the fullest!

Thank you.

Quito on a shoestring

2009-11-10T11:33:00.003-05:00

This is Quito, city in the sky. At 9000 feet above sea level, it's a bit hard to breathe when you first step off the plane. A little acclimatization and you're off and running. (Just don't play too much "ecuavolley" or you'll tire yourself right out).

Cecilia and I are gearing up for our next big excursion down south. The dates are still flexible, but we are going sometime in January. I can't wait to see all our old friends and family again as we go to be with them, pray with them, and work with them in any way we can. If you are one of those people who we have already asked to join us, these pics are meant to entice you further. You know who you are...(O'hara, Jaxon, Maya, Andy....) By the way, our budget is about zero, so we'll be working hard to stay for a few weeks on an income of little to nothing. It'll be fun, and we'll blog about all the great things you can do in a big South American metropolis for about $5/day.

The Joys of Living on the Edge

2009-11-04T23:46:00.002-05:00

I heard once by an old cousin of mine, "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space." I don't know exactly what he meant by saying that, but I know that we're living it, and loving it. God has granted us a chance to work with a fabulous organization called Mercy Ships. Before we go, we have many preparations to make. We will start learning French. We will learn about the cultures of the peoples of West Africa where we will be going. We will pray. There is no greater power, no greater comfort, no greater joy than coming to the Father in prayer. Please pray with us as we go to work with an organization who's very mission is to "bring hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor"

ROAD TRIP!

2009-10-22T01:51:00.004-04:00

Right now, everything we are doing is somehow linked with our preparation for Africa. These next 8 months will sneak up fast, and our departure date is completely dependent on God to provide our finances. So, in keeping with our current mission of building relationships with our good friends and acquaintances all over the country, We are travelling through some mid-western and southern states in search of those who impacted Cecilia's life during her time at the University of Arkansas. I am meeting many amazing people for the first time, and loving the southern culture of Oklahoma and Arkansas. When we return, I believe I will retain a bit of the accent that I picked up here. Y'all enjoy the road sign photos!

Here's a little montage of the states we've visited!

That first one is Pennsylvania. Fireworks, Karate Supplies, Swords and knives, pepper spray, and stun guns... You'd think it was a dangerous place, but we didn't have too much trouble. Just to be safe, I picked up a little speed in PA and didn't stop for nobody.

Took a little tour of Cleveland, and somehow found ourselves in the mall in downtown. It was closed on Saturday for some reason. It was the first time someone approached me and shouted "May I help you?!" in a mall.

That's missouri. We've got a few more places to go, but not many till we head back to sunny Ithaca. I do hope the snow isn't too heavy yet!

The Calling, Chapter II

2009-10-10T23:52:00.001-04:00

By Nate...
Sometime in October, 2006
I'm sitting in an arm chair on Lake street. It's dark, it's late, I'm exhausted after a long day, there's nothing left to do but go to sleep, but I can't. I'm sitting there on the verge of sleep and awake, in that state where nothing is totally real, nor is anything truly dream-like. Another fellow was lying on a couch on the other side of this old living room in this old house on the hilly street which climbs towards the campus. I am awake enough to see that he is in the same state as I am, with nothing really left to do but sleep, but something kept us from it, and I can't speak for him, but for me it was that sense of being in a friend's presence, and just belonging. Being totally understood and totally accepted for who you are. That's the atmosphere into which I voiced these words,

"This time next year I could be married." To which my friend who, until that moment, was slipping off into sleep himself, declared, flabbergasted,

"What?"

"Yeah, I just have a feeling."

Well, it was more than a year. It was 14 whirlwind months to befriend, fall in love with, pursue, court, propose to, and marry Cecilia. This is the start of our journey. The very beginning.
December 8, 2007

The Calling, Chapter I

2009-09-27T15:24:00.003-04:00

By Nate...
I think this is a good opportunity to write a little history. Right now we just got back from the Mercy Ships US headquarters, and are getting ready to begin raising support to get "on board" with them, but where did that come from? What brought that on? Just last June Cecilia and I were successful in our careers; saving, working, spending time with our friends, and enjoying all that the summer has to offer in our little town in upstate New York. Now we're virtually homeless, jobless, and our close friends are all hundreds of miles away. This is all self-inflicted punishment. We signed on for all this.
So what happened?
Well, simply put, God called. I trust you will stick with me on this journey, because there are a few parts that I want to write. It won't all come at once, but in chapters. I hope you enjoy this little story, because I have loved the living of it, and also the writing.

"Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts

as you did in the rebellion."

Hebrews 3:15

In Texas

2009-09-18T16:05:00.001-04:00

It's Nate...
I'm here in Texas. Everything's bigger in Texas, so they say. I've found that all is just about normal. The oversized people, bugs, and animals must be in a different part of the state, because here the biggest creature I've found was an orange cat that came out to cheer for us when we were playing frisbee in a field. We fittingly named it Garfield. He was huge.

We came to check out an organization called Mercy Ships. It's home base is here in Garden Valley in the tall trees and near the deep lakes of this Eastern part of the lone star state. We're here to pray and seek God. We're here to find our specific calling, and we're here to find out if this organization has a place for us. If you are a praying person, please join us. It turns out we found many answers to our questions, and other questions still remain. All I know is that we have taken the next step of faith to seek our life in ministry. What I know now is that we are not alone. So many people have taken the week out of their schedule to come and find out about this ministry too. There's about 40 of us. I'm in the presence of many who are in the same boat, paddling through an ocean, riding the waves, and wondering if the little leaks that appear are anything to worry about, or all part of the fun. Faith has a scary way of making a reasonable man do unreasonable things in obedience to a wonderful Lord.