2nd Update on Erten

More news from the Thai team:
The doctors believe the surgery went well. Erten seems to be doing well over all. He has returned to the house after a two night stay. The doctors expect that he will have full use of his hand after he heals. The doctors, nurses, Kalvin and the Thai Campus Crusade staff took very good care of him. Now he is home and we are all helping. We are praising God for that and that the expenses were only $1000 (approx.). Continue to pray for his recovery. Thank you all who have been praying.

This note came Saturday:
Erten seems to be healing well and for that we are thankful. You can follow the team's activities by clicking on Melissa Heck to the right and then on PIBC Thai Team to the right on her blog.

Update on Urgent Prayer Request from Thailand

Melissa sent this update Saturday night Guam time. Please keep praying

Just wanted to send a quick update....

Erten is still in the hospital but will be coming home tomorrow. He will need to have the hand cleaned each day of the week for a week. I am told he is in good spirits but when we went to visit he was tired and seemed sad. Kalvin (our other leader ) is staying with him. We will be excited to have him back tomorrow. Some good news is that the medical bills will only be in the neighborhood of $1200 which we have. It may leave us a bit short at the end but we are trusting that God will provide for our needs.

Another good news is that the doctor believes the surgery was successful and Erten will eventually have full use of his hand.

Please continue to pray for God's provision and protection.

Also pray for some Thailand Campus Crusade staff in the south part of Thailand. A van with about 7 - 8 people had an accident and are now in the hospital.

These things are not positive but have put us in a position where we are forced to rely on God... and we know that He is good. We are all thankful to be here.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Blessings,
Melissa

Urgent Prayer Request from Thailand

We just received (Friday night Guam time) the following in an email from Melissa Heck, PIBC/PIU Dean of Women and one of the leaders of the mission team. She says....

Although it is hard for us to understand exactly what happened one of our team members, Erten, walked into a glass door and it shattered severing the tendons in his hand and severing two veins. He was rushed to the hospital where he needed surgery to repair his hand. He is in the hospital recovering --- should be ok but is in a lot of pain. Please pray for Erten's recovery. Please pray for the medical expenses to be covered some how. Pray for God's protection over the rest of the team. Pray for God's wisdom and discernment in the ministry. The spiritual battle here is fierce. Thanks.... Melissa

Praise the Lord for another Miracle!!!

Just after midnight this morning I was awakened with a call from Steve relating what God had done on his behalf. Here is what he wrote in an email later:
"The eye appointment report: all I can say is that a real miracle happened. You know how this appointment was scheduled because blood vessels were beginning to grow into and take over my cornea. Well, the doctor looked into my eye with her little magnifying instrument thingy, gazed for about 10 seconds or so, backed away from the instrument, dropped her mouth open, gasped audibly and, as best as I can recollect, said, "Oh my goodness! I don't believe it! They're gone! The blood vessels are all gone! It's like they were never there!" And then proceeds to repeat this whole thing two more times, even taking multiple digital pictures because she's never seen anything like this before, and apparently wanted to document it.

She could see slight "shadows" where the vessels had been, and showed me the pictures. It was amazing. She wants me to gradually increase my wearing time from six to ten hours a day, and then come by and let her see me again the first week of July to see if they come back. If they do, she'll fit me with the Sclera lens; if they don't, then she'll keep in a fresh supply of the current lens."
So thank you all for praying once again and please continue to pray that the blood vessels stay away.

Good-byes

These last few days has been a time of good-byes. When you live on and island this is a way of life, so we have learned to enjoy deeply each moment we have with those the Lord brings our way whether its for a short or long time.
But not all good-byes are the same.
Some good-byes are short term -"if the Lord wills" as the book of James says:
Monday morning I said good-bye to Steve as he left for his eye appointments and a summer of trusting God for a fruitful summer of tasks involving the Fund Development parts of his PIBC responsibilities.
A few hours later, I was back at the airport to pray for a fruitful ministry with the Thai Missions team as they left for 51 days of outreach.
(part of the Thai Mission Team practicing a skit)

Some good-byes are those that tend to be harder - those in which we often say , "We will see you either here or there or in the air". Though today's technology makes staying in touch though apart so very much easier.
On Tuesday, Brad and Cheryl Boydston left for their new ministry assignment in Arizona. It has been so obvious that the Lord has been in this move, but oh how we will miss them both! However, since Brad is such a great blogger we will have constant updates on what the Lord is doing through them.
Then one more good-bye happens this week as I join with the rest of our small group to say "adios" or should it be "ciao" (they are headed to Italy with the military) to Paul and Heidi.

Good-byes are important reminders that we are only guaranteed this moment we are in right now, so reach out and touch the lives of those around you and allow yourself to be touched.
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:6

Thailand Mission Team Update

School may be out but those on the mission team going to Thailand this summer are working hard. Each morning they work on campus to earn their room and board so that in the afternoons they can receive training and preparations for their ministry with Thai university students. Their plane tickets are purchased, their visas have been secured, they are training faithfully, and trusting fully that the Lord will provide the $5000 still needed for their living expenses for 2 months in Thailand. God is using these trips to show our students that He wants them to be part of becoming the Micornesian mission force - their worldview is growing! If you feel that the Lord wishes you to be part of the answer to their prayers you can send checks to PIBC at P.O. Box 22619, Barrigada, GU 96921.

TRACS Accreditation Team Visit

PIBC enjoys the privileges of being a fully accredited educational institution through TRACS. Every so many years the school undergoes a reviewing process to make sure we are continuing to uphold the high standards necessary to provide the best Christian education possible. It also permits our students to receive the financial aid they need through US Pel Grants. The team that arrived all work at other Christian colleges and are committed to helping fellow schools to be the best they can be.
Most of the team flew in from the US mainland (one came from Saipan) and inspite of jet-lag worked very hard during the 4 days the
they were with us. They left us with commendations (jobs well done), recommendations (things that must be done) and suggestions (ideas that might help). Most of the recommendations can be accomplished with minimal effort. A couple of them will involve hiring for a few key staff positions. Steve's area of responsibility in Advancement and Fund Development for the college will be directly involved in fulfilling these positions and he would appreciate your prayers as he seeks the Lord's provision through gifts and grants for the school. The picture to the left is of the TRACS team and some of the PIBC faculty and staff. Can you find both of us?

Death and Life

Sunday morning May 17th as several of us from PIBC
were just starting Sunday School, we received a call
from Tim and Melody, our fellow Liebenzell missionaries and co-workers at PIBC. They had just gotten
a call from their oldest daughter with news no parent ever wants to hear. Their second daughter had been murdered. So once again, the PIBC family had to face the
reality of life and death for the second time in two weeks. Again we grieve together; this time the tragic circumstances make it a bit harder to bear, but Tim and Melody know that their daughter gave her life to Christ and is with Him and freed from the things she struggled with in this life. Please pray for them as they, and their third daughter, Erin, (who has been teaching at Bethania Christian High School for Girls in Palau for the last two years) leave for the States in the morning and prepare to bury their daughter/sister. They are so grateful for the prayers and love of the saints who have surrounded them with the love of Christ. Melody said the other day, "I do not know how people face these things without Christ." Neither do we.

Minutes before we received this call, Dave and
Joyce Owen, (our PIBC president and wife) had
announced that their 3rd grandchild was on the
way into this world. They received this picture several hours later of Milo Draven Owen, born to their oldest son, Matt, and his wife Kristen.
Congratulations to all!

We are reminded that men and women are born and then leave this world again so shortly. We only have a short time to make choices whose consequences are eternal. We must love those around us enough to share the eternal hope of forgiveness and salvation that is available to all
who believe and receive Christ Jesus (John1:12)