Oscar Wilde  said, “Youth is wasted on the young”. I still feel young, as long as I do not have to bend over. You get those physical reminders of an aging body, but my dreams and passion to help the poor is still very alive and strong. I am finding myself  hanging out with the young people who are interested in going to Indonesia. It is inspiring to see their wide-eyed enthusiasm. The doors are opening to these awesome young adults...

I have been to the Hohidiai base on the island of Halmahera many times. The base has changed from 75 acres of jungle to the life changing station with three children’s homes, a clinic, hospital, leper rehabilitation, HIV/AIDS residential treatment, T.B. patient housing, food services and children everywhere. It is a place that brings hope for those who come asking for help. The message of hope is clear–no one is turned away. The...

I normally would not highlight one particular donor. IFC has the best partners, and we appreciate all of them. We have some who have lovingly given to our work since our origins. That is over 13 years of regular support.  Just when we need the support, it seems like someone remembers us with a perfectly timed gift.  IFC needs the support to continue the worthwhile programs we are committed to provide. We really feel blessed to have these...

In 2008, our team met a wonderful example of what a grace filled mother looks like. Her name was Hawila, and she was the mother of Gloria, a little girl born with severe birth defects. It was close to a miracle for our team to meet Hawila and Gloria. Our team was going to volunteer at the medical base on the island of Halmahera, but our flights from Manado to Halmahera were delayed for three days. It actually became a bit funny because we could...

We are starting a new year with fresh hopes and dreams. The mountains we climbed in 2013 are memories but we have new mountains to face.  The biggest mountains are building a new school for the beautiful children who have been in our care and our hearts. Another mountain to climb is the growing challenge of treating HIV/AIDS patients. A fresh hope is the arrival of Dr. Nius from seven years of medical school and internship. He will be coming to...

Grateful is too small a word to express how I feel about the landmarks of this year. The children in our care are at the top of my list. I have watched many of them grow up into talented and caring individuals. Their laughter and hugs are worth more than pure gold to me. The staff of IFC/Hohidiai are a treasure–beginning with our leaders. Peter and Esther Scarborough have served faithfully over the last 12 years. They are close friends...

I am waiting in another airport in the U.S.  It really doesn’t matter where.  There is a distinct commonness to them all.  You check in at the counter outside the security area to a hopefully smiling agent, then find the security line with your boarding pass in hand. You are being examined for any suspicious behavior as you pass security.  Once you take off your jacket, belt, and shoes and then get the nod to proceed past the security zone, you...

A Night to Remember It was a night to remember, a landmark for IFC/Hohidiai. It was an evening with 300 of our closest friends and supporters. We all gathered to share the update and story of IFC/Hohidiai. The décor was Indonesian; the tables were set and decorated with Batik cloth, the traditional cloth of Indonesia. The platform had a wide display of baskets, paintings and ‘cakalele’ sword and shield from North Maluku. The dinner...

Semi had a broad smile as he put the sand and concrete mix into the mold. It is a job for a plodder – someone who doesn’t mind repetition. It can only be done one at a time and takes time to get a nice sized stack. This is an important job because we need every one of them to do the smallest building. We need huge numbers of bricks to do the larger building. Bricks are made one at a time in a press with a long handle. The mix of concrete,...

Trouble and confusion would be good words to describe the later teen years of my life.  I wondered, “How can you be surrounded by friends and still feel alone?” I know I was not the only teen trying to navigate those years. I was not the only child to grow up with a dysfunctional home led by a single mother. There are many who, out of no fault of their own, face these circumstances.   I met a couple who offered me a safe and nurturing home. I...