The flights do not always land at this outpost in Alaska. My flight landed after breaking through the cloud cover over the south side of the island. This is a very famous place for it’s beauty, world-class fishing and largest bears in the world. Kodiak is a town of just over 7,000 residents and the great Kodiak Brown Bear. I did not see any of the bears but I did meet some awesome people who call “the island” their home. I had...

This month, is the 15th year of IFC. Those years have gone by fast–with many great memories and some big challenges as well. The origin of IFC (January 2001) was working in refugee camps near the city of  Manado. In 2003, a new door opened to move to North Maluku to set up clinics to serve the families as they went home to rebuild their villages and lives. Since those foundational days there have been thousands of lives helped and even...

  You should have seen Hendrik’s face when he saw his new shoes. His was so excited to try on the new shoes for which he had waited. These shoes were fitted for him months earlier when he placed his feet into a foam box to make a perfect impression. As a leper, Hendrik’s toes are gone and his left foot does not move. It is “frozen” in a slight upward angle. No off-the-shelf shoe fits him. These were specially made just to fit...

It hardly seems possible the work of IFC began 14 years ago. It was not in our imagination that we would be serving over 10,000 sick and injured annually. The work has advanced quickly and to this day we have the challenge and blessing of helping those who suffer from HIV/AIDS, T.B. and Leprosy. It is an honor to stand with those who have infectious disease. In the last 14 years we have brought six children to receive expert medical care in...

Shocked, taken back, surprised or amazed would be the words I would use to explain what happened last week.  I was invited to speak to a church group about the work in Indonesia.  It was a beautiful day and the salmon were in the Kenai River. There were two very attractive reasons to enjoy the rare combination of this Alaskan summer instead of going to a church meeting. The crowd was smaller than normal but it was a sweet time to be together in...

The sky was brilliant blue and the snow and ice was melting. You could see the hope of change on the faces of the residence of Fairbanks. The spring seems to thaw more than snow. Today was a good day to express thanks to the gathering of Fairbanks Rotarian’s. Esther Scarborough spoke for IFC/Hohidiai as she highlighted the clean water project that this Rotary Club helped finance. The question we all asked was, how could a group in the...

A welder and a rodent do not normally have anything in common. Unless you travel to the remote region of Indonesia. A team from America had come to volunteer their time and abilities.  There was a skilled welder on the team and he was organizing some needed projects. After finding the welder and looking it over, he realized it was not working. After a close inspection of the welder it was clear the wiring had been chewed by a rodent. Another...

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...

Standing in the frigid wind on Thompson Pass at sunset was a spectacular site. Hendra Pontomudis, principal of Hohidiai School and Danny Galbraith, a volunteer teacher at the school, could only marvel at the breathtaking beauty before them. They had just left an amazing group of people in the coastal Alaskan hamlet of Valdez. Valdez is known for the rich history of being a staging area for the early gold prospectors and today it is the terminus...