Sunday morning started early at the Boise airport as we began the check-in process shortly after 05:00. Things seemed fairly normal at that point – but that would change quickly. The only way to describe it…surreal.
We had a small farewell with our transport team (Dad & Mom Aebischer, and Todd’s brother Jeff) and then it was down to the gate and onto the plane.
The flight to Los Angeles was uneventful – at least I believe it was. I (Todd) was sound asleep before the plane even pushed back from the gate. It has been a full-court press the last few days, getting everything ready for today’s departure.
Upon arrival at LAX, that is where things were very unusual. Hallways that are normally full of passengers moving between terminals…were empty. Store after store were empty – signs in the windows – this location closed. The normally bustling ticketing and security area at the LAX International Terminal…was markedly empty.
As I write this short post, we are now waiting at Gate 131. Our Visas, quarantine paperwork, Covid test result documents, and World Food Programme (WFP) charter flight documents (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [KUL] to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea [POM]) were all closely scrutinized. Finally we were given the green light and issued the boarding passes, along with our face shields and instructions for boarding. Yes…these are surely different days.
But…while surreal, we serve a God that truly is REAL and has once again paved the way for us. The gate agent at LAX was wonderful, putting everything together so that our bags and boarding passes were all set to continue on the WFP Charter flight from KUL to POM. No having to negotiate a transit desk at KUL. And so…boarding should begin in about 5 minutes…for the next leg of the journey – 15hours 45 minutes.
It is Thanksgiving evening here in the US. Connie and I have been reflecting on how much we have to be thankful for – the Lord’s blessings have been beyond abundant.
This year has not been without its challenges. Connie arrived in the States for her surgery in March and then…COVID. She would remain until her surgery was finally scheduled for the 26th of August. I would arrive in August in time for the surgery, only to become quite ill and we would spend many more days separated while I isolated…I quit counting at 150 days… We were scheduled to return to PNG on the 25th of October…the airline cancelled the route. The next option was to depart on the 8th of November. With bags packed and ready to go, I was diagnosed with Covid on the 7th.
It would be easy to become discouraged, but truly the Lord is in control. Nothing of this surprised Him. He had a plan.
Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4 NASB
The Blessings:
Connie has recovered so very well from her major surgery!
I (Todd) have recovered well from my encounter with Covid.
We were able to get our “negative” Covid tests just in time to purchase airline tickets and make all of the required submissions for travel to PNG.
We have been able to spend some tremendous time with our family.
The Lord has been providing financially to-date for all of the added expenses of flights, cancelled flights, Covid tests and medical bills.
Technology has allowed us to remain engaged and continue to fulfill many of our requirements from a distance.
We had a chance to experience some cold and snow…something I (Todd) have missed greatly. (Connie is just as happy in the warmer climates!!)
Too many more blessing to list.
The Return:
Lord willing, we will be departing Boise, Idaho on Sunday the 29th of November at shortly after 7am. We would so greatly appreciate your prayers as the journey is long. It will take us from Boise to Los Angeles, to Qatar, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where we will wait for approximately 16 hours and then continue on to Port Moresby on 2-December. We will quarantine one night in Port Moresby and then travel on a MAF flight from Port Moresby to Mt. Hagen, where we will then quarantine for 13 more days.
Thank you so very much for your continued prayers and encouragement. We echo the feelings of Timothy, thanking the Lord that He has strengthened us and considered us faithful, placing us into His service in PNG. (1 Tim 2:12)
We are looking forward to getting back to our team in Papua New Guinea!!
We will post updates along the journey as we are able.
This past week I had the incredible opportunity to pack a bag, leave the office, and venture out into some of the most remote parts of Western Papua New Guinea. MAF has entered into a partnership with Aerial Health Patrols (AHP), and I was taking the opportunity to see how this very strategic partnership was impacting the people living in the remote communities of the Western Province.
Local villagers meeting the airplane at Mougulu, an interim stop.
Departing Mount Hagen on Wednesday morning, we flew to a couple other remote airstrips delivering passengers and freight before arriving at the “town” of Balimo in the Western Province where I met up with the AHP Team. Balimo is the hub for the AHP initiative.
Balimo Airstrip
The heat and humidity of the lowlands is definitely different from the cool temperatures of the highlands. Shirts are immediately damp (ok – often soaked) with sweat, the buzz of mosquitoes and the cacophony of singing jungle birds permeates the air. It immediately transported my mind back to our very early days (Connie and I) on the island of Yap in Micronesia, nearly 30 years ago. I felt very much at home.
We made our way to our lodging for the night and prepared our supplies and equipment for the next day’s flight to Debepari an airstrip and village deep in the jungle of the Western Province, not too far from the border of West Papua (Indonesia).
Thursday morning we heard the distinct sound of our MAF plane arriving. We made our way to the airstrip, loaded the medical supplies, equipment, sleeping mats, mosquito nets and food on the plane, climbed aboard, and headed from remote….to REALLY remote!
Dr. John Oakley – Medical Director for AHP – meeting village leaders.
Upon landing at Debepari, we were met with a great throng of people, all waiting for the much anticipated arrival of the AHP Medical Team. The team is made up of a doctor, nurses, WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) personnel and members for family Health / Planning. The AHP initiative partners with the village Community Health Workers, coming along side them in their village, supporting, encouraging, educating, and assisting. The purpose is not to supplant the residing Health Worker, but to work with them on more complicated cases, bring further education, and help to build the respect of the community for their health worker. Each AHP team will only be present in each respective community/village for a few days every quarter. The local village worker is there 24/7. By empowering them, the work of the team can be exponentially multiplied.
Dr. John Oakley training on snake bite protocol.
Dr. John Oakley and Aid Post Nurse, Michael.
Dr. John Oakley teaching at the Aid Post.
As we first met with the community John, the PNG National team leader, opened in prayer for those in attendance and the community as a whole. A couple hundred were present. We outlined the purpose of the visit and what we hoped to see achieved. We then invited them all to an evening video showing that would take place at the health center, prayed a closing prayer and left to the health center to prepare for Friday and to do some training with the local health worker – Michael.
Team Leader John, praying for the village community members.
It just so happens that in Debepari, the village health worker Michael (25) and his wife (who was gone to another village at the time), are both recent graduates of the Nazarene College of Nursing – Kudjip Mission Station. I have seen many health outposts over the years, and this one was exceptional. For his young age, Michael had his health post in top shape. Gravity fed running water from the rain catchment tanks, medicines organised, instruments clean and tidy, solar-powered LED lights and a solar powered-vaccine refrigerator. (The AHP team came with many vaccines to provide vaccinations as well as stock Michael’s refrigerator). Michael’s smile was infectious as he told us of his passion for caring for his people in the village. The health of the children and the village was truly a testimony to Michael’s training, care, concern, and compassion.
Michael – showing us the aid post.
Debepari Aid Post – Very Clean and Tidy.
Debepari Aid Post – Medicines Nicely Organised.
Michael – showing us the aid post exam room.
Thursday night we found a local creek to rinse off in, removing the dust of the day and sweat of the jungle heat.
A creek to rinse off in at Debepari.
Friday morning we started out early. The AHP team made their way to the health center and I began working with the MAF Agent and airstrip maintenance officer. There were several airstrip marker cones that needed replaced. Making sure that these airstrips are in top condition is a priority. Short of walking for days through the jungle, aviation is the only connection to the outside world for the people of Debepari. The grass must be kept mowed, ant hills addressed, and any holes made by wild pigs or dogs, filled in.
Todd hauling some marker cones down to the end of the airstrip. Several helpers!
Young helpers at the Debepari Airstrip.
Young helpers – helping us place marker cones at the Debepari Airstrip.
With the help of several young lads and a hearty wheelbarrow, we walked the airstrip, inspected for condition, re-aligned several cones that had been moved by children, and replaced missing threshold marker cones.
Returning to the health center, drenched in sweat, I found the AHP team in full action. At least a hundred children with their moms, dads, or both, were waiting to be seen, weighed, and for many – vaccinated. There were many adult patients waiting to be seen as well. Some had walked for hours and even overnight to be seen. As there was no way that the team doctors could see everyone in the short time, Michael triaged the more complicated cases. Cysts, infections, epigastric pain, suspected cancer, Tuberculosis, and hernias were all concerns that were identified with the patients. Some could be treated with the medicine at hand, several would need referral to one of the larger care centers / hospitals in the Western Province. All could be touched with caring hands, encouraged, and prayed for.
John – a very special man of great care and compassion. AHP Team Leader.
John showing care and compassion to a child at the aid post.
Weighing a baby at the aid post in Debepari.
AHP Team Leader John treating an infant burn victim.
As Debepari is just being added to the regular patrols, it was planned that this first patrol would be shorter. Relationships would be built with the community, surveys of the greatest needs would be conducted, vaccinations would be started, as many patients would be seen as possible, and then the next scheduled patrol would capitalize on what was learned during this trip.
As the blazing tropical sun crossed overhead making its way to the horizon, the team continued seeing patients. Around 2pm in the afternoon the all familiar distant and increasing hum of the MAF airplane could be heard as it approached to pick up the team. With so many still waiting to be seen, we checked the weather and asked our pilot, Israel, to give us as much time as possible. Finally, with the afternoon sun waning, we packed up our bags, completed some final training with Michael and climbed aboard our MAF plane for the return flight to AHP headquarters in Balimo.
Israel (MAF Pilot) – praying for the team before taking off.
Unloading the equipment at Balimo.
Lifting off of the airstrip, my mind was reviewing all that had been seen and accomplished in this short visit. The number of lives touched, those prayed for, and the ones who had diseases that would ultimately take their lives in this remote part of the world where access to curative measures is just not possible. Even if we could get access to the Chemotherapy necessary, the costs and followups would be absolutely out of reach for these precious people of the Jungle.
What we can give them is love, care, compassion and hope of something better to come. I’m so thankful that Michael and his wife not only completed nurses training at Nazarene College of Nursing, but also training to be ministers. We all know that any physical comfort we can bring now, pales in the light of the everlasting comfort of a life transformed by the Great Physician.
And so is the journal of a trip with MAF and the Aerial Health Patrol Team. Thank you to each one who prays for, encourages, financially supports, and advocates for the ministry of our family and MAF around the World!
Hope and Healing truly does come on the wings of love – the wings of MAF – and you are the wind beneath those wings!
Yours and His for the harvest,
Todd and Connie Lou
The old missionary home at Debepari where the team spent the night.
The old missionary home at Debepari, where the team spent the night.
Dr. John preparing his accommodations for the evening.
Ladies making dinner in the kitchen of the missionary home at Debepari.
I read the above statement this week and it really caused me to reflect. It was in combination with a devotional thought taken from Isaiah.
Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it?
Isaiah 41:19 (NASB)
And in just a few hours from now the sun will rise and 2020 will spring forth here in the South Pacific. A new year will be underway. New visions, new projects, new plans, new expectations. But whose will they be? Ours or the Lord’s?
The reason we are here, to help New Guineans understand what Christ did for them on the cross!
I’m praying that this new year we can become SILENT before the Lord so that we can really LISTEN!“We have been conditioned by the religious, cultural, and social values of our time. Attitudes, reactions, goals and thought patterns have been inadvertently ingrained into the fiber of our natures.”– L.J. Ogilvie. It’s time for us tosubmit to Christ’s scrutinizing renovation and it means that we must spend time listening! May each of us be listening and discerning His voice as we enter into this New Year.
Connie and I want to thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement, support and partnership over this past year. God’s hand of protection has been on our team in countless ways.
Five times in December, unknown individuals gained entry under the cover of darkness, and in plain daylight, to steal property from one of our residential compounds, but there were no injuries. Praise God!
On 22 December, I (Todd) was out for a bike ride, getting some exercise and meeting and greeting people in the community. Within just five minutes from home a man (for reasons we’ll probably never know) tackled me off my bike and then attempted to hit me in the head with a rock. But God was there and the man fled into the crowd. The Lord’s hand of protection was there, only a sprained wrist and knee…again… it could have been much worse.
Please commit to continue praying for us and the team here in PNG in 2020.
New Young Pilot in the making!
Kudjip Mission Station – Kid’s Christmas Program
Todd & Ricky (Exec. Admin)
Medicines, Vaccines, Supplies – all in a day’s work!
Prayer Circle – Fleet Dedication – Ready to Go Out!
A Great Pilot Team!
You write the caption…for our Pilots – another day in the bush!
Just a few fun pictures
Please Pray For…
Safety and protection of our team.
Favor with the government as we seek work permits for various new team members.
Those the Lord is calling, that they would be sensitive to the call.. Pilots, Engineers, Finance Professionals, Information Technology Professionals, and others who are desperately needed for the ministry here. Click here for International JobVacancies in Papua New Guinea.
Vision, that we would be able to discern who the Lord would have us partner with and which communities of the hundreds with airstrips, all with needs, that are on His agenda for this year.
Our Hearts, that we would continue to see the people around us as the Lord sees them. Sometimes it’s so easy to just look at the ones who are challenged by addictions or with propensity to violence and to become “compassion fatigued”. Pray that our hearts would not be hardened.
We do believe as Isaiah proclaimed, that the Lord is going to do something new in 2020! We want to be Listening so that we can discern what it is and how we are to respond!
It was late in the afternoon on Tuesday, 11 December when Dr. Erin Meier from Kudjip Nazarene Hospital called my phone, “Todd, what are our options for a medical evacuation to Port Moresby? We have a very critical patient!”
The rugged mountains and rain forest of the highlands of Papua New Guinea do not lend themselves to safe single engine night operations.
Dr. Erin would go on to describe a young man around 25 years of age who had suffered what appeared to be a significant heart attack while playing rugby. As Dr. Erin described the case my mind was weighing the facts. It was already late in the afternoon. The rugged rain forest jungle over which we fly does not allow for safe operations at night, and given the 45 minute drive from Kudjip station to our airstrip, a late afternoon departure for the two hour flight to the capital city was already out of the question. Dr. Matt Woodley (ER Doctor at Kudjip) and his team had already resuscitated the patient four times. Would he be able to survive the high altitude non-pressurized flight that is required to clear the high mountains of the highlands on the way to the coast? We agreed that at this point, the best plan was to see if the patient could remain stabilized through the night at Kudjip and then plan for an early departure on Thursday morning.
The red line denotes the route to be flown by P2-SDP from Mount Hagen to Port Moresby.
Shortly after 0600 on Thursday morning, Dr. Erin called. The young man had stabilized through the night and although still critical, they felt he could survive the flight. They would be on their way shortly. Quick calls to our Flight Operations Manager, Captain Brad Venter and Church and Community Partnership Manager Godfrey Sim put the plan in action. P2-SDP was readied and the base team awaited the arrival of the patient from Kudjip.
Kudjip Ambulance arrives at the MAF Mount Hagen Base.
Dr. Matt Woodley from Kudjip Nazarene Hospital arrives with the patient.
At 0850, the ambulance from Kudjip arrived at the MAF Mount Hagen Base with the patient, family members and Doctor Matt Woodley along with Anesthesia Specialist Officer (APO), David Wan. The team quickly went to work to prep the patient for the flight. Simultaneously, our team at MAF headquarters continued to do their part – praying for the patient, family, doctors, and pilot team as they prepared to launch.
Team transporting patient to the aircraft.
Arriving at the aircraft with the patient.
At 09:49, pilots Brad Venter (South Africa) and Andy Symmonds (UK) lifted off with their valuable cargo on the wings of P2-SDP and much prayer from both the Kudjip Nazarene and MAF teams. Touching down 1 hour and 59 minutes later in the capital city of Port Moresby, the patient was transferred to the waiting ambulance and rushed to Pacific International Hospital.
Pilot Brad Venter and Dr. Matt prep patient in the plane.
Dr. Matt preps patient.
Dr. Matt and APO David work with patient.
Final preparations.
Pilot Andy Symmonds makes sure that family members are properly secured.
Church and Community Partnerships Manager, Godfrey Sim, helps to make sure all is in order.
On Friday morning our Mount Hagen team met for morning devotions as we do every morning. When it came time to list our praises and prayer requests, Nancy from our operations team said that she had received news from the family. Our patient had successfully undergone surgery, was in the Intensive Care Unit, and it was expected that he would make a good recovery.
“Seeing isolated people physically and spiritually transformed in Christ’s Name.” This is why we do what we do in one of the most remote countries in the world. Accomplishing this Vision requires a team. Doctors, nurses, pilots, ground operations, flight operations, finance, IT, engineers, and on an on. It also requires you!!!
Thank you so very much for praying for and partnering with us as a family, and our greater MAF and Nazarene Team!
It was just after 2 o’clock in the afternoon on the 24th of April 2019, when the call came in. In the remote village of Kol, a small girl had stumbled into a cooking pot of boiling water outside the haus kuk (separate bush house for cooking). Pilot Luke Newell immediately launched from Mt. Hagen in one of our new C208s, P2-MAJ. Arriving at Kol, he was met by the father who had been carrying his small daughter for two days through the jungle to the nearest air strip. After only one hour forty minutes from the time the call was received, Luke, the child, and her father were landing at Mt. Hagen. The child was rushed to Kudjip Nazarene Hospital. How tremendous it was to receive the news that although skin grafts would be needed, the child would survive.
This Saturday morning ,7 December 2019, as I find myself in the office at the airport, capitalizing on the tranquility of an early morning to get a backlog of work accomplished , yet another medical evacuation is underway. This time Pilot Mathias Glass will launch in just minutes to fly to Maramuni to rescue a man caught in a crossfire hail of bullets. The man’s life hangs in the balance of whether or not MAF can make the flight.
Yesterday I received a photo and story from MAF pilot Paul Woodington. He is training MAF Pilot Ryan Cole on the new Cessna 208 Caravans. Flying into Huya at the foot of the O’Malley Peaks, they retrieved a small boy who, the day before, had fallen from a tree breaking his arm. Paul reports that in this first week of training, Ryan has flown five medical evacuation flights. That’s just one airplane in one area. In Papua New Guinea, MAF has nine of the Cessna Caravans flying some 40 flights per day!
Ryan and Paul Medevacing the boy with the broken arm
Each year in Papua New Guinea, MAF airplanes bring, hope, healing, physical and spiritual transformation through compassionate medical evacuation flights that serve the individuals and communities who live around the more than 210 airstrips served.
Papua New Guinea is one of the most geopolitical diverse nations in the world, with some 830 different languages spoken (20% of the world’s languages), hundreds of ethnic groups indigenous to PNG, and many remote Papuan tribes that still have very little contact with the outside world. Thirty percent of the population still lives below the international poverty line of $1.25USD per day. Most people live on subsistence-based agriculture. The country has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the Pacific and meets the criteria for a generalized HIV/AIDS epidemic.
As in the cases above, many of the medevac patients are flown to mission hospitals such as Kudjip Nazarene Hospital. Around three quarters of the medevacs are for women experiencing child birth issues. The rest are a wide range of medical needs; serious accidents, victims of violent physical abuse, serious tropical illnesses, etc.
And so…this is just one of the many reasons we do what we do, providing live-saving flights to some of the most isolated people in the world. Physical and Spiritual transformation in Christ’s name.
Thanks for helping us to keep doing what we do! We couldn’t be here without you there!
We have just released our March 2019 Newsletter. Many of you have probably received it, but if not, you will find it linked here.
MAF is literally the difference between life and death for so many who are isolated by some of the most rugged terrain in the world. Thank you for being part of this life-giving ministry.
It was Wednesday morning January 31st here in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. I was headed out the door to the mission base when I received the message from Connie’s sister…”Todd…please have Connie call me ASAP.”
Those kinds of early morning messages or phone calls are the ones that you pray you never receive – but they are a part of the process of life…
Curt bringing cheer to those around him, December 2014, with Christmas lights mounted on his IV Pole!
Since 2013, we have been praying for Connie’s brother Curt. The way he handled his diagnosis of cancer and the ensuing journey for the past 5 years have been an inspiration to all that have known him. He has been an incredible example of what I believe the writer of Hebrews was describing;
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (NASB)
Curt has rallied so many times that we just knew he was going to once again, come through and be back on his farm with his family… but this time, the Lord had different plans…
God was in the midst of it all. I was so praying that we would be able to get Connie home in time to spend some precious moments with Curt before his home going. God answered our prayers!
So thankful for Jan Bell who has been helping us with travel arrangements for years. Within just 15 minutes, she had a flight booking arranged for Connie (requiring Connie to be checking in to a flight within 1 hour.)
How we want to remember Curt…full of life and energy!
Some 44 hours later, Connie was at Curt’s bedside and our prayers were answered, she arrived in time to share some very special moments together before he slipped into sleep and then into the arms of the One upon whom he has been fixing his eyes…Jesus.
Please commit to keep Connie, Curt’s wife Deanne, their kids and grand kids, parents, and the whole family in your prayers. We are human and separation brings grief, but the faith that comes through a personal relationship with Jesus, brings a peace which absolutely surpasses all human understanding… A peace because we know that this isn’t “Goodbye,” it’s simply… “See you tomorrow.”
More precious memories….
Curt visiting Courtney and Landen while at college.
A beautiful June 2014 wedding!
The service for the celebration of Curt’s life will be Saturday, February 10th in Meridian, Idaho at Ten Mile Christian Church at 3 pm.
As we look back at 2017, in some ways it seems like an eternity, in other ways it seems like the year has passed by in the blink of an eye.
Half of the year was spent in the Philippines, followed by nearly a coast to coast home assignment speaking tour, then came General Assembly in Indianapolis, the whirlwind of ending one chapter and starting another with Mission Aviation Fellowship. Travel, training, orientation in Australia, and arrival in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Then came finding our feet, learning the language, a village orientation stay, and now the steep learning curve of discovering all of the aspects of serving as Country Director for one of the most complex Mission Aviation Programs in the world.
October 16, the official transition to Country Director.
There are days when it just makes my head spin. But in the midst of it all, we feel so humbled that God would allow us to have just a small piece in His plan of reaching some of the most remotely located people in the world with the message of Hope, Healing, and Peace that comes through a personal relationship with Him.
The Tabubil base.
This past week found me visiting several of our remote bases (Madang, Telefomin, Rumginae, Kiunga, Tabubil) visiting with our staff, installing some security locks, fixing the base truck that broke down with us in it and observing the impact of MAF.
Lucy – Base Manager from Telefomin.
Over and over again, as I speak to the people living throughout the country, I hear them say that Mission Aviation Fellowship is their only link to the outside.
Medical evacuations (some 500 flown each year), medical supplies, Bibles, educational materials, building supplies, water tanks, village medical officers, store goods…the list goes on and on.
Pilot Remi Van Wermeskerken delivering Bibles at Ambuluwa.
Here around Mt. Hagen in the Central Highlands there are some roads. But this week as I flew to the west toward Papua (Indonesia), we passed over the cloud-shrouded peaks of the Muller Range rising from sea level to more than 12,000 feet high, and beyond saw nothing but jungle rain forest and winding rivers as far as the eye could see!
Incredible terrain – impenetrable accept to the strongest!
And yet hidden there, below the jungle canopy, are those whom have yet never heard the Gospel message. Those who are subject to tropical maladies from which they will die, without the life-giving medicines and resources brought by the MAF planes.
Praying for the plane after several maintenance issues.
Children awaiting the plane at Dusin.
Banking over some high-mountain gardens.
Jungle rain forest as far as the eye can see.
A celebration of life for a long-time missionary who passed.
Banking over another remote airstrip.
Planes preparing to launch.
Christmas fellowship at the MAF HQ in Mt. Hagen.
So as we reflect back on the journey of 2017, we say thank you! Thank you to each of you who has prayed for us, partnered with us, those of you who have in the final hours of 2017, sent in ministry partnership gifts. We couldn’t be here without you there. This is truly a team effort. Together we are working toward and realizing the physical and spiritual transformation of the people of Papua New Guinea – in Christ’s name! From our hearts to yours – thank you for making a difference!
May the Lord guide and keep you this New Year!
Todd & Connie Lou
Formerly serving with MAF International in Papua New Guinea – Returned to USA in November to focus our ministry service on family!
It is Thanksgiving evening here in the US. Connie and I have been reflecting on how much we have to be thankful for – the Lord’s blessings have been beyond abundant. 
We had a chance to experience some cold and snow…something I (Todd) have missed greatly. (Connie is just as happy in the warmer climates!!) 
Curt has rallied so many times that we just knew he was going to once again, come through and be back on his farm with his family… but this time, the Lord had different plans…
Todd & Connie Lou - back in the USA! 