My daughter's miracle

On August 7th we sent Janika and Jaako out to clean up their things off the side-walk. Well I guess Janika had left her umbrella across the street. Without even looking she ran out on the road from between two parked cars and a truck was coming. The truck slammed on their brakes and swerved, just missing hitting Janika dead-on. Janika under an adreniline rush was able to hobble inside screaming her head off. When Andrew, I and the driver were looking at her foot it was getting a major bruise on the inside of her foot and was swelling up. It didn't look very good. I got ready to bring her to the hospital. Janika cried and screamed "Please, Please pray for me. I want to be healed before I go to the hospital." In the commotion we didn't really hear or act on her crying so she screamed it again and this time Andrew prayed for her and then carried her out to the van. When we pulled out Janika said we had to think and talk about happy things so that she didn't feel the pain in her foot too much. As we were driving Janika started to say that her foot didn't hurt as much, she continued to say that it was getting better. By the time we got to the hospital she said she could move it without much pain. Irv and Jonie met me at the hospital and Irv carried Janika in. Sure enough when Clint Neubauer (the nurse) looked at it, it was pretty good. He was able to apply pressure and she could even walk on it a bit. And the amazing part was the bruising and swelling was almost gone!! It just had some bruising and swelling on the top of her foot. The Dr. looked at it and it was x-rayed. No fractures or anything. Just soft tissue damage!! So off we went home. We had to go by Wal-mart to get a tensor bandage for her and when we got there she pulled her croc off and yelled "Oh my God!!" I thought something bad happened so I turned around in panic - but she said " All of the bruising and swelling is gone!!" And sure enough when I looked at it - it was true. She now only had a slight discolouration on the top and no swelling. WOW!! Jesus had healed her! Her call for prayer healed her!! She now just has to be off of it for a few days and be careful but she is totally fine. Oh ya, as well at the hospital we realized that she had a tire scuff mark on the back of her arm from her elbow to her wrist! I asked if the truck had hit her body and she said "Not really - It just lightly skimmed across my tummy" I asked her where her arms were and how the truck could touch her tummy and not her arms and she said "I don't know" In that kid voice that says I her mom doesn't know what I'm talking about! So that's it in a big nutshell. Janika says she so happy that Jesus saved her from dying and healed her foot before she got to the hospital.I believe in miracles - do you?

can't think of one

Hey every-one,

Just sittin' here and reminiscing about days past as I'm slowly linking up with people from public school, high school and just other important people and I realize that so many people have had an impact on my life. I want to have that same impact on others. I want to be remembered as some-one who cared - wasn't always necessarily nice (Ha Ha) but genuinely cared for people. As Jaako and I plan this 2nd trip to Malawi, I'm more focused on the people in Malawi, not just trying to help my son accomplish his goals. I truly miss being in Malawi and I'm so very excited to be going back. To go back and buy more truck loads of food, put another kid into school, help another family start a business. It'll be slow going, but every family we help is another family saved. Lets do this one family, one person, one village at a time. But lets do it. Not just talk about what a great thing Jaako is doing, but become a part of it so you can say "What a wonderful thing I am doing!" You are all vital parts of this journey. With out you we wouldn't have been able to accomplish nearly what we did. You are great people. Thanks for your help and keep helping. Malawi needs lots of help. Lets do it.

We are having a yard sale on Saturday the 24th at Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship from 9-1. Come out and support the trip! Call 622-1030

Life goes on

Hey guys, life has been busy and I haven't had a chance to write. Jaako hasn't either on his blog. We don't have an internet connection at home now so it is difficult. He will update soon too. My daughter Janika just turned 8 and I realize how quickly time is passing. It is just amazing!! I'm in the Sault right now visiting my very sick mom and it's funny how suddenly time seems to stand still. It's like I'm willing time to stay still so that my Mom will heal and we can carry forward from this day on with everything behind us as if it never really happened. But we go day by day, starting each one anew and fresh and hey it's working. Life is going on and we are succeeding in having good days. That's all I got for now.

Orphans

Just reading some very shocking and saddening statistics from Malawi. Right now in Malawi there are over 1 million orphans, 700,000 of them are because their parents died of AIDS! Does this compute with you? It doesn't with me. There is a medicine that will allow an aids patients to live out their days healthy!! What are we, as a North American culture doing that allows for this to happen? I know we all care, we all are saddened at the thought of orphaned children, we all want to help. Then why is not happening? I just keeping thinking that if every person in Canada gave $1.00 every year - do you know that poverty stricken countries would receive $32,777,304.00 - All for a buck. Can you go without one small coffee once a year? What about once a month? Come on guys, we have the potential as Canadians to bless the nations!! We are a wealthy country with warm-hearted people. We are a people that care. I am so proud to be a Canadian and as a Canadian, I want to help those who are way less fortunate than me. My buck is in the pot. Where's yours??

Send a loonie to TBCF, 515 N. Syndicate Ave. Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3X2. Send this post on to your family and friends and lets see if we can make a difference. I will keep you posted if and when the loonies start coming in!!

New Plans Ahead

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to let you know of some of our new plans. Jaako is wanting to go back to Malawi in June 2008 - How exciting!! Almost daily he tells me how much he misses Malawi and that he wants to go back. I think we may lose him to Malawi when he gets older :=( So back it's back to work we go. Those of you that live in Thunder Bay, On Sunday May 20th we will be having a hotdog and bakesale at our church after the morning service. It will begin around noon at 515 N. Syndicate Avenue (Behind the Dairy Queen on May Street) and run for probably about an hour or so. All proceeds will go to a man named Paul in Malawi who's wife just passed away as well as his home burn't down. Everything was lost in the fire. He now can't travel to work as he has to take care of his other children. He wants to start a maize grinding business so he can stay close to home. Soon we will have more info for upcoming events. We want to have another yard sale as well in October we want to have another Malawian Feast and Silent Auction.

Presently a friend of ours, Angela is running a clothing drive for Malawi. Any donations of summer or light weight clothing can be dropped off at the church and she will get it to those who desperately need them in Malawi. Call 622-1030 for more info.

Thanks every-one and stay tuned to find out how you can help the children of Malawi!!

Darn Parasites

Hey guys,

Just been doing some thinking these past few weeks as I continue to battle some sort of parasite or something I picked up in Malawi. At times I feel fustrated that this thing refuses to leave my body and continues to cause me grief but then I realize (again!) that this is the sort of thing that the people in under-developed countries deal with day in and day out. I at least have had the option and opportunity to go to the doctors to get tests done. Once the results are in, I can be treated. My friends in Malawi do not have this choice. I continually forget just how fortunate I and my family are. It's funny how quickly we forget to count our small blessings. Like lines at Doctors office, grocery stores, even traffic lights as I sit in my nice mini-van. There are so many people that would love to have the money to stand in a line in a grocery store or at a Doctor's office. How do we begin to change the way we think, the way we are? To see the small pleasures in life and not stress over the little things? I guess it's a day by day relearning, rethinking process. I'm trying..................

Market Places

Hey, I just want to share about our market-place experiences in Malawi. The first time we went to a market place was the same evening we had flew into Malawi. We were exhausted from jet lag but very excited as well to experience a little bit of Africa - so off we went to an art market. It was located literally in a parking lot of what looked like it could be a small strip mall. The vendors all had their ware laying out on the grass along the edges of the lot. The second we got out of our vehicle, we were mobbed by the marketeers. (Is that even a word?) Oh please madam, please sir, please boy, buy from me, my family hasn't eaten today. It became very quickly overwhelming as they all fought for us to visit their space and buy something from them. The items were beautiful!! We could buy anything from awesome paintings, to carved bowls, candle holders, toys, animals etc. The workmanship was excellent. Jaako was very overwhelmed. He felt very badly for those we didn't buy from. It was difficult for me as well to choose who we'd buy from and from whom we didn't. We made a huge error in judgement as we promised people we'd come back and look at their stuff. The next time we went, we were again mobbed and everybody remembered exactly what we had looked at and reminded us of our promises. Some true and some not. I couldn't remember who I'd promise to buy a painting from, so I think I bought from the wrong person. But we learned very quickly how to say no and how to barter with them, as well as know who wasn't telling the truth. It became a fun and exciting adventure as we grew comfortable in standing our ground. Once we stood our ground, the vendors also began to respect us more and treat us less aggressively. All in all it was a great time and it felt wonderful to help people out as well as bring many beautiful souvenirs home. Even Jaako became a pro at bartering and purchased many items for himself. It is such a different process from walking into Wal-mart and looking for the best price on the shelf and just putting it into your cart. Even in the few stores they had, sales people competed for your sales as well as bringing your bags to your car. You always tipped the boys that helped you out! I'm really beginning to miss Malawi a lot. It claimed a part of my heart. I miss the excitement, the people the commotion. Even though we've been home for many, many weeks, it's hard to blend back into such a laid back life style. It was great for the first few weeks, especially as we battled sickness. But now Jaako and I find ourselves at the point of boredom at times!! We strive to keep busy and involved. It is great to be back home but I am also looking forward to going back to Malawi again.