April 25, 2008
Dear Brethren, Family and Friends
(feel free to copy and send this email to any and everyone you know for their
consideration)
Bula Vinaka from Fiji.
During our missionary journeys over the past 25 years one of the things which
has become evident is that Satan is alive (but wounded) and very active around
the world. The biggest evidence is in the mission fields where servants of God
meet head-on the forces of darkness which in-slave the people. There have been
times in our own ministry where this is very evident. In the past it is the
power of prayer and persistence that we have overcome, because our God is more
powerful and has already defeated Satan.
This past month has been one of those times when Satan is showing his teeth
and we ask for your prayers with ours that we will overcome yet again.
As we wrote last month we are packing up so that we can come back and spend
the time and effort we need to raise the funds for the Bible School here in
Fiji.
Earlier in April Kathy went to the doctor about a mole that was changing. She
had surgery to remove it and just yesterday (4/25) the results came back that
it was not malignant. Many of you know that she had a malignant mole cut off
in 1985 but has been clear since. Praise the Lord!
One of the ways I exercise is to play a short round of golf in the early mornings
here before the sun becomes too hot. This has been my practice for many months.
We have a 9 hole double-up course which is laid out in and around bush and gardens
just over the hill from our house. After many years of living in areas of increasing
crime I always try to be aware of my circumstances and try to be as prepared
for trouble as possible. This includes having a bush knife handy either in the
car or my golf bag. Usually I have a golf club in my hand for such situations.
Most mornings the course is empty except for school children and workers crossing
the course to get to schools and places of work. Sometimes after Thursday and
Friday nights after payday there are groups of drunks on the course which I
try to give wide berth to and try to mind my own business. Usually I find peace
and solace from the exercise so to face the rest of the day. However April 11th
after I put my clubs back in the car and was climbing in with the ignition key
in my hand a trio of young Fiji men came running at the car. (Due to my accessing
the threat level as low over the past months the bush knife was in the back
of the car and not under the front seat.) I just got into the car, locked both
driver-side doors and was putting the key in the ignition when the driver-side
window exploded from the foot of one of the men. Another of the men was trying
to reach through and unlock the back door and a stick was being pocked at my
face. They wanted me out of the car and I came out. I was able to take the stick
away from them and use it to push the thugs away from me and the car. I asked
what they wanted and one of the men pointed to my mobile phone on my belt and
the car key. I didn't think so! I felt that I had moved the thugs away from
the car enough (only two were aggressive, the third man was hiding behind the
car) so I quickly jumped back in and got the key in the ignition and the car
started before two of the thugs were reaching in, grabbing at the ignition key,
grabbing my shirt and swinging at me through the broken window. One got a glancing
blow off my right eye before I was able to smack the ignition key grabbing hand
and get the car in gear and motor down the hill onto the golf course before
correcting direction and going back to the only road out of the course back
to the main road. I drove to a Police Post which is just down the road from
the golf course but there was no one there. So I called Kathy and then called
the police who met me back at the golf course in about 10 minutes. The thugs
had taken to the bush by then and the police took my statement. It was felt
that the actions of the men was an opportunist (attempted) mugging. They might
have been high on marijuana which on the rise here in Fiji.
My thought was that these men were cutting across the golf course after a night
of drug use just as a single, old white man was getting back into his car and
they thought that he would be an easy mark. Normally this type of incident does
not happen at 9:30 in the morning. I ended up with a mouse on my right eye,
a deep glass cut on my right pinky finger (the blood sure did flow) and many
glass sliver cuts on my face, neck, legs, arms and torso (front and back). I
was not trying to be particularly brave but felt that I was better prepared
to counter their attack then they were to pursue it. I was not prepared to lose
the car and contents to three thugs with a stick! We were able to get the door
glass replaced that afternoon in Nadi for $350. It has taken me over a week
to get all the slivers out of my face and hands. Old man 1 - thugs 0!
Then last Wednesday I went to the doctor to have a mole checked on my back
which has been changing. She confirmed that the mole will eventually have to
be removed (as several others have over the years) just not this week.
I have always observed that Satan and his hosts do not bother people or groups
who are not bothering him. We have always felt that Satan does not want the
Bible School we are proposing to build to be built here in Fiji. We feel that
Satan is doing his best to stop our work here in Fiji. We beseech your prayers
that the Lord and His will will prevail. We beech your prayers that we will
be able to finish packing up our things here unmolested and get back to the
States and raise the funds to get the "Christian Institute of Biblical
Studies" build and going by the end of 2008.
We are scheduled to leave here May 6th and land in Tulsa Ok 2350 hrs May 6th.
We will be going to Joplin MO first to see our sponsor and then it will be "on
the road again".
CNN this morning reported that the firsteconomic stimulus payments could be
arriving by direct deposit in some accounts as early as Monday April 28th. Please
consider (and fervently pray) for our needs: Even though Satan is active here
in Fiji lets give him notice that he will not win nor will he defeat the Lord's
will that "every creature should hear the gospel and be saved".PRAYER
REQUESTS
Please pray and consider the following needs we still have:
1. Personal support: we have about $2900 monthly. The budget we have proposed
we need an additional $600 plus $800 monthly for work fund expenses. We have
been able to cope up until now on what we are getting but will need to get additional
funds especially as we get more involved in the work here.
2. "The Christian Institute of Biblical Studies - Fiji"
>Immediate funds of $50,000 to buy land and build basic facilities (URGENT!)
>Additional funds to update facilities: classroom, office, student & faculty housing $75,000-$125,000
>Monthly funds of $3,600 for 5 years or until the school can be self supporting from planted cash crops
If 83 adults purposed their "economic stimulus payment" (further
known as ESP) to CIBS-FIJI we could buy the land and build basic facilities.
If 293 adults purposed their UESP to CIBS-Fiji that would provide the funds
we need to buy the land and build all the facilities to get the school started.
Anything over and above would be applied to the running expenses of the school
until we can secure the needed monthly support.
So what do you think? Is it possible that the Lord is providing the funds through
this unexpected avenue so that His work can go ahead with the teaching of workers
here in the South Pacific. For those who have said they think that this type
of school is an answer to the training of foreign workers and would like to
help the school but are financially strapped at the moment here is an opportunity
for you to purpose those funds. What say ye? You can help - Will you help?
Funds can be send to our sponsor:
Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Road
Webb City MO 64870
or you can contact my son about helping
We would ask that you help us in securing speaking engagements with congregations
and people who we can talk with about help toward this financial need for the
school here in Fiji. Either you can contact them or give us a contact name and
number which we can call to set up appointments to talk with them!
Again thank you and God bless you for your support and prayers and we look
forward to seeing your personally when we get back and report on what God is
doing and can do through his servants here in Fiji.
In Christian Service and because of the Cross of Jesus Christ
Tobey & Kathy