June 11, 2008
Dear Brethren
Greetings in the name of our Lord who is a gracious and healing.
Well it has been an exciting venture so far. After we arrived back in the USA
May 6th Kathy's mother had colon cancer surgery which has shown to have removed
all of the tumor. But during tests for the tumor doctors noticed some irregularity
with her heart. So only days after the first surgery she was taken in for a
double bypass on a heart that the doctors said was a time bomb. She is now at
home recovering and doing a great job of it. This can only be seen as a "God
moment". He who created us knows my mother in law and knew that a major
rebuild was needed. It has been provided! Praise God!
This overhaul has kept us close to Joplin where we had been staying with Jason,
Mel, Jonah and Morgen. After Bonnie's surgery and before she was shipped home
and there was other family to look after Bonnie, Kathy and I went to Coker Alabama
and stayed with Chris and Terasa and the mob (Regan, Harrison, Jackson, Taylor
and Truman). Terasa and Chris (and Truman) went to a conference in Fort Walton
Florida so Kathy and herded the mob over the weekend. We are back in Joplin
now.
If you have followed the national news, only days after our return on May 10
(Jason's, our baby, 35th birthday) a series of tornados plowed through within
15 miles of where we were staying. (Not my fault, really!) There was much damage
and the loss of over 20 lives. Disaster Relief out of Nashville was here within
days helping through local congregations.
When we got back my old '96 Dodge truck, that hadn't sold since we left, was
waiting for us at Jason's house. So I guess the Lord knew we would need a reliable
steed for our travels while we are here. Within a week or so the truck also
had to have major surgery. The fuel pump went out. The fuel pump is located
in the fuel tank so I had to have someone else change it out. The pump alone
cost $375 and the total charge was $585. After three days the truck was released
back into my care. We took it to Alabama and found out the Air Conditioning
unit needed recharging. Thankfully it was cloudy on the way down and not too
hot, but the wind blown hair (or beard in my case) was something else. We left
the truck with Chris to try and sell and he and Terasa loaned us a Venture van
they bought for us to use while here.
It has been fun trying to stay in touch on the internet. Jason and Chris have
high speed DSL but now we are staying at Bonnie's, where Kathy can keep an eye
on her mum during the next few weeks of recuperation, I only have dial up access
to the internet. Talk about putting the brakes on, srrrrrrrreeeech!
Before we left Fiji we had our internet access moved over to Josh and Anna's
house so we could stay in touch. It only took 3 weeks for the telecom people
to install a landline and then get everything hooked up. Anna reports that they
have all had colds and the flu but they are getting better. They continue to
have baptisms at Sabeto where we all worked.
Kathy's mum is getting stronger every day and we anticipate being able by late
June to travel further away from Joplin.
THE BODY OF CHRIST IS A NETWORK
The body of Christ is a family which by nature is a network. It is this network
that we need to engage to help with the need that we have for an established
Bible School in Fiji. You are our network.
The past year has been a time of testing and learning as we have settled in
Fiji. Even though Fiji is a nation with a high percentage of Muslim and Hindu
followers we have seen that they are not militant nor overly opposed to the
Christian message. There seems to be a large number of people seeking to know
more about this God who created the world and we who live in it. How long this
will continue only time will tell. We have also seen that land to build a school
is reasonably cheap ($2,000 per acre) but one has to have money to buy it. The
weekend before we left Fiji I had the privilege to meet and talk with the town
clerk of Lautoka city. It happened to be at the golf club during opening day
ceremonies where I was introduced to all the members. He said he would be more
than happy to help us however he could to get the school up and running when
we get back to Fiji in September. Talk about a God-send!
Since we arrived in Fiji in May 2007 the American dollar has continued to erode
in value and prices for basis food (rice, sugar, salt etc) and especially fuel
(gas over $7.00 per gallon and kerosene which a lot of people cook with even
higher) continue to escalate. We have lost over 30% value on the funds we had
raised to work and live with. ($100 today only buys $70 worth.) So unfortunately
(or we pray that some might see it as an opportunity) we are trying to not only
raise funds for the school but need $600 per month for personal support and
$800 per month for our work fund. A total of $1400 for personal needs is needed.
We are also trying to raise $6,000 one time support to travel to some of the
other islands to hold leadership workshops after we get back. Airline as well
as all other forms of travel is becoming more expensive as well.
Our larger needs are for the school which will require $200,000-250,000 one
time funding for land, structural buildings and furnishings and monthly funding
of $4,000 for staff salaries, student and operating expenses. We are determined
to go ahead with the belief that God wants this school established and that
He is preparing His network of believers to supply the needs that this opportunity
calls for.
This is where we need you as our network. Because gasoline prices have gone
so high here in the USA it is not feasible to just get in the car and travel
around looking for the support we need for the school. Kathy and I have been
doing this for over 30 years and it never gets easier. We have a number of contacts
but you have many more than we do. We would like to ask you to look at the contacts
you have and see if there might be a possibility to make contact with people
or congregations who might be able to help us in our monetary needs, personally
and for the school. We are scheduled to be back in Fiji in early September and
we hope to do so with the needed funding and ready to get the school up and
running so as to start classes in February 2009.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
Please, first pray and then sit down and email (or call) your contacts and ask
for their help for this need. I have attached a flyer for our personal needs
and a flyer for the school needs. They are in PDF form and thus are printable
as well as transferable. Any contact for us to come and present our needs personally
for one-time or monthly support can be directed to my email or my cell phone.
Please, please don't think that someone else will contact us we need EVERYONE
to help us with this.
Thank you so very much. The sooner you help us secure the needed funds the
sooner I will be able to get back over there and get to work again and leave
you alone. So there is light at the end of the tunnel. Now is it the train (Tobey)
coming or going?
Your prayers are appreciated and we look forward to talking with and seeing
many of you before we deport these shores in September.
Your servants because of the cross of Jesus
Tobey & Kathy