Just a few more days until we start our journey.\u00a0 We will be traveling for about a week before we arrive at our new village home,\u00a0 2 days and a night on the first ship, 3 or 4 nights in hotel in the nearest large city, one more 6 hour trip on a “fast boat” to the coast, and then a dump truck ride into our village.\u00a0 While in the large city we will need to do all of our supply buying (groceries, toiletries, and other household needs)\u00a0 for the next 6 weeks.<\/p>\n
Adjustments
\nOnce we arrive we will have many adjustments to make as a family.\u00a0 I thought this letter, written by our co-workers daughter, Amy McDole, really said it all.\u00a0 So I asked her it I could share parts of it with you;<\/p>\n
I have my own machete and me and my friends go “hete kau” which
\nmeans getting firewood. We go swimming like every day. Oh,, and now
\nI wash my clothes and Alan and Stacia’s clothes too. We have a ton of water
\nsources here. Next to our house there is a spring and a creek. I usually
\nwash clothes at the little waterfall we have next to this huge river. I am
\nlearning to swim and for a floatie I use a oil gallon (jerry can) with a top.
\nLike everyone knows how to swim here but a lot of kids still use gallons.
\nSometimes I go “hama\/hisi sayur tu yanang rokoro” which means finding
\nvegetables with my friends. They love playing jump rope and kasti and I
\ntaught them hide and seek the local\u00a0way. But I don’t play kasti with them
\ncause they hit super hard and they play a little different than in North Sulawesi.
\nOh yah they also play soccer with me. My mom say they regard us as family
\nbecause we are living with them and have been for a long time. So me or
\nStacia or Alan can’t marry any of them because we are related. And everyone
\nin this village is related. And it is like impossible for u to come here
\nevery month because the road is very bad and it is 20 miles +.<\/p>\n
As you can see our kids will be experiencing many changes and we would really appreciate your prayers for their adjustment.
\nPrayer requests
\nPlease Pray for our safe travels, I can’t claim to be “easygoing” when it comes to being out of my element and out of control \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 so please pray that I will be calm and easygoing, or at least able to fake it enough that our kids enjoy the trip and consider it to be an adventure.<\/p>\n
Please pray for our co-workers, the McDoles.\u00a0 Paul’s mother, who was an NTM missionary for many years here in Asia Pacific, is suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)\u00a0 They are home for a quick visit with her and the rest of the family while she is still able to speak.\u00a0 Pray for their time with her and their safe travels back to Asia Pacific.<\/p>\n
Please pray for our communication needs.\u00a0 We have not been able to buy the satellite Internet system we would ultimately like to get. In the meantime we are hoping to be able to occasionally download emails using a cell phone on the coast.\u00a0 Please pray that this actually works out \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 We will have regular radio contact (daily) with our co-workers here in North Sulawesi and I have given a friend here access to my facebook account and the names of family members so even if we don’t have email we will still be checked-up on, but it would sure be nice to be able to send out occasional updates and answer emails!<\/p>\n
Please continue to pray for the finances for this move, we are seeing the Lord meet our needs in so many unusual ways and we know that He will continue to do so.\u00a0 We even found out we might have public electricity soon!\u00a0 the lines are run and we are number 54 on the waiting list!\u00a0 What an amazing blessing that will be.<\/p>\n
A few final notes
\nAs we talk about the isolation and the lack of communication, many people have shared concerns about the wisdom of taking our children to a remote tribal location.\u00a0 I Just wanted to explain that while it will be difficult to communicate to those of you in America, we will be in contact with our leadership here several times a week and have plans in place in case we needed to get to help in a hurry. There is also a small hospital on the coast that could help us with basic first aid needs.\u00a0 That being said we also feel strongly that this is the Lord’s will for us at this time and there is no safer place for us to be than in the center of HIS will.\u00a0 We are doing all we can to be safe and keep our kids safe while at the same time being obedient to Christ.<\/p>\n
We always love getting your personal emails but at least for a while while we figure out our communications issues it would be helpful to us if you would not forward any forwarded emails to us (jokes etc.)\u00a0 and also if you would ask before sending any especially large files or pictures.\u00a0 But PLEASE, PLEASE continue sending personal notes, and emails, they are such an encouragement to us!<\/p>\n
We are so thankful for you prayers, support and encouragement.<\/p>\n
In His grace;
\nGreg and Pam Berglund
\nNate (12) Hannah (10) Grace (8) Katie (6) Caleb (3)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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