Part of getting ready for the trip for PNG is making sure we are prepared with the proper vaccines. Lori, being the go-getter that she is, has already taken care of her first round of shots. In order to make things a little less painful and a bit more social, Kevin, Dennis, and I are planning to get ours together in a couple of weeks. There's something about being with someone you like that makes unpleasantries a little better. I anticipate three or four shots, depending on how they combine hep a and hep b. Regardless, I (odd disclosure alert) kind of like shots and anything medical like this...the blood donation procedure fascinates me, etc. So, even though I am sure it will not feel great, I am interested in how it will happen and how they do it.
What do you think...left or right arm?
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Madang, it's hot!
Our trip is now less than two months away (!!!!). We continue to meet regularly as a team to prepare and become more cohesive. Last night we met, and one topic of conversation was the conflicts that can often occur within ministry partners. Please pray that we would all be sensitive to one another and strive to live in peace with one another.
That has nothing to do with what I originally planned to write about.
Those of you who live in AZ know that the summer months are the hottest, and contrary to what everyone says, it is not always a dry heat. We don't often have to deal with humidity (that is why Texans are known for their big hair, not Arizonans), but it comes at what seems to be the most inopportune time.
However, this summer, I am treating the humidity as training for our trip. Everyone who has been to Madang, PNG, which is where the bulk of our time will be, references how hot it is there. And no one has even hinted at dry heat; from what I have heard, we may as well walk around with cups and get our water from the air. AC is not commonplace, so there is not necessarily the relief that we get here simply by staying inside. Basically, it's going to be hot. Madang hot.
I don't think any of us look forward to that aspect of the trip. And some people may be asking, why on earth would you take two weeks away from your lives, away from family, away from important schedules, to travel somewhere to be sweaty and sticky all day? The only reasonable answer is because we hope that God will be glorified through us. We have this opportunity to encourage others and, through God's power, we will be able to do just that.
That has nothing to do with what I originally planned to write about.
Those of you who live in AZ know that the summer months are the hottest, and contrary to what everyone says, it is not always a dry heat. We don't often have to deal with humidity (that is why Texans are known for their big hair, not Arizonans), but it comes at what seems to be the most inopportune time.
However, this summer, I am treating the humidity as training for our trip. Everyone who has been to Madang, PNG, which is where the bulk of our time will be, references how hot it is there. And no one has even hinted at dry heat; from what I have heard, we may as well walk around with cups and get our water from the air. AC is not commonplace, so there is not necessarily the relief that we get here simply by staying inside. Basically, it's going to be hot. Madang hot.
I don't think any of us look forward to that aspect of the trip. And some people may be asking, why on earth would you take two weeks away from your lives, away from family, away from important schedules, to travel somewhere to be sweaty and sticky all day? The only reasonable answer is because we hope that God will be glorified through us. We have this opportunity to encourage others and, through God's power, we will be able to do just that.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
The Team
Fry's gift cards
Here is an easy way to support the Husa family or another cause of your choice.
Go to the Sun Valley Community Church office (if you live out of town, see if your church does this...if not, find out why not...it is an easy way to raise funds).
Ask for a Fry's gift card. You will need to pay $5 for the gift card, but the card has $5 on it that you can use for any purchase.
Make sure when you sign the gift card out that you identify the recipient of the funds as the Husa family (or direct it to the ministry of your choice).
Load up your gift card at any Fry's BEFORE the person starts your grocery order. Then use the card to pay for your groceries. The gift card is reloadable, so you can do this everytime you shop.
Use your gift card to pay for gas. Use your gift card to pay for OTHER gift cards. For example, if you plan to buy something big at Home Depot, go to Fry's first, buy a Home Depot gift card for yourself to use (using your Fry's gift card) and then you can head over to Home Depot for your home improvement project (thanks to Kevin for this ingenius suggestion).
So, what is the purpose of all this gift card hoo-ha? Fry's issues a rebate to Sun Valley and other participating non-profits twice a year based on the use of the gift cards issued to them. The more people spend, the greater the rebate, up to 6% of what is spent. This may not sound like much, but let's say you spend $100 each week in groceries and another $50 in gas. If my math is correct, that means close to $500 gets sent to Geoff and Shannon each year from these purchases.
And what did it cost you? Nothing, except the effort of asking to load up your gift card and using it instead of your credit card or cash. PLEASE do this...no matter where you direct the funds. Let's use whatever is available to us to make a difference.
Go to the Sun Valley Community Church office (if you live out of town, see if your church does this...if not, find out why not...it is an easy way to raise funds).
Ask for a Fry's gift card. You will need to pay $5 for the gift card, but the card has $5 on it that you can use for any purchase.
Make sure when you sign the gift card out that you identify the recipient of the funds as the Husa family (or direct it to the ministry of your choice).
Load up your gift card at any Fry's BEFORE the person starts your grocery order. Then use the card to pay for your groceries. The gift card is reloadable, so you can do this everytime you shop.
Use your gift card to pay for gas. Use your gift card to pay for OTHER gift cards. For example, if you plan to buy something big at Home Depot, go to Fry's first, buy a Home Depot gift card for yourself to use (using your Fry's gift card) and then you can head over to Home Depot for your home improvement project (thanks to Kevin for this ingenius suggestion).
So, what is the purpose of all this gift card hoo-ha? Fry's issues a rebate to Sun Valley and other participating non-profits twice a year based on the use of the gift cards issued to them. The more people spend, the greater the rebate, up to 6% of what is spent. This may not sound like much, but let's say you spend $100 each week in groceries and another $50 in gas. If my math is correct, that means close to $500 gets sent to Geoff and Shannon each year from these purchases.
And what did it cost you? Nothing, except the effort of asking to load up your gift card and using it instead of your credit card or cash. PLEASE do this...no matter where you direct the funds. Let's use whatever is available to us to make a difference.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
VBS plans
Geoff's parents, Kris and Gary, hosted us for several hours Sunday afternoon while we hammered out the broad strokes of the VBS plan for the days we are in Madang. We have a good curriculum that is based on creation and basic apologetics, and there is a theme park theme connecting it all. It may sound like it doesn't fit together, but it really does. Now it's just a matter of us taking the curriculum and making sure that we adjust it to work well with our situation. One of the most common questions we find ourselves asking that most VBS planners do not (I assume) is: "What will that weigh?" Whatever we take needs to be packed and taken over by the six of us. The good part is everything we take for the program can be left there, but we have to be really careful about what we choose.
Thankfully, Kris has had a lot of experience in this area, and one of her great ideas is using a sheet as a backdrop. We can paint on it and then take it, as opposed to anything else that is cumbersome or heavy.
It is a blessing to see the team come together and talk things through. It is especially great to see people be able to focus on aspects of the trip/VBS that we are particularly passionate about. As I read through the information about the VBS and the different areas, I found myself thinking that probably everyone would want to do what I wanted to do. Why? Because it is the BEST area...clearly the most fun, the most exciting, just THE BEST. But I was relieved that when it came down to assigning and volunteering for pieces of the puzzles, no one else battled me for it.
I get to do what I'm most drawn to. And I think that is the case for all of us. I can't imagine anyone wanting to do anything else than what I am doing, and I feel a little bit sorry for everyone else because they don't get to do my piece.
By now, I am sure that you are on the edge of your seat thinking, I certainly hope Theresa tells us what part she is responsible for. Well, after much arm twisting, here goes.
Snacks.
When it's summed up like that, it doesn't sound like much (and in case you are wondering, yes, I will have more responsibilities on the trip than just putting together snacks for VBS).
Keep in mind we have a theme park sort of concept. My area is called the concession stand. We're doing snacks that fit the theme...popcorn, caramel apples (where the kids get to choose their own toppings!), and something that doesn't really fit the park theme but does work with creation: create your own dinosaur. Even if you are not all that impressed with my choice now, wait until you see pics from the actual event. It's going to be fantastic.
Being excited about something so mundane reminds me that God can choose anything and anyone he wants to be significant. Jesus' first miracle centered around a beverage. One of my favorite accounts in the NT talks about what happened when a boy offered up what he had (in this case, food--see?!?!), Jesus gave thanks for it and fed, oh, several thousand people, and then had more left over than what he started with.
So, what's he going to do with a caramel apple dipped in m and m's? Stay tuned.
Thankfully, Kris has had a lot of experience in this area, and one of her great ideas is using a sheet as a backdrop. We can paint on it and then take it, as opposed to anything else that is cumbersome or heavy.
It is a blessing to see the team come together and talk things through. It is especially great to see people be able to focus on aspects of the trip/VBS that we are particularly passionate about. As I read through the information about the VBS and the different areas, I found myself thinking that probably everyone would want to do what I wanted to do. Why? Because it is the BEST area...clearly the most fun, the most exciting, just THE BEST. But I was relieved that when it came down to assigning and volunteering for pieces of the puzzles, no one else battled me for it.
I get to do what I'm most drawn to. And I think that is the case for all of us. I can't imagine anyone wanting to do anything else than what I am doing, and I feel a little bit sorry for everyone else because they don't get to do my piece.
By now, I am sure that you are on the edge of your seat thinking, I certainly hope Theresa tells us what part she is responsible for. Well, after much arm twisting, here goes.
Snacks.
When it's summed up like that, it doesn't sound like much (and in case you are wondering, yes, I will have more responsibilities on the trip than just putting together snacks for VBS).
Keep in mind we have a theme park sort of concept. My area is called the concession stand. We're doing snacks that fit the theme...popcorn, caramel apples (where the kids get to choose their own toppings!), and something that doesn't really fit the park theme but does work with creation: create your own dinosaur. Even if you are not all that impressed with my choice now, wait until you see pics from the actual event. It's going to be fantastic.
Being excited about something so mundane reminds me that God can choose anything and anyone he wants to be significant. Jesus' first miracle centered around a beverage. One of my favorite accounts in the NT talks about what happened when a boy offered up what he had (in this case, food--see?!?!), Jesus gave thanks for it and fed, oh, several thousand people, and then had more left over than what he started with.
So, what's he going to do with a caramel apple dipped in m and m's? Stay tuned.
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