2008.01.19-When paths cross around the world

In August 2000, we were on our first visit to Mongolia. About the 7th day of our 10-day visit I (Jim) became very sick. I could barely get out of bed except to run to the toilet. While Liz, Bolooro, Bob, Craig and Bob went out praying and meeting people in Ulaanbaatar, I stayed behind in our motel room eating Pepto Bismal.

About 1100, someone banged on the door. When I answered it, a large, well-dress Mongolian man spoke to me (in Mongolian) and gestured that I was to follow him. I descended to the lobby where 10 Police officers were confronting the hotel owner. We had befriended the receptionists and they knew some English. They explained that the hotel was been shut down by the health department and I must immediately get our luggage out of the hotel because the doors would be locked. No one could re-enter the hotel. In my sick condition, I was not able to carry all the luggage so the receptionists helped me and deposited everything on the driveway.

After the exertion, I needed another trip to the toilet but I could not get in the hotel. So I went next door to the English Embassy and they let me use their toilet and call a missionary. He drove over, picked up our luggage, and left a friend to explain to the rest of the team what had happened and where I was.

He took me to the apartment of Bob & Claire Knapp, the parents of some US missionaries. The Knapps were in Mongolia for 4 months visiting their kids and 8 grandchildren! For the next 3 days, the Knapps took care of me and housed us until we returned to the US. They were very gracious.

Well, the Knapps live in Littleton, CO. I was in Littleton on 18-20Jan so I called them and wondered if they would remember me, 7 years later. When I entered their house, Claire said,"Your color looks so much better than the last time we saw you!" It was a wonderful visit and it reminded me of heaven where we will be reunited with all those who have blessed us.

2008.01.18-Murphy's law & Job interviews!

Murphy's law says, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong at the most inconvenient moment." So we make contingencies. We leave 1.5 hours early for the airport when we know we can get there in 1 hour. However, a terrible accident occurs just ahead of us and we can't get off the freeway for an hour. Therefore, we are only 30 minutes early for the flight for Jim's JCS job interview in Denver. The ticket agent says, "You're too late for this flight. Here's a boarding pass for the next flight (1.5 hours later) but that flight is overbooked!" After going thru a very SLOW security check, I walk to the boarding gate for the later flight. Coincidentally (or "Godcidentally?") it is the same gate as my original flight and people are boarding now for my original flight! I approach the boarding pass taker (BPT) and say,"I had a ticket for this flight but I was delayed by an accident. Can I get on this flight?" The BPT says,"No. If you have not checked in 45 minutes before the flight, we give your seat to a stand-by passenger." I say a quick prayer and wait like a dog hoping for crumbs to fall off the table. Three other "late" passengers check in with the BPT and are all told that they are too late and will have to wait for the next flight. They leave. I stay. Before they close the gangway doors, the BPT calls over the public address for one passenger who has checked in but has not boarded yet. He waits 2 minutes. Then he calls for the first stand-by passenger. She has left disgusted at the "poor customer service." Then he calls my name. I leap forward, give him my ticket and he tells me I can board! It's the last seat. Another example of our God doing the impossible. God trumps Murphy.

2007Sep9 Speaking, sharing, growing

It's great to talk with lots of people about Mongolia! This is a photo from Sep9 at Lakebay Covenant in Lakebay, WA, a small community overlooking the Puget Sound.

And everywhere we go we hear wonderful and encouraging stories about what God is doing in other people's lives. At Lakebay, I met a woman who was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa - just like me. Another woman hopes to visit us in Mongolia next summer after her trip to India. Another told us about her husband's struggle with leukemia and their ministry in Marriage Encounter around the world.

Liz speaks 14-16Sep at a Covenant women's retreat.

On Sep7, Jim sent his application for the Executive Director position at JCS. The search committee meets Oct 19 so we don't expect to hear anything from JCS before then.

Please keep praying that we can step in His footsteps as he leads.

2007 Aug 15 Liz at Saddleback

Liz spent 4 days in California training with 3000 Celebrate Recovery leaders. Speakers included John Townsend, John Baker and Rick Warren.

2007Aug8 Liz speaks to 380+ in Chicago

Liz was invited to speak at the Pacific NW Covenant Women's luncheon in Chicago. But when she registered at the Triennial Covenant Women's Conference, a leader from the NW (Minnesota!) Covenant Women's luncheon asked her to speak at their luncheon also! And so, Liz got to speak to over 380 women at the two luncheons on the same day. Fortunately, friends from Grace Community Covenant (Olympia) made sure she got something to eat after her presentations!

2007 June 27: Liz's CLL results

White cell count today is 18,900. One year ago it was practically the same! The normal range is 4,000 or less but it is NOT increasing. Good news. Thanks for your "requests" about Liz's health.

2007 June 21: Commissioned

We joined 39 friends carrying 39 flags while a Calipso chorus played for 500+ people from all over the US & Canada.

We were officially commissioned in Portland, OR.

2000 August: First trip to Mongolia

In August 2000, five of us from River Ridge Covenant Church flew to Mongolia to see if we could help in some community. Liz & I never expected to return.

On the plane with us from Korea to Mongolia was Sandra Day O'Connor, one of the US Supreme Court Justices. She was invited to Mongolia to advise them on their new constitution. Craig sat next to Justice O'Connor's husband and talked with him about their plans in Mongolia.

Within 3 hours of landing in Ulaanbaator, we met deaf Mongolians (Liz is a sign language interpretor). Then we met staff from World Vision who invited us to meet with Mongolian foresters from their staff (Jim is a forester). Then we were invited to join a small group of women from USA who were touring World Vision projects in Mongolia. All within the first 3 hours!

We hired Boloroo to be our interpreter. She spoke Mongolian, English and Chinese. She has become a very good friend. She now heads a Mongolian adoption agency. Liz and "Bogie" like to practice their "British accents" when talking to each other.

2007June 4-8 Covenant training

We completed that last of our required training in Chicago! It was great to meet with 2 other couples and 3 single people preparing to go in the next year. Members of the class are planning to go to Guam, Cameroon, Burkino Faso & Spain (with us going to Mongolia).

Training went from 8:30-5 everyday. Three evenings we went to dinner together and reflected on the training. All the candidates are struggling (like us) to raise enough support.

We stayed with the retired Covenant friends from Congo. They had inspirational stories and open hearts.

We were all challenged to find mentors who would hold us accountable for spiritual growth and personal care. The most common serious problem for people working overseas is anger and accountability.

2007 June 1: Danger in our Backyard!

The newspaper's version: The Olympian Friday, June 01, 2007
"Man arrested after car, bike, foot chase near Tumwater"
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man who led them on a car chase for about 10 minutes before crashing into a pond and fleeing by bicycle and by foot for more than an hour.
Police said -----, 39, a transient, was arrested outside a residence at 2535 70th Ave. S.W. around 11 a.m. ----- faces charges of eluding and possibly others, Sgt. Alvin Griffin of the sheriff’s office said. He said police were still determining if ----- had outstanding warrants and reportedly found “suspected narcotics” in his car.

Griffin described the chase: ----- fled at about 9:10 a.m. after failing to stop at a stop sign at Littlerock Road and 123rd Avenue. He was driving a late 1970s or early ‘80s model Oldsmobile. ----- nearly crashed with a number of cars. He ended up on Jericho Lane, a dead-end street where he went through a back yard and crashed into a pond. ----- then fled on foot, took a bicycle and sped away. At about 10 a.m., ----- crashed the bike into a neighborhood fence, then fled again on foot. Officers found him at the 70th Avenue address, which is not where he lives.

Four police agencies were involved in the chase: Thurston County, Olympia, Tumwater and the Washington State Patrol.

Black Hills High School was locked down during the chase as a precautionary


Our version:
At about 9am, Rich ---, Olympic Realty realtor called Liz and told her to stay inside and lock the doors. Rich had heard on his radio scanner, a police call saying they were pursuing a person who was fleeing from them. The fleer was somewhere in our neighborhood.

Liz locked the doors and stayed inside for 30 minutes and then began hanging up the laundry in the backyard.

While Liz sat on the patio eating breakfast, this man ran his bicycle into our fence gate, breaking the gate, jumped over the gate, ran across our backyard, behind our shed, over our back fence and into Dick -----’s bushes.

When she hear the noise of the bicycle hitting our fence, Liz ran into the workroom, spilling her bowl of cereal and milk, and closed the door. Liz went to call 9-1-1, picked up the phone and then noticed WSP cars in our driveway.

Jim then called Liz, returning a page that Liz made 45 minutes earlier. Liz told Jim what was happening and he offered to come home. Liz protested and said she needed to talk to the WSP officer. She said she would call Jim back.

A WA State Patrol officer came into our backyard within a minute, gun raised, and ran toward the shed. He then came back to Liz and asked him which way the man went. Liz told the officer where he went and the officer left. Two more patrol cars parked in front of our house.

Meanwhile, Jim called Ed (neighbors) and got an answering machine. Next he called Dick ----- and got the wrong number. Jim then called Randy ----- (Bible study friend) and left a message asking him to check on Liz. Later Jim called Dick again and Dick was home and said he would go over and check on Liz.

Dick went into his backyard and talked with Liz over the fence. Randy ----- arrived shortly and came into the backyard and stayed with Liz until the WSP officers returned saying they caught the man in the trailer court where Randy lives.

Liz called Rich --- to thank him for warning her.

Jim came home a noon and listened to Liz retell the incident. Liz said it was scarier than the 2001 Nisqually earthquake.

Staying home is dangerous!