All photos and text are property of Dave Forney and may not be used without express permission.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!  Here's a snapshot of our five handsome/beautiful kiddos just before we went to our church's Christmas service.


I snagged a few shots of just the boys while we were waiting for Hannah.  These really capture their personalities.



Hope you have a wonderful time celebrating the birth of our King, Jesus.  Merry Christmas!  I'm not afraid to say it. :-)

And please remember to pray for, and give a little word of encouragement to, both the missionaries and the military men/women who are in far away places around the world right now.  It's a tough time of year to be that far from "home" and family.

I was just pondering how rare it is for us to be in the U.S. during Christmas, and decided to take a trip down memory lane.  This is the first Christmas that our twins will remember in the U.S.  For most of our other kids it's only the second.  Here's a shot from each year that we've been "home" in the lower 48 for Christmas in the past 14 years (obviously the shots from this year are the ones above.)

2009
This was the last time we were on furlough, four years ago.  Our twins were two.

2006
We had not planned to be in the U.S. this year, but because of Joy's high-risk pregnancy with the twins, we flew back to the U.S. just a few days before Christmas.  Within two weeks Joy was on full bed rest, and in March the twins were born.  By early May we were back in Indo.

 2004
This was our last Christmas in the U.S. before leaving for Indonesia.  In fact, I think this might have become one of our prayer cards.  Wow!  We've really changed!

 2003
This was the only full year that we weren't in full-time ministry, or on our way there, since 2001.  We had just left Alaska after our two-year village ministry, and hadn't yet joined MAF.

 2002
We were actually serving full-time in a remote, isolated village in Alaska at this time, but desperately needed a break.  We flew down and surprised family this Christmas.

That's it.  It's a special thing to be able to spend the holidays with family, and we'll never take it for granted!

Monday, December 23, 2013

Glacier National Park 3

This is the third and final post on Glacier National Park.  The first two are here (number 1) and here (number 2).  Most of these are pictures taken within 15 minutes hike of our campground at Two Medicine.  If the pics appear slightly blurry, that's just a function of your browser and the size that they appear in my blog.  Click on the photo to see it larger and that slight blurry look should disappear.





In this iPhone panorama, you can see some of the campers over by the tree line to the right.  We were in a tent just behind that tree line, with views over the lake and back towards the mountains.  It was truly gorgeous!




Friday, December 20, 2013

Faces of the Thankful

Here are just a few of the many, many people that were blessed by the combined relief efforts of NTM, MAF, Helimission, and the Filipino National Church.


 






 



Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Random Photos from the Typhoon Haiyan Relief Effort

I made it back from the Philippines last Wednesday night.  It was a huge privilege to be able to help in a small way with the relief efforts going on there after Typhoon Haiyan.  Thanks for your prayers!  Wish I could have produced more updates from there, but alas time was in short supply and the internet was very slow, when available.


Here's some random shots that gives a bit of an overview of what we were doing there.  It was a combined effort, with MAF providing logistical support and disaster/relief experience to NTM and Helimission, who were providing the aircraft, helicopters and associated personnel.  And we were all working with the local national church.  Below, a flight-related, strategy/planning meeting at the end of the first week of operations there.


Gathering information and advice about devastated islands in the area from a local pastor who lived on one of the islands hit hard by Haiyan.


Another local contact on one of the islands.  The people were all so very grateful for the help, and repeatedly expressed appreciation to all who were involved in delivering relief supplies to them.


Here's a group shot of some of those involved from MAF and NTM at the end of the first week.  There's a whole bunch of people that were playing vital roles, that aren't in the picture for a variety of reasons.  It was a huge group effort--from the people who gave money to help fund the operation, to the folks back at headquarters, to the logistics people behind the scenes, to the tribal missionaries and families of pilots and other personnel who were working directly or indirectly behind the scenes, to the national church itself, which played a huge role in acquiring, packaging, and helping to deliver the relief supplies.


And here's some of the people involved in the initial effort up in the Coron area.  The following week we returned to this area with the larger Jet Ranger helicopter and delivered additional tens of thousands of kilos of relief supplies.  What was so  neat about this operation was that it was headed up entirely by the national missionaries and church leaders from the national branch of NTM.


This is an early morning scene from the airport that we based out of in Busuanga (near Coron).  You can see buildings damaged in the picture, and the airport buildings (out of the picture to the left) were heavily damaged.  The scene in that area was very surreal, b/c whereas the grass was very green, the hills and trees were totally brown.  Virtually all of the trees were either blown over, or if still standing, they were totally stripped of leaves, for miles in all directions.  There was heavy damage in the city itself, where several dozen people died in the storm.


 NTMA pilot, John Mark is helping NTM national pastor Nonoy to unload family packs of food to eagerly awaiting villagers in the background.  The Jet Ranger could carry about 400 kg per load, and we were delivering 10-15 loads per day.


It was very impressive to watch how Pastor Nonoy, organized and oversaw the distribution of the relief supplies.  While the helicopter made multiple runs to the same village, he organized the people and took a count of the number of families present.  First he always gave them a little talk about helicopter safety, which made a big difference on subsequent runs.  Then he gave them a brief (15-20 minute) talk in their local language about where the stuff came from and why we were helping them.  He later shared with me (in English) some of what he was telling the people, and it was very powerful and moving and strategic to the sharing of the Gospel!  The NTM PI (national branch of NTM) missionaries are working on a handful of church plants in this area, and this was an extremely strategic opportunity to both help meet immediate physical needs, and also to build trust for long-term relationships.


The Jet Ranger departs a small beach after delivering a load of relief supplies.


Here's an example of how the people were organized and waiting for the distribution of relief supplies to begin.  The local pastors made sure that it was done fairly, without the opportunity for local power players to hoard provisions, or play favorites.


Relief supplies are being transferred from the NTM hangar, to a waiting truck, to be taken to a port and shipped to the staging areas from where we could then ferry them by helicopter to the more remote, small islands.


NTM temporarily re-positioned a Kodiak from Indonesia up to the Philippines to help with the delivery of fuel, relief supplies and personnel to the remote areas where the helicopters were operating.  I have flown many, many hours in a Kodiak in Kalimantan, so it was fun to see and fly in one again, as I almost certainly won't be flying or seeing one in Uganda in our new, upcoming, assignment.  Below, the Kodiak just delivered several NTM personnel, as well as a Filipino Red Cross Team, and their supplies to one of our forward staging areas on Cuyo Island.

In the foreground, Stephen and Larry are doing a standard follow-up torque check on the Jet Ranger Rotor.


The damage in Coron was extensive.  In all directions it looked like this.  I was told that 50-60 people died in this town.


This little village, located on a very small, flat beach between two hills, was decimated by a tidal surge that ripped through like a tsunami.  The people heard the wave coming and fled into the hills just before it tore through.  As a result, no one died directly from the storm.  But two boys got lost in the jungle when they fled, and died of exposure before they were found.

Although there are several houses still standing, about 80% were washed out to sea, along with almost all of their boats.  They were in a bad way here, unable to fish for food without boats and nets, and having lost almost all their pots and pans, food, and other supplies.  It looks much worse in real life than it does in this vibrant photo.


The Jet Ranger departs after delivering another load of relief supplies.


Each 40-50kg sack contained a number of smaller "family packs" like these being distributed below.  Inside each family pack is enough rice and sardines, noodles and coffee to provide one meal for one family of 6-7 people.  In some cases, this was the only meal that people were eating each day, as they had no other food available, and no means with which to acquire it.


An overhead view of one of the villages hammered by the storm.  I was impressed by the skill of the helicopter pilots, who expertly worked their way safely into and out of some very tight places to deliver supplies.


I have hundreds of pics, but I'll stop there.  Actually, I think I'll do one more post in a day or two, showing some of the faces of the folks we served.  They're truly wonderful people!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Thanksgiving in the Philippines


Today I was reminded of just how much I have to be thankful for.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day...in America.  Originally I was planning to be enjoying my first Thanksgiving in the U.S. in the past four years--turkey, stuffing, smashed potatoes, and my favorite, my wife's green bean casserole.  She also makes the best pies in the world.  But tomorrow, on Thanksgiving Day, there will be none of that here...but I'll still be thankful.  Very thankful! 



You know why?  Because today, like each day before, we delivered food into the hands of people who are truly hungry.   People who've lost nearly everything.  Their houses destroyed.  Their boats wrecked.   Their livelihood--seaweed farms--ruined.  And on top of that, they're hungry.  These people, on the tiny island of Bandit, were extremely thankful for the one meal that they will get to eat today.  A simple meal of rice, sardines and coffee, delivered directly onto their tiny little beach by an R44 helicopter .  Because of the thousands of people who've given and prayed and pitched in to make this possible through a multi-mission and local Philippine church effort, these dear people will get to eat a meal today, and for that, they are extremely grateful.   Sort of puts things into perspective for the rest of us hugh?


So yes, I have a ton to be thankful for this thanksgiving.  First, I'm thankful that I'm able to be here--in a remote corner of the Philippine islands, playing a small part at the spear tip of a multi-mission typhoon relief effort.  A small operation by some standards, but a very effective one, and one that I'm convinced will be proven over time to have been a pivotal part in God's big plans for His church in this area.  Second, I'm thankful that I have the best family a guy could ever have--the most awesomest wife and kids who are willing to give in so many ways so that others around the world might know and experience the love of Jesus.  And finally and most importantly, I'm thankful for Him--Jesus--my Lord and Savior! 

I could list a thousand other things that I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving, but in light of what I'm experiencing here now, I'm just thankful for the big things this year.  There's nothing wrong with turkey and stuffing and football, believe you me!  And the next time I'm in the U.S. over thanksgiving, whenever that is, I'll surly be diving in full-bore!  But sometimes it's good to get a reality check, and realize just how much we take for granted.  That's what we're getting out here in the typhoon-stricken islands of the Philippines.  A reality check and a reminder on what really matters most in life.  So that's what I'm thankful for this year!

Here's a few verbatim quotes from people who are thankful for food today:

"We thank you people from the missions, for is willing to help for the people here in Bandit."  --Jonatan Ulabitir, smiling from ear to ear, having just helped to unload hundreds of kilos of family food packs to share with his fellow villagers, Bandit Island, Philippines. 

"The people here are so very, very happy for all the food things you bring us here!" --Lucilla, grandma to many children and grandchildren on Bandit island that will now get to eat one meal today.  One.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" --untold numbers of people in the crowd, making it known to the pilot, Zack, and me, how thankful they were for food!  Simply food.  Their gratitude really belongs to the myriad of people who've given in so many ways to make this combined effort happen.  Each of you need to know that what you're doing IS making a difference out here! 

Here's a few more pictures from today.  Happy Thanksgiving!