A Few Things We've Missed.

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We love what we do and the ministry and life we have with so many great people in IES and colleagues we serve with across Indonesia and throughout Asia Pacific, but there are some things we've missed while we were away and there are many things we miss now while we're away from Indonesia.

Time with extended Family.

Having been away so long we are very aware how blessed we are this year to have time with extended family. We've missed that and though we see some of our family when they visit Jakarta, many of our family members have grown up a lot since we've been gone. It's so good to spend time with Mike's sister and her family, with Auntie Charlotte and other relatives we've seen along the way.

Generally we celebrate all the holidays and because we are in a major city, we have access to special holiday food with our family who are there, but there's nothing like being home with cold weather and family for Thanksgiving.

Cold weather

Yes, cold weather is something we miss.

Cool weather and the colors it brings.

(Left: A beautiful tree in our neighborhood in all it's fall color.; Top-Right: Even the Issaquah McDonalds looks good on Front Street this fall.; Lower-Right: A beautiful stowaway in the trunk of our car. They're pretty but they get in everything; Lower-Left: Toadstools? Mushrooms? I don't know but I always find it fascinating how they just suddenly appear in the grass one morning.)

For a few years in Jakarta, James, Julius and Mike had a tradition of throwing the football around in a swimming pool on Thanksgiving Day. It's just a bit diffent. This year, we've had some cold weather and some beautiful scenery to go along with it. Autumn was beautiful with colors and things we had forgotten. Of course, we've also had a bit of treacherous driving in the mountain passes in recent weeks and a doosy of a wind storm with power knocked out to many places. In spite of the excitment, we have missed our cold weather and are looking forward to the rest of winter.

Cold weather travel was an appetizer for winter.

(Top-Left: The snow is passing up the hill beyond the trees, near Omak, WA; Top-Right: Driving through the dark of night in falling snow coming off Blewett Pass, near Cle Elum, WA around 5:00 PM; Mid-Right: The cold road to the apple orchard, near Omak, WA; Lower-Right: a snowy drive with the sun trying to peak over the mountains into the Okanagan valley. Lower-Left: The snow at Snowflake Lane in Bellevue is really just soap bubbles, but then we love SOAP.)

Part of the cold weather is the clothing. We've had to put away our short and acquire some cold-weather clothes. Our short-sleeved tops and quick-dry t-shirts don't sufficiently warm our bodies in the cool Pacific Northwest weather. Thankfully, our old friend Eddie Bauer comes to the rescue time and again to keep us warm and dry.

Many people and things have been missed.

There is really a long list of who and what we've missed. We are blessed to be here for this year. After 11 years away, we've been surprised so many times with the beauty of our Pacific Northwest surroundings from the majestic mountains to the deer and elk in yards and the bald eagles flying overhead.

Of course, there's very good seafood in Indonesia, but Northwest seafood is fantastic and unique in its own right.wsl Bacon is easier to come by as is ham and nice fat porkchops and steaks. Of course with that has come a few pounds we'd like to see go away.

What we're missing.

As much as it is nice to be back in the Seattle area, we really miss Jakarta. At New Life @Normandy Park, a very capable young lady made us some special Indonesian treats, klepon. They were so good that there are no pictures. It reminded us of what we really miss in Indonesia.

We miss Indonesian food but can buy flavor packets and spices locally.

(Left: An assortment of our favorite flavors purchased at DK market in Renton, WA; Top-Right: The selection of flavor packets for food from Indonesia and the Philippines at DK Market in Renton, Wa; Lower-Right: What's a celebration without durian from Ranch Market at the Great Wall Mall in Kent, WA.)

We really miss our church, IES, and its people.

We have missed missions outreaches, building houses with Habitat for Huminity, orphanage ministry, prision ministry and worship team practices. We've missed baptisms, one of the highlights of pastoral ministry. We've missed our lifegroups and our SOAP groups, made up of so many good friends who encourage us as we also see them growing. We miss our church staff, pastors, adminstrators and volunteers who are committed to growing together in Christ and facilitating the worship and growth of many others. We're missing the moments as little kids growing up. We will miss the Kids Christmas Presenation, an opportunity for our elementary kids to share the gospel story of Christmas with the world. We can watch it online, but it's not the same as being there to encourage them along. We miss coaching and counseling with those young couples who's relationships have been growing in godly ways and newly weds working through their new life together. We've missed special days with families who were celebrating and we've missed some sad days when we wish we could be there to confort the grieving.

Just a few of those people and ministries we are missing out on.

(Top-Left: Teens Talkshow month is alway great with The Not So Late Show;Top-Right: The Noon Zoom SOAP Group, here represents for all our Life Groups and SOAP Groups; Mid-Right: Teenagers already, oh my!; Lower-Right: The Saturday Night Kids Team knows how to party and we really miss them all; Lower-Middle: The first week of Advent our youngest kids sing: Lower-Left: Building 50 homes with Habitat for Humity. We really want to get in on a build.)

In all of it, we thank God that His church doesn't hang on one or two individuals. In IES we say we are a river, not a lake, because God is always moving us along, even as change swirls around us. We are glad the church continues when we are not there, but we look forward to jumping back into the river that is IES when we return to Jakarta.

Please partner with us in praying that we will be able to return to Jakarta in July of 2025 with everything in order. And of course, if you would like to partner with us financially, please see our giving page to make a pledge or give directly through AGWM.