Here I sit on Christmas morning in lovely Minnesota. There is a blanket of snow on the ground and the temp is -4 degrees. The upside to that temp is there are no clouds and it was a beautiful sunrise!!
What a difference a year will make. I just checked and it is 90 degrees in Conakry, Guinea, and the dewpoint is a balmy 72!!
I expect that will be one of the more minor changes as we move forward to the service field. . . I know that our service will lead to healed bodies. . . I pray that it will lead to healed souls!!
Merry Christmas!!
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Sad today
A friend of mine posted on Facebook a commentary on the tragic shooting in Newtown, CT, yesterday. It was written by a broadcast journalist while the final details were still unfolding Here is a portion of it:
This is a day when I hate my job. I don't want to go on the air and talk about 26 people being killed at an elementary school. I don't want to talk about 18 children being slaughtered by a cowardly Satanic piece of worthless filth. I have no commentary to offer on this. I have nothing but anger and confusion. And I have prayers. I pray not only for the families of the children who have been stolen from the world, but I pray for all of us. I pray that God will heal this nation because we are deeply spiritually broken. Evil is very present among us.
Don't ask if we have enough laws or enough medication or too many guns or too many video games. Ask why there is so much evil in this country. That's the question. I don't have the answer. But I know God is the solution. (from Matt Walsh)
It is hard not to focus on the "whys" of a tragedy such as this, however, I encourage you to focus instead on the people whose lives will never be the same.
On a more positive note, I saw the orthopedic surgeon Thursday. No more cast, just a custom splint. I've been encouraged to work on gentle range of motion exercises. The exercises are a little challenging but I can't tell you how good that first shower felt on my arm!!
Final exams have begun for Josh and Jake. Please pray for peace, health and success for them. They both come home on Wednesday. We are looking forward to having the family together, the dogs, Moose and Tigger, will be very happy!!
Denise has one more week of work. Please pray for her as she says her goodbyes.
Don't ask if we have enough laws or enough medication or too many guns or too many video games. Ask why there is so much evil in this country. That's the question. I don't have the answer. But I know God is the solution. (from Matt Walsh)
It is hard not to focus on the "whys" of a tragedy such as this, however, I encourage you to focus instead on the people whose lives will never be the same.
On a more positive note, I saw the orthopedic surgeon Thursday. No more cast, just a custom splint. I've been encouraged to work on gentle range of motion exercises. The exercises are a little challenging but I can't tell you how good that first shower felt on my arm!!
Final exams have begun for Josh and Jake. Please pray for peace, health and success for them. They both come home on Wednesday. We are looking forward to having the family together, the dogs, Moose and Tigger, will be very happy!!
Denise has one more week of work. Please pray for her as she says her goodbyes.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Christmas Every Day
Last night we went to a fund raising event for a local charity that involved a concert by the band "for King & Country". As we listened to wonderful renditions of Christmas favorites, the lead singer took time to reflect on Christmas and the true meaning, the birth of our Saviour. One of his challenges to us was to live each day as if we were celebrating our Saviour. What a challenge, but truly what we should do!!
Here are the lyrics to one of the songs from last night:
If I sing but don't have love, I waste my breath with every song
I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise
If I speak with a silver tongue, convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste with every word I say
So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died, Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love
If I give to a needy soul but don't have love, then who is poor?
It seems all poverty is found in me
When it's all said and done, when we sing our final song
Only love remains . . . only love remains
Enough said!
Blessings . . .
Here are the lyrics to one of the songs from last night:
If I sing but don't have love, I waste my breath with every song
I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise
If I speak with a silver tongue, convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste with every word I say
So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died, Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love
If I give to a needy soul but don't have love, then who is poor?
It seems all poverty is found in me
When it's all said and done, when we sing our final song
Only love remains . . . only love remains
Enough said!
Blessings . . .
Friday, November 30, 2012
Retired!!
It's been quite a week! On Monday I had a post op doctor's appointment. I went in praying that I would get to move to a short arm cast . . . those hopes were dashed when the surgeon said that he wanted my wrist to stay locked in place to let the ligament repair sit for the next couple weeks. He did let me go to a cast that allows me bend me arm inward but not out past 90 degrees. I also got my fingers back!! I've actually had more pain from all the stretching of my fingers than from my wrist!!
On Wednesday Denise and I went to St. Paul and cleaned my office in the morning and said goodbye to my office-mates. Then it was off to Minneapolis for a retirement celebration. I was truly honored by all the kind words. After an informal gathering at the watering hole, we headed home knowing I had just finished a 26-year career. Wow, after literally working for the federal government for more than half my life, I was done!!
The next steps are becoming more real every day. We have been called to serve the forgotten poor of our world with Mercy Ships beginning at the end of January. To get there, so many steps remain . . . got an email last night regarding a possible renter for our house . . . sold our piano in a way that has to be God driven (the negotiation was non-existent, the buyer felt he HAD to buy this piano!!) . . . packing our house, etc.
As we reach each step that causes us stress, something just happens to cause the issue to dissolve. More proof we're following the path that He has planned for us. Please pray that we can have peace and continue to trust that we are following the right path!
On Wednesday Denise and I went to St. Paul and cleaned my office in the morning and said goodbye to my office-mates. Then it was off to Minneapolis for a retirement celebration. I was truly honored by all the kind words. After an informal gathering at the watering hole, we headed home knowing I had just finished a 26-year career. Wow, after literally working for the federal government for more than half my life, I was done!!
The next steps are becoming more real every day. We have been called to serve the forgotten poor of our world with Mercy Ships beginning at the end of January. To get there, so many steps remain . . . got an email last night regarding a possible renter for our house . . . sold our piano in a way that has to be God driven (the negotiation was non-existent, the buyer felt he HAD to buy this piano!!) . . . packing our house, etc.
As we reach each step that causes us stress, something just happens to cause the issue to dissolve. More proof we're following the path that He has planned for us. Please pray that we can have peace and continue to trust that we are following the right path!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
The Road to Recovery!
Here I sit 10 days after surgery. The operation was quite extensive having to use different methods to secure each of the three broken bones in my wrist. It took about 4 hours but appears to have been fully successful . . . not so easy to say with a plaster splint from the second joint of my fingers to above my elbow!! Pain has been very manageable, albeit with the use of my good friend Mr. Oxycodone!!
Prayers of praise for the skill of the surgical team (they were really comforting!!) and for the fact that I'm still on a six to eight week recovery schedule! This will mean our mission trip will go as scheduled. I've been in contact with Mercy Ships and as long as my surgeon signs off, they are OK with us coming on board (we were a little concerned about this).
The schedule is becoming more real each day. This week we sold Casper, the affectionate name for the boy's high school car. Next up on the sales block is the piano!! For those of you in the local area, look for a big moving sale before we depart. We met with the property management firm and they were quite positive about renting our house at a good rate.
Yours prayers for recovery are appreciated! Feel free to drop a line if you have any questions about our schedule, mission, or the Mercy Ships organization. Also, if you haven't already done so, send us your email address if you want to receive our newsletter once we leave Minnesota. We can be reached at mtveite@gmail.com.
Prayers of praise for the skill of the surgical team (they were really comforting!!) and for the fact that I'm still on a six to eight week recovery schedule! This will mean our mission trip will go as scheduled. I've been in contact with Mercy Ships and as long as my surgeon signs off, they are OK with us coming on board (we were a little concerned about this).
The schedule is becoming more real each day. This week we sold Casper, the affectionate name for the boy's high school car. Next up on the sales block is the piano!! For those of you in the local area, look for a big moving sale before we depart. We met with the property management firm and they were quite positive about renting our house at a good rate.
Yours prayers for recovery are appreciated! Feel free to drop a line if you have any questions about our schedule, mission, or the Mercy Ships organization. Also, if you haven't already done so, send us your email address if you want to receive our newsletter once we leave Minnesota. We can be reached at mtveite@gmail.com.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Oops
Hmmmm . . . Ithought reffing hockey for the last few months we were in a cold climate would be a good idea. How wrong I was!!
On Sunday night I was working a bantam game, hooked a skate blade in a rut in the ice, took a tumble, and as they say, the rest is history.
I landed wrist first and knew immediately that I was in trouble. I got the first good look at it in the ER and could tell it was seriously out of line. The xrays showed multiple fractures. They splinted me and referred to the orthopedic surgeon.
The CT scan yesterday showed five fractures in three bones. Surgery is scheduled for right away tomorrow morning at St Mary's in Rochester. They have told me to plan on staying tomorrow night to help with pain control (I'm good w/ pain control!!).
The good news is that the projected recovery time is 6 weeks. This will still give us 4 weeks before we leave for our mission, so I should be good.
Please pray for the medical team, for my healing, and for the family's peace during this trying time.
Matt
On Sunday night I was working a bantam game, hooked a skate blade in a rut in the ice, took a tumble, and as they say, the rest is history.
I landed wrist first and knew immediately that I was in trouble. I got the first good look at it in the ER and could tell it was seriously out of line. The xrays showed multiple fractures. They splinted me and referred to the orthopedic surgeon.
The CT scan yesterday showed five fractures in three bones. Surgery is scheduled for right away tomorrow morning at St Mary's in Rochester. They have told me to plan on staying tomorrow night to help with pain control (I'm good w/ pain control!!).
The good news is that the projected recovery time is 6 weeks. This will still give us 4 weeks before we leave for our mission, so I should be good.
Please pray for the medical team, for my healing, and for the family's peace during this trying time.
Matt
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Here we are today doing our best impression of human pin cushions!
Visited with a great physician and went over what immunizations we need. Spent over 2 hours at the doctor's office. By the time we left there we each had 6 injections, a TB test, I also had a blood draw to make sure one of my prior immunization series was still effective, and prescriptions for malaria preventatives. Two more shots to go to finish our rabies (YES RABIES!) series, then a series of Typhoid oral immunizations. . . . never thought I'd be talking Yellow Fever, polio, the merits of oral or injectable Typhoid immunizations, etc!!
Although my arms hurt, so does the wallet. . . it appears insurance only covers 3 of the 7 immunizations. Oh well we know this is God's plan so it will all work out!!
Please say a prayer for the people that God has planned to live in our house while we are gone.
Looking forward to this weekend when my Dad stays with us for a couple nights and I get to go shooting with my son . . . gotta love it when a fundraiser for a Christian camp involves trap shooting!!
Matt
Visited with a great physician and went over what immunizations we need. Spent over 2 hours at the doctor's office. By the time we left there we each had 6 injections, a TB test, I also had a blood draw to make sure one of my prior immunization series was still effective, and prescriptions for malaria preventatives. Two more shots to go to finish our rabies (YES RABIES!) series, then a series of Typhoid oral immunizations. . . . never thought I'd be talking Yellow Fever, polio, the merits of oral or injectable Typhoid immunizations, etc!!
Although my arms hurt, so does the wallet. . . it appears insurance only covers 3 of the 7 immunizations. Oh well we know this is God's plan so it will all work out!!
Please say a prayer for the people that God has planned to live in our house while we are gone.
Looking forward to this weekend when my Dad stays with us for a couple nights and I get to go shooting with my son . . . gotta love it when a fundraiser for a Christian camp involves trap shooting!!
Matt
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Wow, what a journey!! In May, 2012, we heard a missionary from Youth With a Mission who was present with Mercy Ships at the Togo screening. She showed pictures of approximately 5,000 people who were lined up for screening, desperate for medical care. Right then, God touched our hearts and we felt called to be a part of this ministry.
We have accepted positions onboard the Africa Mercy. Matt will work as the Program Security Officer. In this position, he will oversee all security for off-ship functions. Denise will initially work as a Steward, likely either in food service or housekeeping.
In September 2012, we began our training with a one-week orientation session at the International Operations Center (IOC) in Lindale, Texas. In January 2013, we will leave our home and travel back to the IOC to participate in a five-week comprehensive training session. Then, it's off to the Africa Mercy, currently docked in Conakry, Guinea. We have committed to two years of service on the ship.
We are strongly committed to the mission of Mercy Ships, "Bringing Hope and Healing to the World's Forgotten Poor."
We truly value each and every one of you, whether you provide prayer support, financial support, or both. Thank you for joining us as partners in this journey. It would not be possible without you!!
We would love to hear from you, our email address is mtveite@gmail.com
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