www.plattnerfamily.com

A blast for the past

2012-02-13T07:42:00.000-08:00

Check out this picture. It is maybe from last year sometime and Erin just found it in her archives and sent it to us. It is cracking us up. It is funny on so many levels. From the little sore thumb. To the kids smiling faces. And, certainly, Drew's expression. He is such a first born. I can hear the photographer giving the instructions about holding your head just right and standing straight. I know for sure that Drew's expression is his best attempt at following all of those instructions at the same time for this picture. He is such a dutiful young man. What a guy!

The 8%

2012-02-11T07:49:00.000-08:00

I dont repost much of what I read, but this is an exception. Below is a post written by Gabe Lyons for His son's birthday. It really rocked my world. Keri has such a profound heart for Down Syndrome and her passion has melted my heart. This article is profound and needs read by the masses.

To Cade and the Eight Percent

http://www.qideas.org/blog/to-cade-and-the-eight-percent.aspx

My son Cade is a survivor.

Eleven years ago this week, Rebekah and I celebrated the birth of our first-born. Despite his Down syndrome diagnosis, we were overjoyed to welcome this new life into our family.

But not everyone welcomes children like Cade.

It’s no secret. People with Down syndrome have been targeted for extinction. In November, the New York Post heralded The End of Down Syndrome and profiled a new, safer test for pre-natal detection. Before this test was available, 92% of Down syndrome diagnoses (and many times false diagnoses) resulted in the mothers choosing to terminate their pregnancies. With these new tests, some experts foretell the end of Downs.

Why the rush to rid the world of people like Cade?

Certainly, it isn’t because his disability physically threatens anyone. Rather, Down syndrome children pose a different kind of threat to society—the in your face reminder that our aspirations for “perfection” may be flawed. People like Cade disrupt normal. Whether it’s his insistence that everyone he says “hello” to on the busy streets of Manhattan respond in-kind or his unfiltered ability to hug a lonely, wheelchair-bound, homeless man without hesitation: people like Cade bring new dimension to what normal ought to be.

I’ve been encouraged to see several pop-culture venues putting on display just how normal children like Cade—and the surviving 8%—really are.

I was surprised and delighted when I opened a Nordstrom catalog a few months back and saw a young boy with Downs syndrome posing as a model for children’s clothes. No mention or special attribution was made of it. But there he was, hanging with a few other boys, included as one of the gang. The way things ought to be.

Then again, last month, dozens of major news outlets picked up this story line when the same young model was included in the latest Target ad campaign. One father and advocate, Rick Smith, took the story viral when he posted 5 Things Target Said Without Saying Anything on his blog.

Only two weeks ago on the popular show Glee, a sixteen-year old girl with Down syndrome was portrayed beautifully. Her character showed life as a high school teenager, a member of the cheerleading squad dealing with the pressures of modern teen life. During the episode, you could hear her internal thoughts playing out as the writers took a bold step forward in portraying how it might feel to walk in her shoes.

But these public displays of inclusion are only part of how we counter the extinction of those with Down syndrome.

Why do the majority of expectant parents determine not to carry these pregnancies to full term?

Fear.

Fear of the unknown.
Fear that life will never look the same.
Fear that they won’t have what it takes day to day.
Fear that they themselves, won’t be accepted.

We—as humans—feel ill equipped to handle life-altering uncertainty. If we could see the future, we’d do everything we could to keep things safe. Yet it also seems that when we can control the future, we don’t do well. In the case of prenatal diagnosis, when we catch a glimpse of the predicted future, nine out of ten times we choose not to permit the adventure of life with a Down syndrome child! We buy into the utopian lie that we know what’s best for ourselves and for this world.

This is where community comes in. Mothers, Fathers, family members and friends need each other to come alongside and encourage that the Creator has a full intention for this life. To use this story to challenge our understanding of what it truly means to be human. To dispel our temptation to control, preserve order and protect a superficial version of what a perfect family must be.

When our second and third children were en utero, Rebekah and I were highly encouraged to do prenatal screenings; but we politely declined. While we knew we had the highest odds of repeating a Down syndrome birth, it made no difference to us. A life was a life. On our worst days, we focused on the fear of the unknown. On our best days, we focused on trusting God to give us the strength to parent whomever’s life we were about to be given the privilege of stewarding.

So, why should you care about a Down syndrome diagnoses? This isn’t just about Down syndrome. It’s about our understanding of the common good.

The historic definition of the “common good” is the most good for all people. But today this definition has a competitor called the “public interest.” In this presupposed progressive view, the most good for the most people is all that matters. Only one word changed but the implications are enormous. A commitment to the common good demands we value the elderly, the disabled, the unborn and those unlike us. It’s an old, rooted conception being lost on a generation consumed with progress.

We must allow life in our world that doesn’t follow our scripted narrative.
We must have the courage to choose that which is good over what is convenient.

Our fellow citizens have fought hard to encourage and protect diversity and acceptance in our society. We wear political correctness as a badge of honor; but the rising statistics of pregnancies terminated after a Downs syndrome diagnosis reveal the hypocrisy of our celebration. We see equality as sameness and diversity in shades of color. We embrace differences when they fall within our market-driven, politically correct framework but rarely when they disrupt our status quo. When a fetus is diagnosed with Down syndrome and the mother chooses not to carry the child to term, more is lost than her future inconvenience and fear. The world loses another soul in its greater body.

What would you do if you were faced with this challenge? If you had an unplanned pregnancy over the age of 35 and a prenatal test showed that your child might be a candidate for Downs, how would you and your spouse face this decision? Would you be open to a new kind of perfection? One that disrupts your current life, but that could bring a deeper meaning you’d never imagined. All this because you walked with courage into the unknown.

Cade’s life, and those like his, offers an alternative view of the good life.

These individuals alter career paths and require families to work together.
They invite each of us to engage, instead of simply walking by.
They love unconditionally, asking little in return beyond a simple acknowledgement.
They celebrate the little things in life, and displace the stress that bogs most of us down.
They seem to understand what true life is about, more than many of us.
They offer us the opportunity to truly value all people as created equal.

Happy Birthday Cade! I’m so grateful that God let us be your parents. You’ve changed us in ways we would have never changed ourselves. You’ve given us permission to measure loving kindness over productivity. You’ve offered us a glimpse of God’s grace while shattering our preconceived ideas of what is most important. We love you!

Copy Cat!

2012-02-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

The other day we tried to get Truitt's 5 year old picture. From the moment I told Truitt to get his nice clothes on for the picture, his little sister went in to full "jealous mode." She lives in this mode for 83% of her life. Honestly, from their morning breakfast together in which they argue about who is using whose spoon, these guys are always jealous and fighting. So, the whining and begging for her picture started. She wanted to get her picture too and with her special dress. I hate whining, taking pictures stresses me out, and I am not a very good dad. So, minus the special dress, I gave in to the girl green with envy. So, we carved some time out of Truitt's photo shoot for her to get her pictures. And, as proof of the depths of her "jealous mode," we provide you the following pictures in which she had to copy Truitt's exact pose as to not be outdone by big brother. We died as we looked back at the pictures. This girl is something else. We love her like crazy and she makes us crazy!

Po' Boy

2012-02-07T04:52:00.000-08:00

This is Drew doing what he loves best, shooting hoops. We have mentioned this before, but Drew spends at least an hour everyday on his basketball court dreaming of epic games. After we got the new hoop, we never had a real basketball. But, we did have a very nice kids size soccer ball that worked great. It bounced well, was the perfect size, it was not too heavy, and it was soft. But, soccer balls are not made to be used as basketballs, especially not for hours on end. Therefore, the soccer ball has slowly deteriorated. First, the plastic came off the outside, then the inside foam part start crumbling, then a crack formed, and now it is barely holding itself together. I told Drew that I wanted to take a picture of the po' boy with ragged ball to engender sympathy. But, the best part of the story is that he doesnt even really know that he deserves any sympathy or that he has a trashy basketball and seems mostly content tossing his rag ball into the basket.

Wascally Wabbit!

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last year, when our school got some rabbits, we discovered a latent gift in Truitt. Not long after his first experiences feeding and watering the rabbits, he became a self-proclaimed rabbit farmer. Since then, he has always had an affinity for rabbits. So, as his birthday rolled around, we thought a rabbit would be a good gift. Here are a few pictures of Truitt meeting his new rabbit.

Meet "Silly Sally!"

And then, why not a gift themed birthday cake!

Some people just got "IT"

2012-01-31T18:05:00.000-08:00

Does she have "IT" or what?

This little girl is growing fast. She has a serious case of Jekyll and Hyde. Danae pulls this trick in which she is an absolute angel, laughing, smiling, snugly. And then, if you cross her, she can unleash this whiny, "poor me" shtick that will send shivers up your spine. This whole act wasnt helped by her recent 12 day hiatus from pooping. The constipation magnified this charade as she was dealing with the pain and discomfort. But, we are happy to report to the entire world through this the internets, that her bowels are moving again. Hello Angel!

Potty Party!

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

My wife is a genius. Daisha was "successfully" potty trained in November. She was doing great. Then, our trip to the states led to a full relapse. So, once back in Jamaica, the potty training was again in full swing. Enter the genius of the chart. Not just any chart. But, a chart of kitty stickers on a winding road to a party with a "birthday cake." Each successful trip to the bathroom added another kitty towards the cake. Daisha loves birthday cake and the thought of getting a "potty party" was enough motivation for her to do her thing. While still not batting .1000, she has been doing great and got her kitties all the way to the cake. The potty party was a great success. The festivities even involved a game of "pin the kitty on the potty." Great job Daisha!

State of the Union

2012-01-25T17:49:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night, we watched the State of the Union Address. Drew has been learning about the presidents and so it fit perfectly into his curriculum. He loved it. After it was over, we laughed about how interested he was in all the pomp and circumstance. But, for us, we saw the speech differently with our 6 year old watching. The whole speech was about the profound potential of Americans and how this potential needs to be maximized for the sake of our future. More specifically, we know that the ideas, policies, and principles being discussed are the groundwork for the society in which our 6 year old will live. In some ways it was encouraging and exciting, in many ways it was depressing and scary. And, the ultimate reality is that no matter how we feel as we consider the future of our country, it doesnt change our simple responsibility to "Trust and Obey."

Happy Birthday Truitt!!!

2012-01-22T05:40:00.000-08:00

5 YEARS OLD!!!

Sanctification Defined?

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Sanctification is the art of getting used to justification. -- Gerhard Forde

I am not sure exactly what that means or if it is entirely true. But, it is profoundly memorable and provoking enough to bear fruit. Here are my initial reactions:
1 - It paints a picture of sanctification as a process primarily driven by the work already completed in us through the cross.
2 - The words "getting used to" describe well the feeling in me of my fleshing rising up in rebellion against the Spirit.
3 - And, the word "art" presupposes a joy in the journey that is invaluable.
I read this quote for the first time this evening and I am guessing that I will be ruminating on it over the coming days. I hope that it similarly provokes you.

Covenant Team

2012-01-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

This team is from Little Rock, Arkansas. We have hosted them several times before and the fun never stops with this crew. The team has some real characters. They focus on good fellowship and great work. Thanks Covenant!

A few Holiday Pics

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

We didnt post anything through the holidays. We primarily blog for Grandma. We were with Grandma alot through the holidays and therefore we didnt need to post. Anyways, we know that Grandmas love pictures and so here are a few from our time in the states. Click here for the pics.

Let the fun begin

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

We are picking up our first team today. As we have said a million times before, teams are an absolute paradox in our lives. We love teams. There is some powerful blessings that come from a community of people going on a trip to work together. It is exciting to be able to watch those blessings come and get to experience that alongside the teams with whom we work. And then, there is the other side. The grind. The hellos and goodbyes. Too much free stuff. The ups and downs. The influence. And the list goes on. We are ready. Prayerfully, we hope we are more ready than we have ever been to deal with and manage both the blessings and the struggle. Here we go!

We are crazy!

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

When our heads hit our pillows Monday evening, we had one thought clamoring through our brains. "We are crazy!" We had just finished a grueling session of packing. We had chosen a budget airline which limited us to 40lbs/bag instead of 50lbs and this curveball had struck us out. Our alarm was set for 4 hours later to wake up and hit the road to arrive in Chicago by 4am. Is that enough justification for our "crazy" certification? The early morning wake up and trip actually went very well. After arriving, we entered phase 2 of the trip towards crazy. We had 5 checked, 5 carry-ons, and 4 kids and the only effective way to navigate the lines at the airport was to go the way of the inchworm. Again, slow and steady won the race and we made it to our airplane with no time to spare. It was all "sailing" from there. The kids actually did great on the airplanes and the flights went smooth. After arriving in Jamaica completely sane, we made it through a long wait at immigration and went to collect our bags only to find one missing. While walking over to the baggage desk, I saw a bag near the desk that looked like ours. I walked up to check it out and the baggage person said, "I dont think that is your bag." I said, "you are right, but I have one that looks very similar and I cant find it." Then, the light bulb went off in his head, the lady whose bag remained had taken my bag. He was able to get her number and call her. He asked her to turn around back to the airport to return our bag for hers. So, we still dont know where she was when she turned around, but we waited for more than an hour. But, we finally got our bag, made the 2 hour drive home, and celebrated a day of answered prayer. Smooth and safe travels. Amen! And, the cherry on top was our teammates having a meal prepared for us in our fridge. Praise the Lord.

Back to Work!!!

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

We are flying today. Doing that "4 kids on the airplane" routine. Back to work. Our time in the states is a critical part of our work. It is simply a very different part of the work. Connecting with family and friends is critically important and a real blessing to us. But, it generally requires us living an unusual lifestyle. Its a doubled edged sword. We wouldnt trade it, but it is not sustainable. Therefore, we are ready to get back to work. We are excited to connect again with our team and friends in Jamaica. Please join us in praying for safe and smooth travels.

Blog on Christmas Break!!!

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

We will not be writing for the remainder of December. Please check back on January 3rd, 2012. We hope everyone has a great Christmas season remembering the birth of our Savior! Praise the Lord!

November Update

2011-12-12T07:29:00.000-08:00

This may be a stretch, but hear me out. The great commission recorded by the Apostle John reads in short, “As the Father has sent me, so send I you.” We know this means we are likewise sent into incarnational ministry through discipleship and proclamation. But, those characteristics of His sentness are representative of the last 3 years of Jesus life. What about the years before His ministry began, are there any facts from His “sentness” before His public ministry that are relevant to our lives. Are we sent in any way as He was sent as we consider His arrival as a baby? Are we sent in any way in reflection of His preparation for ministry as a young adult? What does His being sent and spending 30 years before ministry have to do with our being sent? I am not sure. But, I do know a few things that help. I do know He came humbly. I am sure He came in Love. I know His being sent was a radical expression of Grace. As a spiritual baby, I experience the transition from milk to meat and I know that isn’t easy. I know being sent involves a profound preparation that often feels like a little baby learning to walk. I am guessing these things that I “know” are just scratching the surface of understanding how profound our sending resembles His coming. This advent season, I think there is a wealth of grace to be mined from His expression of love towards us in His coming in a manger. May we walk together with Him considering this grace on us.

Our month of November went by fast as we anticipated our return trip to the states. November was a largely normal month highlighted by several special events. The first weekend in November our entire church was invited to a neighboring deaf church for a special service. Everyone loaded up in buses and trekked to the next parish for a “Harvest of Praise.” It was a blessing to see so many of our deaf friends gathered for such an event. The next week, we had our annual fall cookout for our team. This was a time for our team to get together and have a “wiener roast.” This is always a good time of fun, food, and laughter. The next big event was the 2^nd annual deaf sports day. Hundreds of deaf from all over the island come to our town for a day of soccer, basketball, running, etc. It is a big day with lots of fellowship. After sports day, we held our Thankgiving. Our team, some friends, and another missionary couple celebrated Thanksgiving together. This was again a celebration of God’s goodness shared with friends.

Lord Willing, we will be spending the month of December in the states. We look forward to time with family and friends. We anticipate flying back to Jamaica on the 3^rd of January. Hopefully, we will see many of you during this time. Thanks so much for your continued support and prayers.

Good Travels

2011-12-01T18:38:00.001-08:00

We had a good day of travels. The kids did great on the airplanes with only minor battles traversing lines, terminals, and security in Chicago. We hit the ground running. After a short nights sleep we set out on our marathon.

Thursday:
Breakfast - Kirk's brothers
Lunch - G-pa/G-ma Kaebs
Dinner - Keri's brothers
Friday:
Breakfast - G-pa/G-ma Kaebs
Lunch - G-pa/G-ma Plattners
Dinner - Peoria
Saturday:
Breakfast - G-pa/G-ma Plattners
Lunch - Kirk' Brothers
Dinner - Tremont

And the story goes on.

Traveling Mercies!!!

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

We are traveling today! Thanks for your prayers as we venture from MoBay to Chicago and then from Chicago on to Bloomington, IL. The munchkins are excited. The kids usually do well in the airports and on the plane, but every trip is an adventure. To God be the Glory!

Lets Talk Turkey!!!

2011-11-29T07:59:00.000-08:00

We have never roasted a Turkey. Actually, I am not sure either of us have ever even helped someone else roast a Turkey and therefore we had no idea what we were doing. We hadnt even planned on doing a Turkey. Turkeys are not real plentiful and while we like it, for us it is not necessary for a Thanksgiving dinner. But, a friend had grown some Turkeys and asked us if we wanted to buy one for Thanksgiving. We decided to get a Turkey. Come to find out, it was a $100 turkey! So, we took our golden 17 pounds of Turkey goodness, did a few google searches, and dove into the process. The results are below. We took the turkey to a dinner on Saturday night with a bunch of friends. It was a nice addition to a night of sweet food and fellowship.

Keri preparing "Goldie"

Truitt posing by her golden goodness!

The family's best "CaveMan" impersonations with one of her golden drumsticks

Chicken Little

2011-11-25T08:56:00.000-08:00

warning: graphic content

Drew loves the farm. It doesnt matter if we are pulling carrots, feeding pigs, collecting eggs, or picking coffee. And, come to find out, it doesnt even matter if we are butchering chickens. The last few times we have butchered chickens, Drew has asked to be involved. Every time, I had told him "no" as I was unsure if he was ready for the "facts of life." But, this time, he convinced me. So, several weeks back Drew learned the process of how to butcher a chicken and he has been begging to do it again. He did a good job. At the beginning, he had big eyes and a tepid spirit. But, I think he categorized the realities of life and death and joined in the process. Below are a few pictures of the Caveman and his prey.

Dad and Drew plucking feathers

Drew showing off his plucked chicken

Checking to see if chicken little had a heart

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a weird time in Jamaica. Obviously, Thanksgiving is only an American holiday and so we have none of the pomp surrounding this time of year. Therefore, there are times that we lose touch with the fact that it is time for Thanksgiving. Our Jamaican friends sometimes remember and will comment about eating Turkey or say "Happy Thanksgiving," but beyond that there are no reminders. We are planning a big meal with our team here, but it isnt the same. But, as we always say on Thanksgiving day, the giving of thanks is not bound by dates and it certainly is not bound by geography. So, with no chill in the air, no driving to an uncles house, and no national holiday, we will be giving Thanks. We are joining you in giving praise to our Lord who is worthy.

"Jamaican Idol"

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

A good friend of our family is in an "American Idol" competition with her school choir. They have made it to the final 5. Every Thursday, the competition happens on a show called "All Together Sing" in which local high school choirs compete. The show is complete with text voting and judges. We thought you might enjoy checking out her school choir. The competition involves doing songs in different categories. The first video is a gospel selection and our friend is the young lady on the far right of the second row. The second video below is a Jamaican folk song and our friend is the 3rd girl back in the right row of girls. We hope they continue to do well. Enjoy!

Best Friend

2011-11-19T06:56:00.000-08:00

This is Lauren. She has been working at CCCD as a "short-termer" for the past 10 weeks. From the first time Truitt met Lauren, he has called her "best friend." For the longest time, he didnt even know her name and would only refer to her as "best friend." If he heard her voice outside or the door open to her apartment, his eyes would light up and say, "that is my best friend." We still dont know why he started calling her "best friend" from the moment they met, but maybe it was prophetic. They became good friends. Actually, she became a good friend to all of us. She has been a friend to us and has served our family in different ways. Her primary role at CCCD was working with several of our special needs students. She served by giving them focused attention and special time outside the classroom. Lauren is flying home today and she will be missed. Please say a prayer with us for her safe travels and "re-entry" back into life in America. We thank God for her service here and pray that He will bless her journey.

A Recipe for Disaster

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Allow me to explain this confusing picture. This is a picture of what you get when you pack determined focus, a competitive spirit, and mathematical prowess all in one little 6 year old boy. These ingredients are a recipe for disaster. As we have stated many times before, Drew loves numbers. He loves talking about numbers, he loves hearing about numbers, and he loves doing math. For example, a simple statement like, "It will take 5 years to finish that job," and the boy will be off and running with questions about why it wont take 4 years and you could fulfill all his dreams by converting that length of time into days. Anyways, you combine that mathematical prowess with a competitive spirit and the trouble begins to brew. Now, any competition that involves numbers is dreamland. A basketball game in which we shoot both 2 point shots and 3 point shots is great as it involves a nice competition and great math problems. Now add to our concoction a uniquely determined focus. The boy can really zero his brain around one thing and he is captive. So, why is this a recipe for disaster? Because, the result of these ingredients when mixed with a dad who likes sports is a manic little 6 year old sports fan. It doesnt matter the sport, just put a set of numbers on a screen which represent a competition and he is hooked. As a result of our limited access to sporting events, all it takes is a couple of numbers on a website updating to captivate his attention. It doesnt matter the sport or the teams although he has began to gravitate towards his dad's allegiances. This is where the above picture becomes more clear. One morning a little while back, Keri went in to Drew's room before he was awake and was aghast that there was some writing all over his chest. She called me, but I had no idea what it was and I said, just snap a picture. Then, after Drew woke up, it all became clear. While trying to get to sleep the night before, his focused little fanatic brain decided to write in marker on his chest his favorite teams. We couldnt believe it. The top marking is "Chi," presumably for the Chicago Bears. The next is "ILL" and represents all sports at the University of Illinois. The bottom hieroglyphic is "Card" in representation of the St. Louis Cardinals. This was over the top. Oh, the stories go on and maybe we will add some more later, but this was just too good to pass up. We are actually to the point now in which we are beginning to implement some measures to cool his jets. But, in the meantime, his adding skills by 2, 3, and 7 are becoming increasingly deft.

October 2011 Update

2011-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

October 2011 Plattner Family Update

The word of God is powerful and wields that power in so many ways. But, there is a certain shock value in those specific scriptures in which our Righteous God is brought into clear contrast with ridiculous humans. It is these scriptures that our hearts might glide over when we are on a mountain of self-righteousness, but in a valley of humility they shock our soul. This recently happened to us with a scripture that I am certain we have read many times before, but this time it began dividing the thoughts and intents of our heart. We have alluded to our family struggling through some things over the past months and in the midst of that malaise, this powerful encouragement has lifted our hearts. It was the apostle Paul, in conclusion of some very important but intricate teaching. I am guessing Paul was certain that our flesh would confuse this teaching and struggles would ensue. Therefore, I think he finished this teaching with a doxology to focus our hearts back on the central issue and proclaimed the following statement/questions. Consider the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! His ways are above our ways! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been His Counselor? Does He owe us? For of Him, through Him, and to Him are all things. It is all about His glory!

The clarity from this encouragement helped bring our October into perspective. We were blessed by a team from the states in the beginning of October. The team came to deliver shoes to our students. They washed each students feet and gave them a new pair of shoes. The rest of the month of October was spent working around the school. On Saturdays, several kids, a local volunteer, and some of us who were available have been putting new tile down in our workteam dorm. This has been a great learning experience for all of us. The farm continues to roll on and the work is never finished. Coffee harvest has begun and we reaped a hundreds of pounds of carrots. The rainy season continues to shape our days and we are thankful for the rain.

The month of October is a month of celebration for our family. We celebrated Keri’s birthday, our anniversary, and the anniversary of our move to Jamaica. Keri’s birthday was a time to celebrate all that she is and what she means to our family. Our anniversary was celebrated with a day to the beach. We had a quiet day exploring Jamaica’s south coast, topped off with a pizza over a sunset. Then, just a few days later, we remembered 4 years of living in Jamaica. If the calendar didn’t confirm it, we would never believe it. Time marches on and our brains can’t seem to catch up. And, when we consider the blessings and faithfulness we have witnessed, we are in even greater awe. To God be the Glory!

Our family continues to do well. The kids are growing fast and we continue to experience many “firsts.” We are looking forward to a trip home to the states in late November. Our plan is to arrive back in time to celebrate and witness my brothers wedding. We rejoice with him in the work God is doing in his life and in the foundation of faith being built into his new family. After the wedding, we are anticipating time with family and friends coupled with a getaway and many Christmas gatherings. It is our goal to see and connect with many of you and we look forward to the fellowship. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to see if our schedules can match. Thanks again for all your prayer and support.

A Weekend Away

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, we went down to Montego Bay for a funeral. It is always a tough trip for our family and so we decided that if we are going, we will stay the night. The kids had been begging to go swimming and so we got a hotel. We had a great afternoon of swimming capped off by a pizza for supper. The kids were even up early in the morning to go swimming before church. The trip went well and great memories were made!

A Harvest of Praise

2011-11-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, all three deaf churches on the island got together for a special service. Deaf Bible Church in St. Elizabeth hosted the gathering, while New Life Church in Manchester and Calabar Deaf Fellowship in Kingston closed their doors to travel to St. Elizabeth. We loaded up a bus and 2 vans and trekked to St. Elizabeth. The service was good as different people did special songs and testimonies. It was exciting to see hundreds of deaf gathered together for encouragement and fellowship. One of the major assets of the community is that they are very interconnected. It is our prayer that the gospel takes root and utilizes that interconnectedness to permeate the deaf community. The day also provided a reminder of the hundreds of deaf adults not represented who have no access to christian fellowship as this gathering essentially represented the entirety of the adult deaf outreach in Jamaica. The day was blessed and we gave thanks.

Free Church?

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Children are a parents most honest critics. So, we are going to have to review our strategy for teaching our kids the principle of giving at church. We realized this the other week when Truitt came home and said, "Sunday school was free today, I didnt even have to pay."

Ummmm, back to the drawing board.

We don't do Halloween

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

We dont really have any soapboxes to stand on, we just dont do halloween. Actually, I can distinctly remember our first halloween after we got married. We were in our new house in Leo and halloween was not in the plans. As the trick or treating started, we turned off all the lights and hunkered down inside of our dark house so that nobody would ring our doorbell. And, the shameful part is that when they did ring the doorbell, we didnt even answer the door. How weird would it be for us to answer the door of a entirely dark house. Anyways, halloween is just not our thing and it was not on our radar as they dont really do Halloween in Jamaica. So yesterday, we were reminded that it was halloween and the issue came up at the supper table. We discussed it around the table as a family and then in 5 minutes, we had each kids costume ready and a trip to Erin's, our neighbor, planned. I ran ahead to warn her and to offer her candy in case she had none. The kids were ready and Erin was willing. So, our "little mommy," our "baseball player," and our "Jamaican farmer" were ready for their candy conquest and they were victorious. How cute is that crew?

Who stole October?

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

October is a big month around here.
8th - Keri's Birthday
17th - Our anniversary
20th - The anniversary of our move to Jamaica
And, its gone! But, we believe in remembrance. We believe in recalling our God's faithfulness and we can do that with the month of October. It didnt necessarily get much easier than September as "storms" have continued to swirl around our family. But, His Steadfast love has kept us in profound ways. Discouragement has hit us like a truck, but encouragement has followed like a train. We give thanks as we remember His mercy!

A taste of Home!

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

We had some friends from Jamaica who recently took a trip through central Illinois. While there, they connected with our parents. An autumn connection with our parents can only mean one thing, a taste from home. Some cider donuts for that taste of fall and the classic "monster" cookies just because they help the world go around. As you may have heard us say before, fall may be the hardest season to miss. Obviously, we have summer here all the time, spring is special but we can deal with it, and winter is great but it just gets so long. The crisp air, the sweet apples, the colors, a wiener roast, they all escape us. But, a little taste of home is a nice band-aid.

Beautiful Naivete

2011-10-25T19:37:00.000-07:00

Our "house" has bars covering every window, the realities of crime and thievery are ever-present. Tonight, as the boys were going to bed, they were listening to the story of the Good Samaritan. In processing the concept of robbers, Drew asked, "are there still robbers today?" Wow, what beautiful innocence!

Danae Grace

2011-10-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

The other day, Erin took these great pics of Danae. They really capture Danae, how big she is getting and how beautiful. She is 5 months old. Click HERE for some other pics of the happenings over the past couple of months.

Before/After

2011-10-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Before

After

Today marks our 4 year anniversary in Jamaica. We committed to stay here for 2 years and somehow I think we lost count. Wow, how things have changed! The first picture was taken not long before we left for Jamaica, a happy, clueless, blessed, anxious, committed, naive, passionate family of 4. The second picture was taken very recently, a happy, even more clueless, blessed, anxious, somewhat committed, not quite as naive, passionate family of 6. The most natural inclination is to look at the before/after picture and only see the 2 additional kids, 100 additional white hairs, and 10 extra pounds. But, what about the inside? What has changed? If I could only show you a picture of how we have changed on the inside. Actually, I am not sure I would show you that picture, it may be uglier than the addition of white hair and extra pounds. But, I am convinced that in the midst of the potential ugliness of that picture, their would be some beautiful streaks. Not of our doing, but of the Lord working in our lives. In the changing, wrecking, tweaking, and crushing, you would find beauty. We honestly cant believe that we are here 4 years later and there are certainly times that we are not too happy about it. Then, there are other days that we wouldn't want to be any place else in the world. It has not been easy, but it has been good. We have had these conversations with God, we have shared our disappointments and we have shared our thanksgiving. We praise the Lord for His faithfulness and steadfast love.

September Update

2011-10-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

Plattner Family Update -- September

We believe in monthly updates. We really do. I know it may not feel like it as we send out a September update on the 19^th of October. But, we believe they are valuable. We are convinced of their importance as a duty and we try to do them in delight. In duty, we believe that we have an obligation to everyone who so faithfully supports us. As an act of accountability we believe we are supposed to be reporting to all who are praying. We believe in the power of communicated needs and cumulative support. We feel a duty to write of our journey. On the other hand, we delight in reporting God’s faithfulness. No, we don’t always feel this as sometimes these feelings evade us and hide behind life’s little rankles. But, we believe in His faithfulness and enjoy praising His name. And, we delight in the fact that as we approach 4 years in Jamaica, we should have close to 48 updates that record the life and times of our experiences. There is value in reflection and these updates should provide us a “memoir” of sorts on which to reflect. We believe in monthly updates.

Well, as we said, September was a long time ago and its kind of hard to remember such ancient history! But, we know that school started in September and normalcy came back into our life. The students have slowly trickled back to school over the past month. It has been great getting into the swing of school and seeing the kids again. Kirk is back working on the farm with the kids. The work thus far has been focused on getting some vegetables in the ground. We have some cabbage, callaloo, sweet potatoes, pak choy, and tomatoes starting to grow. September saw Keri putting on her teaching hat and spending her morning sitting at the table with Drew. This is a huge responsibility and opportunity and we pray that God can use this formative time in helping our kids build a strong foundation for faith. We have also had the opportunity to teach the weekend chapels at school. Our hearts continue to be very burdened for the students as we witness them copycatting the lives by which they are surrounded. We see a loss of hope, a lack of vision, and a misunderstanding of God’s word. We pray for the students and ask you to pray with us.

Our family is doing well. September saw Drew starting 1^st grade. He is mostly being home schooled and continues to do well. He loves to learn and is very self-motivated. Truitt started school at CCCD. Similar to what Drew had done, Truitt is in a deaf classroom for 2 hours every morning. He doesn’t learn the same way as Drew, but he has been growing by leaps and bounds. Truitt’s level of confidence over the past month has doubled. For some reason, I think he finally understands that it is acceptable for him not to be Drew. It is really exciting. Daisha often sits at home in the morning waiting for her “Teecha.” She is convinced that she needs to have everything the same as the boys. Therefore, she believes that our helper, Claudine, is her teacher. It is hilarious and her schoolwork involves trying to figure out how to use the potty. She is special. Danae continues to grow fast. Besides a day here and there where she becomes convinced that the world is out to get her, she is a good baby. She is happy, smiley, and loves her siblings. While we still sometimes have to stop in our tracks when think about the fact that we have 4 children, we are profoundly blessed.

We continue to appreciate your loving support. Our school, CCCD, has been going through some very difficult times. Leadership transitions and financial struggles were front and center through the month of September. It has been difficult watching the turmoil swirl around us. We continue to ask for your prayers as we continue to seek wisdom through these difficulties. The “whys” have come easy during these times. But, at the same time, we have learned many lessons and continue to ask the Lord for understanding and clarity. Thanks for joining with us in prayer.

Every Day is a Gift

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

You know the adage, "Every day is special, a gift we have been given, make the most of it." Its absolutely true! We believe it and try to live it. But, some days are extra special. The 17th of October is one of those days. Its our anniversary! We are absolutely convinced that our Lord has blessed our relationship in purposeful ways. We believe that our relationship is for the purpose of bringing Him glory. It is a blessing meant to bless. It is our prayer that the light of His love flows through our lives and specifically the life we share. So, for 7 years, we have been learning what this looks like and how this works. It is a high calling. We need grace and we give thanks.

A couple of years ago, for our 5 year anniversary, I made a little slideshow of pictures. I thought it might be worth resurrecting for this year. The memories are sweet. The joy of sharing life everyday!

Cultural Differences!!!

2011-10-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

This is a holiday weekend. Heroes day is on Monday. Jamaica has designated national heroes which are people who have helped advance Jamaica politically and socially. Friday morning, the school had an assembly to commemorate and celebrate these heroes. In the midst of one of the presentations, a certain political party affiliation began to be flaunted. You see, in Jamaica, party affiliation is a big deal. You pick "republican" or "democrat" and then you show your support through wearing certain colors, using specific hand signs, or celebrating certain leaders. And, to add to this fervor, it is almost election time in Jamaica and the parties are beginning to campaign. The rhetoric is thick. So, when this issue came up in the assembly, chaos broke loose. From teachers to students, everyone began screaming and taunting in support of their particular party. Well, not everyone, there happened to be two little Americans sitting oblivious in the front row. Erin was sitting in the back and captured a great picture of Drew and Truitt. If you know Drew and Truitt, you know this is antithetical to everything they appreciate. So, as the picture paints, these two little boys are covering their ears from the deafening noise and sitting still to try to avoid being casualties of the chaos swarming around them. Ahhhhh, beautiful cultural differences.

A new bath tub!

2011-10-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Who knew that you can go through bath tubs like clothes? Well, its true. Daisha has recently outgrew her old bath tub and hand-me-downed it to Danae. You can see it on the left in the picture below. She has now graduated to a new tub in which she almost has enough room to swim laps. Ok, maybe that is a stretch. In fact, by looking at the second picture, you could guess that her newer tub has not delivered on its promises of grandeur. What a peanut!

To a Mother of 5.6 kids

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

I had this birthday post written for Keri before Saturday, but had not got it posted before Keri wrote her own. So, not to waste a post, enjoy Keri's birthday message Kirk style.

I dont think you understand! I really dont! I am not even sure I can explain it to you or if I should even try. Its just one of those things that is difficult to put into words. Keri is special, unique! I am not just talking about the fact that we have had 4 kids in 7 years. Or how we moved to Jamaica. Not even how we have lived out of suitcases for probably more than a year of our marriage. I am talking about the day in and day out. Loving. Serving. Giving. Recently, I was doing some thinking. On any given day when I come in from work, their is a potential for at least 3 extra kids to be at our house. So, doing some simple math, adding up the hours each of those kids live at our house and dividing it into a normal week, it is very reasonable to consider Keri the mother of 5.6 kids. Of course, the 4 biological ones are always around, but we must add in the 1.6 kids whose presence is felt day in and day out of a normal week. This is alongside the fact that she teaches Drew at home, deals with a difficult husband, and opens her home often to neighbors. I am not presuming that she does it in her own power, but by the Grace of our God, She is brilliant. An exemplary wife, loving mother, and compassionate friend. It is her birthday today. Her wisdom and beauty is becoming increasingly refined by the day. Happy Birthday Keri! We love you, cherish you, and celebrate you today! Praise the Lord!!!!

What a gift!

2011-10-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, turning 32 isn't so bad.
In fact it was GREAT!
My husband promised to lock me (with only Danae) in my bedroom for the ENTIRE morning!
I never use to understand what was so exciting about BREAKFAST IN BED.
4 kids later, I UNDERSTAND!

This was 3 full hours of SWEET Soul Care time...a longer than usual shower, uninterupted prayer and Bible study, chapel preparation, and a hot cup of tea.

I'M FEELING GOOD!

Thank you, Lord, for these sweet moments. Thank you, Kirk, for this sacrifice of love..it was a wonderful gift.

Tragedy and Triumph

2011-10-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

We have a small team visiting from the states. The team is primarily made up of deaf people and they have a strong passion to minister to the kids. So, the team helped with Wednesday night chapel. Several from the team shared testimonies and I couldn't believe what I was seeing as this women told her story. She was born hard of hearing but functioned in a completely hearing world with the assistance of hearing aids. She was a teacher working at a school district in Texas. Then, through an illness/accident, she suddenly lost all of her hearing. Simply while she was teaching, she noticed her hearing evaporate. She explained how by the end of the day, her coworkers and students were coming up to her and talking to her, but she had no idea what they were saying. While she was not afraid of the deafness, the social transition was extremely difficult. As she was dealing with the illness and the sudden loss of her hearing, another tragedy struck. Her school district was having a special dinner to honor their administrators at a local restaurant named Luby's. It was October 16, 1991 and she was supposed to join her colleagues for lunch, but couldnt because of the recent illness. It was that day at that restaurant at that time that 21 of her colleagues were killed in a massacre by a crazed gun man. Her friends and her coworkers were gone, but why not her. She was thrown into this struggle. This resulted in an extended period of her life in which she was simply angry with God. She packed all of her things in her car and just drove around the country. But, through this time, her Savior continued to pursue her with loving gentleness. Her face beamed as she expressed the wonder and amazement of His mercy on her life. The pain from recounting the experiences was still evident as scars remained, but I also witnessed profound healing through her testimony. Give Praise to our God!

Here is a little excerpt from the Wikipedia page about the massacre:
The Luby's massacre was a mass murder that took place on October 16, 1991, in Killeen, Texas, United States when George Hennard ″Jo Jo" ^[1] drove his pickup truck into a Luby's cafeteria and shot 23 people to death while wounding another 20, subsequently committing suicide by shooting himself. It was the deadliest shooting rampage in American history until the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.

Woman of Faith

2011-10-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of our family recently passed. This is not the mourning kind of passing, but a rejoicing of a seasoned saint going home. For us, it all started one Sunday after church, Drew was a baby and Imogene asked to hold him. She held him for a short time. This short interaction made us fast friends. She has always lived with her sister Lavada, and they both loved Drew. Subsquently, they fell in love with Truitt as well and likewise, our appreciation for them also grew. Even up through our most recent time in the states, they loved catching up with Drew and even holding Danae. These were faithful ladies. They are a part of a small cadre of elderly ladies in our home church who are exceptional women of faith. These ladies live out an active faith in so many ways. They were always supportive and prayerful. May God grant Lavada peace in the passing of her sister. We thank the Lord for the Imogene's testimony of faith in our lives.

IMOGENE L. STIEGLITZ

IMOGENE L. STIEGLITZ, 85, passed away Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, at The Cedars. Born in McLean County, Ill., she worked as a registered nurse with Parkview Hospital for 22 years, retiring in 1995. She was a member of Leo Apostolic Christian Church, The Cedars Auxiliary, and Parkview Methodist Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association. She enjoyed gardening, reading, visiting friends throughout the years, and being with her family. Surviving are her brothers, Oliver J. (Emma Jean) Stieglitz, George H. (Joyce) Stieglitz, both of Harlan; sisters, Eleanor R. Strahm of Leo, Lavada L. Stieglitz of Woodburn; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by parents, George and Elizabeth (Schwartz) Stieglitz; brothers, Harold, Russel, Marvin, and Morris Stieglitz; and sister, Lenora M. Sorg. Service is 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011, at Leo Apostolic Christian Church, 11714 Grabill Road with calling one hour prior. Ministers Lynn and Steve Stieglitz officiating. Additional calling from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011 at D.O. McComb & Sons Maplewood Park Funeral Home, 4017 Maplecrest Road, Burial in Leo Cemetery, Leo-Cedarville, Ind. Memorials to Gateway Woods or The Cedars in Leo, Ind.

For My Sister - Kasey

2011-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Actually, Keri's sister, but since we are one, then I guess she is just as much my sister. Anyways, I love my sister Kasey. She lives out her faith as the mother of two beautiful girls and a counselor to many others. She is bright and funny, always up for a good laugh or a good cry. But, Kasey has one problem, she is not convinced of my love for her. To say that she is slightly more gregarious and extroverted than Keri is a more than fair statement. Thus, there has been this consistent undercurrent such that since I am madly in love with Keri and who she is, then I must have less then fond feelings for her more charismatic sister. Anyways, in spite of the lack of truth surrounding this idea, it has transformed in to a sort of on-going joke. So, to make a short story long, I sometimes needle and prod with ongoing jokes to magnify the absurdity. Not long ago, at a family gathering, I took another shot that is the point of this story. Kasey is a fine cook with an appreciation for gourmet food. Thus, I see it as my obligation in this situation to play the yokel, meat and potatoes, brother-in-law. As the story goes, one evening while the family was preparing dinner, Kasey made a comment about making some Pico De Gallo. In playing the yokel, I made some kind of "pico De What" comment or a "dont you go puttin none of that fancy schmancy on my food" kind of comment. Thus, Pico De Gallo became an on going joke exacerbating this goofiness that Kirk is annoyed with Kasey. Anyways, the other day, I heard a song that was the perfect peace offering to the hilarity of the Pico De Gallo saga. The song is at this link and is the first of the songs available at the bottom of the post. It is called "Mexican Rhapsody." Enjoy!

Slugs and Bugs is series of kids cd's with great songs. The creators of these masterpieces are in the process of making their third CD. You can support them through their kickstarter page.

Transitions

2011-09-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Our school is going through some major transitions. During these times of transition, its hard to know whether to try to act like they are not a big deal or whether to give them their due through discussion and preparation. We are trying to figure this out. On one hand, we dont want to make a bigger deal out of the changes than needs to be made. We dont want to make the proverbial mountain from the mole hill. But, alternately, it seems as if there could be a danger in sweeping the transition under the rug and thus creating a perfect environment for problems to fester. We are learning so much and are waiting to see what the lesson is from these upcoming transitions. Ultimately, we are writing this to ask you to pray with us for our school. We need wisdom, direction, and the faith to walk in wisdom in God's direction.

With a barista like this!

2011-09-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

The kids are always begging to sell things. Always! It is hard because we dont want to come off as if we are trying to make money off of our friends who feel beholden to buy from our three gringos. So, we often say no, no, no.

But, they love it so much that we thought we would let them sell lemonade for dirt cheap on a day when only the staff were on campus. They loved it and sold all of their lemonade and brought in a whopping JA$221. Of course, with a barista like this, this business is set for success.

And, with service like this, what do you expect?

While they were happy that they got to sell lemonade, it didnt quench their entrepreneurial appetite as lemonade, cookies, rabbits, and chickens have all been recently discussed as possible ventures.

Time for School

2011-09-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Truitt is trying school! Wow, it brings a tear to our eye. This boy is growing up and is excited to be going to CCCD for school. We really see this as a coming of age thing for this prototypical 2nd child. He is dying to be his own man. Drew's shadow is stifling him. The fact that he is starting at CCCD and Drew is staying home is a badge of honor worn proudly. Really, we are still in a trial stage, but in his book, he is well on his way to adulthood. We are proud of him as he has taken it in stride. And, the uniform, well its just stinkin cute.

New Normal

2011-09-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, as you saw all of the remembrances of 9/11/01, where did they take you? What did they do to you? The thought was profound as I considered how life has changed from that moment. From those moments in which I was standing in front of my class on a Tuesday morning at my first teaching job after college to where I am today is a gap beyond comprehension. I was engaging a classroom of poorly informed, undisciplined students in whom I was trying to instill the gravity of the moment. They couldn't get it. I remember the laugh of one student in which comprehension was impossible in his movie consumed world. In his world, when the credits rolled, all was back to normal. Life was not going back to normal after we turned off the news, after the end of this day. A new normal was created. The life that has transpired in the last ten years in our little corner of the world has been lived in this new normal. Or, maybe we should call it the never normal. In my world, this involved three more years of being single and teaching, 3 years of being married and doing administration, and now 4 years of living in Jamaica. Oh, did I forget to mention the 4 kids, the moves, the laughter, the trauma, and the profound realities/joy of daily life. This is the never normal life in the midst of the new normal. We must remember! We must mourn! And, we must Rejoice!

Little Girls Grow Fast

2011-09-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

Girls are different than boys. Boys are supposed to grow up, girls are supposed to... I dont know. Its hard, they are little girls. Well, I guess there is no stopping the inevitable. Look at these beautiful girls. Wow! Praise the Lord!!

Go Illini!!

2011-09-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

You may recall a post awhile back about the pieces of furniture my husband has crafted for me. He has surprised me once more, along with his sons, with his ability to create!

This is no buy from a store here in Jamaica. They don't sell the like! In fact, that's a problem when shopping for birthday presents here. So my crafty husband surprised us all with a Illinois hoop for Drew's birthday. Kirk commented to Drew, "You'll never enjoy it as much as I did in making it."

Thanks Kirk for using your creativity and skills that God's given you!

School is in Session

2011-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

School is back in session. Its great to have the kids back on campus. Wednesday night, I had the opportunity to meet with the older kids for chapel. I asked them if any of them had were able to go to Church over the summer. Out of the 40 or so students that were in chapel, 2 were able to attend a deaf church service over the summer. A few more went to church with their families and had a family member interpret for them, but 2 were able to go to a service in their language. That in itself is a prayer request. Two months of influence by the world with no encouragement from the Word will throw most trains off the tracks. I tried to remind them of the Gospel. Jesus! Sin! The Cross! Blood! Freedom! Reconciliation!

Only by Grace!

It must be the marketing

2011-09-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

I came into the house the other day, and this is what I saw. Keri, sitting in her "schoolhouse" reading a book to the kids. Its funny though, last year, I only remember her having 2 students. This year, it seems that we have had 100% growth in our little school. I am sure the growth can only be attributed to our excellent teaching staff and a great marketing plan.

August Update

2011-09-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

Plattner Family August 2011 Update

Why should I care? What should motivate me? In our last update, I mentioned my cold heart towards the famine in the horn of Africa. Maybe it opened a can of worms, but the question still lingers regarding our responsibility to act in love to the suffering world. It was an abrupt introduction to an update and I feel some need to tie up a few of the loose ends regarding this issue. What is our obligation as ambassadors in showing the world the reconciliation found in our Father’s kingdom? I am sticking with the same premise, we should care. Why? Because He says so! Not because those pictures break our heart, although they should. Not because we have so much and they have so little, although this may make us liable. Not to be seen by others, although good works being seen will bring Him glory. But, because He says so! This does not just apply to the famine in Africa, it applies to the people and places in your life in which an ambassador is needed to show the world the blessing of His rule. His rule brings reconciliation, His kingdom brings peace, and His reign attacks the real problem, sin. It isn’t about guilt, although you should probably feel guilty, it is about obedience. Or, maybe it’s about worship, which is delighting in obedience. May God grant grace for eyes to see the places He has chosen us to represent His kingdom to this world, from the Horn of Africa to our living rooms.

We are trying to ask these questions in Jamaica. Sometimes the answers make sense; sometimes our glass is extra cloudy. August started out with us moving our family over to the Jamaica Deaf Village (approx. 30 minutes from our house) for a couple of workteams. The Huber family is currently in the states and we were filling in for 2 weeks. The kids loved it. It was like a 2 week vacation in which they had all new toys, friends next door, and work teams who are always interested in playing catch. We also enjoyed the change of scenery as our school can feel like a ghost town with no students. The teams were a blessing and we enjoyed our time at the Jamaica Deaf Village.

The week after the workteams brought two very unexpected blessings. Our hearts have beat strongly for two issues in Jamaica; the deaf church and the residential care of the students at our schools. First, we were able to attend a leadership retreat for the deaf churches in Jamaica. This was an opportunity to cast vision and take the pulse of the Deaf churches in Jamaica. It was encouraging. Then, the next week, our school gathered together all of the houseparents from all three schools. They gathered for training. I was able to attend a few of the sessions and was blessed to see investments being made in the residential care of our students. It was cool to be able to be a part of both of these events as they so closely relate to the way our heart beats for this work.

The majority of our downtime through August has been spent doing “the little things.” Dealing with auto insurance, getting vehicles serviced, working on little projects, writing updates etc. This may sound insignificant, but the smallest tasks can take a full day. One day, I took our van out to get the oil changed. I dropped it off at around 9:30am. I was told to come back and pick it up about 2pm. I arrived a little before that because that was my only ride into town. I then sat there until after 5 because it was raining off and on and the mechanic didn’t really have a garage to stay out of the rain. Frustrating, yes a little, but also encouraging as 3 years ago this may have ruined my day. I know now that this is life. Pack a book and make the best of it. Ahh, the wisdom of experience. Anyways, that has been our August.

Our family continues to experience rich blessing. Drew is starting 1st grade, Truitt is starting pre-school, Daisha already has her Masters degree in creating chaos, and Danae is trying to figure out how to make her hands go where she wants. Pretty exciting stuff. Kirk continues classes in the school of hard knocks and Keri holds us all together. The students should be arriving in the coming week and we will be ready to get back into the swing of a new school year. Praise the Lord! Thanks again for your love, support, and prayers.

Happy Birthday Drew!!!

2011-09-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

It was only after waiting approx. 5 hours for this video to upload that I realized it was not going to allow me to use the song that I had chosen. So, if you are interested in a slideshow of Drew, enjoy the video. But, it obviously loses something without a catchy, tearjerking song behind the pictures. If you have a good imagination, add it yourself, otherwise, our apologies for the silent video.

Myrmecophobia

2011-08-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

Keri's issue with ants needed a diagnosis and Myrmecophobia was as close as I could get. Its not that serious, she doesnt need medication, but it is an issue. Actually, all she needs is some liquid Terro traps and an attentive husband, but unfortunately she can only rely on the Terro traps. Its not that I like the ants, its just that there is a scripture that says we are supposed to consider them, not just kill them. And, we have the perfect laboratory in which to consider them. All we have to do is forget to clean up under the table after Daisha eats and within 15 minutes we can be fulfilling scripture left and right. So, if you have any medications or therapies that you can offer to help with Keri's Myrmecophobia, let us know.

I want to be a Grandpa

2011-08-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I cant exactly recall the conversation, but it started with Drew saying that he wanted to be a Grandpa by the time he is 30. Truitt was right along with him ready to sign up for this thing called being a Grandpa. After some questions and further investigation, we think we figured out the motive. But follow the logic carefully and remember that this is coming from 2 little boys who are convinced that heaven will be just like Grandma's house. "If I am a Grandpa, I get to live with Grandma at her house all the time." I had never thought of it that way, but I have to say, I am excited to be a Grandpa because I love living with Grandma at her house.

Trim your lamps

2011-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Let your waist be girded
Let you lamp be trimmed
Watch and be ready
Jesus showing up on the water
Through a locked door
No man knows the hour

I am reading a book by Oswald Chambers in which he references the unexpected ways of our Lord. There is a sense in which from our perspective, we must always be ready for a surprise from our Father. I am not sure if this is the right example, but I just experienced a surprise and I am thanking the Lord.

Since arriving in Jamaica, our heart has become burdened for the deaf Church in Jamaica. There are 3 official deaf churches and a new church plant. We have asked the Lord what our role is in supporting the development of these fellowships. We have tried to help in little ways and the Lord provided another little way that we had not expected.

Our desire has been to encourage deaf men to take responsibility for the leadership of these churches. We have tried to provide encouragement to some in our local deaf fellowship, but we know it is an issue across Jamaica. Last week, we learned that our local fellowship was hosting a leadership retreat for the deaf churches in Jamaica. I asked the pastor if I could join and he asked if I would be willing to share some thoughts at the retreat. A little later, I told him I was willing and he asked if I could teach a lesson to only the men on motivation for ministry. Wow, what an opportunity and what a surprise. I tried to teach the idea that the Gospel is our motivation, the simple Gospel. There were approx. 10 men there representing the 3 churches. We pray that the power of the Gospel continues to take root in each of our lives for His glory!

Check-up Time

2011-08-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

The old blog went in to see the Dr. for a little check-up. It was feeling a little sick as we had heard that some people were having difficulty accessing some content on our site. Clicking through to pictures, videos, and comments was not working. We hope the Dr. properly diagnosed our issues and the medicine will soon take effect. Please let us know if you continue to have problems.

Also, 3 months after Danae made her entrance into our family, we still hadnt updated our family picture at the top of the page. While it is not the best representation of Danae, at least she is present and accounted for as a member of our family.

Speaking of Danae, she is awesome. She is growing so fast and capturing our hearts more everyday. She has a beautiful smile and has been a very cooperative baby. I am convinced that she will be a tough little girl as she is daily being pummeled with overly-exuberant expressions of love from her big sister. We are giving thanks. Here is a picture of the little angel:

Decisions, Decisions

2011-08-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Danae is confused. She sees her sister sucking her two middle fingers and she sees her brother sucking his thumb. How do you choose? Its such an important decision. She obviously is still trying to decide as we have caught her test driving both options. Arrrgghh, decisions, decisions.

July 2011 Update

2011-08-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

My heart is hard! Its not that I want to choose hardness, its just happens. In the last two weeks, I could have told you more about the roller coaster stock market than I could have about the famine in the horn of Africa. The thought of famine, kids starving, and families being torn apart turns my brain into a merry-go-round. I process the realities of sin. That is the problem. God in his grace has allowed us enough dominion over His creation to deal with droughts, but the drought is not the only root of this famine. Other countries are having a drought, but sin is causing the famine. There is enough food, but war, power, and corruption are causing famine. It tears me up and makes me want to give up. I have no idea what to do with it, but I know I am not supposed to ignore it.

My apologies for that rough opening paragraph. It’s the middle of August and this is our July update and I thought maybe the confusion in that paragraph might allow you a glimpse as to why this is just now getting published. I have had a tough time getting thoughts to settle down onto paper, but I think it has been good for my heart.

We stopped writing updates during our time in the states. It was a blessed and much needed 4 months. Our time as a family was sweet, the fellowship we experienced in our local church was encouraging, and the arrival of Danae was a big answer to prayer.

Words fail our gratitude.

On the 15^th of July, we flew back to Jamaica. It has been good to get back into the swing of life. We are here for relationship and its been good reconnecting. Shortly after our arrival, we hosted some friends from the states who were here for our teammate’s, Blake and Tashi, wedding. It was great having visitors here for such an important occasion. After the wedding and festivities were over, we had a quiet week at home. It was great. We knew that we had some teams coming and we needed some time to get settled back into Jamaica as we had hit the ground running. We are thankful for how everything has gone upon our return.

I know we say this a lot, but we really do feel blessed beyond measure. That is not to say that the hardness of our heart doesn’t spring up into times of deception in which we begin feeling sorry for ourselves. But honestly, if we stop for just a few seconds, the joy comes back as we recognize the blessings we have received. It is our heart to not waste these blessings and we continue to ask the Lord to show us the way. This is our prayer. Thank you so much for your love, support, and prayers. We love the body of Christ! To God be the Glory!

Women (Subtle and Powerful)

2011-08-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is Drew. And, this is Drew's preferred method of swimming. His head above the water, his feet firmly planted on the ground, and everything in his control. He has always enjoyed swimming, he has just always wanted to do it on his terms. We have gently tried to coax him to put his head under water and we have practiced some swimming things, but he has been nowhere close to ready to start swimming on his own. He has started dipping his face under water, but never his whole head. He just hasnt seemed ready to learn to swim. We have been trying to leave it to his time on his terms.
And then one day everything changed and believe it or not, it was not our amazing teaching skills that brought about this revolution. I cant even believe I am typing this, but Drew's heart has been stolen by a young lady. And, this particular young lady (the girl on the right) happened to be swimming with him this day and she happened to be a fairly proficient swimmer. And, that is all it took. She began wielding her subtle, but powerful influence on this little boy's heart.
We were not even in the pool with him and we turn around and this is what we see.

We couldnt believe it.

Really, it was exciting and we had a great day swimming with our friends. And, by the looks of the picture below, we may need to start keeping an eye on Truitt as well. The young lady he has his arm around happens to be the younger sister of Drew's sweetheart. We are not ready for this!

Back at Knockpatrick

2011-08-16T17:25:00.000-07:00

We have moved back to our Knockpatrick house. We had a great couple of weeks at the Jamaica Deaf Village. The first week was a youth group, named LifeSavers, from North Carolina. They hosted a VBS at the Deaf Village for about 50-60 neighborhood kids. The 2nd week was a mixed group from Tennessee and Pennsylvania. Another great group! Honestly, the diversity of the groups we get is unreal. We hope that we can take advantage of this opportunity to interact with such diverse groups of people. There are certainly lessons to be learned and we pray for open hearts. We pray for wisdom and discernment. Praise be to God for His Grace.

20% Sleepy

2011-08-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Drew is a numbers nut. We got the kid a calculator for his birthday! He can play store all day, exchanging play money for imaginary pizza. He loves to add and he loves to subtract and recently we caught him multiplying.

Here at the Jamaican Deaf Village, they have a souvenir shop and it has been the culmination of all his dreams to be the cashier for the shop. It is opened on Tuesday and Thursday nights. He will ask 10 times between Tuesday and Thursday when he gets to open the shop again. He is living his dreams as he gives $4 change from a $20 for a t-shirt.

Last night, he put a cherry on top of the number wackiness. He never goes to sleep well and is often looking for an excuse to get out of bed to read books. So, he walks out of his room and up to Keri and says, "I am only about 20% sleepy, so can I get up and read books."

Passport in Hand

2011-08-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

Today, we got Danae's passport back from the immigration office. Sometimes its hard not to get stuck on "why?". We know He is Sovereign and in control and for that we are thankful.

Also, we finally got a few pictures uploaded from June and July. Danae is growing up, Daisha is growing more mischievous, and the boys are becoming gentlemen. Praise the Lord!

If you have trouble with the above link, please use enter the following URL into your browser: https://picasaweb.google.com/kirkkeri
Then click on the June/July Pics

Gateway Auction!!!

2011-08-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

What a tradition!!! Today was a fundraising auction for "Gateway Woods," the place that I used to work. It is a ministry of our church that is social service agency and residential facility. Every August, they have an auction to raise money to support the ministry. We have been going to this auction for years and years. It is just tradition. With the marvels of technology, we can find ways to still participate. These days, the auction planners post the list of items online on Friday night. For the past few years, we have waited for the document of items to be posted, we peruse the list, and then send an email with a few items that we may be interested in buying. My parents then act as our representatives at the sale and we can participate across the miles. It is not the same, but it gives us some type of connection. Honestly, the sale more accurately represents a reunion or social gathering and there is no way to replicate that across the miles. There are many people that we see every year at the auction and it is always good to catch up and enjoy fellowship. We hope that the day was a blessed day of fellowship and giving.

Rejoicing with those who Rejoice!!!

2011-08-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

Kyle and Heather
We are thrilled at the working of God in my younger brother's life. He is 9 years younger than I and for a long time, our relationship felt like he was 9 years younger. Not in any bad ways, he has just always been my little brother. Several years back, the Lord radically changed the trajectory of his life. Similar to most of our journeys, he reached a crossroads in life in which the Grace of God drew him into a deeper walk of faith. He went from being my little brother to simply being my younger brother. Barriers of age were broken and now our time together is often filled with fellowship. I admire and respect him and am excited that the Lord has led him into marriage. He is recently engaged to Heather. It is an exciting time for our family and we pray in confidence that this marriage will be synergistic on behalf of the Kingdom. That 1+1 will not equal 2, but will be produce exponential blessings in ways that can only be witnessed through grace. To God be the Glory!

From Afar

2011-08-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

Last week, we went down to Kingston to get Danae's visa processed. It is a simple process, but they require that you leave your passport at the office for 5 days. At the time, we didnt think anything about it, this is simply a routine part of the process. Fast forward to Saturday morning and we learn about Grandpa Zimmerman passing. Knowing that he had been very sick, we had discussed the possibilities of flying up to the states upon his passing. We had determined that it was not feasible for our entire family to fly, but that Keri and Danae might make a quick trip. Saturday morning, we started looking at flights and times and were zeroing in on a possible plan. Flying out on Sunday and back on Wednesday. And, then it hit us, we dont have Danae's passport. It was a Saturday and so the office was closed for the weekend and Monday is a national holiday. Boom, decision made, we are stuck. Not that this position is entirely new, but that doesnt make it easier. Many times, we have joined a Christmas dinner via Skype, listened to a funeral via a phone call, or gotten a recording of an event after the fact. While we have done it many times, its just not the same. Yes, it is better than nothing, but its hard. So, we are weeping with those who weep from afar, and its not fun. But, we know that the God of all comfort knows no bounds. Geography is not a factor and we pray for grace as we miss the celebration on Tuesday morning of a completion of the race. To God be the Glory for a life well-lived in Christ.

A Tribute To Grandpa Zimmerman

2011-07-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Richard A. Zimmerman

On July 30, at 12:15 a.m. my Grandpa, Richard A. Zimmerman, took his last breath and went home to be with Jesus. He has "fought the good fight, he has finished the race, he has kept the faith. Now there is in store for him the crown of righteousness." (2 Timothy 4: 7-8)

O victory in Jesus!

Anyone who knew this man of God, knew that his life was a story of faithful, unconditional love. He spoke this in words, he even wrote it in a book, but truth the of it came from the testimony of his life. His legacy will be carried on.

I cherish the close relationship I shared with my grandpa, I cherish the memories, and I cherish the last sweet moments we cried together and said "Goodbye." I ache that I will no longer hold his hands or hear his voice here on earth.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Death has been swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15: 50-58

We are on the move!

2011-07-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

A few weeks here, a few weeks there, a few weeks everywhere. As you may know, this has been a fairly consistent theme of our time in Jamaica. Whether it is considering our times back in the States or the various campuses we have been asked to work at in Jamaica, we have been on the move. We have now redefined our concept of a suitcase to include a dresser, chest of drawers, and closet. It is such a blessing that wrinkled clothes have never really been a pet peeve, because if it had, I would not be able to live with myself. It is just a way of life. It feels partly like vacation, partly like work, and partly like chaos. Granted, this is just for two weeks. We are moving out to the Jamaica Deaf Village to host two teams as the Huber family is in the states. Our kids are pumped because for them, it will feel like 100% vacation. New toys, different bed, and new scenery, what could better describe a great vacation to a kid. Today, we are moving out there and are excited to see what the next 2 weeks will bring. We are hoping the parts of vacation and the parts of work far outweigh the parts of chaos. Here we go again, bring on the transition, bring on the grace.

They got married!

2011-07-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the wedding of Blake and Tashi. A beautiful affair from which we didnt even take a picture. The wedding service was done by Blake's dad. Watching that interaction of Father to Son had tears running down my face. Then, throw on top, the unique bridges being built between deaf and hearing, American and Jamaican, as well as Widmer and Bent. It was cool.

Also, we had the honor and privilege of hosting the head pastor of our sending church. He is also Tashi's pastor and was a part of the service. Lynn, along with his wife and two sons, spent the week with us at Knockpatrick. We spent time with the workteam, did a little bit of work, saw some sights, and enjoyed sweet fellowship. We were blessed by their visit and rejoice in the power of the body of Christ.

A crazy week, yes, but it was also one filled with witnesses of our Father's unfailing love and tender mercy towards His children. We saw evidences of His grace in the wedding and experienced it ourselves through our many varied experiences last week.

Preparing for Marriage

2011-07-21T20:17:00.001-07:00

This Sunday, is the wedding of our teammates, Blake Widmer and Tashi Bent. Awhile back, we wrote about their engagement story. This week, we are privileged with the opportunity of watching them prepare for a wedding and a marriage. Family and friends are here and the preparations are being made. The Lord works in mysterious and wonderful ways and they each testify to His goodness in their story. The confluence of cultures, coupled with the normal busyness of preparing for a wedding, have made their preparations especially interesting. We have been enjoying the fellowship with visitors and we pray that the chaos of a wedding doesnt get in the way of the harmony of their marriage. They seem to be doing a great job and we are excited to witness their faith and walk. I am guessing we will be writing more about this event after the weekend. Have a great day!

Visiting Kendon

2011-07-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

Several months ago, I posted a prayer request for my cousin's son, Kendon. Kendon, the one in the ball cap, is 8 years old and needed a heart transplant due to a serious disease. We followed their journey through their "caring bridge" blog. Since the transplant, they have remained in Rochester, MN to continue receiving their health care from the Mayo Clinic. On our way to the wedding in Minnesota, we were able to set up a time to connect. It was blessing to see Kendon and witness the faith of that family. They have walked through a long valley but consistently testify that the only reason that they made it through is because of God's Grace. Our conversations about their experiences were woven with testimonies of answered prayer, support from the body of Christ, grace, and the faith of an 8 year old boy. We were so thankful to be able to witness God's faithfulness to this family. Thanks to those of you who prayed. The transplant ourney will never end for this family. This past weekend, they were finally able to move back home to Iowa. But, it will never be back to normal, only settling in to a new normal. I know that they would appreciate your continued prayers. Praise the Lord!

My Toast to Lindsay

2011-07-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

The week before our departure I had the honor of being in the wedding of my friend, Lindsay Gramm. It was a beautiful wedding, on a beautiful day, of a beautiful couple! God was truly glorified through the message and by the union of this couple's lives.
My only disappointment was that the toast for Lindsay and Marcus somehow slipped by. And although I'm not much for public speaking, I do feel that my dear friend is very deserving of this.

So, Lindsay, this is my toast to you, my faithful friend!

Lindsay, I'm was so honored to be standing next to you
and thankful that God allowed me to be there to witness your wedding day.
I'm so blessed by your friendship.
I met Lindsay over ten years ago. I think it was our different personalities that drew us together (I, the traditional, and Lindsay, the not-so-traditional :).
She always got me to do crazy things that I'd never do around anyone else! We've had so many fun times. But, what I think about most when I think of Lindsay is that she's been such a faithful friend.
After about four years our lives took different routes. I married and moved out of our big white mansion by ISU, and she continued to grow in friendships with many other girls. I could have thought that she didn't need our friendship. But she never allowed me to believe that.
Lindsay, you remained a faithful friend.

Life continued, she moved back to Minnesota and God provided a new church for her, new friends, and then a Godly man. I moved many more miles away. But, distance never separated us. In fact, she put me to shame.
Lindsay, you continued to be a faithful friend.

Marcus, Lindsay will be a faithful companion. Just as you've experienced Christ's unconditional love for you, Lindsay will reflect that love in your life.
No matter the distance that separates you when you're on the road or the trials you face, I have no doubt Lindsay will be your faithful companion.

Thank you, Lindsay, for the gift of your friendship.
I thank God for you.

CONGRATULATIONS Lindsay and Marcus Montana!!

(Go to http://tamipaigephotography.blogspot.com/2011/07/marcus-and-lindsay-wedding-sneak-peek.html for wedding pics and more about Lindsay and Marcus).

Arrived Safe!

2011-07-16T12:31:00.001-07:00

We are thankful for a great day of travel yesterday. And, I mean great in terms of as good as traveling 14 hours with 4 kids can get. No, it was not perfect, but the drive to St. Louis was uneventful, all the kids slept for the majority of the plane ride, no layover, and a breeze through immigration/customs. The reintroduction to Jamaican roads at night was certainly the most uncomfortable part of the trip, but necessary none the less. Thanks for your prayers!

By Grace

2011-07-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

By Grace we came and by grace we will go! Lord Willing, we are flying back to Jamaica today! Thanks for your prayers for our travel. We have never done this with 4 kids. 4 kids means that we are each responsible for 2 and Daisha requires one on one attention. You do the math. That is why we only go by grace. That is the only way the math works. Thankfully, His math does not follow the same rules as our math. Thank you Jesus!

packing and preparing

2011-07-14T12:21:00.001-07:00

There are always wild cards when packing to leave. The obvious obstacles involve whittling down wardrobes into only the clothes that are necessary, paring down 2 tons of junk into five 49.5 pound bags, and doing all of this while keeping our cool. We are doing good so far, but we havent reached crunch time. I think it should all go well. But, the other wild card, is the kids' behavior in the midst of packing. This morning, while Drew was brushing his teeth, Truitt decided it would be a good idea to hit his brother for what seemed like no good reason. Because of course, why not add a screaming boy and some tension into our morning. In the midst of interrogating Truitt as to why he hit his brother, he said, "I hit him because I love him." Ohhhhhh, that makes sense, thanks for picking such a logical way to express your love for your brother. What a great way to help us start a stressful day with a little extra strife for good measure.

A visa for Danae

2011-07-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, we went to the Jamaican consulate in Chicago for Danae's visa. It was an easy process. If all your papers are in order, it goes smoothly. And, the Consul is one of the nicest gentlemen you would ever want to meet. It is so refreshing to come out of a government office having had a positive experience. Whether in Jamaica or America, it seems that working with government agencies can be a very frustrating experience. But, be it known, the consulate of Jamaica in Chicago was a positive experience characterized by respect and efficiency. Thank you Mr. Hyde.

Writing Again

2011-07-12T10:26:00.001-07:00

Thanks for your patience during that small hiatus with no writing. We have been moving out of our house in Indiana, getting a visa for Danae, attending a wedding in Minnesota, doing alot of driving, and now saying goodbyes. We will try to begin documenting our return journey to Jamaica.

In so many ways, it feels like we are going for the first time. It has been hard. We have been back in the states for such an extended period of time that the transition looks like it could be unsettling. It is always unsettling, but unsettling in a bigger way. In our training, we were taught about the various stages of transition to a new culture. The transition from being settled in your old culture to unsettled, to living in chaos, and the long return to living a settled life in the new culture. We have been across that bridge during our initial time in Jamaica and our previous trips to the states involved shorter trips across that bridge. But, going back this time feels as if we may have a longer trip through that transition as we have been gone so long. We are anxious. Lord Willing, we will be flying to Jamaica on July 15th. Thanks for praying.

Passport

2011-06-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

On Monday, we received Danae's passport. We are thankful that this process went smoothly and without incident. We now have an appointment scheduled at the Consulate of Jamaica in Chicago to get a visa for Danae. We are currently looking for tickets and hoping to fly the week of July 10th.

Family Vacation

2011-06-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

Last week, we went on a little getaway with Keri's family. We had a great week of fun and fellowship. We hung out at Lake Michigan. Here are a few pics. The kids had a great time in the sand.

Happy Birthday Daisha!!!

2011-06-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

2 Years ago today, we were blessed by Daisha's entrance into the world. She continues to bless us everyday with her smile, love, and laughter. Happy Birthday Daisha!!!

Passport Pics

2011-06-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

When we were applying for Daisha's passport, we had an awful time with her passport photos. They were denied for having a little bit of a shadow and for not being able to see her ears behind her ridiculously chubby cheeks. Ultimately, I think we had to end up proving scientifically that seeing her ears behind her chubby cheeks defied all laws of physics and they finally relented a passport. Anyways, we are back at it again with Danae, but this time we hope its a one time shot. But, in an effort to help guarantee it as a one time shot, we went through 3 battles of pictures. The first picture we took was too close. I took it to CVS to print, but the picture wasnt good enough and they wanted to charge me $10 for 2 little pictures that I took. So, we took some more pictures, only to find out that Keri's hands, which were holding down Danae's hands, were in the picture. 3rd times a charm, we got a pic and we are hoping that it is good enough to get accepted the first time. We got the application sent off today and now we are in waiting mode for the passport. After we get the passport, we need to get her visa at the Jamaican consulate and then we should be ready to go. Maybe in 4 weeks or so.

P.S. - Here is the end of the story of CVS wanting to charge me $10 for 2 little 2x2 photos. I ended up putting the 2 little 2x2 pictures on to one 4x6 and then went to CVS to print the 4x6. So, at the same store, same machine, same product, I got for $.31 what they wanted to charge me $10. That is a good Jamaican experience right here in Leo, IN.

The Next Story -- a book review

2011-06-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

Do the Jetsons think like the Clampetts? They certainly process life differently, but how? We must acknowledge that our lives have reached the tipping point and we more closely resemble the Jetsons than the Clampetts. So, what does this mean for us and our calling to live as Ambassadors of God’s Kingdom in this world. Author and blogger, Tim Challies, takes a shot at these questions in his book, The Next Story. He begins with a great question that I am sure the Jetsons should have been asking themselves, “Am I becoming a tool of the tools that are supposed to serve me?” In an attempt to provide a framework for each of us to answer this question, Challies brings to light some definitions, trends, and ideas. He defines technology as “the creative activity of using tools to shape God’s creation for practical purposes.” And then, he goes on to encourage the readers to “disciplined discernment” that keys around the idea that it is the human application of technology that determines whether it is used to honor God or further human sin. While fully acknowledging the potential good of technology, Challies did a good job of outlining some dangers. Again, back to the “who’s boss” question, technology has a unique ability of taking control of our lives and creating idols that we willingly worship. Challies outlines the idols of the desire for productivity, the desire for significance, and the desire for information. All of us who have tipped our lives towards the Jetsons understand the reality of these idols. Challies goes on to look at how technology can affect how we think, how we live with distractions, how we process truth, and what technology does to our understanding of authority. These topics were all dealt with well and I think deserve our time, consideration, and meditation. The book did a great job of not trying to build walls where there should be fences or conversely not only drawing lines in the sand where there needs to be walls. And, with a well-rounded look through the lenses of experience, theory, and theology, the book ends up building frameworks that assist the reader in their process of disciplined discernment. We have all seen that technology, “wears its benefits on its sleeve, but its drawbacks are buried deep within.” And therefore, our Christian walk demands that we give technology the necessary time and discernment as we consider its effects on our life. While the book is not a Magna Carta of issues concerning technology, it is a tool for those who want assistance in discerning the realities of technology in their lives. If you know you are closer to a Jetson than a Clampett, then you must take time to consider whether technology is a tool that serves you or whether you are serving the tool.

P.S. - I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content.

Danae Grace Update (pictures)

2011-05-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

Click here for a few recent pictures. Baby and Mother continue to do well. But, there will certainly be a transition into the interrupted nights and innumerable diaper changes. In spite of those minor inconveniences, we find a loss of ability to express our feelings of thanksgiving and gratitude. While there are still many question marks that remain over the next few weeks, we pray for eyes to see and a heart to give praise for all the questions that have received answers through Danae's birth. To God be the Glory!

Danae Grace Plattner

2011-05-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

With Thanksgiving and Praise we announce the arrival of Danae Grace Plattner. She arrived at 8:30am on May 24, 2011. She weighed 7lbs 10oz. and was 21in. tall. Mother and Baby are doing well.

With the blessing of our good friends in Jamaica, Damian and Felecia Campbell, we copied their beautiful daughters name. And, we added "Grace," as a testimony to the all-sustaining power of our Lord in our family's lives. We give thanks!

I am sure we will be adding more pictures over the coming days. We are confident that she is anxiously awaiting the opportunity to meet her older brothers and sister.

Thank you so much for your love, prayers, and support!

Prize Winners

2011-05-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
to those who guessed the correct order of pictures on the last post!

MEGAN and TRICIA
and, of course, both Grandmas called in with the correct answer.

THE PRIZE
Katie had an excellent suggestion for which we cannot afford. SORRY!!
Rather than all-expense paid trip to Jamaica, we are offering:

AN EXOTIC CARIBBEAN VACATION
all-expenses paid on the island
(housing, food, entertainment)
Sorry this will not include airfare or resorts.

Baby Update!!!

2011-05-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

These are not pictures of the new baby! False alarm! Sorry for getting your hopes up, but we did want to give you an update. The baby's due date is this coming Saturday the 21st. We would love for baby to come before that, but no action yet. In His time! The miracle of life runs on its own schedule and the unfolding of God's design is a miracle in itself.

The above pictures are Drew, Truitt, and Daisha, but not in that order and I cant tell you which is which. If you guess it right, you may or may not win a big prize.

Fellowship

2011-05-09T12:15:00.001-07:00

Two different nights this weekend, we spent with friends in fellowship. I know that is really not that big of a deal in the normal world, but we are no longer members of "normal world." We miss that so much. Its huge and shouldnt be taken for normal. The fellowship of saints is not just an average thing, its an otherworldly blessing. I know I run the risk of over-romanticizing it, but it was good for our soul. This is not a "feel sorry for the missionary" plea, but an encouragement to anyone who has lost sight of the blessings of fellowship with friends. Because, you never know what you got till its gone.

Go look at old pictures

2011-05-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

The other night, Keri and I started looking at old pictures. It was amazing! We took a walk down memory lane with our boys and were able to revel in God's faithfulness. Drew and Truitt loved looking at videos and pictures from when they were a baby. It was an awesome blessing and I would encourage you to take 30 minutes and look back at some of your pictures even from 3 or 5 years ago.

Click here for a few pics from April. From a Plattner Family vacation, to Easter, to fun at the park. This is a pictorial update of our past month.

Face Lift

2011-05-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

Time for a facelift. Nothing radical, nothing crazy, just a little different look. Every once in awhile, things just need a bit of an overhaul. This blog remains a place designed for the following purpose:
1. Trying to keep Grandparents/family as close as possible
2. Documenting History
3. Keeping friends/supporters up to date on our lives

New Hearts

2011-04-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

Worlds Collide! A little more than a week back, I mentioned my cousins son received a new heart via a transplant. He is doing well, his body is still adjusting, but they continue to praise the Lord for His faithfulness in bringing healing. This idea of new hearts resonates with me. I know Jesus gives us a new heart. The old one is buried and our new heart leads us into new life. What an awesome picture! But, the realities of life sometimes tears new hearts apart. Oh, it feels like it gets sewn together again, but we also live with the reality that a little piece of it always feels broken. We know its whole, but it feels broken. This is the place for faith and hope. Allen and Susan Stoller wrote another brilliant post and it resonated with this idea. This post took me straight back to that marriage of joy and pain that is Jamaica in our lives.

From Sharing Hope with Hearts:
Our hearts have been ripped open and sewn together again many times. There are haunting images, and beautiful scenes and memories colliding like the traffic of Meganania Round. Never ending blue skies and dust. Beautiful flowers and garbage. The scent of mango and raw sewage in an open ditch. Magnificent architecture of the African Union and shanty-town squalor. Loving, sharing hearts and its total absence found in child trafficking and prostitution. The myriad contrasts are a force in shaping ones acceptance of diversity. If your world has to fit into a box of only one size and one color, Ethiopia will shake you till it hurts. But, if you can stretch your faith to allow God’s sovereign sway full control of yesterday and tomorrow, loving Him with all your heart today, will share hope with hearts.

Our camera is back!

2011-04-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

I realize this is not earth shattering news, but we finally got our camera back. Through its warranty, it was sent off to be fixed. After a horrible customer service experience with the repair company and over a month of waiting, we got our camera back. We are used to very poor customer service in Jamaica, but when it happens in the states, it is so frustrating. No language barriers and no cultural barriers, it doesnt seem like it would be that difficult to conduct this transaction of fixing our camera, but so it goes. It seems to be fixed and so we are thankful for that. We will be putting up some more pictures again soon.

The coming King!

2011-04-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hindsight is 20/20. We can watch the people of Jerusalem welcome a "coming King" with shouts of Hosanna. And, we know how they misunderstood the Kingdom in which Jesus was coming to reign. Lets stop this week and remember the Kingdom which Jesus was announcing. A Kingdom unlike anything the human mind could have conceived. A Kingdom in which:

* Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted.

* The sick are healed, lepers cleansed, the dead are raised, demons are cast out, and those who have freely received, freely give

* He rules in Mercy

* It is like a treasure/pearl worthy of selling everything, full sacrifice

* Debts are forgiven

* Redeemed prostitutes and tax collectors go before self-righteous religious people

And so much more. The list goes on and on. He announced His reign that is good, holy, right, just, merciful, and loving. And, it demands of us, everything!

Thoughts for Sons and Daughters

2011-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Allen and Susan Stoller are preparing for a move to Ethiopia to serve with Loving Shepherd Ministries. I have found their journey most interesting. Allen was our family dentist while we lived in Indiana. He and his wife have felt called to serve in Ethiopia. One of the many intriguing aspects of their story is that it is the reverse of many missionary stories, but the feelings are so similar. Typically, a young family leaves family and friends and moves to the mission field. Conversely, they are packing up and leaving their kids and grandchildren, and this struggle is just as evident. They share this through their own words in the very first post on their blog. Below is that post and I think you will be able to see their hearts passions. Wow!

Here is their blog:
Thoughts for Sons and Daughters
We are on the threshold of a new experience. All of us. And it gives us a peace to know you are willing to go there with us in your hearts. There are times when we think it unfair to ask you to make this sacrifice of separation along with us. We have been able to observe from each of your strengths–characteristics that will be points of emulation where we are going: keep it light, diligent duty, steady unshaken perseverance, faithful confidence, creative spark, and passionate loyalty in balance with exploring new horizons. We can only humbly trust that there are points of emulation from our strengths you will keep close to your hearts where you are now staying. There is a passion to pursue God we take with us and leave behind that will be our spiritual legacy. You know that we love God with all our soul, mind and strength so even if our love for you is just a little lower than that it will be alright. And it is right. You too can trust God in your passion for Him and in His leading of your lives. The ministry God has for you to bless His Kingdom may still seem to be around a foggy corner or it may be so visible that it is scary. We know He is an omnipotent God and it is our confidence that you know it too. That faith in you all and that faith in God’s loving provision for you all is sharing hope with our hearts. We love you, but when the times come when that is not enough–God will supply all the rest.

It is hard to write here

2011-04-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

We are not writing in this forum as often as we do in Jamaica and it is hard to know why. We have done some thinking on it, but just cant seem to put our finger on why. It is not a matter of time, because while things are chaotic in the states, we do have the time. It may be a matter of routine, but that should start coming soon. I dont know what it is, but it is a reality. We do still have some posts hanging out there waiting to be written, but I am not sure when they will float to the surface. We did just spend a wonderful weekend with the Plattner family celebrating Dad and Mom Plattner's 40th wedding anniversary. We have moved to Leo, IN. Our kids are still being a huge blessing. A baby is coming. And even more, but, these events are just not turning themselves into blog posts. We will see if they find their way to the screen over the coming weeks. Blessings!

Pray for Kendon

2011-04-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

My cousins son, Kendon, had a heart transplant this afternoon. He is through surgery but the next 24 hours are crucial. Please pray with us for this family. Here is a short version of their story:

Kendon was diagnosed with Restrictive Cardiomyopathy in October 2010. After a few months of doctoring, it was decided that we needed to further evaluate him for possible heart transplant. In January 2011, he had a transplant evaluation at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. On January 24 he was officially listed on the heart transplant list. His health regained to fairly stable, although continued to live with enlarged heart and progressive disease. Restrictive Cardiomyopathy is where the heart muscle becomes rigid and stiff, not allowing his heart to relax as it pumps. This creates very high pressures within the heart chambers, causing the heart to become enlarged. Sunday evening, April 10 at 9:00 we recieved a phone call from the Mayo Transplant Coordinator, informing us they had a possible heart available. We were on the road to Rochester by 9:35, arriving here at 12:30 a.m. Kendon was escorted to the Operating Room at 11:00 a.m. His transplant journey is just beginning. Kendon is the third born of our six children. His siblings are Riley, age 11, Kary Ann, age 9, Kortlin, age 6, Kyra, age 4 and Rowyn, age 11 months. Kendon is a very loveable and couragous boy. He has handled this new turn in his life with a very brave spirit.

You can visit their care page at http://www.carepages.com/carepages/KendonsBraveHeart

March Jamaica update

2011-04-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

Plattner Family March 2011 Jamaica Update

The reason we flew back several weeks early from Jamaica was to participate in an informational meeting hosted by our sending organization, Apostolic Christian World Relief. The meeting involved presentations on the various areas of work the organization is supporting. While at the meeting, I was moved and inspired as I listened to the scope of the work being done by the body of Christ. In contrast, just the other day I was almost thrown into a depressive state as I considered the devastation of Japan and the chaos of Libya on top of so much other very real news that isn’t reported. I think it is safe to say that the headline news stories are simply “cherries on top” of a sundae made up of ongoing events such as food shortage, child trafficking, AIDS, water, etc. In light of the depressive state that this concoction can induce, the only prescription is hope in Christ. This hope we need is sometimes hard to translate into the joy that we know it’s supposed to produce. But, the inspiration I received at the informational meeting may just be the prescription I need. Because, on a very small scale, I witnessed a small part of a larger mosaic of work done in His name on behalf of one fraction of the world. In that fraction of the world, the hope of Christ is showing up through the hands and feet of the body of Christ. Prisoners in Central Illinois and Eastern Europe are hearing the gospel, orphans in Mexico are learning about Jesus, the Deaf of Jamaica being reached with the good news, and the poor of Haiti are getting glimpses of His riches. Now, in light of the chaos that sin wreaks in our world, if we were able to step back to the point of being able to view that mosaic and the movement of the body of Christ, I believe we would have the right prescription of hope that produces immediate joy. To God be the Glory and by His grace may we color in our little corner of the mosaic with the Good News of the Gospel.

Our part in the meeting went good with some good discussion following our presentation. Since then, we have been doing the “sabbatical shuffle.” This involves catching up with family and friends, moving every few days, and eating way too much food. The time has been blessed. We get the pleasure of time with our parents and the kids soak up time with grandparents. I wish we could get a perspective on what this time will feel like in hindsight, because I know it would be immensely helpful. But, I guess that is true in so many areas and so we try to make the most of it. We try to focus on relationships and how to make up for lost time in certain areas of life. It’s a chaotic blessing.

We soon plan to move to the area of our sending church in Indiana. The idea of settling for a short time is very welcome and we are excited for opportunities we will have in Indiana. Work for Kirk is coming together as he hopes to continue to work for Apostolic Christian World Relief through supporting their ministry. With prayer, we anxiously await the arrival of baby #4, which has yet to find a name. Being back in the states during the past couple of weeks has really created in us an excitement for baby #4. While we still don’t know how we will manage flying with 4 or living in our little apartment with 4, we are excited for the blessing that we know are given by God through children.

While we wish it weren’t true, there is no denying the feelings and reality of the discouragement that sets in when considering everything that is happening all around us on a global scale and even sometimes in our own hearts. But, when considering the hope of Christ, we find Joy. We are thankful for the time in the states, no matter how chaotic it makes our lives. Thank you so much for your ongoing support of us.

Hot Dogs and Fire

2011-04-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

Peas and Carrots, Batman and Robin, and Hotdogs and fire. The classic wiener roast is so dear to our heart. The other night we got away as a family and had a little cookout. A beautiful night, good food, and good company. The kids loved stuffing their faces. And, I dont know if it is genetic, but our kids have this thing for eating their hotdogs from the top. What is not genetic is the fact that boys love fire. The boys were enamored by the fire and loved lighting sticks on fire.

Some Happenings

2011-03-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of our recent weeks. We have spent time with family, been out and about, visited friends, and been really blessed with some great times. Keri and I had a long weekend in Chicago. The kids loved spending time with their grandparents. We have uploaded a few pics and pictures are worth a thousand words. We will let them speak for themselves. You can click through to some pics here.

Missing in Action!

2011-03-27T21:02:00.001-07:00

The kids are with Grandpa and Grandma and we are off on a long overdue vacation. Praise the Lord! We we get back to reality, we will give a little update of a few of the happenings. After we get back from our little getaway, we hope to spend a couple of more days with family and then move out to Leo, IN. We will see how it all comes together. Give Thanks!