Final Update

 

We flew back to the states on July 18^th.  Since that day, we have been in a whirlwind of moving and big decisions.  We apologize for not having sent any sort of update or explanation for how the Lord has directed our lives.  We will try to sum up the last 2 months with this little email.  Due to the extensive amount of transition that has made up the past 5 years of our lives, as we arrived in the states, our hearts were set to find a place to settle rather than prolong our transition with intermediate housing and location.  As a result, we began pursuing an open door for a long-term solution, but the clock was ticking, as we knew we could only live out of a suitcase for so long.  We needed to make a huge decision that would affect the church we attended, the education of our children, the community in which we would invest, and the place we would call home.  Although we got real close to going crazy in the process, God has been profoundly gracious in helping us answer each of these questions.

            The answer to these questions are as follows.  We found a house a ranch house on a couple of acres outside of West Lafayette, IN.  This means that we will be attending church at the Apostolic Christian Church of West Lafayette and we will be investing our lives in this community.  The kids have started school, Drew at the local public school and Truitt in Kindergarten at a private school.  Kirk is working on behalf of the Apostolic Christian Church’s mission outreach in an effort to coordinate the support of the missionaries who are serving overseas.  Keri is faithfully making sure all of these moving pieces are going in the same direction.  Again, in spite of the weight and difficulty of these decisions, we are shocked at the faithfulness of God over this past month.

            This was not my first attempt to write an update, the words just haven’t been able to get from my brain to the paper.  I am interested in telling the story, it is just hard to get it in a nutshell.  Therefore, I am going to save it, I hope to save it for our next conversation, maybe by then I will be able to express it in a way that does justice to our experience.  So, if you are interested, please don’t hesitate to ask.  And, until we have that conversation, please know that we are eternally grateful for your love, support, and prayers.  Again, words wont come, but please know that our hearts are profoundly humbled by your expressions of love over the past 5 years.  May the Lord bless you for all you have done on our behalf.

P.S.  Actually, there was another missionary family who was returning to the states about the same time as us who had spent about the same amount of time on the field.  They did a much better job putting this sentiment into words and so please see their explanation of the time after they returned to the states.

“ I'm just a little stunned by the gravity of it. Unable to tell you how hard it was to leave or how wonderful it was to arrive. Unable to paint a picture of how my heart is both broken and restored. Unable to say anything, really, because it feels irreverent to do a bad job telling this story; the Story of how God is moving in my life, and in the world.

Maybe better words will come. Or maybe they won't. Maybe this last crazy month is a treasure I won't feel compelled to share. Maybe all of this trial and error, clinging and letting go, all the kneeling down and growing up... maybe it's just for us; me and my little family of men, to hold onto for ourselves. Maybe we'll look back and say,“Remember that one month? The one where, somehow, we all lived?”

And maybe we'll just sigh and leave it at that, because now we understand a little better that to follow God is hard, but we'll live. And that's enough. “

Fully Alive - A book review

 

I wish I didn’t like books like this.  I wish I didn’t need books like Fully Alive.  I would rather say that these books are below me and therefore not necessary.  But, for me it isn’t true.  I call it a “kick in the pants” book.  Fully Alive by Ken Davis is a book that discusses living out the passions we know God has placed in our hearts.  And, this is the problem, I know those passions, I have a desire to effectively live them out, but I don’t.  This is the disconnect.  Therefore, sometimes I need a reminder in the form of a book like, Fully Alive, to remind me of that call on my life.

            Fully Alive is a memoir of sorts recalling the author’s story.  A testimony of the atrophication of faith slowly over time and its subsequent awakening.  The story is largely told around the context of the author’s physical health.  While not exactly a weight loss book, the context of the loss and revival of life is told around the story of weight gain and loss.  The parallels are significant when viewed in the context of a scripture like “throw off every weight.”  The book is a call to lighten up and live fully alive.           

            Would I recommend this book?  Well, I hope you don’t need it.  Ultimately, I hope you don’t have to read this book.  But, if you need a little “self-help” type motivation, this may work for you.  Ultimately, the author would not accept the “self-help” title and so it more appropriately should be categorized as a reference for how to walk in the Spirit and live out the life God has called us to live.

Post #500 - time

Time is crazy.  This is post #500 on this platform.  Granted, we spent almost a year doing this blog through iWeb and so we probably passed 500 a few months back, but it is still a milestone.  And, that is what we have been thinking about lately.  Capturing moments.  Milestones.  Our time is ticking fast.  We have 3 days left in Jamaica.  Our hearts are in shambles and we dont know what to think.  We hosted a great team last week and we are mostly packed up, but that doesn't make the emotions go away.  Today was our last Sunday in church.  After church, we said goodbye to our friends at the local infirmary.  And, we know these last 2 days of cleaning a packing are going to be a whirlwind.  I am sure the randomness of this post is "case in point" for how our brains are functioning.  We are confident in moving forward and therefore we are on the roller coaster, but it doesnt look like this ride is going to end any time soon.

June Update

Plattner Family Jamaica Update - June 2012

    If we took all of the “greetings and farewells” from the letters of the Apostle Paul, what would we find?  I started thinking about this in relation to our saying goodbye.  I have not done the full study and scoured each example, but as I think over the example Paul provides, I think of some themes that bubble to the top.  I am sure there are more, but I see Paul focusing on three things; giving thanks, sharing the longing heart he has for the people, and the sharing of foundational truths that he wants them to always remember.  While I am not saying we are sharing Paul’s heart exactly, we are experiencing this feeling in a profound way.  First, we must give thanks.  Thanks for the sustaining grace of God and for all of the love that has been shared with us from our friends here in Jamaica.  God has been good to us and we can’t find the right ways to fully express our gratitude.  Also, we will deeply miss our friends and coworkers.  Our hearts long for ways to be able to shrink the miles and continue these relationships, but just as Paul knew, the calling of God meant that the fellowship would be different.  And third, our hearts have been bursting with a desire to see the foundational truths of our God indelibly marked on the hearts of the believers in Jamaica.  As we considered our final chapel messages to the students, we wanted to leave them with a Pauline type treaty to remember the truths of our God.  Because, we know that it is only through the grace of God that we can have the hope that these relationships and goodbyes are not final.
           
Our past month has been like nothing else we have experienced.  While it has many similar characteristics to our time leaving the states and moving to Jamaica, it feels different.  Similarly, we have experienced the profound joy of pursuing a new opportunity that we believe is right.  But, this has been followed simultaneously with the deep sorrow that many of our relationships will be difficult to continue at the level that we wish.  And, the thing that is different is the feeling that we know we are leaving work “on the table.”  So, the combination of both the greater finality in the closure of relationships combined with a strong sense of work remaining to be done in Jamaica makes this transition different and difficult.  But again, we don’t say that in any sense of despair, as we are excited and confident in the new work that the Lord has provided and in the Lord’s provision for the continuing of the work in Jamaica.
          
 The details of our transition remain fuzzy, but are becoming clear.  Lord willing, we will be flying on July 18th and will be hitting the ground on the run.  After arriving back in the states we will be continuing work on determining our long-term location.  This will be combined with some initial meetings as well as family gatherings.  Therefore, after arriving in the states, we will be on the move for at least the first three weeks.  We are looking forward to catching up with many of you and sharing in fellowship.
          
 Our family is adjusting to everything well.  The kids share our mixed emotions.  They have been processing the idea of moving back.  One time, they will loath the idea of moving and express a desire to just stay in Jamaica.  Then, a little later, they will process the idea of Grandma’s house and cousins, then that changes everything.  I think it will similarly take them time to grasp the ramifications of this move.  Jamaica is all they know and they have adapted quite well, but we pray for God’s grace in filling the gaps of their heart in this move.
          
 As we mentioned above, gratitude has been a side effect as we consider our move.  And, a significant aspect of that gratitude is for all of your love, support, and prayers.  There is no way for us to fully understand and comprehend the fullness of love shared with us over the past five years.  Thank you so much and we pray that we can pass that blessing on in the future.

Claudine

Claudine's Family

 Claudine has been a part of our family now for three years.  Soon after Daisha was born, she began helping us everyday with the kids.  She came as a student and helper and she has since become a friend and a daughter.  Our hearts are torn, knowing our time here is short and our goodbyes are coming.  Claudine has shown a genuine love and care for our children and a respect for our family.  Likewise, our children have attached themselves to her.  On occasion we've had opportunities to meet her family.  This past Sunday we were so honored to be their guests.  It was special for us to see where Claudine grew up, meet her Grandparents, and spend time with her family.  We were touched by their love and generosity.  It's a unique opportunity, when different culture and backgrounds combine, and we praise God for it!

 Please pray for Claudine as she will no longer be with our family.  We pray that she will continue to stay positive and seek God's direction in her life.  We are hopeful she will find good employment this summer.

Father Hunger - a book review

Father Hunger, subtitled, “Why God calls men to love and lead their families,” is a profound book on fatherhood.  The book is a foundational look at the roles and responsibilities of fathers.  The book uses significant theological, ideological, sociological, political, and economic arguments for the importance of fatherhood.  With candor and authenticity, the thesis is laid out as to the high calling of fathers as being fully responsible for their families.  This calling of fathers is also then contrasted with the trends and status of fathers at-large in society today.  In all, the call on fathers for their families is a sobering and humbling truth that we must commit fully to the sufficiency of God’s grace.

         

   Father Hunger is not your everyday book on fatherhood.  I have read many books on fatherhood and this one is different.  This book contains no five easy steps to having better conversations with your children, no heart-warming stories.  This is a foundational type book.  And, that is not to say that it is not practical, it is simply a different kind of parenting book. For example, the book begins by noting from the account of Jesus’ baptism, the approach of the Father.  First, the Father was there.  Second, He made His presence felt by sending the dove.  Third, He made His presence known by expressing identification with the Son.  Fourth, He expressed His love for His son.  And fifth, He expressed His pleasure in His Son.  What a profound look at our role as Fathers.

          

   The book covers the broad spectrum of fatherhood and related issues.  This is the point at which I had the most disagreements with the book.  I appreciated the overview of such significant social issues, but the approach felt too broad and scattered.  I do fully believe that fatherhood is foundational to every aspect of society and I do believe it is a crisis.  Also, I do believe that it starts with the Church and remains the responsibilities of followers of Christ to hold out the standard for society.  And, I pray that many of the treatises in this book are heeded and fatherhood in America becomes the God-honoring institution to which we were called.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Blogging happens in the Margins

We only blog in our margins. And as you may have noticed, over the past two months we have gone from posting almost 3 times/week to posting 1 time/week. Thus, our margins are gone. Generally, we try to be intentional with our time and manage well what is left around the edges. But, all of the transition of the past 2 months has been overwhelming. Actually, it has not only been about not having the time, but also about not having the emotional margin to even think about any kind of extra writing.

 In regards to an update, we do not really know anything more. We have not bought tickets and we still dont know where we will land. But, our transition is off to a good start. The "goodbyes" have been hard and have been ongoing for the past 2 weeks. This week, the students and teachers will be leaving. What a huge goodbye! We were responsible for chapel duties this weekend. Our hearts exploded as we thought of trying to leave the students with strong resounding message of the cross. It is hard, but it is right.

 

 

 

 

Daddy's My Man

I often threaten my husband that I have this need to publicly declare, maybe even shout out loud, what an amazing man he is.  And, this would truly be my desire such a day that honors such special people.   That's just not his "style" of being honored.  So, my way around that is to let it come through the mouths of babes.
  "Daddy's my man!"  ~Daisha
  "He's teaching me to be a farmer and work hard like he is."  ~Truitt testifying of his father in Sunday School.
   "My dad's the best in the WHOLE world, not just the world."  ~Drew comparing his dad to his friends' dad.
   "Dada"  ~Danae

They love you and look up to you so much baby!  Thanks for being such an awesome Dad!

Happy Birthday Daisha

Happy Birthday Daisha!!!         3 Years Old

May/June Update

May/June Jamaica Update

  Our Father is a gracious Father.  In last month’s update, we referenced our needs and deficiencies as parents to our children and contrasted that to our Father’s parenting of us.  In Isaiah 40, the prophet extols the greatness of our God, detailing His greatness in His power and in His grace.  The explanation of His power is awe-inspiring and majestic as revealed in creation and in our world, measuring the waters in the hollow of His hand.  And then, that same power is detailed in His grace that gives strength to the weak and endurance to the faint.  What an amazing picture of our Father in whom we can trust in His power and take comfort in His grace!

            

Also in last months update, we referenced our prayers for God’s direction regarding a possible move this summer.  Our God in His grace has answered our prayers.  The Lord has opened a door of ministry for us in the states and we sense the timing of our ministry in Jamaica is coming to a close.  We rejoice in His grace as our Lord has directed us into this new opportunity, but our hearts ache as we think of moving on from the work in Jamaica.  Our hearts remain uniquely burdened for the deaf community in Jamaica.  We value the friendships and relationships that we have with our deaf friends and ministry partners.  This is the reason for our heartbreak, we are certainly leaving a part of ourselves in Jamaica and we pray for the work to go on for the Glory of His name.  But, at the same time, our hearts have felt the call to serve on behalf of our sending churches’ outreach programs.  Almost two years ago, we began actively praying about and pursuing the opportunity to serve on behalf of our sending organization in the states.  The timing was not right, but the burdened has remained.  This spring, we again sensed that we were reaching this crossroads and needed to make a transition into a different housing situation.  In processing this potential move, we decided it was time to again investigate the needs of our sending organization and inquire as to the opportunities available to serve.  This time, the timing was right as one step led to the next and door after door continued to open.  It is with humbled and grateful hearts that we consider moving on to this new opportunity.  Our time in Jamaica has been profoundly blessed and we are very thankful for your friendship and support.

            

We are not exactly sure of the logistics of our transition.  Our plan is to remain in Jamaica through our summer teams and then transition before the coming school year.  We are looking at around the third week of July.  Our destination in the states is also yet to be determined.  We anticipate the details of the transition will come clear as we continue on this journey.  We praise the Lord for His continued faithfulness.  Thank you so much for the prayers offered on our behalf, we are humbled. 

            

We know that we have a big transition ahead of us.  In the world of missions, the transition is called Re-Entry and is known to be filled with unforeseen challenges.  Therefore, we again are praying for wisdom in how to do re-entry well.  The transition is certain to take a considerable amount of time and we anticipate investing time and resources into various aspects of our transition.  In this, we may also be depending on your grace for continued support.  We anticipate keeping you up to date at least until our transition begins and then further as we connect through life.  Please reply or contact us if you have further questions or advice regarding our upcoming transition.

           

Thank you again for all of your loving support through the entirety of our Jamaican journey.  May you be Blessed by the Grace of our Loving Lord!

Princeville Work Team

I grew up in Princeville, IL.  It is a small agrarian community in central Illinois.  This past week, the church in which I grew up brought their high school sunday school class to serve with us for a week.  It was the same trip 15 years ago which served as my first introduction to missions, deaf ministry, jamaica, and CCCD.  The Lord works in mysterious and wonderful ways.  It was fantastic to have this team join us for the week and we were very encouraged.   We need to express special thanks to all of the love and support they expressed to us.  Praise the Lord!

Out of town

We have been out of town.  The missionary who has been hosting teams at the Montego Bay campus asked us if we would help him out with a team.  We agreed to go down to MoBay for a few days to help out.  Friday, we went down for a fun day of swimming with the kids.  Saturday, we picked up the team and stayed through today.  It was a small team from Augusta, GA.  They were alot of fun and we enjoyed our time in the heat of Montego Bay.  But, our family is certainly not as mobile as the time when we would move down to MoBay with ease.  Now, 4 kids means more stuff and more issues with being out of routine, but thankfully, the kids are pretty flexible.

Happy Birthday Danae!

1 Year Old!!! Praise the Lord!!!

High School Class Reunion

This summer, my High School class is hosting a reunion.  It has been 15 years and our class has still not had a reunion.  Keri and I will not be able to make it for the event, but they did ask everyone to submit a summary of their past 15 years.  This is not an easy task to put 15 years into a few sentences for people of whom you only know their most immature self.  Then, add to the equation that a class reunion may be the first chance to "redeem" their enduring image of me, of which I am not the most proud.  For someone who thinks too much about these kinds of things, this is hard.  Therefore, I need your help.  Here is my first draft, let me know what you think.  If you have the time, please send an email or leave a comment.  Too long?  Too short?  Too practical?  Too ethereal?  Too christianese?  Too serious?  Thanks!

I am not who I was.  I look back at high school with some fond memories and a fair measure of shame.  My high school experience was better than that of 99% of the world.  I must be thankful for great people, good memories, and a decent education.  I know that puts me in the 1%.  But, I was not who I should have been and for that I am sorry, it makes grateful for forgiveness.  Not long into my freshmen year of college I realized that there was more to life than my experiences.  It was at this time that I became a believer in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  This changed everything!  From this point on, my life took a new course.  Through ICC and on to the University of Illinois, my journey took me beyond what I had planned.  After graduation,  I found myself living in Indiana and teaching at a small school for at-risk high school students.  It was often with a fair measure of chagrin that I looked at my life behind a teacher's desk as I considered my years failing Ms. Stahl's math class or some ridiculous english class.  The comedy then turned to a belly laugh as I took my 3 years of experience as a teacher and moved into the principals office.  It was a great job and a great experience and I remain passionate about education.  It was about the time that I became the Director of Education of that school that I was swept off my feet by the love of my life.  We married in 2004 and soon welcomed our first son in 2005.  After our second son was born in 2007, we felt the call of God to serve as missionaries overseas.  This call has taken us to the deaf community on the island of Jamaica.  We work at a school for the deaf in rural Jamaica and have experienced the profound grace of God living in a different culture.  We have had two daughters born since being in Jamaica and we often can't believe we are now a family of 6.  Life has not been easy or perfect, but we know that its a journey and we are living it in joy, learning how to love more completely.  And, by the grace of God, the journey continues.......

Can I get a witness

 

I need a witness up in here because if I just explain it to you, I am afraid you wont believe me.  Actually, I dont need a witness, I can do it myself.  Do you know that definition of success that says something along the lines of "to have those that know me the best, respect me the most."  Let me be the first to say that I think I know her the best and this is one awesome MOM!  She knew I was trying to put a blog post together and her comment was, "you wrote a post last year that was too nice and my mothering only got worse this year."  Dont believe it!  Is it always easy? No!  Do we lose our patience?  Yes!  Must we often ask for forgiveness?  Yes!  But, are we living under grace and growing?  YES!  Praise the Lord for an awesome wife and mother.  She is all that!

Jamaica Update - April

April 2012 Plattner Family Update
            Our parenting skills need some serious help!  It is not uncommon for us to get to the end of our day absolutely beside ourselves.  And, by “beside ourselves,” we literally mean that we can clearly see ourselves in two distinct ways.  The Bible calls it spirit and flesh, but for the sake of this conversation, we will call it good parent and bad parent, or proactive and reactive, or loving and angry.  After awhile, this tension continues to beat us up and we end up in the black and blue of depression.  Over the past month, the contrast between our bad parenting and the perfect parenting of God as our heavenly father has become increasingly clear.  When the bad parent rears its ugly head, we crumble in need of grace.  Then, in the light of that grace, we a get renewed glimpse of our Father’s love for us.  It is in understanding this love that we stand in awe knowing that our behavior towards Him is not far from the behavior in our children that sends us into bipolar mode.  We know His love for us is consistent, compassionate, and faithful.  We have been wrestling through these thoughts in prayer this month.  In new ways, we have sensed the Father’s love and in spite of the ugliness of “bad parent,” we know His Fatherly care shaping us into His image.
            April has been a monumental month, an intense month.  April started with us moving to Montego Bay for a week.  Our sending church was arriving for a week of ministry.  They were here for the first week of April and it was a blessed week.  The group was great and we spent the entirety of our time ministering at a local home for the infirmed.  The ministry consisted of some heavy construction, some maintenance work, a lot of singing, and most importantly, simply loving the residents.  The fellowship was sweet.  The nursing home was ecstatic for the work that was completed and the residents really appreciated all of the love and attention.
            After saying goodbye to the Leo team, we moved back up to Knockpatrick.  We were still in the middle of a serious ride on the emotional roller coaster as we dealt with the hangover from the Leo team.  But, the ride wasn’t over because that Sunday was Easter, a day of celebration.  Then, on Easter Sunday evening, we had a farewell dinner as a team with the Huber family.  On the next Tuesday, we said our final goodbyes as the Huber family moved back to the states.  This turned the roller coaster ride into high gear as we will miss them so much.  We have done a lot of life together with the Huber family over the past few years and it has been hard to see them move.  But, at the same time, we trust God’s plan for their family and know that our relationship will continue over the miles.
            The rest of the month, the roller coaster slowed down.  We had a little bit of down time before we welcomed a team from Florida.  We were blessed by the work and friendship of a team from Seffner Christian Academy.  As the team wrapped up their work, we were graced by a visit from Keri’s parents.  The time with Grandpa and Grandma Kaeb was great.  We enjoyed hosting them for a few days at our apartment before we went together on a little vacation.  As we have stated before, the distance between Grandparents and Grandkids continues to be one of our biggest struggles.  But, at the same time, we have clearly witnessed God’s grace in closing that gap for our kids as we have witnessed their deep love and connection to their grandparents.
            Throughout the month of April, we have really committed our plans to the Lord in prayer.  This summer looks like it will be a time of transition.  We are praying about moving out of our small apartment and we are asking the Lord to show us the way.  We are trusting Him as our faithful Father as we do not know if this means a simple move into town or a big move into a different ministry.  Thank you for praying with us and for your love and support.

Sign of the times

 

Drew lost his first tooth.  Yes, a monumental moment.  He was so excited and it has been the talk of our household.  With the loss of a tooth comes talk of tooth fairies.  So, I assumed my responsibility, role, and duty as a 200lb tooth fairy.  During the early discussions of the tooth fairy and "her" subsequent blessings, Drew came up with an idea.  This was no ordinary idea, but only an idea that could come out of a mind that has fully developed in this technological ocean in which we swim.  After the initial discussion of my tooth fairy leaving me a quarter per tooth, with the possibility of a slight increase with inflation, Drew dropped the technological bomb.  He said, "I wonder if the tooth fairy might leave me a new ipod under my pillow."  Wow!

Vacation with G-Pa and G-Ma

We had a blessed time with Grandpa and Grandma Kaeb this past week.  They came up to Knockpatrick a few days and then we went to a resort for a few days.  The kids had a great time.  The boys got lots of practice swimming and they loved hanging out with Grandpa and Grandma.  We had some good fellowship and are so thankful for the love of our parents.  You can check out a few pics by clicking here.

"Love Does" - a book review

Wow! Great Book!  Love Does by Bob Goff is a testimony of God’s goodness “leaking” from a life committed to trying to figure out what it means to be the hands and feet of God.  This book profoundly encouraged me.  It is largely a book of stories.  Actually, not just stories, but stories that act more like parables.  Parables, not in any profoundly theological way, but in an inspirational way that will be a game changer in my life.  Love Does brought clarity to a thread God has been weaving through my life regarding the abundant life.  The stories put flesh to a perspective of life that believes that the abundant life is an everyday reality.  Bringing to life ideas of “whimsy” and “capers” and being “secretly incredible,” this book shines a light on ways to “leak” Jesus everywhere we go and in everything we do.  And, leaking Jesus in a way that creates thirst in a parched world and dispels darkness in a world that is blind.  This salt and light is spread by the “doing” of love because love does.  The quote that I will take away as the thesis of the book is, “I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.”  This is the heartbeat of this book, living the secretly incredible life on behalf of the Kingdom with incredible love.  Because, Love Does!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Family coming to town!

Keri's parents flew to Jamaica on Tuesday. They took a couple of days for themselves and then we will meet them tomorrow. We are all very excited. The kids have been talking about all that they will do with Grandpa and Grandma. We will spend a few days with them at our home and then do a mini-vacation with them for a few days this coming week. We are looking forward to the fellowship and catching up!

A couple of more Leo team blessings

There are many more blessings from the Leo team for which to give thanks. Here are two more.

Every time our friend Janice comes, we are blessed. She is a favorite of our kids and we dont think she is half bad either. This trip, besides her joy and jokes, she joined in with the kids to dye Easter eggs. As the pictures so clearly explain, this was a highlight for the kids.

Also, one of the team's projects for the week was to pour a concrete patio for the male residents. The new patio will allow for a place for the more mobile residents to get outside under a shade tree for recreation. It will then allow the bed ridden residents to be able to be pushed out on their current porch for fresh air. We finished pouring the patio on Thursday. Then, after dropping off the team at the airport on Saturday, I drove back up to the infirmary to make sure all was good with how we left the project. When I drove up to the male ward, I was blessed to see a couple of men outside under the shade tree enjoying our Father's creation. Praise the Lord!

Farewell Hubers

Today, our teammates, the Hubers are flying back to the states to begin a transition to a different station of ministry. Please join us in praying for their travels and their transition. We have done a lot life together with this family and they will be profoundly missed. We are experiencing with them the unique paradox of emotions. We rejoice in God's plan in their life and mourn the changing of our relationship. To God be the Glory!

Then came the morning

Glorious Easter morning! This song was always a bit of an Easter morning tradition around our house. May it bless you this morning as we remember the stone rolled away!

Then came the morning
They all walked away, with nothing to say,
They'd just lost their dearest friend.
All that He said, now He was dead,
So this was the way it would end.
The dreams they had dreamed were not what they'd seemed,
Now that He was dead and gone.
The garden, the jail, the hammer, the nail,
How could a night be so long.

Then came the morning, night turned into day;
The stone was rolled away, hope rose with the dawn.
Then came the morning, shadows vanished before the sun,
Death had lost and life had won, for morning had come.

The angel, the star, the kings from afar,
The wedding, the water, the wine.
Now it was done, they'd taken her son,
Wasted before his time.
She knew it was true, she'd watched him die too,
She'd heard them call Him just a man,
But deep in her heart, she knew from the start,
Somehow her Son would live again.

Then came the morning, night turned into day;
The stone was rolled away, hope rose with the dawn.
Then came the morning, shadows vanished before the sun,
Death had lost and life had won, for morning had come.

Then came the morning, shadows vanished before the sun,
Death had lost and life had won, for morning had come.

Morning had come.

by Bill and Gloria Gaither

Leo Team 2012

Judy teaching Vacation Bible School!
The team with the kids from the community!

The team at Deaf Bible Church in St. Elizabeth!

Wow! What a week! Hosting this team from our home church has been fantastic. The fellowship has been sweet and the ministry completed has been great. The team had a big task. They were doing some hard concrete work, they were ministering to the residents, they were teaching the children in the community, and also doing some fix-it jobs for the infirmary. So, everyday, 5 major tasks were running simultaneously and they met every challenge. On Tuesday, the kids worked like dogs and did a great job pouring cement. We then mapped out our next two days and had the finish line in sight. But, we got to the infirmary on Wednesday and they asked if we could make the patio bigger. This was no small task, but the met the challenge and completed the task as requested. Anyways, there are many stories but the pictures will tell the better tale. Please click here to see some pictures of the week.

Simply Grilling - a book review

I love grilling. The confluence of smell, anticipation, and aura are the perfect blend. Therefore, I also love learning about grilling as well. That is why I am reviewing, “Simply Grilling” by Jennifer Chandler. As is similar to other grilling books, “Simply Grilling,” starts with general information about grilling, Charcoal vs. Gas, Direct vs. Indirect, and more general theory. This was good stuff, not necessarily unique, but just good information. Then, the recipes, wow. The recipes section is very nicely formatted. The recipes are “tabbed.” The tabs are for whether the recipe can be easily varied, marinated, done ahead, grilled inside, etc. The recipes look good and I love the simple approach. I have gone through the book and “dog-eared” about half of the recipes. I am excited to use both the recipes as well as the ideas on our grill. Whether its taste combinations, methods for grilling, or ways to make grilling simpler, sometimes a book like this is needed to spur the mind to think outside the box. “Simply grilling” is a nice combination of all of the above and it is packaged in a beautiful book with stunning pictures. We look forward to putting these ideas into practice and expanding our grilling repertoire in a simple but delicious way.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Leo Team

A quick update on the Leo team.

We have had a great couple of days. The team arrived Saturday afternoon. They were welcomed to Jamaica by an especially long line at immigration. But, after a couple of hours, they made it through and the rest of the day was spent getting to CCCD and getting oriented. Sunday morning, the group was up early and headed off to Church in St. Elizabeth. The team visited Deaf Bible Church. So, a 3 hour drive across the countryside was enjoyed by all. The church service was great. After church, the team enjoyed fellowship for a while, the church served them a lunch, and then we were back on the road to Montego Bay. Monday morning, up again and off to the St. James Infirmary for work. The team dove right into the work and with the residents. Serving in unity is a profound joy!

Back to Montego Bay!

We spent a lot of time at the Montego Bay campus of CCCD during our first two years in Jamaica. We really like the MoBay campus and kids. But, after Daisha came, the travel back and forth became very difficult, another missionary came for the campus, and we really havent been back to MoBay much since. But, on Saturday, our sending church is coming into MoBay on a ministry team. So, today, we ventured down to MoBay, moved back into the apartment we lived in before, and feel like we are getting back in the saddle. We will be in Montego Bay all of this coming week.

Also, our home phone will be off for the coming week and therefore email may be the quickest method of contacting us and then we can call you back.

Silly Sally - R.I.P.

You may remember that Truitt got a rabbit for his birthday. He named her Silly Sally. Well, Sally died a couple of weeks ago. We have no idea what happened. Yes, its sad, but the strangest thing is that we took it harder than Truitt. He still talks about it sometimes, but at the time he really kind of brushed it off. We did our duty as the three of us "men" went out to bury Sally. I tried to give the boys an opportunity to have a moment of silence or something in memorium, but they were unfazed. They were more concerned about whether we should put more rocks on top of the grave so that the dog didnt come and dig her up. We did cover the topic of rabbits in heaven, but in the end, the adventure of going out to bury the rabbit far outweighed the tragedy of the rabbit being dead. Anyways, it was good while it lasted and for now we will put the rabbit farming on standby.

Gone Fishing

Sorry we have been so absent. We are currently between teams, which means we have more time to get things done. But, we feel a little like we are in a vortex between teams. Feeling some fatigue from the last couple of weeks and ramping up to a big team the week after next. On the 31st, a team from our sending church is coming for a week. We are really excited, but also feel alot of responsibility. So, we are ramping up to that time and trying to get things in order. We are resting on Grace!

Daddy's Girl

It all started one sunny day in June of 2009, and he's never been the same since. It's amazing the influence such a little girl can have on such a big guy! Daisha Leigh has become her Daddy's princess. She's already convinced 100% that "Daddy's my man," and refuses to close her eyes at night till she has squealed from the tackles of her dad. And her Daddy, he often adjusts his plans for the day around the whims of this little 2 year old bundle. As her mom, I love watching their relationship grow. We pray that she will always be won by the love of her father, and by this understand that she is so precious in her heavenly Father's eyes!

February Update

Plattner Family Update - February 2012

We must believe that the Gospel is enough. It must be the answer. If we cannot reconcile the Gospel as being the answer for all “making right” in the world, the guilt will kill us. The needs of the world are absolutely overwhelming. This message keeps resonating back to us again and again. The story often goes like this, when faced with the needs of the world, the level of guilt we feel demands a response. Then, because this guilt is born more out of shame for our blessings rather than compassion regarding the consequences of sin, we respond in the flesh rather than the Spirit. Our response is our best effort to bring aid to the situation in a way that will provide comfort to our guilt. This will lead down the wrong road every time. The response of our flesh will always lead to problems and the response of our flesh to suffering will likewise lead to more problems. Therefore, we must believe that the Gospel is the answer. We must believe that our response must copy the response of Jesus. We must believe that the answer is in true “Com-passion,” the true “suffering- with” as Christ suffered with us. That is the Gospel, God’s story and plan of reconciliation of His wayward people back to Himself through the passion of the Cross. We must start here or our helping will only serve to hurt.

February has been a significant month. At the beginning of February, our teammates Chad and Pam Huber, announced that they were moving back to the states. This was profound for us in many ways. They have been great teammates for the past 4 years and it is hard to see them preparing to leave Jamaica. But, we trust God’s leading in their lives. The Hubers have done great work on behalf of Apostolic Christian World Relief and the Jamaica Deaf Village. Their love and sacrifice have been a testimony to our family. Not all has gone as envisioned for the Hubers, but their steadfast trust in His plan has refreshed our hearts. Our circumstances have been very similar to the Hubers and we are trying to learn all we can as they walk through this transition. Please pray for them as they transition to a new phase in life.

In early February, while newly processing the idea of the Huber’s leaving, our support team came for a visit. This was a 5 day extravaganza of meetings. We visited many ministries around Jamaica and we also spent a lot of time focusing on our vision for the future in Jamaica. It was a very blessed week of fellowship and planning. The remainder of February was spent living life, but not in any normal sense. The Lord challenged us and stretched us through another unique set of circumstances involving two friends in our lives. These situations reawakened us to the absolutely destructive power of sin. I don’t know how and why we forget, but our hearts become calloused. While not situations that we can specifically explain, we pray that the light of our Lord shined through us in these dark situations. And, we continue to pray for soft hearts that remain malleable in His hands.

The experiences alluded to above were good for our soul. We continue to seek Him in our ministry, marriage, relationships, and parenting. The understanding of our need for sustaining grace continues to grow. Drew is more than half way through his first grade year and continues to love learning. Truitt continues being Daisha’s worst nightmare and best friend. Daisha, when not fighting with her older brother, continues to wow us with her little “girly” personality. And,, Danae continues her bipolar approach to life which results in either adorable smiles or fussy crying. Keri and I continue to celebrate life together with a love that continues to grow deeper. Again, we walk by grace and give thanks for all of your love and support.

Called to Controversy (by Ruth Rosen) - A book review

Called to Controversy is a book about Moishe Rosen, the founder of Jews for Jesus. The book is an honest look at Moishe from his youth through his leadership of the foremost mission organization to Jewish people. The book detailed Moishe’s early life, conversion, educational journey, early ministry, and then the founding of Jews for Jesus. I really appreciated the authentic approach of this biography. There was no sense in which the book felt like a “rose-colored” eulogy, but conversely, it felt like an honest summary of a man passionate about Jewish evangelism. Moishe was pictured as a man of God committed to the cause, but not without his flaws. This approach to biography was refreshing and offered a more realistic look at ministry and organizational leadership. While there were times that I wish the book gave a clearer picture of what and how Moishe taught the Bible, the book did give a detailed look at the inner workings of Jews for Jesus as an organization. The passion and commitment came through clearly and the book concluded with reflections back across Moishe’s life. The coverage of the time after Moishe’s retirement was especially insightful as the author included many of Moishe’s introspections of his own life and ministry. Ultimately, Moishe’s commitment to preaching the Good News to the Jewish people shined through this book and ministered to me as a significant encouragement. I think this little poem written by Moishe most succinctly summarizes the heart of the book. “Our love cannot preserve itself nor our rightness last. O Lord, love us and we shall be loved and love. Keep us right till we are right with you.”


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Wheaton College

For the past week, we have been hosting a team from Wheaton College. The team is comprised of the students in their ASL club. They were a great group of kids and we had alot of fun with the team. Their program is very well run and they had two great leaders, Cindy and Noah. Cindy works for the school and enjoys spending time with the kids for the trip to Jamaica. Noah is a young deaf leader who is currently in seminary training to be a pastor. Noah works with igniteasl.com which produces videos to encourage and equip young people. Below is one of his videos if you want a taste. Thanks Wheaton for a great week!

Media from Deaf International on Vimeo.

For Frau Lau

"Frau Lau" is my delightful Aunt Marlene. And, I think she can appreciate this post as much as anyone and therefore I post it for her.

Check out the picture of these two guys below. Do you see any resemblance? I dare say they could be twins and come to find out they are very close in age with profoundly similar life stories. Check out these profound similarities.
1. Same last name
2. Both of German Heritage
3. Both worked for IBM
4. Both worked in computers all their life

And, that is where the similarities stop. The guy on top is named Hasso Plattner and the guy on the bottom is named James Plattner, my dad. Their differences begin with the fact that Hasso is worth an estimated 7.2 Billion dollars and comes in on Forbes richest people in the world list at #127. But, despite the marginal difference in net worth, I am "banking" on the fact that Hasso may be a long lost uncle.

Grandma Post

Click here for a few pics from the past couple of months.

Meet Blake and Tashi

Meet Blake and Tashi, our friends, comrades, and teammates. Blake and Tashi Widmer were interviewed at our home church last evening. They explained a little about their lives, ministry, and life in Jamaica. They testified to God's goodness in their lives. You can check out the interview by clicking here.

Leap day thoughts

1. I always wished that I had been born on February 29th. I dont particularly like birthdays and I love the unique.

2. Also, I heard again today that the Bible says "Fear not" 366 times. I have not checked that out to see if it is true, but I do know that His grace is sufficient to cover my fears every day of the year. And, for a fearful person, the thought of leap day being covered is extra encouraging.

3. I do not know anybody who was born on February 29th.

4. God is Good!

Clueless Kids!

Our kids are clueless. They have no idea that white sand, crystal clear water, and 80 degree February days are not the lifestyle of the majority. For them, these are the amenities of a weekend trip. Its ridiculous. What a blessing! So, while we certainly mourn the loss of certain aspects of the lifestyle we consider "normal," the loss is often aided by blessings that come in the form of playing on a sunny beach with the kids. This weekend, we were able to kill a couple of birds with one stone as we had a little family getaway, took our turn at the SAV church, and then picked up our friend Erin at the airport.

Tanduk Coffee...Kopi Luwak

A few weeks ago, I met a new friend named Ken. Ken roasts coffee and I roast coffee, we became fast friends. Ken is a retired Marine helicopter pilot who now focuses on serving and volunteering in his retirement. Indonesia is home to the world's most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak. Kopi Luwak is special because it is processed in such a unique way. You can learn about processing coffee by clicking here. Anyways, this coffee is processed not by humans or machines, but, no pun intended, by an animal. It is processed in the most natural of ways. Yes, straight through the digestive tract. An animal that looks like a raccoon likes to eat the coffee, but doesn't chew the seed. Therefore, after a day or so the coffee bean "reappears" fully processed. Thus, the most unique and expensive coffee in the world. (You can find it at Amazon for $100+/lb) Yep, thats right and you can join me in enjoying this bold, but mellow goodness. So, check out Tanduk Coffee and get some for yourself. And, for the less adventurous, they also sell some very good "traditionally" processed coffee. Enjoy!

Ash Wednesday

In Jamaica, Ash Wednesday is a big holiday. School closes, businesses close, and everyone is on full fledged holiday. Previously, while we were in the states, Ash Wednesday would often pass almost unnoticed without much thought. But, we have come to really appreciate the remembrance. Whether it is in remembrance of Jesus' 40 day fast and triumph over temptation or any of the other 40's in the Bible, this time has served as a healthy preparation for our celebration of the cross. May we all look to the cross and remember the blood that was shed for the forgiveness of our sins!

Meetings? Blessings?

We were extremely blessed this past week to host our JOC (Jamaica Organizational Committee) from the States. The week consisted of traveling to most of our ministries on the island where our church sends material aid as well as meetings, meetings, fellowship, and more meetings. It was an exhausting week for all of us, but it was blessed. Our ministry to the deaf of Jamaica is only possible through the support we've received from this group. Our sending organization, "Apostolic Christian World Relief" is doing lots of growing. You should click on the link, check them out, and then sign up for the email updates to stay current. Anyways, the "Jamaica Organizational Committee" is some of the fruit of this growth and is set up to support all of the work in Jamaica. This group of three brothers has come alongside us in very real and practical ways over the past year. We are very thankful for their hearts for the Deaf of Jamaica.

Thank you John, Alan, and Loren (and a special thanks to your wives)

January update

January 2012 Plattner Family Update

It’s the middle of February and I cant think of any kind of intro to our update. I typically try for a thoughtful or quippy intro but time has got the best of me. Also, it is our best intention to write meaningful content every month for our accountability to those who care and give such wonderful support. But, with no intro and poor content, we acknowledge sending this update out as a mater of discipline and not delight. So, here is our update for the month of January in its fully sorry state.

January was full. We flew back to the island on the 3^rd and picked up our first team on the 7^th. The team was great and we enjoyed the fellowship of our friends from Little Rock, Arkansas. The next week was a board meeting. This means lots of traveling and lots of hosting as board members fly in for the meetings. The board members flew out just as we welcomed our second team of the year. This team comes every year from Dayton, Ohio. The team did some great work in the school and with our staff. And, in a blink, our January was gone.

Our family continues to experience profound blessing. Between our fits of complaining and extreme selfishness, we stop and marvel at God’s grace on our lives. From our children’s growth, to our marriage, to our opportunities to minister, we give thanks. We have fellowshipped with some wonderful people and have been blessed by the Body of Christ. Thank you so much for your ongoing support of our family.

Love,

Kirk, Keri, Drew, Truitt, Daisha, and Danae