FCOP Update -- May 2006

Dear Friends and Family,

I know. I’m late! But I’ve been busy examining the age old question, “Did Adam have a navel?” And, due to my personal research, I can answer most affirmatively, “Yes!” You see, Adam may have needed emergency gall bladder surgery (You know? After the fall. Hey! It could’a happened!), and the good doctors needed his navel to hook him up to a hose and pump him full of air like the Goodyear blimp to do a “walkabout” on his innards. At least that has been my recent experience, and, since Adam was my prototype, Walla! He had to have a navel. Right? Actually, I just returned from twelve days in a Bangkok Hospital. I Went to Thailand to speak at the Thai Foursquare National Convention, and on my way home, decided to stop for an evening check-up on the operation to my groin area, which took place at the first of the year, to remove a bone fragment. It wasn’t healing right. The doc took one look and said, “I need to go in again. I can schedule you for surgery here first thing in the morning, it’s cheaper than the other hospital, but no one speaks English.” I speak Lao, which is considered a very low form of Thai, so, I can get by in Thailand, I just make them laugh, as the Lao I speak is very “rural”, making me sound like the ultimate “hillbilly”.

“Let’s get it done!” I responded. The next morning, after four hours of surgery, he removed two chunks of calcified plaque, each more than an inch long (they look like miniature stalagmites). I was progressing on a normal post operative recovery, when, on the second day, I couldn’t sit up, eat, move, or even find a comfortable position to sleep. After three days of feeling like someone was using a baseball bat on my abdomen, I called in the “old” head nurse (really eight years younger than myself), who just happened to grow up right across the Mekong River from where I was first stationed in Laos 38 years ago. (I actually may have seen her then, as we both used to shop in the same market during that period) She understood my Lao, and told me, “Don’t worry older brother, I’ll take care of you, we are the same family!” I said, “Sister, I think I am crazy, and you need to get me a psychologist, or else, if you have an ultrasound, or an MRI in this place, get me under it, and prove me sane, because I believe there is definitely something wrong in my belly!” Within half an hour, at 6:00pm, I was under an ultrasound. I couldn’t see the screen. The technician began sliding the sensors around on the slimy jell they’d covered me with. I heard him, “Ohhh! Hmmmm! Uhuuuuu! And, after less than a minute, he clicked the machine off. “You have a very serious gall bladder problem! There are many stones, some very big!”

“Can you take’em out in the morning?” I asked. “No, tomorrow might be too late!” By 8:00pm I was back under the knife. I woke up at midnight feeling rather poorly. After a good dose of morphine, the surgeon explained that my gall bladder was dead, already black and badly infected, full of calcium bilirubinate stones. They had to remove it the hard way, in one piece, so I had a nice six inch gash across the gut and about four different hoses coming out of my abdomen; one big one, right out of my belly button. The scar will surely impress my grandchildren, as I tell them about my swordfight with the “Black Prince”. God is still in charge. The doctors told me, had it ruptured in Cambodia, I would most likely not have lived. I was in the right place at the right time. Thank God for the Thai Church speaking invitation, and those nasty little bone spurs.

Actually, April was a great month! The big event was sponsored by Warm Blankets. We took 1759 kids, plus staff, to the beach for a baptism trip. Typically Cambodian, we’d planned for 1200. Some of the kids came from as far as the Lao border and had never seen the ocean. About 1350 orphan children were baptized and, what proved to be a very successful experiment, three homes were allowed to invite their friends from the church, who had not been baptized, so about 300 village children were also baptized. The rest were helpers and staff. There is much to write, but pictures tell it the best, and there are a lot of pictures. http://www.missionreports.com/greatcomission_baptismtrip2006  The children went home with memories of a glorious three days of Christian fellowship that will last a lifetime. Prairie Harvest Fellowship of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, our first Canadian Partners, came with a team from Warm Blankets Orphan Care, headed by Director, Craig Muller. The teams spent several days prior to, and after, the baptism trip, visiting church/homes in Rattanakiri, Khampong Thom, Khampong Speu, Sway Reiung, and Siem Reap Provinces

The Cambodian Foursquare Church has reached a point of “permanent sustainability”. By this, I mean that it will continue to survive and grow regardless of my personal presence. I cried as I came out of the airport upon my return yesterday and met many of the District Supervisors who had spent days in continuous prayer on my behalf. Boun Ridth, a young supervisor from the south, cheered me, by telling me, “Pa, we know you would go to heaven, but we wanted you to live, so you would know that the church you came to start here will never die!” We continue to train, and plant new churches through the help of the Foursquare Foundation. Almost all of our current construction projects are completed, and international Cooperating Ministries has approved us for four more. I just need to get this beat up carcass of mine into shape to finish the applications. The rice mill, swine enterprises, vegetable production, fish farming and micro-enterprise income have saved our necks in supporting the orphans this year. But the simple truth is without your faithful help, even though the church may survive, the orphans wouldn’t. This month we are planting 35,000 eucalyptus trees, and 5000 dragon fruit plants to further support the Church and the ministry to orphans and widows. http://www.missionreports.com/may_update06

Easter Sunday drew big crowds and the usual pageants. At least no one wanted to volunteer to actually be crucified this year. Last year, one of the older orphan boys, who was playing Christ in the pageant, so wanted to identify with Christ’s suffering, that he secretly asked the boys playing the Roman soldiers to use real nails. Fortunately, one of the Romans squealed, and Peter and I had a quick talk with the young man, convincing him he’d do a lot more kingdom good by staying healthy. He was later almost killed in a motorcycle accident, and after being restored through much prayer, is now a firm believer that serving Christ with vigor and strength is the preferred option. Hey! Me too!

One problem with a large staff of widows, is that they tend to be old, which simply means, they don’t have long life expectancies. This month we lost two dedicated caregivers, who peacefully went to be with the Lord. The children grieved, but rejoiced at the peace of these women, who went from being discards, to finding real purpose, and joy, in being grandma’s to dozens of orphaned children. The funerals were held on the grounds, with the children helping in every detail, including building the funeral pyre for the cremation. Life is so less artificial here. I contrast this to my own mother’s death; funeral homes, $10,000 funerals, public viewings, what a difference! Mom went to be with the Lord April 6^th. Sou, Hannah, and I went back for the funeral, which I preached. Mom loved the Lord, and in her will made the final bequest that, “More than anything I want my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to be with me forever.” I preached the funeral message, and eleven people came to Christ. I was amazed at the number of people who showed up for the funeral of a 90 year old Alzheimer’s victim, but the differences in the manner in which we embrace death in America vs. Cambodia are worlds apart.

One of our favorite partners is the Hong Kong EF church. They come and do some of the most amazing things. After visiting the Toule Sleng Prison and the “Killing Fields” they knew our pharmacy was getting low, to out, on many vital drugs. They, guided by Ryan Taggart, our Medical Director, purchased $8000 worth of supplies. It took a one ton truck to haul them all back. Then they visited several homes treating them to apples and needed food items.  http://www.foursquareorphans.org/hong_kong_2006  They also purchase about 4 tons of rice each month.

“Wendex”, Bright, clear, and squeaky clean,  Ms. Wendy Hicks, went back to the US to pursue her teaching career after lending us a lot of help in bringing our staff up several notches in English proficiency, and assisting in many other areas of support as well. God bless you Wendex! Thanks! Hannah finishes her International Baccalaurate High School degree in May, and Anna Blake, our Teams Leader, took a week off for a graduation in the US. No, not her own! Hard working as ever, she tells me that we have a constant stream of teams visiting through October 2007. We thank you for your support!

Believe it or not, despite personal loss, and pain, we really did have a great month! Christ be praised! The devil be damned!

Blessings!

Your FCOP expat crew,
Ted, Sou & Hannah Olbrich,
Anna Blake and Ryan Taggart