by admin | August 1, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
Expect the Unexpected… That’s what we tell all people coming out to Madagascar, whether to visit or to live…. “expect the unexpected”. Things can change quickly here–sometimes at a drop of a hat all plans for the day are flipped...
by admin | July 11, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
For years I’ve had the burning desire to participate in a little exercise called Ten on Ten…. something that another former SPU alum and acquaintance, Rebekah Gough began. The premise is simple: 10 pictures a day on the 10th of every month in order to...
by admin | July 1, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
Life as we all know it is sometimes a mixture of good, bad and ugly… at times, all three are wrapped into a single day. The month of June seemed to be just this for us here in Madagascar. Kalamboro… (the good!) Thank you for your many prayers that went out...
by admin | June 24, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
New Life Abounds… We’ve received dozens of visitors over the last few years as they come to visit the work at the Sarobidy Center– some have specifically come to see the reforestation nursery, some have come to see the maternity center, while...
by admin | June 10, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
Growing Up… Five and half years into ministry here and we’re so thankful the various ministries are continuing to grow up– new opportunities, project expansions, growing in skills and knowledge, and adding a few more wrinkles to our faces along the...
by admin | May 2, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
Deforestation in Madagascar is estimated between 88-90%– quite the staggering rate! The two largest culprits of the continued destruction of the forests are 1) charcoal production to be used for cooking and heating purposes and 2) slash and burn farming. When...
by admin | April 14, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
You may remember towards the end of 2015 that many of you gave generously for necessary renovations at the Sarobidy Maternity Center. All these renovations and improvements are in preparation for when we begin deliveries at the center later this year. A few have...
by admin | March 2, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
Unexpected birth… It was 11:15pm and amazingly, we were already in bed and had just fallen asleep. I received a phone call from Rota, the Malagasy midwife at the maternity center. She was talking fast and was a bit winded as she walked down the dark dirt road...
by admin | February 29, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
23 pieces of luggage…. that’s how many pieces of luggage we brought back with us to Madagascar! That of course, is not including our checked luggage of which we had five pieces plus an additional three backpacks for the kids, my purse and a computer...
by admin | February 5, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
Thank you for praying us back to Madagascar earlier this month! We arrived after only one hiccup due to a passport at the airport which caused us to spend an additional 3 days in the USA. In the end, the extra time in Santa Barbara was such a gift! We slept, walked...
by admin | January 6, 2016 | Blog, Uncategorized
Home Assignment by the Numbers… As we wrap up our time in the USA we look back to all that occurred in such a short amount of time. Historically, our time in the USA has been busier than we plan, hope for or anticipate– this time was no different and...
by admin | December 31, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
For years we have been praying for like-minded ministry partners to join in the growing work in Madagascar. In 2014 and early 2015 we hosted several individuals, couples and families that came to Madagascar for vision trips. Now that we’re back in the...
by admin | October 31, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
Twins x 2! Last month two mama’s-to-be in our prenatal program went in for their first ultrasound… both walked out with surprising news– both expecting TWINS, both with the same expected due date of February 22nd! Elizabeth and Nathalie, the special...
by admin | October 15, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
ISS- AKA the Institute for Security Studies, recently published an article on October 7th about Madagascar written by Simon Allison. The title: Sorry Madagascar, Your Problems Aren’t Hot Enough. The title basically sums what we’ve been saying for years,...
by admin | October 3, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
Thank you so much for your prayers as Jamie returned to Madagascar for a 2-week work trip with Eden Projects! Within 12 hours of being in country, they were already out in the remote fishing village of Kalamboro, meeting with the people and employees of Eden...
by admin | September 2, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
Transition and re-entry. It’s become a regular part of our lives, typically on a 20 month then 5 month then 20 month then 5 month rotation. Each and every time we return to the USA we experience transition. Each and every time we return to Madagascar we...
by admin | September 1, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
In the last 6 weeks, we’ve been in Madagascar, Paris, California, Colorado, Idaho and as I write this, Jamie is BACK in Madagascar after having arrived in country over the weekend for work with Eden Projects! In the next 3 weeks, Jamie and I will add Ghana and...
by admin | August 2, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
We’re excited to share with you that our work with Eden Projects in Madagascar was the recent featured article in the Inside WorldVenture magazine! To quote the article, “WorldVenture missionaries are leading one of the largest reforestation projects in...
by admin | July 31, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
It’s a bit of surreal process to travel half way around the world… leaving one world in which we’re settled and at home and coming back to our American world and the transition that it warrants. The sights, sounds, experiences, foods, work,...
by admin | June 30, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
If we had to pick a theme to describe the last 18 months here in Madagascar it would be that of “building up”. The amount of construction projects that we’ve overseen and completed have been many! Here’s a quick glimpse… to read the...
by admin | June 3, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
Jean Paul is a character– full of life, witty and quick to offer a heart-warming smile. For years, this father of six did all that he could to provide for his children, however it was never enough. For several years, Jean Paul cut down thousands of mangrove...
by admin | May 22, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
A couple months ago I was telling Jamie how much I would love it if he swept me away someplace as a surprise. At that time, it was talk and I was loftily dreaming of someplace in Europe or Asia… walking the streets, exploring the culture, eating yummy cuisine,...
by admin | May 3, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
Mother’s around the world are pretty much amazing! They are our mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts and girlfriends. Because we treasure these ladies in our lives, we would like to give you the opportunity to honor them in a unique way this Mother’s Day. The...
by admin | May 3, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
Nearly all of the women at the Sarobidy Maternity Center have led difficult lives. Abject poverty, physical and emotional abuse, lack of education or total illiteracy, children from multiple fathers, prostitution, rape, oppression by their society and government, and...
by admin | May 1, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
This space has been way too neglected for way too long. The desire to write, share images and stories of life and ministry here is not to blame… in fact, I’ve got about 8 blogs swirling around in my mind. The problem is the time to get all that’s...
by admin | March 30, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
We experienced a devastating loss last month when one of the ladies from our maternity center experienced a ruptured uterus during labor. You can read about that tragic story here. We praise God that we didn’t lose the mama in addition to the sweet baby girl...
by admin | February 26, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
“Uterine rupture stands as a single obstetric accident that exposes the flaws and inequities of health systems and the society at large due to the degree of neglect that it entails”. –Ghana Medical Journal (A Two-Year Review of Uterine Rupture in a...
by admin | January 30, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
In 2014, we completed our first calendar year at the Sarobidy Maternity Center. The year 2014 was all about growth. Our staff has grown together, our programs have become stronger, our knowledge about maternity care in Madagascar has increased. Our programs have...
by admin | January 16, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
Twenty Fourteen was quite the year… there was good and there was hard, there were times of joy and sadness, times of growth and steps backward. Through it all, God has been present and He is good! It’s good to look back through pictures and SEE that God...
by admin | December 31, 2014 | Blog, Our Videos, Uncategorized
In late 2006, the first mangrove propagule went into the mud in the mangrove channels that surround a remote peninsula in the village of Mahabana on the northwest coast of Madagascar. It was an experiment. The propagule grew, and grew, and grew. A team of 8...
by admin | October 29, 2014 | Blog, Our Videos, Uncategorized
We opened the Sarobidy Maternity Center just shy of 18-months ago. Nearly 18 months that we’ve had the privilege to provide compassionate medical care for women during their pregnancies, deliveries, and postpartum period in addition to well-baby care until...
by admin | October 14, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Last week I posted our first giveaway, thanks to the guys over at TenTree. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect… would people be as stoked to enter this as I would be or would I need to recruit friends and family to enter? A bunch of you entered,...
by admin | October 6, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Back in August we hosted a great group of Eden Projects supporters for 8 days of crazy travel to remote villages, planting sites, the tsingy (limestone forests), grabbed hours of professional video footage, drone teaching and flying and lots of just good...
by admin | September 24, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
We recently got to hang out with Josh and Amanda, some Santa Barbara friends who came to visit us and the ministry here in Madagascar. It’s always a joy when our two worlds of Santa Barbara and Madagascar merge and this was no exception. Often times what stands...
by admin | September 19, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Meet Paquerette. We’ve known Paquerette and her family for at least 2 decades, in fact we’ve known Paquerette since she was a little girl…and now she’s a mom. She and her husband Haja welcomed their first baby, Cesar Gabriel into the world on...
by admin | September 15, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
It’s been nearly two months since my last post. Over two months since our maternity center was broken into in the early morning hours. You can read more about that here. In the wake of the theft, there’s been much to do to get back on our feet...
by admin | July 17, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
We’re super sad to report that the Sarobidy Maternity Center was broken into just before dawn on Sunday morning. Every-one is OK. There was no threat to life or injuries for which we’re extremely thankful after a few other burglaries in our city this...
by admin | July 17, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
This is a story of God’s grace which has been so lavishly and undeniably extended to this little family! At the age of 20, Judith and her at-the-time-boyfriend had a son together in 1996. As is all too common here in Madagascar, soon after their son was born,...
by admin | July 15, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Last month while the Westmont team was here we celebrated this little dude’s birthday. How can it be that my youngest baby is four already? During my pregnancy with him, I knew with all my motherly instincts that he was going to be a boy. In fact, seven dreams...
by admin | June 30, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Just a few days ago we said veloma to four wonderful Westmont College students that were with us for four weeks through the Emmaus Road program. They joined a team of 25+ Malagasy young people… most of whom work with us either at the Sarobidy Maternity Center...
by admin | June 13, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Genotine recently delivered her second baby, a sweet little girl named Marigette. At 19 years old, this is Genotine’s second baby. Her first baby is a little boy who just recently turned two years old. Two precious children from two different fathers, both of...
by admin | June 11, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
The crew of 4 students from Westmont College are with us this month and we’re joining efforts with a team of 20+ Malagasy young people from our Eden Crew and Maternity Center crew for a month-long mission trip. Each morning we meet in the gazebo at the Sarobidy...
by admin | May 28, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
I’ve been thinking a lot about TCK’s lately… third culture kids. You may or may not be familiar with that terminology or what in the world it means. Essentially TCK’s are those kids that grow up in a culture other than their parents home...
by admin | May 26, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
I can’t help but to love the signs on the roads in Madagascar. They’re mostly made of cement with the exception of the few that are made of metal. I’m pretty sure they’re all hand-painted– you know ’cause we’re quite the...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Today we celebrated the 1-year anniversary since opening the Sarobidy Maternity Center. As a staff team, we celebrated by giving each other high-fives, hootin’ and hollerin’ and conducting prenatal visits. It’s been a joy to watch this dream become...
by admin | April 28, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Postpartum care for a new mama and baby is unheard of in this country. I’ve witnessed on several occasions where babies are never even examined before they go home… not even a listen to the heart or lungs. Once discharged from the hospital or clinic...
by admin | April 23, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Happy Earth Day/Arbor Day week! We’re super stoked that Jamie is the International Director for Eden Projects here in Madagascar. This organization is over-the-top amazing in their commitment to planting trees, restoring habitat, and saving lives through...
by admin | April 21, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Just like her big sister did last month, this little girl celebrated a birthday last week. 6 years old. Time seems to pass even more quickly with each year. This little girl of ours was a whole 13 days late… and when she decided to make her appearance into...
by admin | April 11, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
In Madagascar, parents are known by their children… Maman’i Josy is Josy’s mom. Sometimes Josy’s mom also goes by the name of Maman’i Dina or Maman’i Redy… or any of her other 4 children. She’s a sweet women who has...
by admin | April 11, 2014 | Blog, Uncategorized
Tears… welling up in my eyes and beginning to stream down my cheeks as I read these words. Head nodding… as these truths strike so many cords for our family individually and collectively. Heart rejoicing… that we’ve been privileged with this...
