Friday, May 25, 2012

Upcoming Events - Presentation Tonight / Garage Sale/BBQ Tomorrow

Greetings Everyone!

As you may know, we have recently returned from our 1 month trip out east where we did a total of 13 presentations.  We also had the opportunity to meet many of our supporters, and share with many more about how the Lord is working through MAF in Haiti! During our busy, sometimes exhausting trip, we felt a special sense of God’s care and faithfulness towards us, for which we are thankful!

At this time we are still approximately $200 / month short on our ongoing monthly support, however there have been several people who have indicated they were interested in supporting our work, that we are still waiting on.

To those in our home town Chilliwack area, we would like to invite you to the following upcoming events
Upcoming Events:

May 25 at 7:30 PM – Desert / Presentation Evening at Free Reformed Church of Chilliwack
                                          45471 Yale Road, Chilliwack, BC

May 26 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM -  MAF Garage Sale / BBQ/Bake/Plant/Car Wash at Unity Christian School
                                    9750 McNaught Rd, Chilliwack,  BC

We will be around the entire day for the garage sale as well, and would love to chat with you!

Thank you and hope to see you there!

Blessings,
Jason, Wilhelmina, Jayden and Justin Krul

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Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada
264 Woodlawn Rd West
Guelph, ON Canada
N1H 1B6

Mission Aviation Fellowship of US
P.O Box 47
Nampa, ID 83653
www.maf.org/donate

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Contentment

A soft breeze blows through the cream coloured curtains and for a moment I look up. 


Through the kitchen window acres of grassy fields stretch out for miles ending at the foot of blue green mountains. 


In front of our new, temporary home, pink flowers are in full bloom, their sweet aroma wafting in through the open windows. 


Sighing with contentment I turn back to my cutting board. My sharp paring knife makes quick work of carrots, leeks, green onions, yellow and green peppers and cauliflower; perfect for a tomato vegetable soup. 

Several feet away in the living room Jayden is building airplanes out of lego while Justin dozes in his bassinet in the master bedroom. Although our little place is small, I couldn’t be happier. 

If these last four years with MAF have taught me anything, it is to appreciate the little things. 

Agur prays in Proverbs 30, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me,” and I’ve learned the wisdom of this request over the years. 

God has always provided just enough and my heart is filled with thankfulness to Him.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Of Ticks and Tooth Extractions

Golden sunshine pours through the patio doors casting a warm glow over the dinner table, the serenity of the setting giving no indication of the events about to unfold. It’s 5:30 p.m., in Chilliwack, BC, and Jayden, Justin and I are just having dinner with my parents. Yesterday morning Jason had all of his wisdom teeth pulled so he’s unable to eat, or much less function at this point, and is still recovering at his parent’s house where we’ve been staying the last few days. 

Reaching over to help Jayden open his yoghurt I suddenly notice something black behind his ear. Quick as a flash, I pass Justin, who I had been holding on my lap, to my Dad, and take a closer look. Hmm... a small black bug. 

Feeling with my fingers, I quickly notice it’s attached. “Hold still Jayden.” I tell my wiggling boy, and swiftly get to work extracting the insect. 

“Must be some kind of blood sucker,” I tell my parents who are hovering nearby. Upon removal, I ask my Mom for a ziplock bag and then carefully place the still moving critter inside. 

“What are you going to do now?” She asks. 

“Let’s close first, and then I’ll do a little research and find out what kind of bug it is.” 

“Okay.” 

After dinner I get to work researching and quickly discover the bug is called a deer tick, which are commonly found in New Jersey. Since they are possible carriers of Lime Disease, it’s recommended to take Jayden in and get him checked. 

Since Justin is exclusively breastfed I can’t leave him with my Mom so with my two boys, diaper bag, purse and bug in tow, I make my way to the Doctor’s Satellite Clinic. Noticing an empty parking lot on arrival, I doubtfully make my way to the door, only to be met by a sign that the office is closed for Mother’s Day. Really? Mother’s day isn’t till Sunday! 

Since the ER is right next door, I remain parked, and proceed to get the two kids out of the car. A little leery of visiting the ER on a Friday night, I am pleasantly surprised to notice how quiet it is. 

After checking in at reception, we are directed to wait by the Triage Nurse’s window. While we wait, I watch as a Mother and Father push in a girl in a wheel chair who looks about my age. Jayden looks on with big eyes as the girl, dressed in her pajamas and crocks, alternates between sighing, quivering and moaning. Instructed to stand by the nurse for a blood pressure reading she collapses to the ground. Seconds later she’s surrounded by nurses and paramedics and carefully placed on a bed and wheeled away. 

“What happened to that man, Mom?” Jayden whispers loudly. 

“Umm, that’s actually a lady Jayden, and she’s sick.” 

“Oh.” He looks at me with wide eyes. Balancing Justin, I reach over and give him a one armed hug. When the Triage nurse returns we’re next and I quickly explain our predicament. 

“Is the tick still attached?” she questions. 

“No, I removed it, but I did bring it with me.” 

“Oh good.” 

Reaching into the diaper bag, I feel for a small box. Extracting the ziplock bag I notice Mr. Deer Tick is still alive and kicking. After a quick peek the nurse files him away. 

“The Doctor will most likely want to send him off to get tested for Lime Disease.” She tells me. 

Once the paperwork is done, we’re directed to Waiting Area B. To keep Jayden entertained I make up stories about a wolf dog that howls during thunder storms. He is quite intrigued and every few minutes adds some of his own imaginative details. 

Starting to run out of ideas, I’m glad when I hear a man with a chart calling Jayden’s name. The wait isn’t over yet though. Walking past all types of injured and sick, barely visible behind blue curtains, we are directed to our own waiting area. 15 minutes later, the Doctor shows up and I explain the situation all over again. After asking a few questions, he decides to prescribe antibiotics immediately. 

“We will definitely get your bug tested, but just to be safe, we’ll treat it like it had Lime Disease. The test results take about 5 days, so better safe than sorry.” 

After making sure the prescription is for a liquid, I pick up my diaper bag, baby carrier, and purse and we make our way outside. Balancing Justin’s baby carrier in one hand, I hoist my bags onto my opposite shoulder and reach for Jayden’s hand just in time to cross the street. 

The night is not over yet as we now need to get the prescription filled. At Pharmacy #1, Jayden starts to fidget and complain that he needs to use the bathroom. Since the bathroom is locked, I first need to find someone to open it. Lugging around a growing baby in a heavy car seat is getting tiring. 

By the time Jayden is done in the bathroom and we’re back at the pharmacy counter, the pharmacist apologizes and says she doesn’t have the right ingredients to make the antibiotic. 

“I’ve faxed your prescription to the next nearest pharmacy, so hopefully it won’t take long there.” 

Sighing, I drag everything back to the car, and head out to Pharmacy #2. There I get everything out of the car again, carry it all in, and wait. Thankfully it doesn’t take long, and it’s finally time to go home. By now it’s after 10:00 p.m. and Jayden quickly doses off in the car. 

Back at Jason’s parents, I gently wake him up and then carry everything inside. After giving them and Jason a detailed report, Jason asks me to check his mouth. Peering in with a flashlight I notice a big jelly like, blueish sack dangling over his teeth. 

“Great.” I moan. “Is it sore?” 

“Yeah, even with the max amount of Tylenol and Advil I’m allowed to take, it still hurts a lot.”

 “If it’s not improving by tomorrow morning I guess I’ll have to take you to the Doctor.” He grimaces and nods. 

Later that night, after thanking God for his provision, and praying for healing for Jayden and Jason, my exhausted head hits the pillow. As I sleep, visions of ticks and tooth extractions dance through my head. Oh what a night!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Peace and Quiet

I soak in the silence. 

Other then the gentle ticking of the antique clock on the mantle shelf and the trickle of fresh rain water dancing in the downspout, all is quiet. Peaceful and quiet. After weeks of being around people 24/7 there’s nothing like an evening of pure, unadulterated silence. 

Only hours ago, after another busy day of travel, we arrived in New Jersey, the garden state. 


It being the garden state, I naturally had to get right to work photographing some of the beautiful flowers.


Now with everyone attending the evening service for the national day of prayer, I’m finally alone. Well not completely alone. Jayden is fast asleep in the next room over and Justin is hibernating in what we’ve recently dubbed his 'man cave'. 

I glance down and smile at my sleeping baby. So far he gets an A+ for being a great traveler. 
He eats good, sleeps well, doesn’t cry much, and smiles and coo’s often!

The unique thing about him though, is if he does get tired or cranky he does not want to be held. We’ve learned that instead of trying to soothe and comfort him, it’s better just to put him back in his ‘man cave’, also known as the car seat, and he instantly calms down. The fact that he’d prefer the car seat over me does hurt a little though.

Oh well, there are moments I feel like hibernating too, and isn’t there a saying, ‘The apple never falls far from the tree?’ 

My thoughts wander back to the weeks gone by. Now that it's quiet I finally have time to reflect, ponder and process. 

Presentations in Mitchell and Strathroy, Ontario.



Then on to Grand Rapids with more presentation at the seminary and school. 



A stolen afternoon of sun and wind on the beach in Grand Haven. 


Presentations in Jordan at the church and school. 



Special times with family, friends and supporters. 


Phoning Grandpa. 


Hotel baths. 


A visit to the Great Wolf Lodge. 



And finally our last stop, before heading back to Chilliwack. New Jersey. 


As I browse through the pictures of the last weeks, I smile. 


It has really been a special time, full of memories I won’t quickly forget.