I trust you are doing well and staying safe.

You should have received an update newsletter from us in the last month. It is also available on this side for reading online.

We are doing okay here in Brownsville, albeit Lydia especially going stir-crazy and trying to offload part of it onto her family members. Rachel was proclaimed fully cleared from her broken leg surgery and okay for all activities. We are still trying to sort out a billing tracking problems at the insurance company where they have not credited expenses towards our deductible so we are still being charged for medical service although we have spent more than our deductible. Please pray they resolve this soon. We have also reopened gifts towards our medical expenses through TWR as Rachel’s mishap totally depleted out medical reserve fund.

Some more bad news from Joshua. A couple of days ago he was diagnosed with CoViD-19, and is now in 14-days quarantine. He lives in a rehabilitation care facility and there is a lot of exposure there. He was actually tested more than a week ago and is still asymptomatic. He is concerned for the security of his possessions left in his regular room like his computer etc. He did not even get to bring his toothbrush and clothes to quarantine, let alone his PC with all his data. He has had stuff stolen from his room before so is justifiably concerned.Please pray fis complete and speedy recivery.

Summer plans are mostly centered on staying home. I am in a high-risk category for Coronavirus infection, so will probably avoid much outside activity at least another 3 months. We may take a drive to see my brother in Utah come July-August but will wait and see. Still looking for a used affordable pop-up camper that is light enough to tow with our Traverse. Hotels are so expensive that camping is becoming the better option, especially as we look at extended trips for support raising.

Work is going well albeit slowly. My monitor receiver project is becoming heat-limited now due to the summer heat, with temperature-humidity indexes in the garage over 130 degrees quite often. I can work out there for maybe an hour before I have to come back into the house to cool down. Still waiting for critical parts to arrive from China for about half the systems.  Maris is doing well with her data-privacy project assignments, and has been able to start certification classes from the software provider.

TWR responses show a threefold increase in online access and listenership around the world. The Lord has uniquely positioned and is using TWR to reach the world in this special time. An interview with TWR’s president Lauren Libby was recently posted on You Tube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnrLK9VdcOE .

Blessings to you all.

Dave and Mari

 

Three weeks ago, Rachel broke her leg while skateboarding.

Without warning or provocation, gravity sucked her off the the board. Fortunately the surface of the earth stopped her being sucked into the planet's core and melted, but the sudden stop did fracture her left tibia. She underwent a small surgery and had a pin inserted. She is recovering well, and did not even have to wear a cast, just a splint and bandage for a few weks.

Thank you all for your continued prayers for her full and speedy recovery.

New roles for us.

We are both assuming new roles and responsibilities.Dave has been a broadcast engineer for Bonaire since our arrival in 2011 and played an integral role in the transmitter upgrade project. Much less engineering level support is needed now that the upgrade is complete and in an operational rather than construction mode. TWR have therefore decided that Dave’s skills will be better used in a Global role. Dave’s focus now will be as a ”Global Engineering Projects Specialist.” The Global Monitoring Receiver System project is an example and in support of special engineering support and troubleshooting needs.

For the last few months, Mari has been working remotely for the Information Systems (IS) department at TWR headquarters in Cary, NC. Her background is in computer science, and she is very happy to be involved in a technical ministry role again with the skills the Lord has given her

Serving TWR worlsfwide from Texas

Dave’s skills will be better used in a Global role. As Dave’s new worldwide support role will involve more frequent international travel, it makes sense to be based in the USA with better travel connections.Consequently, we have decided that we can best serve the ministry of TWR and our family by being based in the USA. We will be working remotely rather than at the TWR office in North Carolina that is already filled to capacity. We will both need office space and Dave would need a small radio engineering laboratory as well. TWR has allowed us to investigate a location that would best meet both the ministry and our family needs. After much prayer and research, we have decided to move to Brownsville, the southernmost city in Texas by next spring. We have already begun the planning and preparations for the move.

Support level increase and relocation costs

Our monthly support need will be increasing with the move to theUSA.. In addition, our current support level has dropped off a bit as some supporters have not been able to continue. Due to these factors we have a shortage of about $2500 a month. Our goal is to have our support level increased by the end of June 2019.

TWR will cover some of our expenses for moving to our new home, However, we also need to raise $19,000 in special gifts towards the  relocation and resettling costs.

Read more anout the relocation and our needs

Please read our December prayer letter also posted on this web page for more information on our move to the USA and our preparations to serve with TWR from Texas.

Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.

ThePedersens

 

Hi everyone,

A quick note to let you know Mari is doing better. Her surface bruises are fading although she still has a number of big ones. She still feels a lot of aches and pains from internal bruising, and her rib cage and pelvis are very painful. The swelling on her right leg from the pocket of fluid did not go down by itself so yesterday the doctor drained it. That gave Mari a lot of relief and she is walking a bit better already. The fluid sac did not refill which is a good thing.

Thanks for your prayers for her, and we ask that you continue to lift her up for a full and speedy recovery.

Have a Happy New Year.

Dave and Mari

 

 

Last Thursday (December 15) evening, Mari had a car accident at home. She spent the last few days in hospital and was able to return home yesterday afternoon. Praise the Lord that she has only one small bone break and a mass of bruises, but no major injuries.

 

Thursday evening, she stopped in our driveway to pick up something she left behind on the way to her Bible study group Christmas party. She got out of the minivan to open the gate but apparently our minivan was still in gear. It started to move forward slowly and bumped the gate open but unfortunately was still turning slightly and crushed Mari between the concrete gatepost and steel gate, and the side of the minivan. Mari stayed upright but the van rotated her at least once around, crushing her from all sides. The van then rolled up into our carport where is stopped.

 

Mari was taken to hospital by ambulance. After some examination, she was kept at the hospital for observation and pain management.  She has one small broken bone they found only two days later when the x-rays were reviewed, a “process” which is one of seven small bone protrusions on each spinal vertebra. The doctors here decided it does not need surgery. Mari may also have some cracked ribs but we are told those do not always show up on initial x-rays, only later when they start healing and the new bone growth becomes evident.

 

However, Mari has massive bruising from her knees all the way up through her rib cage. Her right thigh is especially bad. There is also a lot of internal organ bruising as she was pretty much compressed down to about a 3-4” thickness as the van squeezed her against the concrete fence post. She is a lot of pain and taking a lot of pain medication. We anticipate it her recuperation will take several months.

 

I’m taking the minivan in for repair estimates this afternoon to see if the doors can be repaired or if it better to just get two good salvaged doors shipped down from the US.

 

Please lift Mari up in your prayers, thinking the Lord her injuries were not any more severe, and that she will heal quickly and well, and for her pain to go down.

 

Joshua is adapting to life in his own apartment downtown, an experience in Tiny House living. Lydia and Rachel are holding up well through the events of the last few days.

 

Have a great Christmas and new year. Thank you all for your prayers of encouragement and support.

 

Our june prayer letter should have been delivered by now. If not, remember that it is available here  for download.

We will be travelling to theUS this summer to visit our family, ministry partners, and friends. We are in the process of making travel arrangements and plans to see as many of you as possible.

An important purpose on our trip is to bring our financial support level up the $8,000/month minimum that TWR requires. We are currently just $700/month short of our goal. Please consider joining our ministry partnership team by pledging monthly support, or increasing your pledged anmount if you are already a regular supporter. Gifts and recurring pledges can be made right on this web page.

Lydia is doing better at the residential treatment facility. She is is making progress and we are looking forward to seeing her again on our trip. Please continue to pray for her progress and especially for her not to suffer a setback after we visit.

Please pray especially for a vehicle to use while we are in California and the western States. This is a very important need as the cost of renting an SUV or minivan to accomodate Joshua's wheelchair is significant.

Blessings,

Davea Pedersen

 

 

Good morning from a wet Bonaire. Seems like rainy season is back again here.

Be on the lookout for our March prayer letter. It is to be mailed any day now. It will also be posted on this web page shortly. Here are a few updates since the letter was written.

Joshua's therapy "EasyStand Eviolv" arrived last Friday. It is a therapy machine that he sits on and straps into. Then as he pumps a handle, it raises him up to a vertical standing position so that he can put weight on his legs. This helps prevent atrophy in his leg bones.  Unfortunaltely his wheelchair was not sent down. The wheelchair provider is now planning to fly someone down with it next week to personally make sure it gets to Joshua. He has been waiting for it since it was ordered in October, 2014. Please pray that the travel arrangemnts will work out and there will be no more holdups getting the wheelchair to Joshua.

Lydia turns 14 next week. Mari is flying up to NC to spend a ferw days with her and process some additional furture treatment plans. Lydia continues to make slow progress, but it is progress. We also received the results of her genetic testing done last October. They do show a chromosomal abnormality. It has not been heavily researched yet, but Lydia's symptoms and behaviors fit the genetic disrder very well. Mari and I hope that we may have finally reached the root casue of many of Lydia's struggles. Plerase pray for safe travel for Mari and that Lydia will be calm during and after Mari's visits.

Our trusty minvan bit the dust this week. It needs a new waterpump and seals. I am aslo getting a new head gasket in cas ethe old one was damaged by overheating. We are hoping that a friend coming down on a visiting short-term missions trip can bring the parts down this weekend..

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement.

Dave

 

Hi everyone,

We are back on Bonaire after our visit to the USA.With the unexpected medical developments, we ended up staying several weeks longer than planned.

We had planned on two weeks for Joshua's surgery followed by a month of furlough time. Joshua ended up with two back surgeries with extnded therapy rehabilitaion time. He is still unable to walk since the first operation, but has started getting some minor movements and feelings back in his legs. Please pray for a speedy and complete recovery for him.

Lydia had a very difficult time with anxieties and mental processing. She alse spent seveal weeks in hospital under evaluation, and will remain in the USA in a residential treatmjent facility. Please pray for her to settle in there and not be too anxious, and to work through their program to help her.

We are settling in back at home and work. Please watch for our latest prayer letter which you should expect very shortly by mail. It will also appear on this web page once the printed copy is mailoed.

Blessings,

Dave and Mari

 

Hi everyone,

Well, we've been here on Bonaire for a few months now. We're getting settled into our home on the southeast end of the island, just a mile from the big 100,000 watt AM transmitter. We reach listeners all across the Caribbean and much of northern South America. The station broadcasts from 5:30pm to 8:30am. Much of my (Dave's) work is maintenance of the tranamitter nd studio electronics to make sure the gospel broadcasts continue. We are blessed to have very reliable equipment, and are thankful the electriciy has been very reliable as well.

It is very rewarding to be part of this ministry that reaches milions every night. The broadcasts evangelize, disciple and teach, and change innumerable lives. Through the broadcasts over almost 50 years, people accept Jesus as their savior, churches are planted, and pastors are trained. Medical and health and welfare programs serve the region.

Mari and the kids are settling in as well. We have the house mostly set up now, with just a  few big projects and many little ones on my to-do list. Most of the boxes are unpacked, but if anyone knows where I packed the spare bicycle lock keys, please let me know. Home school is a little tough now with Joshua and Lydia being a little challenging. Pray for Mari especially as she teaches them. Joshua is receivng the physical therapy he needs, and we have some help for their Reactive Attachment Disorder here on the island as well. Rachel is reading remarkably well, and learning to swim.

Our January 2012 prayer letter has been posted to the web page, and should be ready to read by the morning.  Thank you for your continued prayers adn encouragement. Please remember you can call us anytime at our olf USA phone number of 704-225-3928.

Blessings,

Dave and Mari

 

 

Just 20 more days until we move to Bonaire. Our family is working on many last minute items as we prepare for the big move.

Our household was packed up and loaded into a shipping container a few weeks ago. Even the minivan was loaded in there. Take a look at our September 2011 prayer letter for more details and many pictures. The container will soon be loaded onto the second of three differnt ships it will ultimately travel on to Bonaire.

We are "camping" in our rented house for these weeks. We are very grateful to our friends who have loaned us the many things we need during this time like pots and pans, beds, and so on.

Joshua is doing well, recovering from his recent small eye surgery. He turns 13 in two weeks.

More news later.

Dave and Mari

 

Well, we finally have a confirmed travel date to Bonaire. September 24, 2011.

The equipment and house renovation financial needs have been fully met. Praise the Lord for his gracious provision. There are still a number of important needs.

1.  We are still waiting for Dave's birth certificate from South Africa. Please pray it will come soon. It has been in process since February. The application got lost, so it was refiled a few weeks ago.

2.  The house renovation work. TWR has expanded a house to suit our family. Work is progressing well. Pray for the windows to come in as expected at the end of July.

3.  Us packing! There are boxes everywhere, and many items are already boxed and at a staging location. We plan to ship our container out in mid August.

4. Once our container leaves, we'll be camping out at home with most of our furniture and household items gone. We are looking into the possibulity of a furnished home for the final five weeks. We will also need a minivan for the same period.

Dave and Mari

 

Hi everyone from a warm and humid North Carolina. 

Note that the June issue of our prayer letter has been added to this web page.

We are planning on departing for Bonaire at the end of July, 2011. Our actual departure date depends on a number of goals being reached.

1.  The outgoing Equipment Fund needs to be met in full. We need just $9,200 in special one-time gifts for this need to be met! This will cover the cost of travel, shipping our household items and minivan, and setting up our house on Bonaire.

2.  We are still waiting for Dave's birth certificate from South Africa. Please pray it will come soon. It has been in process since February.

3.  The house renovation being finished. TWR has added an extra handicap-accessible bedroom and built a new kitchen and dining room.  They have also added a utility room, a new carport, and replaced the roof on the whole house. The big things now are for the windows to come in. They are expected at the end of July as well.

The house renovation cost over $50,000. TWR has asked us to contribute $5,000 of that. If you can contribute to that expense, it would be much appreciated.

4.  Us packing! There are boxes everywhere, and many items are already boxed and at a staging location. We plan to ship our container out 2-3 weeks before we leave ourselves. Once it goes, we'll be camping out at home with most of our furniture and household items gone.

Please remember us in your prayers as we prepare to move in less than two months.

Blessings,

Dave and Mari

 

 

We have some very encouraging news from Bonaire. Construction has begun on our house renovation  and most of the residency permits have been issued.

The construction permits were issued recently for the renovation of our house on Bonaire. Construction has already begun. A handicap accessible bedroom suite is being put in where the old kitchen is, and a new kitchen/dining room area is being added.

The residency permits for Mari and the children have been issued. Mine is still pending along with my work permit. We are still waiting as well my birth certificate as well from South Africa which will needed when I get my residency permit. We are expected to appear within six weeks to claim our residency permits. There is a LOT to accomplish in order for that to happen.

One big factor is Joshua's recovery. He may not be allowed to travel that soon. We will request a letter from his doctor asking that an extension be granted until he is able to travel.

Another huge item is raising the outgoing support. We are still well short of the amount needed in order to move to Bonaire. We need one-time gifts urgently to meet this need.

We will need a few weeks to pack and ship our household. We'll be camping for several weeks here and in Bonaire while I household goods are in transit. We will also need a temporary vehicle suitable fr Joshua during the transition.

So, a lot is happening quickly. We're very excited and hope the time to move is near. Please be praying with us for the Lord's provision, strength, and grace as we move into the final pre-move stages.

 

 

 

On January 21, Joshua underwent a 12-hour long operation to address his scoliosis. The operation was performed at Duke University Hospital in Durham to insert rods to straighten his back. Prior to the operation, his spine had a 45 degree S-curve bend and a 30 degree twist.

Two weeks after his surgery, he developed an infection in his back. This resulted in another 5-hour operation to clean up the infection and fix some small spinal fluid leaks.

His general health slowly deteriorated after his second surgery. He started suffering from a lot of fevers, bloating, diarrhea, wheezing, and joint stiffness. By last Friday it was bad enough that we took him to the doctor here, and on Saturday down to the local Emergency Room. Unable to determine the cause of his symptoms, the doctors at the local hospital conferred with the medical team at Duke University and rushed him up to Durham by ambulance.

After extensive tests at Duke, they determined that he was suffering from Serum Sickness Like Response (SSLR). They believe it was caused by one of the antibiotics he was on. We returned home on Wednesday evening.

Joshua is slowly recovering. It is normal for SSLR symptoms to last for 4-6 weeks. He is slowly improving but still having lots of diarrhea, swelling, fever and a wheezing cough. It is challenging for our whole family as we need to take care of his toilet needs 12-15 times a day. We also need to administer antibiotics by PIC/IV line three times a day ... the midnight session is the toughest!

Please be praying for his rapid recovery from SSLR and the back operation so we can move to Bonaire as soon as possible. Pray as well for the rest of the family as we take care of his special needs.