Pacific Area Trip

Dale had an interesting trip to Southeast Asia and the Pacific area this month to meet with some of those involved in one of the ministries related to Heartcraft. He arrived in one of Southeast Asia's largest cities. After a harrowing trip of nearly two  days (which included 12 hours in the Singapore airport!), he arrived pretty exhausted.

The bustling third-world city was full of interesting sights, food and people. On the second day there, he went for a six hour drive with several others to meet with a Christian businessman. He has a thriving business making beautiful plaques, frames and other items from mahogany wood. All of his items have Scripture or Christian sayings on them, and he has quite a story to tell of how God has blessed him. He showed Dale around his small factory. Here are a few of the pictures of some of the workers making the items.

The main purpose of the trip was to have a meeting with some of the Christian folks who are running the business where HeartCraft buys the quilts that we sell. This ministry was started years ago by one of our overseas personnel as a way to build relationships with people in the village. The Lord subsequently grew and blessed that ministry into what it is today. Recent difficulties in the work prompted the trip as Dale and two others met with those in charge of the ministry now. The meetings went well, and we are hoping that some of the issues were resolved.

Here, you see a few of the ladies who work making some of the beautiful quilts.

On a side trip, they visited a coffee factory. Most of the beans are aged for eight years before they are roasted and sold. Until then it is stacked up in bags as high as the ceiling until cured. Then it is roasted in an iron ball that turns slowly over a fire. Wood from the rubber tree is used because it provides an even burn that is needed to provide proper heat. Since coffee was only about $2 a pound, Dale ended up bringing home several pounds. We enjoyed a great cup of it this morning!

Bags of coffee beans stacked as high as the ceiling to cure, some for eight years!

On the way home, Dale spent a day and a half in Singapore to visit the director on the board for PIONEERS Singapore base. He had a good visit with him to talk about the Heartcraft ministry. Then they went on a quick tour of the city for a few hours ending the day taking Dale to eat a great meal in his son’s restaurant. The next day it was the long flight home...