Silas Sean is here!

Go to the following link to check out Silas' own blog!

It has his birth info, and pictures of his many adventures.

Click Here

Derek is home!

Just a quick update to late you all know that Derek made it in safe and sound yesterday! He is finally here with us in Canada!! All his paperwork went through last week, and he took the next available flight on Monday. It was a long trip, but no hassles with his baggage. It's SO good to have him back!

Sorry we haven't sent out any email updates recently. We still don't have our address book back together. If you haven't sent us your email and mailing information please pass it on so we can keep sending you our updates. Hopefully soon, we will be able to recover some of those lost files and be back in communication again. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement!
Sarah, for Derek too :)

Still waiting...

I, Sarah, am now back in Canada! I've been busy getting checkups and various tests done, as I'm 31 weeks pregnant now and the doctors need to catch up.

Derek is still in Indonesia, waiting on his visa. Because I couldn't wait any longer, due to my pregnancy, to return to Canada I had to forfeit my visa. This isn't a problem. I can get my visa back under Derek when we return to Indonesia next year. The delays seem to keep coming with the visa renewal process. We want Derek to get this visa quickly so he can join me and our baby in Canada, yet we trust that the Lord has a plan in this all. Please be in prayer with us about this.

Since Derek was staying in Papua, he decided he mind as well go into Dao for a few days to see how things are going. He wasn't able to get a heli flight in, so he took a small airplane to the closest airstrip and hiked 5 days to our hamlet. Along the way, he was able to visit several hamlets he had never seen before, as-well as visit with some of our friends. It sounds like all are doing well in Dao, and the teachers are continuing to faithfully teach each Sunday from the Word. We hope to have an update out soon to tell you more about this hike into Dao, but we still don't have many of your email addresses. Please send those our way!!

Thank you for your continued prayers for us and the Dao. We appreciate you all very much!
Sarah, for the Grants

We Need Your Contact Information!

Due to a computer virus attack, we lost our all our emails and contacts. Could you all please send us your email and contact information to sarah_grant@ntm.org

When sending your information, please let us know if you were on our update list as-well so we can redo that list and get those updates to you.

If you know of someone who may have been in our contacts or update list, who wouldn't have access to or check this blog feel free to forward their address along too. The more help the better!

Thank you for your help! We hope to be sending out updates again soon.

Waiting

For those of you who don't receive our email updates, this was the latest:

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for your prayers for us. We are in Sentani staying at our mission
guest home right now, waiting for our Indonesian visas to be renewed. We were
told another couple weeks, although that isn't for certain. Please pray that
everything would go smoothly and we will get our renewed visas quickly.

Sarah was able to get in to see a doctor. He even had a 4D ultrasound
machine! It was great to be able to see our little baby and find out that
everything looks good and he's doing well. Yes, I did say "he"! We found out
it's a boy! We are very excited, and can't wait to meet out little guy. Sarah
is almost 26 weeks now. Only 14 weeks left! Please pray for continued health
for both Sarah and our baby boy.

Thank you again for your continued prayers for us and the Dao. We will keep you
updated as things progress.

Derek and Sarah (and baby) Grant

A Month Back in Dao

A Month Back in Dao
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

After almost a month of no email, we are happy to be in communication with the "outside world" once again. We arrived back in Dao
January 23rd, after a little over a month in town getting medical care for Sarah. It seems her kidney infection has cleared up, and
she is doing her best to manage this glucose intolerance with a gestational diabetes diet.

When we arrived in Dao, we were very happy to see all our friends again and to hear that no one was too sick while we were away and
they had a great Christmas celebration.

Unfortunately, there were 2 people who were sick when we arrived who needed medical attention. One was a little 1 1/2 year old boy
named Bedoompiyaa. He seemed to have some sort of lung infection so we started him on penicillin injections. For 7 days, Derek gave
these injections to him. They were super painful (I, Sarah, know cause I had to get them for my kidney infection! They hurt!) but
this little guy hung in there and despite the pain still greets Derek every time he sees him with "Epo nemomee!" (hello my friend!)
The picture above is of Derek giving him his first injection. His mother, Wadamena, is holding him. His father, Apius, is watching.

The other friend that was sick, is named Wusimpa. He cut his leg with a machete just below the knee and it got so infected that he
was unable to walk, or even move his knee joint. Derek has been back and forth many times, to see him and treat this infection with
antibiotics. He still hasn't seen much improvement. Please pray that if it is The Lord's will, that He would heal Wusimpa's knee.
For a Dao person to not be able to hike is very difficult and significantly reduces their quality and span of life.

Thank you for your prayers for us! We are very happy to be back in Dao. Although, looking forward to our up and coming furlough in
April. We can be reached by email again, so feel free to drop us a note!

Wusimpa

Wusimpa
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

This is Wusimpa. You can see his right knee is quite swollen. It is pretty much stuck in that position. We are praying that it will
heal and he'll be able to hike up to see us before we fly out of Dao in March. God can do miracles!

Baby News!

We've already made the announcement, but for those of you who haven't heard...We're having a baby!! Sarah is 17 weeks pregnant right now. We are planning on going back to Canada for a 9 month furlough in April.

We've started a baby blog. There won't be too many new posts over the next 2 months, as we will be in Dao. But, will be sure to update as soon as we get a chance.

To see the new baby blog go to lifeofagrantkid.blogspot.com

A Christmas Bakar Batu

Just before Christmas we joined Helimission for a bakar batu Christmas celebration. A bakar batu literally means "baked rocks." This is a traditional Papuan style meal where they cover pototoes, greens, meat, etc with leaves and hot rocks.

Before the meal, we had a time of singing. Also, helimission's heli pilot, Gunter, said a few things for the workers and their families.

After the meeting, they uncovered the bakar batu. This was the first layer.

Now for the 2nd layer

Once the 2nd layer of leaves and rocks were taken off, the women started taking out the edible greens and chicken

There was even some pig meat in there!

All the food was removed from the pile one layer at a time and put in large bins on a cart

When all the food was removed, they hauled the cart to the hanger

Finally! Hanging out with some friends and enjoying some sweet potato, greens and meat!

Christmas Decorating (Again!)

When we found out we wouldn't be back in Dao for Christmas, we decided to go get a tree and decorate here in Wamena. Derek found this real one on the side of the road, asked a guy if he could have it, cut it down, brought it home and set it up for decorating.

Putting on our one and only ornament. haha!The finished product! We each brought out a present from the tribe that we had for each other. We also got a couple packages from home. So, under the tree they went to open on Christmas morning. Thanks Sean & Kim, Mom & Dad Grant, Alison & Hanley, Cara & Aaron for the gifts!

Picnic

While out in Wamena getting some medical care, we also had the chance to have some relaxing fun. We went to a river near by for a picnic!

After lunch, we crossed the bridge to the other side of the river. The bridge was a little sketchy, but held out just fine.

Derek on his way to the other side

Sarah on her way back from the other side

House Building Dao Style, part 1

House Building Dao Style, part 1
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

A new house is going up in our hamlet. It belongs to two brothers, Yusup and Niko. Yusup said that he wanted to have a house up
here so that he can be closer for the God Talk. Yusup is one of the 4 men who have been teaching the Bible lessons on Sundays, and
we are thankful for this one of many acts of faithfulness to be here.

House Building Dao Style, part 2

House Building Dao Style, part 2
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

Taking a little break. The house is going up fast!

House Building Dao Style, part 3

House Building Dao Style, part 3
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

Derek helping carry some yage leaves for the roof. After putting bark on the roof, they cover the bark with these long, thorny
leaves. I think Derek had a few thorns in his hands and shoulders after this load.

House Building Dao Style, part 4

House Building Dao Style, part 4
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

Most Dao houses are split in the center by a wall. One side is where the men sleep and the other is for the women and children. The
men's side is a raised up floor. This one still needs the fireplace finished and bark laid down across the poles. The door you see,
in the center of the house, leads to the women's side.

House Building Dao Style, part 5

House Building Dao Style, part 5
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

This is the women's side. Typically the women's side is just a dirt floor with a fire pit in the center. It also has at-least 1
doorway on the side of the room, in addition to the "front" door, which they use to get in and out of at night. These women get a
very special place to sleep, unlike other Dao homes! Their husbands built them a floor like the men's side. It's lower to the ground
then the men's side, so the center fire pit will just be on the ground. All it needs is some bark to cover the poles.

House Building Dao Style, part 6

House Building Dao Style, part 6
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

Yusup (on the roof tying on the leaves) and Otopina (Yusup's wife) below. The string bag you see hanging on the side of the house is
not just a bag. Their little daughter, Ikiimiya, is in there sleeping away.

Festive

Festive
Originally uploaded by Derek & Sarah Grant.

We are all ready for Christmas this year! We decided since we were going with the fake tree we could enjoy it for an entire month.
*smile* The house is looking very happy and festive.