Thursday December 03, 2009

Hi everyone,

It's been some time since you heard from us. That's because our phone was not working from 12/26 to 1/14 (there are 11,000+ phones out on Guam!). Jim doesn't have our email address book at work anyway, and he's been busy getting the antennas back together. The 4th one should be operational by tomorrow. Then there's 1 more to build from scratch. Rich West, who worked here at KTWR for 15-20 years, arrived here last Thu. for 2 weeks to help. Another couple, Ed & Jean, who were recently appointed to work with HCJB, arrived here this past Tue. for 2 weeks also. All 3 are staying with us.

After Typhoon Pongsona, we were without water for 17 days and without electricity for 22 days. We still have to treat our water with clorox before using it. We purchased a diesel generator for cost from a Christian businessman in PA who has a generator business. It arrived on a Friday, Jim hooked it up on Saturday, and Monday evening we got our electric back. So we ran it for 20 hours, but that meant we could run the AC for those 20 hours. It's really nice--continuous run (we don't have to shut if off and let it rest like we do our little generator), and not nearly so noisy (you can have a conversation standing right beside it). Thanks to all who helped out with this purchase. It almost makes us want to have a typhoon so we get to run it!

Now, getting to the subject of this email, there is another storm brewing out there to our southeast, tropical depression 01W. If it comes our way, we will start to get its weather Sat. Now it's about 1000 miles east southeast of Guam and Saipan. Only God knows where it will go. Psalm 104:3b "Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind," Nahum 1:3b "The LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet." So the least we'll probably get is some wind and rain, and we need rain. We're into the dry season and have had very little rain this month.

The Cancer Institute and Guam Radiology Consultants were wiped out in the typhoon. They are in the ground floor and partially underground in the building and they were flooded with several feet of water. TCI is working out of another clinic doing chemo, so I did get my bone treatment this month. All radiation patients were sent to Hawaii. GRC moved upstairs in the same building and are only doing ultrasounds right now, no CT scans. Guam Memorial Hospital sustained massive damage and had to move many patients. Their CT maching is not working now either. My GP doctor pleaded guilty to distributing Percocet without seeing or following up the patient, while she was administrator of GMH, so her clinic is closed and her hospital privileges terminated. I heard on the radio today that they are expecting as many as 60 indictments of corruption at GMH! The outgoing governor's administration was very corrupt.

Well, I think that's it for now. We appreciate your prayers.