Hi everybody!  I'm here in Brazil speaking at the Federação dos Empresários Adventistas (their version of ASI) national meeting.  Despite a long trip down here I'm feeling rested (maybe the warm weather is doing me well) and very blessed to be enjoying the gift of life.  It would be more relaxing staying here if I spoke Portuguese (or somebody at least spoke English!!).  I understand more than I expected to though.

Here's the view outside my room. 

The Sofitel Hotel at Costa do Sauípe, Bahia, Brazil from the outside.

The ocean nearby.  Is that really the Atlantic?  The waves were much more impressive than our Atlantic boasts.

While I'm on here I am going to post some pics from last weekend too!  I was priviliged to attend the wedding of Ruth Kim and Billy Chang, and to see some of my favorite OHAite people. 

Here's the only picture I took of the whole party.  It was before the wedding during pictures. I took all the pictures of the ceremony from my seat about 2/3 of the way back in the church.

Caleb and Dawn.  Don't you love the expressions of joy on the faces of the children in the background?

The decorated D.K. Kim in full dress.  Of course nothing could distract from the Person of the Day he's giving away!

Billy about to accept his bride-to-be.

A moment of contemplation.

Extolling the virtues of (real-life) fairy tales.

I shall not detract from the next two pictures by attempting to caption them.

I should probably refrain from attempting to capture these beaming faces in words either!

Everyone seemed unsually happy.  Wait! It was a wedding after all!

Here's Ruth feeding her husband for the first time.  Ummmm....

A special treat was getting to see Michelle and her husband and son!

Esther (OHA Class of '97) and Tony and their beautiful young ladies.

And the incomparable wedding and reception coordinators, Michelle and Jessica (OHA Class of '99)!!

Jon Sandberg (OHA Class of '99) and his wife Autumn.

It was a treasured weekend.

OK, so I haven't updated on anything personal for a long time.... Really since I left Ghana back in April.  It's terrible, I know.  I decided that tonight I'll just give you a little sketch of what's happened since, and maybe at a later time I'll have the chance to resize the photos I've been intending to post along with my accounts.  In my case I've certainly proven that "Future ambition is the enemy of present action."

March 7-April 2      Ghana, West Africa
April 2-April 11       Reformation study tour, Europe
April 12-13             General Conference Spring Council, Loma Linda, California
April 14-16             Southwestern Union ASI Chapter Convention, Houston, Texas
April 21-23             Lake Union ASI Chapter Convention, Battle Creek, Michigan
April 27-30             Pacific Union ASI Chapter Convention, Ontario, California
April 30-May 2       Site Visit for GYC, San Jose, California
May 3-7                Ten Commandments Day Project (200,000+ books!!), Washington, D.C.
May 12-14             Ouachita Hills College graduation, Amity, Arkansas
May 26-28             Ouachita Hills Academy Graduation
May 28-June 4       Teaching at European Bible School, Norway
June 4-6                Board Meeting at LifeStyleTV, Sweden
June 18-20             GYC Board Meeting, Michigan
June 23-25             ASI Youth for Jesus Rally, Dallas, Texas
June 30-July 2        McNeilus-Jaeger wedding, Sacramento, California
July 3-4                  Holtry-Bruno wedding, Hagerstown, Maryland
July 11-16              Teaching at YFJ, Dallas, Texas
July 26-29              Teaching at YFJ, Dallas, Texas
July 30-August 1     ASI Officers Preconvention meetings, Dallas, Texas
August 2-6             ASI International Convention, Dallas, Texas
August 25-27          New Orleans First Church rededication, New Orleans, Louisiana
September 21-24    ASI YFJ Preplanning, Nashville, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky
September 25-26    OHA Development visits, Southern California
September 27-28    ASI Sharley Training Center Board, Orlando, Florida
October 5-11          GC Annual Conference, Silver Spring, Maryland
October 11-24        Maranatha Volunteers Construction project, Ouachita Hills!

If that list doesn't seem "brief" then just try imagining what it would be like if I included descriptions and pictures.  I know, I should be updating more often.....

What I can say, is that the Lord is good.  You might notice that I had six weeks from the ASI Convention until my trip to Nashville/Louisville during which I was home at Ouachita Hills nearly the entire time!  That was nice.  I was able to work hard on construction projects around campus, which felt really good!

I read this tonight and thought it was worth sharing.

The
tragic story of the killing of several Amish schoolgirls has touched the nation.
In the aftermath of the shootings, it's been fascinating to see how the response
of the Amish people has shocked and impressed the news media.

Several times in recent news reports -- on TV, radio and print -- I've
heard reporters comment on their surprise at the way the Amish people have dealt
with this tragic episode in their community. Instead of responding with
bitterness, they have reached out to the family of the killer, inviting them to
come and share in the time of grief. The reporters I've heard have been stunned
by this reaction.

It's
one more reminder that in an age of rancor and hostility in so many areas of our
culture, people are drawn to authentic Christian commitment and behavior. Just
as an ancient culture was attracted to Christ when they saw how His followers
loved one another, so it is in our own day.

Could
it be that one reason the church seems to have less and less impact on our own
pagan culture is that we don't often look much like Jesus? May our Amish
brothers and sisters remind us that when the church looks like the church, it
will make an impact on others and will draw people to Christ.

Michael Duduit, Editor, Preaching magazine.

"Lord, may the fiery trials that are sure to test your remnant people find me reflecting you as fully and faithfully and quietly as your children in the Amish fold of Pennsylvania. Amen."

It's certainly true that God does answer prayer - 
sometimes not in the way we think He should.  While we don't always
understand why things happen, we can be certain that in the end we will
understand even difficult events and  not choose any other path than that
through which the Lord has led us.  I want to thank you for your prayers.

Yesterday was the last day which the sheriff’s office and also the Ouachita
Hills students and staff searched full-time for Mrs. Polk.  It is hard to
give up hope, but it’s just not likely that she’s surviving in the forest alone
this long.

Please continue to pray for the school family and especially
the Polk family during this difficult time.

Gratefully,

Chester

It's been a long time since I updated – and I hesitate to do so with bad news – but today I want to solicit your prayers in behalf
of the Ouachita Hills family.  On Tuesday afternoon this week Mrs. Velma Polk,
the wife of our Farm Manager, disappeared.  Mrs. Polk is a very active and
health seventy-six year-old lady who regularly walks 5-10 miles a day with a
 student or other caregiver.  She actually walks very fast.  Because she suffers
from Alzheimer’s she isn’t allowed to walk alone.  Somehow she slipped away
unnoticed about 6 p.m.  Although Mr. Polk
noticed about five minutes later, he was not able to locate her around the
immediate area of their home on our campus.  Calling the College dorms and some
of the staff to join the search, Mr. Polk continued to look for her.  After dark
the authorities were contacted, and sheriff’s deputies from both
Clark and
Pike Counties responded
with search and rescue teams including K-9 units with Bloodhounds.  Many of us
joined them through the night in hopes of finding her quickly.

Because the school is on the edge of
hundreds of square miles of timber land with no homes, only timber access roads,
the search has been like searching for a needle in a haystack.  We don’t know if
she would have walked a long ways (she could have easily covered 10 miles before
dark) or headed into the forest nearby.  Classes and work have been suspended
and for the last three days 65 Academy and College students as well as all
available staff have been combing the woods in search of Mrs.
Polk.

The support from the community has
been incredible.  Even though the local communities’ fire departments and First
Responders are all volunteer, hundreds have joined in the search.  No less than
seven fire departments from a thirty mile radius have turned out to join the
search.  Officers from several nearby towns have also brought their equipment,
including infrared scanning devices and four-wheelers.  Four search and rescue
dogs have failed to track her down despite several disappointing “hot” trails. 
Many local citizens have also taken off work to bring their ATVs and horses or
search on foot.  The Civil Air Patrol has sent four planes, including two with
infrared mapping capability.  The Arkansas Forestry Commission, the Game and
Fish Commission, and the Office of Emergency Services have all sent personnel to
join the search.  The Governor of Arkansas released a U.S. Army National Guard
helicopter with the best heat-sensing equipment available to be used.  Today the volunteers were joined by 50 U.S. Army National Guard troops.  The Red
Cross brought a truck to provide meals for the volunteers.  Our campus has never
seen so many uniforms on it at one time!

So far, as of Friday evening, the
search has turned up nothing.  While hope must necessarily be waning for a
favorable outcome, it is not yet completely gone.  We’re still looking, still
hoping, still praying.  And I would invite you to join us in prayer that she
would be found soon.

Chester

P.S. You can read local coverage of the story at www.siftingsherald.com/articles/2006/09/22/news/news3.txt

This is just going to be a short note from here in Ghana because I don't have time to upload any photos.  :s  Sorry.  Everyone's doing well and the meetings have gone fairly smoothly.  Keep praying for us.  Last night was the presentation on the Sabbath and we could really see the devil working.  It stormed in the afternoon, the weather was "cold", the power was out.... But we had our meeting and there were decisions made.  Praise the Lord.  The next two nights are so important as we try to get decisions from more of the people, especially those who weren't able to be at the meeting last night.

Thanks for all your prayers!  Have a great spring break (for those at OH)!!! We miss you!!!!

Right now I’m in Ghana with the Class of 2006!  I thought I’d give you a bit of a photo update of what we’ve been doing.  There’s so much I could tell you, but the time is too short right now.  Enjoy the pictures!

Here's the august Class of 2006 in the Little Rock airport.

Only two flights later!

Here’s a view from out the window of the church members’ house we’re staying in.

The Class of 2006 on the roof of our house.

Christin looking happy as she does her laundry.

Mealtime!

Since we are holding three simultaneous efforts and there are six in the Class there are only two Seniors per venue.  Each night one of them preaches the sermon while the other gives the health talk.

The Takoradi East meeting site where Elisa and Caroline are speaking.  This field belongs to a local chief.  A few months ago the local church members picked up all the trash on the field and when the chief found out who they were he thanked them and told them if they ever needed anything to let him know.  A few weeks later I visited Ghana to make arrangements for our meetings, and since they were looking for a venue they asked the chief if they could use the lawn in front of his home – which he was happy to allow.

Caroline giving a health talk on opening night.

Elisa preaching Daniel 2 on opening night.

Jared setting up chairs at the Takoradi West meeting site, where he and Christin are speaking.  This venue by day is a car park in the center of Takoradi where taxis and minibuses load and unload.  Hundreds of people are milling about and end up being drawn into the meeting by the large screen and interesting topics.

Christin setting up chairs at the Takoradi West meeting site.

Jared setting up chairs at the Takoradi West meeting site after I showed him the previous two pictures.

Christin giving a health talk.

Jared preaching on creation.

Early on the third night of the series.

By the end of the third meeting there were more than 1,000 in attendance at Takoradi West.  Hundreds come forward in response to an appeal to believe in Jesus not only as their Creator but their Savior as well.

At the Sekondi site before the meeting, where Michael and Leilana are the speakers.  Notice the Mosque across the street.  This is the closest site to where we are staying.  The venue is an open area in the heart of this neighborhood of Sekondi.

Leilana and the children. 

Michael preaching on the Second Coming.

Leilana giving a health talk on the second night of the meetings.