Interesting People

Interesting People

All my life I have had the privilege of getting to meet interesting people. Growing up in a ski resort town we occasionally got to meet famous people or meet one of the old timers that had been around the valley for a long time and would share stories. Living overseas has also brought an opportunity to meet many interesting and out of the ordinary people. I definitely cannot include everyone so this is just a smattering of those I remember and wanted to include in this blog. I am thankful for each person that has crossed my path and feel very blessed by all the people I have met through the years….

One of the first of the “interesting” people that I remember meeting in our adventure over here was Catherine. At 70 years of age she came to Indonesia to be a missionary. Yep, you read that right, she was 70 when she first came. Having grown up living with her parents all her life, she never felt the freedom to leave to go anywhere until they passed away. She was from Alabama and was a true Southern Lady! I remember her serving Nick some sweet ice tea and telling him with a true southern accent, “Honey, if that is not sweet enough, just put your little pinky in it and stir. Then it will be sweet enough for you!” She ended up leaving Indonesia just before her pace maker warranty for her heart was up. But the dust didn’t settle long under her feet. She got a new pace maker, I believe, and then headed to Africa where she served until her death. She was a woman that definitely lived her life fully to the end and allowed God to be the director. (Sorry for those who know her story better-i may not have all the facts correct)

Pat is another one of those amazing women that stands out in my mind. She was Aunt Pat to some or Mrs. vanderMark to others. She was the 5^th grade teacher for many years at Mountainview and came to serve overseas after her children were raised and on their own. She had been an MK in the Sudan while she was growing up. Her stories always fascinated me about what life was like growing up overseas through WWII as well as other uprisings. She grew up, moved back to the U.S., married a Dutch man, had two wonderful boys but after her husband passed away, the itch to be overseas came again and we became the recipients of Aunt Pat’s serving at our school. Pat is one of those teachers whose students all come out of her classroom thinking they are her favorite. Annaliese and Lukas both were blessed to have her as their 5^th grade teacher and they learned a lot from her. I benefitted from Pat’s amazing encouragement of me and often cheerleader type spirit that kept me going even when it was hard to make decisions as the principal. I often remember Pat in the morning, prayer walking around the school. That always comforted me as a reminder that God was watching over us and would take care of us. Thinking of Pat always brings a smile to my face and reminds me to praise the Lord no matter the circumstances, because that is what she would do. She had hoped to serve at Mountainview as long as possible but unfortunately the government put a restriction on how old our teachers could be. But in typical Pat form, she too didn’t let the dust settle long under her feet and headed to another teaching position in Senegal, West Africa where she has taught the past 3 to 4 years. She is now back in the States but I am sure she is keeping busy and finding ways to serve Him however possible. 

I think I will end this “Interesting People” blog with a couple. Arny and Wanda Humble who have always held a special place in my heart. When we lived in Yogya., they were also living there. They had already be on the field for over 25 years, I think, having already served in Kalimantan for many, many years and then moving to Yogya. to teach and work at a University/Seminary there.  Wanda had been an MK in China and I remember one story of hers that during WWII she was separated from her family for a very long time because of the war. I can’t imagine enduring that as a child and then still choosing to come back overseas and raise her own family. I think I also had an affinity to Wanda because she had roots in my hometown and I thought that was pretty cool to meet someone who also had Idaho roots. Wanda and Arny were a couple that were full of patience and deep love for the people of Indonesia as well as anyone they came in contact with. They were wise and someone I always felt we could learn from. I am thankful for the influence they have had in our lives. Wanda went home to be with the Lord this past year and while I know Arny misses her dearly, he continues to seek ways to serve the Lord. I even heard he was here in Indonesia again for a visit.

There are so many others I could write about and I know I didn’t do justice to those I wrote about here. I am thankful for the interesting people has put in my life. My life is much richer for it!