September 2010

Dear Friends, Brethren and Family

Greetings in the name of Jesus.

I did not intentionally lie to you saying that our September newsletter would be out a few days after the September appeal but we have been extremely busy and can just now sit down to pen this to you. Please forgive me!

Medical and Dental

Kathy has been able to see a doctor in Joplin Mo at Missouri taxpayers expense. Thank you if you are one of those tax payers! They had seen irregularities in her mammogram and they have had to do a biopsy today. We should hear the results early next week. Please pray for positive results!

I have, because of my Vietnam experience been accepted as a patient (guinea pig) in the VA system. Really the VA system is first class now. They are very, very good. Not like my Vietnam medical recovery experience. I had a complete physical and then have been having more tests on various systems. First results were that I had a slightly active thyroid and kidneys not functioning 100%. Past tests over 20 years have shown my kidneys have not been 100% for a long time so they are not too concerned other then I exposed to agent orange in Vietnam. My blood pressure which for years has been low to normal is elevated as well. They keep taking blood and I have two more procedures they have to do: one is a prostate biopsy to check for many kinds of cancer. The doctor assured me there was no sign of any cancer in other tests but this would eliminate the other possibilities. The other test is even more personal. I also had a colonoscopy and I was told every thing there was great. Kathy was with me for that and she has some stories about what I said and did while I was still under whatever they had in the drip. I think it is part of the truth serum family.

I have also been able to get my teeth cleaned and was told they need to do three crowns on the few teeth I still have. The dentist is a brother in Christ and this is part of his contribution to our work. God bless you John and Cynthia!

Our Joplin Home

When we are in Joplin we stay with our son Jason's family. Their son Jonah had to vacate his room for us and move in with his younger sister. He is in first grade this year the same school I went to first grade. Those desks and tables in the cafeteria seems so much bigger 55 years ago! And what about the things they are required to take to school now days? When we went it was a Big Chief tablet and two pencils. Now it is $150 worth of everything. Wow!

As part of room and board I was able to help Jason several weeks ago repaint the outside of his house, replace two windows, re-side one end of the house with new lap board and put insulation under it and blow 24 bags of cellulose insulation into the attic for better insulation. I only fell off the ladder 4 times.

The Wheel of Life continues to turn

Kathy turned 61 September 4th and I turned 62 September 17th. We will be receiving a new contribution to our work as I have now signed up for Social Security. I did not pay into the fund doing preaching/missionary work (40 years) but when we were back 2001-2007 I paid self-employment tax which gave me the 40 quarters I needed. Thank you Lord! It is the almost the minimum. I think it is $274 per month. Much better than a poke in the eye!

Travels

We have been doing some travelling and speaking and have visited: family and grandkids in Coker Ala, Kansas City, Memphis, Hernando Miss, Harding University, Neosho MO and the VA clinic in Mt Vernon Mo and VA hospital in Fayetteville Ar. We have had a very positive reception for our planned Bible School in Fiji but the funds are still not coming.

We need $30,000 to take back to do the initial ground clearing, garden planting and building of at least some housing, classrooms and administration space.

Return to Fiji Delayed/ More travels

Because we have not raised sufficient funds yet and we are still seeing doctors we have delayed our return trip back house to Fiji until the middle to end of November. You need to understand that this is a sacrifice on our part because we are not used to cooler weather. I might have to hit the Goodwill Stores for fall clothing.

We still have plans to visit Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and more of Missouri. We receive much of our current support ($1550 of a total $2800 per month) from individuals. They have chosen to have the funds automatically withdrawn from their bank account and deposit into ours each month. This is possible because of another brother in Christ who graciously does this through one of his businesses. God bless you too Doug! The funds are totally tax deducible. I have attached a form for those who asked if they could help in this way instead of having to send it by mail to our sponsor and then be deposited. This saves a step. You can stop the automatic payment at any time also. The funds usually come out of your account the 15th of the month and we then get them in our account on the 20th.

Funds needed to ship Hoveround to Vanuatu

Not only are we trying to raise funds for the school and personal funds we are trying to raise funds to send a Hoveround to Vanuatu to help Brother Morris Felix who lost part of his leg in 2009. He still lives in the village and even when in town finds it very hard to get around on crutches because they don't have very many paved walkways. We were given two Hoverounds by CURE out of Fort Smith which I have repaired and have in operating condition right now. I am looking at the best way to ship them but have been told it will cost around $4000 to ship them to Vanuatu. If you would like to help toward this special need those funds can also be sent to our sponsor or directly to us through our son Jason. Thank you so very much on behalf of Brother Morris. Brother Morris was the second Christian in Vanuatu in the 1970's and had been a faithful leader to this day.

We Still need your help

We really need your help setting up appointments to talk with congregations and people who can help us with the plan of building the Bible training school in Fiji and for additional personal support ($600 p/month) that we trying to secure.

If any of you can help with appointments for one time help financially it would be appreciated.

You can contact my son, Jason Huff or myself through email or phone.

My mobile number is (417) 529-5037

Your seed-sowing brother and sister.

Tobey & Kathy
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Dr Tobey & Kathy Huff
c/ Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Rd
Webb City MO 64870

email: j13huff@yahoo.com
Home address:
2730 E 24th St
Joplin MO 64804
PH: (417) 396-9122