GoWests!

GoWests.com – Offical site of the WestSide Story!

My Dad… Peter West. 13 Sept 1938 – 2 June 2010 June 2, 2010

Filed under: Family,Photos,Uncategorized,Updates — GoWests! @ 2:03 pm

Hello everyone.

Last night I received a call from Australia saying that the Dr’s had called mum, and to tell others, to come in for dad.
He died around 10am Montana time this morning.

Following is a short synopsis of the last month or so, from my perspective.
As you know I was able to go down early May and spend a couple of weeks with mum and dad (in hospital). While I was there I was able to spend a lot of time with him and especially with my mum, chauffeuring her every day back and forth from the hospital. One of my brothers, working with YWAM in Kona, also flew down for several days.  While we were there dad was assessed as requiring palliative care, so he was transferred to a palliative care hospital, where he remained to today. The medical prognosis was one of “weeks”.   While we were still praying for healing, we have also been praying for the Lord’s highest in the situation, trusting in the sovereignty of God.

Interesting thought…
I am part of a large family; 5 kids. While we have our own family issues, we are a strong unit, very close, very honest, very fun. We can fight hard, but we always play hard!  All being believers, I have noticed an interesting dynamic. As we are told by Paul, “we have one body but many parts…”, and the different gifts all play different, yet essential roles.
Could it be the same in families? I have noticed in my family that different ones of us seem to be performing different roles, and I don’t think it’s as simple as personality differences. I think it’s orchestrated by God, as a miniature picture of the body of Christ.
Some were fervently believing for healing. Others, more pragmatic and medically objective. We have a mixture of medical and spiritual perspectives; all of us leaning into the character of God. While one encourages mum with hope for healing, another encourages with the eternal hope dad has. Someone is there to go through conferences with Doctors, another to talk about God’s healing power, and another to be open to discussing potential funeral plans, and the “what next?” questions that had often occupied her mind.   …And all of the other stuff in-between.
All in all we revolve around the sovereignty of God. I don’t know how others who aren’t “stapled” to a perfect triune God, could even hope to approach the kind of diversity, yet unity and grace, that we seem to have experienced in this time.
Me?  My prayers have been somewhat simple: for God to be glorified. I know that God can heal. But would He? It seems like dad is leaving the earth too early; still so much more he wanted to do for the Kingdom. But it’s also so encouraging to see everything that has been done through him already. He has already left a legacy for many around the world to follow, leading to the Father. Perhaps the Lord would have him add to that? Perhaps not. While we always wanted dad healthy again, we never feared for him!
Yesterday…
While mum was with him all day and into the evening yesterday, she was forced to go home last night because she is actually quite ill herself.  She received a call around 1am to go in again, but didn’t make it there in time, probably by about 15 minutes. I don’t think he was conscious at all, and he hadn’t suffered from any pain. Mum has been there almost every day for the last 6 weeks, and the family there have been regular and committed in their service.
It’s hard.  Yesterday when I heard the impending news, I was a little ‘numb’. Today it’s a bit different.  Especially for mum, I’m sure. Please pray for her.
Thank you for all of the ongoing prayers over the months, and for those prayers I know will follow this inadequate communication, about the loss of one so special in the Kingdom of God, as well as here on earth.
Jeremy and Molly.
p.p.s. Sorry that we have not been better in communication lately. Since coming back from Australia, I wasn’t as motivated to write about this until now.
 

A Birthday Week. Who Says Missions and Kids Don’t Mix?! February 28, 2010

Filed under: Family,Photos,Updates — GoWests! @ 9:49 pm
Tags: ,

Two birthdays in one week, which meant two birthday parties within a week.  Samuel turned 8 and Joel, 6.  Hard to believe, I know.

We are blessed to live in place with so many good friends who share a common vision of missions, and family. These kids are up for it too! Ready to survive anything. All of these kids have at least one thing in common: they have all been all over the world, in much harder places, yet always manage to have fun while doing it!

For their parties, each chose a “theme”. While in Australia the boys got hooked on “Man Vs Wild”, with Bear Grylls.  So Samuel’s party was “Boys Vs Wild”, and Joel’s was “Boys Vs Water”.

Samuel’s Boys Vs Wild…

A quick recap of the events. I (Jeremy) took 7 boys into the woods near my in-laws house, and after setting the scene for an imaginary, “Oh no, the car has broken down in the wilderness! How will we survive?”, we all boldly approached our fates.  Apparently the word had got out among the lads earlier in the week of some of the hardships we might face in the rugged Lakeside ‘backyard’ wilderness.  “I’m not drinking my own pee!” was one participant’s plea (destined to perish if I didn’t do something about that life-killing-attitude!). Another was crying at our outset for the same fear.  When all were reassured that no one would have to do anything they didn’t want to (if they didn’t care about living or dying, that is), we set off a merry bunch.  Kids + knives + fire + gross stuff = fun, every time.

Each had a pocketknife (of course, for whittling, and random cutting and slashing and such), their clothes, and that’s it. I had my knife, machete, and some emergency matches (settle down now, they’re 7-8 years old for Pete’s sake and the temperature was about 35F/2C!).  We followed a deer trail, learned how to tell direction, where and how to build a fire, and some other general tips for surviving and ensuring rescue. Some serious, and some …made up (e.g., doing this about 60 yards from Grammy’s house).

We ate (this is what I told them, anyway) freshly killed “squirrel”, some “deer poop”, and yes, drank our own “urine”.  After all of this we were rescued just in time for cheeseburgers, cake, marshmallows and games!  A Miracle!  (See photos below).

Joel’s Boys Vs Water

For the younger crew we all parachuted into the local indoor swimming pool. 6 boys, two pools, way too much chlorine.  I won’t go into as much detail here except to say that all boys braved and bested pool sharks, deep water, infants, other kids taking our toys, life guards in red outfits aged about 13, and of course a toxic level chlorine environment.  Amazingly enough again, we were rescued just in time for a birthday dinner of hotdogs, cake, games, punch, roasted marshmallows and presents!  (See photos below)

Oh, if anyone is interested, the parents and Grammy barely survived. The search party is still out for Papa…