Archive for the ‘The Kangas Family’ Category

I don’t think I have ever laughed as much as I have in the last 4-6 weeks.  The transformation that has taken place in our family is incredible and it has been hugely fun.

First, our children are way smarter than us.  No truly!  Magnalie’s third language is English and she gets 105 on her report card for English.  Spanish is her fourth language and she is two years in.  Say Day Paw speaks three languages and English is her fourth.  She speaks Karen, Karenni, and Burmese, but also knows a little Spanish and French.  BuReh is working on his second language, English.  This makes watching a movie at our house quite interesting, as surprise we don’t usually watch them in English and this can be heavily debated. In my wildest dreams I could not have imagined that happening in my home.  I was thinking out loud with Say one day and mentioned we have seven languages in the house and she informed me that I was wrong because Ka Paw speaks seven languages.  She continued that he is really smart.  However, when I asked her what languages he spoke I couldn’t even pronounce the names of them.  So, I am sticking with the seven I actually know.  I figure if we can’t pronounce the names of the languages I am safe not counting them.  Tyler and I are still working on mastering English.

Say is a jokester and I think Tyler may have met his match.  A majority of their school work is just reading right now and we are having some challenges that are common to people who speak an Asian dialect and who are learning English.  One of these, I like to call the added n.  Whenever there is a short sounding vowel followed by a d they add an n sound, so that ed is end, edge is endge.  We laugh about it all the time.  This last weekend we were in the car with Say and she was purposely adding an n sound to her words, but she didn’t know that I already knew that she doesn’t do this with long sounding vowels, just short, so she was saying the word reand for read and I caught her.  She laughed hysterically.

Another word we have fun with is lunch.  Although I can spell this I can’t actually say it, but Say is always offering to make us lunsh. Go ahead, try and say it.

Then, there was our vacation in Newport.  We took the kids across the street to walk the wharf and Say was leaning into dad singing High School Musical to him and then informed him he needed to sing his part.  Tyler doesn’t sing much, but he definitely doesn’t sing High School Musical.  She teased him for days to sing to her.

We had a fun time doing Hu jokes when the President of China was here.  Say and Bu just got a kick out of the Hu?  Hu? jokes, then we heard that another higher up in Chinese government was named Wen.  It just started all over again.  Then this weekend Bu slept over at the Karenni house as they call it, and was watching Jackie Chan and I guess there was a you/me joke and Bu came home laughing so hard while he tried to impersonate Jackie Chan.

Say already knows our families insider jokes.  She could tell you all the stuff that you don’t learn unless you are really close and she calls us on it all the time.  Sometimes I am amazed that she figured it out so fast.

BuReh is dads guy.  He wants to be with him every moment.  It’s really such a blessing.  He kept wearing Tyler’s boots, so Tyler went and bought him some for his birthday.  This last week while we were visiting Grama he told her that dad is his best friend.  Yeah wow.  Today, as I struggled to motivate him to do school dad called and told him he could go to work with him on Friday if he gets all his school work done and I had a star student for the rest of the day.

Magnalie has been great.  OK in some ways she has knocked my socks off.  She is a young woman now and it shows.  She is mentoring Say and Bu and has been so gracious teaching piano, reading, and much more.  Thank you Lord again.

There are so many things I would like to share, but I think you get the idea.  This has been a lot of work but also a lot of fun.  We are doing good.

At our house, Thanksgiving is our big (only) holiday.  It is a day that we make all about Him and others; a day to say thank you and show gratitude.  This year we chose Psalms 100:4 as our theme for the day.  We have a chalk board in the dining room and so we dressed it up with our verse.

Tomorrow we will have a house full of family members from early in the morning until in the evening.  We will have a chance to tell our grown children along with Magnalie how much we love them and how thankful we are that God blessed us with them.  This will be our first year with our new grand baby, Nathalee.  We will be thanking the Lord for her precious life.  Then there are two more children soon to come and we will be thinking of them all day, and thanking God that He allowed us the gift of being their parents.

But tonight, we are thinking about all of you who read this blog and the Homebound Missions News and who sacrifice to walk along side us in the work that HM’s does in Haiti and around the world.  Thank you.  We could not do what we have been able to do without you.  Thank you for the financial assistance, clothing, medical supplies, shoes, fabric, gifts for the sewing school, gifts for the new moms, and everything else.  Tonight we thank God that He blessed Homebound Missions, Tyler and I with you.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Make it all about Him.  He loves that you know.

Tyler and I have been listening to the audio version of Ministries of Mercy The Call to the Jericho Road By Timothy J Keller. We recommend it to anyone interested in serving others.

We have also recently listened to When Helping Hurts How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor and Yourself By Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. Neither book is a quick read, as they are both just filled with challenges, ideas, concepts and views that may make you question deeply held ideas.  This is why I enjoy the audio version as it gives me the opportunity to listen over and over again, and take notes when I wish to do so. Both books are available in hardcopy.



The Details

Tyler asked me to blog about some decisions we have made recently regarding our healthcare.  He and I both believe that we are not alone.  We hope and pray that by sharing this, we will encourage others who may be experiencing the same dilemma.

About 2 years ago, Tyler and I started struggling to pay our healthcare premiums.  In an effort to relieve the monthly squeeze for about $1200. we settled for a less expensive plan that cost $850 a month.  We were aware that we were taking on a deductible, but were unaware that we had also taken on a 20/80.  That meant  every time we went to the doctor we were paying 20% out of our pocket over and above the deductible.

Tyler and I both had some issues this year and needed to see our doctors.  Within just a few months we found ourselves in debt; medical debt.

Tyler has always provided health insurance for our family and he was feeling an extreme burden.  If we kept our health insurance we simply couldn’t even think about going to the doctor.  So then, why would we pay $850. a month?  Oh yes, then they raised the premium to $950.  It was just impossible for us to even consider.  We had been priced out of healthcare.

Everyone was quick to let us know that we could get MassHealth for hardly nothing, but we aren’t the let government do it types and so we searched for a Christian solution.  I knew of 2 Christian medical sharing groups and searched online and found a third.  We researched each one very carefully.  We were surprised to learn that each one had its differences that made them unique.  After much searching and prayer we felt an overwhelming peace from the Lord and went with Samaritan Ministries.

With the money we have saved we have put together a medical savings account.  If I need to see my doctor I can write a check and pay for the service.  I have learned not to have any procedure done without first finding out how much it costs.  A simple thyroid blood test recently cost over $500.00, thankfully I had the money to pay and when I called the Lab they offered me a 20% discount if I paid that day.  We also increased our medical coverage on our vehicles since it was super inexpensive to do so.

It is definitely a responsibility, but we have always considered healthcare to be just that.  What we pay for our Sharing amount is so little that it allows us to continue to add to our savings account, but if anything catastrophic should happen we will not be alone financially.

Another really great thing about Samaritan Ministries is the prayer investment.  Each month you are sent a prayer request list.  You are also made aware of others who may need financial help that doesn’t qualify for sharing.  If you would like you are able to send a note  and  check.

Tyler and I have peace in our hearts for the first time concerning healthcare.  If you are struggling with healthcare costs and just don’t know where to turn we highly recommend you consider a Christian medical sharing ministry.

His Faithfulness

Over the last two years God has shown Himself to be so faithful.  For many years I have had a doctor in whom I trusted and depended on.  When we made that first decision to lower our premium by choosing a lower cost plan I was no longer able to have my doctor.  This was a tremendous step in faith for me, but I felt the Lord encouraging me to trust him.

On the new plan I had to choose a doctor from a very small list and after calling everyone on the list, literally I was calling the very last doctor on the list, I finally found one who was taking patients.  My new doctor turned out to be a great doctor and if God didn’t do enough, at one of my appointments the subject of home birth came up and it was if we had known each other for ever on this common ground.  For months I was just so thankful for this great gift.

When it came time to make the big decision of letting our healthcare coverage go completely it was really an easy step for us.  Tyler and I, were very conflicted about spending thousands of dollars for, ” in case healthcare” when so many around the world don’t even have a doctor to see.  It just fell out of where our hearts are.  The Christian medical sharing just radiates the Christian sharing in the Bible.  The prayers for each other and the ministry just make it more in line with our hearts.  It’s something we are proud to invest in.  Yes, we feel we are investing in our brothers and sisters in Christ.

God has been so good and has provided beyond our greatest expectations.  If you are struggling we encourage you to ask Him for direction.

Tyler and I, would like to introduce to you our very first grandchild, Nathalee Grace, who made her appearance at 2:59 on Sunday September 26, weighing in at 8.68 pounds.

She was welcomed by her parents Nathan and Annsie, her Auntie Magnalie and her grand”mother” Kathy.  Shortly after birth, she was lovingly greeted by her own special prayer team which consisted of Great Auntie Debbie, Great Auntie Wendy, and Grand”father” Tyler, who waited in the waiting room and prayed for Annsie and Nathalee throughout a very long labor.

To say we are proud, happy, thrilled, elated would merely be an understatement.  Here are some pictures of our little princess.

Tyler and I spent the evening in the ER and our time there looked like an episode of, Untold Stories From the ER.

Nurses gasping.

Strangers coming in to ask if they can see.

Crowds gathering in the hallway laughing.  The patient can hear you!

” I need an X-ray” is overheard as the doctor talks to the nurse.

” I’ll  need a hammer.”

Did she just say she needs a hammer?  Hey, wait a minute the patient is awake and knows about your plan.

Some local anesthetic, ahhh what a relief.  Did I mention the patient rated his pain at  8.

A couple light taps of the hammer, an even tug with the pliers.  No, I am only kidding they used hemostats and miraculously the patient is all better.

Tyler was trying to fix my staple gun for me as I was working on restoring an old bassinet for my new grandbaby (coming soon).  After many attempts to get it to staple he tried holding the safety valve with his finger.  Wouldn’t you know it staples just fine when you hold that thing.

I saw him get stapled, he was still unaware and was trying to get the gun to staple into the wood, which it wouldn’t.  A 1 1/4″ staple going into the underside of his index finger out the top through part of his nail bed.

Here is the God is so good part.  The staple completely missed the bone.  Even the doctor couldn’t believe it.  It was sticking right up through the middle of his finger and didn’t hit the bone.  Thank you Lord.

Today, Tyler is at work with just some minor discomfort from his tetanus shot.

Tyler and I had the opportunity to sneak away on a mini vacation to the Berkshires.  We camped on Savoy Mountain, hiked into the State Forest to see Tannery Fallls, and biked/rollerbladed 22 miles on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail (ART).

We have been biking/walking/rollerblading the rail trails in RI for most of the summer, but the ART has been my favorite so far.  There were wooded sections, mountain views and lakeside areas on a  well maintained paved path.

Now it is time to get back to work as my sister Debbie, Magnalie and I leave for Haiti on Monday,  August 16th at 2:00 am.