I am checking in a little late today, actually, a lot late. Earlier this morning I was up and slowly settling in to watch my Wisconsin Badgers tangle with those pesky Fresno State Bulldogs on the gridiron. At about a quarter to nine (the game was to start at 9:00am Pacific time) my cell phone rang. I got word that there had been a bad accident on our church construction site with one of the Laborers For Christ, Mark Munderloh, coming in direct contact with live power lines. Kay and I hustled to church as fast as we could, and we were both fearing the worst. Construction workers and power lines coming in contact usually has a disastrous consequence. Upon reaching the site we were informed that Mark was still alive, conscious and talking, but had been burned quite badly on a number of areas of his body. The paramedics found that his heart rate and rhythm were normal, and he had been transported to the ER at Sacred Heart Hospital. After a time of prayer with all of those at the construction site Kay and I headed for the ER and met Liz, Marks wife, and Cherine Devine (a member of the church and a registered nurse who happened to arrive at the church just after the accident happened). Cherine had drove Liz to the hospital as Mark was taken by ambulance. After a short time the ER doctor informed us that Mark was doing pretty well, considering. He would be transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, he is already there now, as the burn center there is the best. As a matter of fact, any electrical burn patients are automatically transferred there to be evaluated and treated, since the extent of the internal burns will not be known for a few days. The bottom line is, Mark should make a full recovery, if not,close to it. It will be a long process though, and burns are very painful injuries. I ask all of you for special prayers for healing for Mark, and comfort and strength for Liz. She is holding together remarkably well, through faith and humor, and will be traveling to Seattle tomorrow to be with Mark. We ask that the Lord's hand of blessing and comfort be over Mark and Liz, and all of the rest of the Laborers and their wives, along with the members of the St. John's congregation, who have become close to them.
The accident caused us to lose power for the entire church property. That didn't stop the Saturday pot-luck lunch though, and there might have been more food than ever. It was all very good too. After lunch we began moving chairs and church furniture down to the new building in advance of the first church service there tomorrow morning at 9:00am. You are all invited to attend per the previous post. Lost in all of this was the Wisconsin-Fresno State game, which turned out to be a thriller. I did hear a score of Fresno State 21, Wisconsin 17 early in the 4th quarter as I drove back to the church from the hospital, but that was the last I heard until long after the game was over. once the power came back in my office, and the wireless network was back up and going, I was able to find the final score and recap of the game. Wisconsin came out on top 34-31 in 2 overtimes. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime, then the Badgers intercepted a Fresno State pass in the second overtime, one of 3 interceptions on the day, and followed that up with a 22 yard field goal to win. I don't know if you had heard but an H1N1 flu outbreak hit the Madison campus, and as many as 45 of the Wisconsin players got bit by the bug this week, some just today. I don't want to make excuses but that may have had an effect on the play of the team. Even in the face of that they pulled out a victory.
I will have pictures of the church posted later on this evening...see you then.
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