A mixture of emotions swirls around you in a constant state of chaos, like a storm raging as it passes through. It is hard to grasp and yet be totally amazed at how your mind can hold to a state of quandary: simultaneously opposing thoughts and emotions while your heart and soul try to make sense of it all.
We are at day 34, a month and a few days have now passed since Josh’s departure. Uncertainty, unknowing and unclarity are present companions to us both.
As I sit, frankincense streams out of the diffuser; gifted to us in our time of need. Used for grief the scent is comforting and calming in the midst of the storm. We are reminded of the 3 wise men who came to bring gifts to the King. We too, ask for wisdom with each day that passes. We also have received the “gift” of God’s tangible presence; the gift of unceasing prayers, text messages and emails from all over this vast world. Words and thoughts can never truly convey how much these prayers have meant and will continue to carry us in the days ahead. Thank you…
On a clear night, often times we will look up and ask the question “do you see the same stars we see tonight?” Vacillating between two opposing and clashing thoughts: the possible reality that you are dead is gut wrenching, while still having hope that you are alive and wanting to live an “off grid”, adventuresome life (as you have done your whole life) while living off the land. These two realities are real possibilities and very tangible. The truth is, we may never know the answer to the question “where is Josh?”…
Can we stay in hope? Yes. Can we trust the Father when there are no answers? Yes. Can we live life with not ever knowing? Yes.
Sadly, we have no news to report. Official search and rescue is done. Volunteer search and rescue (activated 2 weeks ago) have no news. Our nephew Kyle (who is an avid hiker) and his friend hiked up to 5 of the 7 valleys, finding nothing. Police have no leads.
A friend shared, very profoundly, that she has “never used this sort of prayer muscles before….”
As believers, we know how to pray for those who have cancer, for those in difficult relationships, or hard family situations but this, like so many of you have expressed, this is new. We do not know nor have we ever experienced someone we know personally going through “a missing person” scenario.
We are all trying to learn how to pray, what to pray, for this season of unknown. When we don’t know what to do, pray or say… we simply can say, “but you know Lord.”
For years after Josh left from Belize to work on the wheat fields and then roofing in Canada and afterward join the Marine Corps, many in Belize asked “Where’s Josh”? It seemed like everyone we met asked that question. Now we are all asking it again.
After five years in the Marines and over two years in Mexico, Josh (26 years old) came to live with us here in Kailua Kona Hawaii this past August. It has been in many respects amazing to have him with us and sometimes rather enigmatic. For example, he has some interesting ideas and can be just difficult to understand. Josh likes adventure. Since being with us in Hawaii, it has not been uncommon for him to go on “walkabouts” (hikes) for up to a week at a time. He likes to go alone with minimal provisions (not the way we would do it).
Josh has talked about hiking all seven valleys on the North-northeast part of Hawaii Island, under the oldest of the Big Island’s five volcanic peaks. Hiking all seven valleys is a feat not often achieved especially since a large earthquake in 2006 dramatically changed the topography in one of the valleys making it incredibly difficult to pass.
On Monday morning, February 1st, Josh announced that he was headed out. I (Chris) asked him where he was headed and he simply and innocently said “I’ve told you where I am going”. I found this riddle interesting and didn’t immediately know what he was talking about – nor do I now, almost three weeks later.
The day after Josh headed out on his scooter, I (Chris) had my weekly neuro-feedback appointment in a part of the island known as Kohala, the same area where Josh had hiked into the valleys in the past. After my appointment, I rode my motorcycle out to the Pololu Valley Lookout and as I guessed might be the case, found Josh’s scooter near the trailhead. I took photos of the scooter, paused and prayed over Josh from the majestic viewpoint atop the northern wall of Pololu Valley and rode home.
The following Tuesday, just a week later than I had photographed the scooter at the trailhead, a friend went out there confirmed that the scooter was still there. The next day, we went to the Kona Police Station and had a conversation with an officer there about the situation. It was not strange for Josh to be gone for a number of days at a time but it was now definitely longer than we had grown accustomed to- concern began to creep in. We learned that there are essentially two types of police reports that can be filed in this type of situation, one an internal police report (BOLO – be on the look out) or a public missing person’s report which involves a media release and opens the door for cross departmental cooperation between police, fire, coast guard and others.
We knew that there were many possibilities for the way the question “where’s Josh?” could be answered and we sincerely did not know which of them may be true. Many possibilities were equally conceivable. We decided to go ahead and ask the police to issue a BOLO and we would continue to pray, talk, consider and wonder. We asked the officer’s suggestion on what to do with the scooter and he suggested that we go get it because there would be a high probability it would be stolen if left there much longer. The next morning, Chris went back to the lookout with Kyle, Josh’s cousin who loves and spends much time on the Big Island. I compared the scooter’s location to the photos I had taken ten days earlier and it appeared to be identical in placement. Kyle drove the scooter home.
The same day Chris and Kyle went to pick up the scooter, day eleven since Josh headed out from our house, Chris and Lynn visited the Kona Fire Station and spoke to the Captain about search and rescue. We learned much and even though we were not sure that Josh was even in the valleys, felt it was appropriate to request help and initiate a search. We made the appropriate phone calls and shortly afterward, the Battalion Chief (BC) called and we talked about the plan.
That same day, a Hawaii Fire Department helicopter with rescue personnel on board did an extensive air search along the coast and up into each of the valleys. They landed at several of the cabins scattered throughout the valleys to see if anyone had been in then recently. After several hours, they returned to their base and the BC called us with the news that they had turned up nothing. We had learned that an extensive search is typically done over three days. Over the next three days, approximately 850 man hours were spent in the valleys with air, ground and sea searches by personnel from three different rescue companies of the Hawaii Fire Department. They searched the most hiked trails, as well as off the beaten path. . The command post near the Pololu Valley Lookout included a fuel tanker truck to refuel the helicopters. The total land area between Pololu and Waipio Valleys is hundreds of square miles of steep, dense terrain with no infrastructure outside of Waipio. There is water and many fruit trees so it is possible to survive for a long time, but not without difficulty. After three full days of search and rescue plus the extensive air search the day prior to the full search and rescue operations, and no sign of Josh whatsoever, the BC reluctantly; with much honor and respect to us, suggested that we call off the search unless additional evidence surfaced so they would know better where to look. We agreed.
Today is the 18th day since Josh left the house. There are many possibilities we can imagine and have not committed to any of them since there is very little factual information we have to go on.
He may have attempted the seven valleys
If he attempted the valleys, he may not want to be found
If he attempted the valleys, he may have completed them and / or found friends and is hanging with them
If he attempted the valleys, he may be hurt and need help
If he attempted the valleys, he may have taken a path far from any regular trail and out of range of the searchers
He may be happily chilling in a hammock somewhere
He may have fallen, broken an ankle and could not move, gotten hypothermia and died.
Perhaps he will just show up someday.
Perhaps we will never know and Monday February 1, 2021 is the last time we will have ever seen him.
Chris & Lynn and the PandemicYou may be wondering how does one do missions work while there is pandemic going on? Now more than ever the work of full-time missions is critical for those struggling with the world wide pandemic. Everyone needs easy access to the Bible to brings comfort, answers and light.
Chris is able to work from home, enabling his work with original biblical languages to be an immediate benefit to reach the lost and dramatically aid in translation work.
For Lynn, counseling has moved from face to face, in person counseling to talking over FaceTime and Zoom with those who need a listening ear and prayer.
The beauty of technology provides much needed times of, encouragement and prayer for staff but also to the greater community we live in where people are fearful, stressed and need Gods love to see them through the days ahead as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc with our day to day lives.
~ The bible transforms individual lives, but it can also change nations.~
New Life
They say that things change within your heart when your kid, has a kid. That has certainly been the case with the arrival of William Cylas Toney. Cylas was born on Valentines Day to our oldest son Will ( goes by his first name now) and his lovely wife Adrienne. Lynn was able to fly right before things got tricky with the virus to help out with baby and help Will and Adrienne move We are so blessed with our first grandson and couldn’t be more proud of Will. Can’t wait til the next time we can connect with these three.
What a Decade!
10 years. So much has happened. 10 years – each and every one of you walking with us, praying for us and being side by side with us in missions. 10 years – you, our supporters, have journeyed with us through the tears and the joys. 10 years of ups and downs. Let us look back over the last decade to some major highlights of Chris and Lynn in missions; serving those around the world and in their local community.
Accidents Happen
Having two accidents in the early months of 2010 was an experience we both would rather not repeat. Lynn’s boating accident, a collision between a water taxi on which she was riding and another boat, left bumps, bruises and a severe shoulder dislocation for Lynn, and a fatality on the other boat. Months of doctor and PT visits while doing rehab exercises were left interrupted by the second accident of 2010. Chris was throw from an horse during a family day out celebrating our two oldest son’s 18th and 16th birthdays. Chris sustained major injuries to his brain resulting in a long stay in the hospital, medically induced coma and several medical tests to determine that a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) has long lasting and irreversible damage.
What we learned in those early months of the decade: That you can and will have strong support and will tangibly see the results of countless people praying and have the knowledge that you are never alone in God’s embrace and love.
What we are still learning: That life can be lived to the fullest no matter the obstacles; and that a change in course, no matter the size or the event, can bring new things, great things if we only hear, obey and trust in the Lord. God is our refuge and strength, our ever present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Boat’s Goodbye
Living on boats and calling them home for almost 5 years while doing full time missions, while homeschooling your 3 kids, while running DTS schools, while living in VERY small quarters, while overseeing the day to day operations of two large Catamarans was an exhilarating experience to say the least. From hurricane seasons and sailing to safe harbors, to seeing God in nature, to watching students come to a deeper relationship with their Lord, to the perfect sunset, to breakdowns and missing parts, to down pours of rain, to dolphins frocking in the bow, to dark nights of long sails, to worshiping God on the water, saying goodbye to the boats in order to be full-time on land brought a mixture of emotions.
What we learned: An experience of a lifetime. That God will meet you in the most unexpected ways. To hold fast to a dream created by Him. To never give up, even when everyone around you says otherwise. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in touch with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
The Nest is Empty
2013 marked the beginning for Chris and Lynn of what is affectionally called “Empty Nesting” in the U.S. It’s the season of when all of your kids are out of the house and on their own. Will (Cameron), Josh and Jessie were moving into adult living while Chris and Lynn where able to expand ministry focus to include travel and teaching abroad while still serving as base leaders in Belize.
What we learned: That hard work, trusting the Lord with your kids, being consistent and showing Gods love to them, can pay off to be blessed with amazing adult kids. **If you’re in the season of child rearing, have hope your love and care will pay off. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
The Passing of the Baton
We don’t know about you, but often times the Lord moves through big events and/or changes, prayer, ideas, nudges, scripture or what the world would call a “coincidence”. Looking back now, there were signs; there were things already in motion (remember the comment about learning?) that started off slowly and built momentum as we handed off of our roles as base leaders of Destination Paradise, a Youth With a Mission training base originally founded on sailing boats, and eventually became a strong training campus with over a hundred students each year completing schools, outreaches and internships.
What we learned: What you think you are going to do forever can change… be open to the possibility of bigger and better as the Lord guides and directs your path. Do you have the faith to step out into the unknown? Sure you do; just trust Him and He will show you the way. For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
New Beginnings (again)
Starting off in missions in 1997 left us with the exhilaration and excitement of what have we done?! sense of nervousness for what was next. Who would have known that the Lord would take us, teach us, train us, be with us, and guide us in so many different ways (Mercy Ships, Captain, homeschooler, teacher, trainer, counselor, bible scholar etc..), taking us all over the world and reaching countless people. Leaving Belize allowed for a widening the net, going deeper with new things. He landed us in Kona, but He paved the way for us to travel, to teach and to go.
What we learned: Anything is possible with the Lord. Hold on tight! You might think you know what the ride will be like, but it turns out to be the ride of a lifetime complete with immeasurable faith and heart pounding experiences. Given the choice, we wouldn’t change it for anything! With man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. Matt 19:26
Let Us Learn (more)
In hindsight, it is easy to see where the Lord was directing both Chris and Lynn from 2011 and onward to the later part of the decade. Who would have known that both of us would continue education beyond university in fields that we love and that we would engage that learning so extensively and internationally in the coming years, and now in, of all places, at the U of N campus in Kona Hawaii. Chris started in 2011 with the first of 2 masters degrees through Fuller Seminary. Our neurologist has said many times that Chris’s academic studies helped him in the early years of recovery by stimulating healing by learning. Lynn followed a few years later with the desire to glean more information in the field of counseling and coaching. Association of Christian Biblical Counselors certification was quite stretching with a steep earning curve. Both of our certifications and degrees are used every day for the greater progress of the kingdom.
What we learned in the process of more education: That you’re never too old to learn. That there is so much out there to do, see and be a part of when education has been fostered, nurtured and grown. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9
No More
How do you explain the term gut wrenching? That pit in your stomach? That headache that comes from stress? That sinking feeling of dreams lost, vision blurred and plans that will cease to happen? Living and doing ministry in Belize was always tricky. Did we see things coming as they unfolded? No. Were there always challenges with the Belizean government from the first day we sailed into this beautiful nation? Yes. Could the base and its new leadership have done anything to stop the ways of a corrupt government? No. The base closure still has long term effects for us both, former YWAM DP staff and those Belizeans we loved and were blessed to be a part of their lives. We always trust that the Lord has hopes and dreams far beyond what we can imagine or understand.
What we learned: That in the storm, you may not know, can’t see, or feel the reasons for what is happening- but can trust that this too shall pass. When you’re in the midst of the pain, God can and will bring clarity, love and care to his kids. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19
This update is all about family and celebration. A number of you have asked recently, how are the kids? What are they doing these days? Well here is the fun information you all have been asking about. A ministry update is coming soon, but for now this update is about our family and a blessed time of celebration, a double celebration that is.
It is rare that we can get all of our family together. We are in different countries and in different states. Our family gathered last month to celebrate our oldest son Cameron’s marriage. Here are some lovely photos of the ceremony, pictures of the family and a brief overview of what everyone is up to and where they are in the world.
Cameron has been living in the Midwest for over 5 years. He and Adrianne met at church in Kansas City Missouri. They married March 2nd in Estes Park, Colorado. The candle lit ceremony was unique and intimate with only a handful of guests. Hours before the wedding a fresh blanket of snow created a snow capped backdrop to two peoples love for each other and to their love of God. Cameron is 26. Cameron continues to work all things related to the tech world of computers. Over the years, he has had a number of jobs connected to the computer industry. His new job, just recently acquired, marries (pun intended) work in security, systems and coding. Adrienne his new bride, works as a vocal coach and does private music lessons. They are a perfect pairing for each other. We could not be more pleased to welcome Adrienne into our family.
Josh, 24 years of age, continues to have the itch for travel and living overseas. He currently lives in Mexico, just outside of Mexico City. Josh served in the US Marine Corp for 5 years, and has been doing various jobs since. On a trip to Belize to help Chris with the issues surrounding Belize, he met and fell in love to a lovely gal from Mexico. Here is what we mean by the double celebration… Josh is married!!! Sara a doctor and Josh studying Spanish and working as a ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. They felt they wanted to marry in Mexico. When time and money permit they will come to the US and have an American church wedding ceremony in addition to their Mexican wedding. Sara is a great match for Josh. They really are an amazing, lovely and strong couple. Are we surprised that Josh is creative in where he lives and how he got married? Not at all. Josh has always done life very much out of the box. Divine meeting in Belize? I would say so. We are excited to welcome Sara into our family too. See what we mean by the double cerebration we have had!?!?
Jessie, age 23, lives and works on the east side of Seattle. Jessie and her amazing boyfriend Garrett met while playing volleyball, Jessie’s one true passion. We love how they where brought together loving the sport of volleyball equally. Jessie has a new job as an assistant manager to a local private pool. After working as a manager at both Target and Starbucks for 5 years she was in need of a change. She had a brief stint working at a high-end camera store where her second passion, photography was strengthened. Jessie continues to take photos, but felt retail is in her past. Her new job helping run the pool is a great fit for her. She loves variety and has a great work ethic in whatever she does. She overseas the life guards, does scheduling and other admin and teaches private and group swim lessons. Now that her schedule allows more flexibility, she is also pursuing coaching volleyball to young girls.
Chris and Lynn. We aren’t sharing how old we are. Ha. But we are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary and our 23rd year in missions this year. We are blessed beyond measure by our three fabulous adult kids and two new daughter in laws. God has answered our prayers of having the right marriage partners for both our boys. Celebration and thankfulness abound.
Thank you for sharing in our joy. Thank you for partnering with us in missions. Be on the look out for a missions update. God is good. All the time. All the time, God is good.
Hi Friends and Family,
As a result of much prayer, listening to the Lord and extensive preparations, the transition we’ve been talking about for a long time has come to its culmination. We are very excited to now be serving globally from Kona. Please read on and be updated on our family’s extensive travels and great work around the world.
We are very excited that all 5 of us were together for Christmas in Belize! Josh has received new orders and is now stationed at Fort Devens near Boston working as an Inspector-Instructor for Marine Reservists. He was able to come to Belize between postings. Cameron came from Kansas City where he’s living, working and studying – doing great! Jessie came from Kona where she just completed a YWAM / U of N School of Worship Program. She is working in Woodinville WA as she prepares for her next U of N school in June. It had been five years since we were all together for Christmas! Needless to say, it was amazing!
Josh, 24 years of age, continues to have the itch for travel and living overseas. He currently lives in Mexico, just outside of Mexico City. Josh served in the US Marine Corp for 5 years, and has been doing various jobs since. On a trip to Belize to help Chris with the issues surrounding Belize, he met and fell in love to a lovely gal from Mexico. Here is what we mean by the double celebration… Josh is married!!! Sara a doctor and Josh studying Spanish and working as a ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. They felt they wanted to marry in Mexico. When time and money permit they will come to the US and have an American church wedding ceremony in addition to their Mexican wedding. Sara is a great match for Josh. They really are an amazing, lovely and strong couple. Are we surprised that Josh is creative in where he lives and how he got married? Not at all. Josh has always done life very much out of the box. Divine meeting in Belize? I would say so. We are excited to welcome Sara into our family too. See what we mean by the double cerebration we have had!?!? 
Jessie, age 23, lives and works on the east side of Seattle. Jessie and her amazing boyfriend Garrett met while playing volleyball, Jessie’s one true passion. We love how they where brought together loving the sport of volleyball equally. Jessie has a new job as an assistant manager to a local private pool. After working as a manager at both Target and Starbucks for 5 years she was in need of a change. She had a brief stint working at a high-end camera store where her second passion, photography was strengthened. Jessie continues to take photos, but felt retail is in her past. Her new job helping run the pool is a great fit for her. She loves variety and has a great work ethic in whatever she does. She overseas the life guards, does scheduling and other admin and teaches private and group swim lessons. Now that her schedule allows more flexibility, she is also pursuing coaching volleyball to young girls. 
