Dear Family and Friends,
Our hearts are heavy tonight as we write to you and ask you to pray with us for a very critical situation.
My college roommate, Dawn (Nienhuis), and her husband Ryan Williams and their four children have been serving as missionaries in Kenya for many years. Ryan is an airplane mechanic for planes that take needed supplies to missionaries. We know that several of you in MI may know Dawn and/or her family – her parents are Dwane and Darlene Neinhuis and her brother's name is Dean and sisters are Diane, and Deb. Dawn and Ryan stayed with us at times in Cedar Rapids and visited Peace CRC during one evening service followed by a desert and presentation at our home. God used them to crack open the door of our hearts to cross- cultural missions. They are dear friends.
Yesterday, Ryan was involved in a plane crash that took the life of his best friend, the pilot, and has left Ryan critically injured with burns over 40% of his body, with a broken pelvis, hip, and "other injuries". The three other passengers are said to be "injured". For more details about the accident, you can go to www.ntv.co.ke
Ryan is in a hospital in Kenya with plans to move him to the US as soon as he is stabilized. Please pray for stabilization, for the prevention of infection, and for relief of pain for Ryan. Please also pray for strength and peace for Dawn and for their children. We also ask for prayers for the family of the pilot – for comfort for his wife and four children.
Thank you all so very much. We will update you more on our family in the next couple of weeks. We fly to Nicaragua on Aug. 5. Thank you for all of the love we have received this summer.
Peace to you,
Dan, Lisa (the writer), Rebekah, and Will Van Zoest