It has been a really busy day here, a bilzzard of emails [though it’s been that way for quite some time] and trying to manage some of my “normal” life…
Dad was a “dog person” so perhaps that’s why he’s “growling” in the picture above. But they took this picture somewhere in Kiev this trip. And that green jacket, well it’s a feathered friends jacket. The reason I know is I have one too.
So, let me tell you a story – it’s not that interesting, but probably a lot more fun than recounting that we don’t have any good news today.
So, the jacket. Well Feathered Friends is probably one of the very best places to get real down outdoor gear. Sleeping-bags, jackets etc. They started many years ago right next to the old REI store. You know the one that smelled of creosote and tar, and was an old rickety haphazard building – before they built the new glass and steel one. Back before they started selling t-shirts and espresso machines.
Well, I’d been looking at one of their jackets and eventually I got one. [From Feathered friends, not REI.] They’re not exactly cheap, but for what you get, they are really quite reasonable. [800+ fill down is “typical” which is quite amazing, if you know about goose down.]
Well Dad saw mine and was impressed. Down captures heat really, really well. Practically the instant you put it on, you can feel it keeping you warm. That’s really nice on the summit of some cold and windy peak – just after you’ve stopped climbing and your sweat is about to turn to ice, and you shiver yourself to pieces!
So, dad decided he wanted one too. But he, I think, bought one that was too warm. If I recall correctly, that one has a completely down insulated hood too. It was practically like wearing a sleeping bag! Which was great if it was really cold, but would turn into a sauna if it was above 50 F or so.
But that neon lime *green*? Ouch! I never heard, but I hope he got some kind of killer deal for that green color!
So, it’s neat and sad all at the same time – seeing that jacket. It was a small thing – a tiny shared bit of experience. But it’s those little things you remember and that touch you.
—
Ok. well enough stories, eh? Then, back to the salt mines we go.
Today Randy asked for more video feeds. We’ve looked at the map of where they are situated and if we can get most of what we want, I suspect that will be pretty helpful. I’ve seen snippits of it, and it’s “odd” seeing Dad, knowing that just minutes later he disappears. [It’s also odd how you don’t even need to see a person’s face to know who it is. The way we walk and move – even such ordinary things are still unique. When you see it, you just know.]
Randy went to visit the US Embassy, since he hadn’t talked to any of them in-person since arriving here. Jeff had visited, but not Randy. Randy wanted to ask if they could assist in moving the police any faster. I don’t think they were terribly hopeful. I think the general consensus was that the Ukraine police simply move at the pace they move.
The embassy has been extremely helpful and welcoming. They’ve taken our needs seriously and really done as much as they could to help. It seems that they simply don’t have enough leverage to get the police to do more. [I wonder if someone at higher levels of the state department could do more. Does anyone out there know John Kerry, or William Burns etc?! You could just send them a friendly note and ask if they’d see what they could do to motivate the Ukrainians. 🙂 ]
We still can’t get the video feeds the police have, so we’re moving forward at getting our own and simply trying to live without the resources that the police should provide. We’re not leaving anything out, that we might be able to do, to find Dad.
We’re trying to ensure that we haven’t somehow missed him leaving Zamkova park – even though we’ve seen the camera feed that is near that entrance.
These are motion sensitive cameras so there isn’t a continuous feed. The camera, in general, turns on and off only when it “sees” movement in the central portion of the frame. So, as movement moves out of the center of the frame and moves away, the camera may stop unless something else has entered the frame and keeps the camera recording. So, it is certainly possible, depending on the view and other factors that you might not see everything “interesting” there was to see. So, more cameras and more views increases our certainty about exactly where we think Dad went.
Tomorrow will bring more effort to get additional video and closely look at the new video we have already obtained but haven’t yet had a chance to look at.
The verse that’s been in my head for days now is:”Not by might, nor by power, but by my will” says God.
And impatient me says, “Ok God, I get it, but could you hurry it up a bit, please.”
Man, is that ever hard.
More tomorrow.
-Greg
Posted 2013/05/22 10p PT
We continue to be in prayer for Dr. Sloop. God bless each of you.
We were so sad and concerned when we heard of Jay’s disappearance. We are praying for his safe return and also for the rest of the family. Karen and Jan Kiele
I am praying for Doctor Sloop and all of your family.
We’re still praying for him and you all.
Genesis 5:24 (ASV)
[24] and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Genesis 5:24 (MSG)
Enoch walked steadily with God. And then one day he was simply gone: God took him.
Thanks for the updates and keeping the faith. Our family continues to pray for Dr Jay’s safe return. As far as the coat, remember Kermit says, ” it ain’t easy being green.”
Hello again,
We are continuing to pray.
…
God bless
We are praying many times a day for you and yours…Jim is doing genealogy and would like to know about your ancestors if you ever get time to reply to us. We taught school in Yakima in the 80’s.
Thanks again for the updates, we are still praying and will not cease praying until he is found. It is hard to wait on the Lord, because His time is not like our time. He is hearing our prayers and is in control. We are clinging on His promises in this difficult time. Today I woke up with a question after a dream I had, and the question is how do people see us? and more importantly how does God sees our lives? are we making a difference or impact in peoples lives? Your dad has been making that impact in peoples lives and is living a legacy that will help your children and grand children and their generation to serve a mighty God. It is not our title that makes that impression but how we live our lives. When I went to India with your dad, we used to walk every morning, and your dad would talk to me about the importance of having a good relationship with God, and it was not just his words that made an impact in my life but also his lifestyle. It is on times of tribulation and trials that our faith is tested and how hard that is, because we don’t know the purpose, but in God’s timing he will reveal it. I pray for courage, peace, and patience for your family as well as safety return for Dr. Jay. Hang on to His promises 🙂
God bless you
Dear Sloop family,
We follow everyday the news about Jay’s missing. Whether if he is alive or whether is not, we desire that he can be found and we pray God for that. Although we can’t understand this situation, we trust in God humbly. Jacob trusted in God despite Joseph’s missing. He neither understood Joseph missing, but later he understood that everything was for a reason. We continue praying and waiting in the Lord. Rebecca and Pilar (from Spain).
Praying for you and for Dr. Jay!
We are all praying here from Yakima! Your family has quite the legacy here and it saddens me deeply to know that this has happened.
Hi Greg and all Sloop family. We have been praying and fasted for Jay as well as so many others. We check the updates 2-3 times daily. Jay and the rest of you are very special to us. One wild thought came to me this morning. Since the police are so slow in helpng, could that be because he is in their custody? Is there any way to check the jails? Probably not by yourselves, but could the U.S. Embassy help with this? It seems that you have almost exhausted every other possibility. I know that God is with you, and that He will be glorified through this tragedy. Keep your courage and faith strong in our loving Savior!
Dear Sloop family,
Our family is continuing to pray for Jay to be found. We pray for strength, courage, and strong faith for you all. Not knowing is perhaps the most difficult thing of all to bear. God knows where Jay is – hang your faith and courage on this fact.
Remember that many, many people are praying for your family and for Jay.
Markosky’s
Hi Greg…. Courage! Had special prayer for your family – especially for finding your Dad, last night at prayer meeting at my Livermore, CA church. I believe that God is working in this — for good. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask – or even think, cf. Ephesians 3:20-21. Thanks for the updates.
Blessings, peace and comfort in Christ.
Pastor John L. Bechtel
Dr Sloop was my doctor for years. Whenever I went to see him, no matter the reason he ALWAYS started our visit with “a talk”. He would ask me where I am in five areas of my life. First, where am I with my God? How’s my relationship with the Father and what am I doing to serve Him? Second, where am I with my spouse? Are we getting along, how is communication between us? Do I strive to build up and encourage my spouse, does he do the same for me? Third, how am I doing as a mom? etc. etc. Fourth, how about my job? Do I give it my best as God would expect me to? And finally fifth, how am I managing what God has provided me? Am I being a good steward of all He’s entrusted me with? I have often gone back to these conversations with Dr Sloop. He certainly made an impression on me with our “talks”. He also walked through some of the hardest experiences of my life, as a doctor of course, but he didn’t treat me as just a “number”, “another name in his files”. I was a person who mattered to him and he made that clear. My prayers are joined in the hundreds of thousands that must be going up to the Father daily. I know that wherever Dr Sloop is, God is right there beside him.
In regard to that comment above, that is a good thought. Maybe the two verses in Ps. 46 could be thought of that way, which say, “The God of Jacob is our refuge”. I have tried to think of the significance of that phrase but hadn’t noticed this one. 🙂
May the Lord be with you all. I experienced just a tad of what you are going through in the two hours I waited between hearing that my daughter’s plane, [See Beth Wainwright Memorial page on Facebook] was missing and hearing that it had crashed and there were no survivors, when she and James Arribito and two sons were on their way from Kotzebut Alaska to their commercial flights in Anchorage (Sept. 3, 1990)… It was nearly two days before that plane was found, by very careful pastor-pilot Jim Kincaid, to whom we owe much!!! But that is not as many days as you are experiencing. Glad you have strong faith in God. His will is easy to trust when you know how much He loves…. Bless you!!!
Rosalie Wainwright in New Zealand
Certainly, Rep. Norm Johnson and Gov. Jay Inslee know about Dr. Jay Sloop missing.
Why couldn’t Governor Inslee contact John Kerry and William Burns?
Continued hope and prayers for Dr. Sloop and all…
Hi:
What is the name of the park that your Dad disappeared in?
Your Dad is in my families thoughts and prayers!
Thanks
Bruce
Dr. Elsie Tupper’s youngest son. My oldest brother Dale took music lessons from your mom.
This is very hard. I can’t imagine the fealings of the family. Still hoping for the best!
We are with you! 🙂
Praying Psalm 20 over all of you today. “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress. May the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May He send you help from the Sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May He remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He answers him from His Holy Heaven with the saving power of His right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. O Lord, save! O King, answer us when we call!”
I have known Dr. Sloop for many years and he has had a big impact on my life. I wish I could know him better. I have been praying for him multiple times every day since I found out about him being missing, and fasted and prayed with you. I am sure I echo the thoughts of many when I say that I wish there were something from here that we could do to help. I am turning my prayers from simply asking God to bring him home to include Him moving on the hearts of the Kiev police to really get behind this effort and make it as dear to their hearts as it is to ours. Do you need funds to help in the search?
I keep checking in everyday in hopes that you guys have found clues or some leads… I’m saddened to know that your still having trouble getting those cameras. Hopefully US Embassy can help some more or someone who knows someone higher up can do something. Prayers for you and your family!!
All three churches in our pastoral district are praying for Dr. Jay. Here is a sentence I heard frequently – even Wednesday night at Prayer Meeting at the Gridley Seventh-day Adventist church. “Lord you are our God. Please bring comfort to the entire Sloops family. Give them courage. It is tough situation Lord but give us grace to increase our trust in you. You know exactly where Dr. Jay is. If he has died Lord, we trust that he would have made his calling and election sure and will be a part of the First, Glorious Resurrection. If he is kidnapped, may he effectively minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his captors as this would perhaps be their only chance to personally hear the message of Jesus Christ from one of His faithful ‘ministers.’ And yet beyond all this Lord, we pray that you will restore him to his family in good health. May your great will be done Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.” Let us claim Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Please restore Dr. Jay Lord. Separation is like the plagues and insects and pests mentioned in Joel 2 so we claim Joel 2:25 “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.”
Thanks Greg, for keeping us posted on the progress. Anxiously awaiting great news soon. Keep the faith.
We continue to pray for Doctor Sloop’s safe return. May the Grandfather look over him and take him safely to the path to return to his family and friends.
To the entire Sloop Family – My heart is full and breaking as is yours – I have been associated with the Sloops since I was in Academy [WWCA] friends with Joyce and J Randall and Dear Fay – and then our paths crossed again at Academy Reunions and in Alaska and at Total Health. Such a wonderful family! We are praying each day for Dr. Jay – for his peace and safety and comfort. Our church at Meadow Glade is praying for him. We are trusting just now – that things are in God’s capable and loving hands. Always. Reed
Praying for Dr Sloop from Ireland. We can’t imagine your heartache. With love, Murphy family
When I first opened the email of your dad standing in the “cat’s” mouth, I thought he had perhaps been found! Thank you for sharing that bit of human interest with the story of his lime green jacket. Ps. 71 is my prayer in your Dad’s behalf. I have joined you in fasting and prayers continue day and night. For me, this situation seems to eclipse all other news. My prayer is that you will feel God’s guiding hand and tender heart close to you and that the promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” will remind all of us that God is with your Dad and though we cannot see Jay, God does and is right with him…even as I type these words. He has never left his side, not for a moment. Dena from Orlando, FL
Dear friends
May God continue to give you peace and hope in the midst of this storm. Praying for God to show Dr Sloop’s whereabouts soon. He sees and knows everything. In the meantime be encouraged. All things are working together for good. God bless you.
Edith Samambwa.
Ireland
My family and I know Randy and his family from the Taylor Mill, KY church. We have been praying and I have a wall on FB dedicated just to prayer/prayer requests and so a LOT of people who don’t even know you all are praying as well. My suggestion for State Dept. type info would be to contact Chaplain Barry Black. He does a lot of prayer services for political gatherings in Washington D.C.He would have the connections to John Kerry or someone in the dept.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers. 1 Peter 3:12
Many people are praying for Dr Sloop safe return, and that God be near to comfort and guide as search continues.