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Made it home September 10th...just in time for my 40th birthday two days ago. ;) Hope and Sara threw a party..complete with two ice cream cakes..each containing 20 candles!!! THANK YOU FOR NEEDING TWO CAKES TO HOLD ALL THE CANDLES!!! ;) We had a great time...it was so nice to be with friends I haven't seen in a while.
Gonna throw on a few more pics from the Philippines...

Debrief

I can hardly believe that tomorrow night we will graduate from our DTS...5 incredible, life changing months...wow.

This week has been about debrief and re-entry. We have been through interviews, both individually and as a class, to discuss our feelings/opinions on what we have experienced over the past 5 months...what we would change, keep the same, highs, lows and everything in between. We also talk about what to expect as we step from this place back into the lives we left months ago...many back to their jobs, some on to other schools and a few to remain in the missionary life...but ALL forever changed.

God met each of us as only He can...His faithfulness to answer the deep cry of "help, I'm weak and don't know what to do here" was talked about day after day..God met us, changed us, unified us and he used us. I cannot put into words what I feel in my heart for the God who met me day after day..moment after moment..thank you seems to fall way short. I have felt His presence like never before and I pray to keep a heart that is open to what HE desires for my life...it is truly a love story that only gets better by the moment...BETTER BY THE MOMENT! Thank you Lord for how you love me... for the precious and tender relationship that has grown between us...thank you.

Jeepney ride

The Jeepney is the main form of transportation in the Philippines...hold on for dear life!! Enjoy the video. :)

Leaving the Philippines

Hello from Seoul Korea!!

On an 8 hour lay over in Seoul...this was the second flight...the big one, 12 hours on to London will leave at 1:20 pm local time. So we wait... :)

The past ten days have been a crazy.

We finished our ministry in the Philippines on Friday August 17...it was a wonderful week of visiting the places we had been working in for 7 weeks. Tuesday I chose to go to the garbage dump to do more foot washing...it was fantastic. We did some door to door for over an hour, inviting women to join us...I had taken a picture of Elora, her mother and myself a few weeks back..I promised to get it back to them. You might recall my speaking of Elora in my first blog on Smokey Mountain...just a beautiful young woman...I have met and prayed with her and her mother several times since the first encounter so it was a pleasure to take them a picture to enjoy. I went on my way to their house and was happy to find the mother, Macara present. Macara is probably my age and is just LOVELY!! She is suffering from pain in her right knee and hip and can barely put weight on the limb but she was determined to make the foot washing...I think it is some kind of arthritis. I stopped to invite her and to give the picture...I explained that I would be leaving on Tuesday and that I was hoping to see her and Elora on this day...we stood on the side of the mountain..looking down over the garbage and the hillside and both began to weep...I couldn't stop hugging her and the tears were many...it was one of the most beautiful moments I experienced on this journey. I have some pictures of the three of us I will post once in England.
On the last day of ministry, Friday, our entire team went to Tagolan..remember it was a focus community on this trip. We had three ladies from the community and one of our filipina volunteers who wanted to be baptized!! It was amazing to see them in the sea..declaring their love for Jesus!
As we came back into the community from the seaside, a man saw me and my friend Nicki walking along...he called up to us to come speak with him. We went down joined by Malou and Mayet, filipina volunteers...Malou had just been baptized!! Norvin was his name and he wanted to know what we were doing... :) we were more than happy to tell him. It was a fantastic moment...we drew a simple picture of salvation in the dirt with a stick and the girls interpreted...we talked about John 3:16, John 5:24, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-10 and suddenly he said "I want to know this Jesus!!!" It was an incredible moment. We then read Romans 10:8-10 with him and he began to pray and asked Jesus into his heart. Norvin gave his life to the Lord...it really was amazing as simple as it sounds. This kind of thing happed so often in the Philippines and it was special each time. We gave his name to the Pastor of a community church and prayed for LIFE to really begin for Norvin...we left him with a bible and a smile on his face.
I've seen God do miracle after miracle here...last week two of my friends prayed for a woman who was deaf in her right ear...they looked into her ear and saw a large growth that covered the hole of the ear...so she couldn't hear. They cried out to God for healing and He answered...the two women were stunned as they reexamined the ear and the growth was GONE!!! She could hear...they jumped for joy with this woman...all were in awe of what God had done. I was so touched by this story...the tears she cried as she got her hearing back...the tears they cried for her and to see God move in such an incredible way. He is so AMAZING AND SO GOOD!!!
Well, I am off to find coffee... :) I will blog a ton from England and I will finally be able to post a some pictures. Stay tuned>>>
One more thing...the web page is all in Korean so I cannot hit spell check...I've blogged so much that I just know where all the buttons are!!! Forgive the errors!! ;)
Love and Blessings!!!

Coffee House in Bohol

Hi everyone,

We are back in Cagayan...another 12 hour overnight ferry ride on Friday...it was a safe and AIR CONDITIONED journey!!! Oh..and NO ROOSTER!! Unbelievable!!! ;) What a blessing AC is! ;)
One of the last days in Bohol, I spent the afternoon at the YWAM coffee shop..we talk with the college students...pray and just visit with them. I noticed a young man of about 18 at the bar and he was in tears...I could tell he was devastated. I had one of the Filipino guys (Benji) approach him and try to find out what was wrong...Benji came to me and said we must go talk with him. Turns out he was raised in a Roman Catholic family (as is about 85% of the Philippines) and has been attending a bible study at the coffee shop. He has really come to know Jesus and has asked the Lord to have a personal relationship with him...when his father found out, he told him that he was forbidden to attend the bible study and if he continues he will no longer pay for his college tuition. My heart was broken and the young man, Rene, was shattered. Benji and I prayed with him for a long while and encouraged him to love the Lord and to love his family...he left with a smile and I pray that God will use him to minister to his family.
The Filipino people are so passionate about family...they love deeply and cherish their families!! IT is so easy to see this in the communities..so when something like the situation above occurs...they are just shattered!!! This is actually Benji's testimony as well..his family disowned him for a time. He continued to love them and eventually they embraced him and the Lord and told him they would support him in anyway they could!! Really a lovely story.
I have been so blessed by the young Filipino volunteers...they are INCREDIBLE WORSHIPERS AND LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL OF THERE STRENGTH!! I think they really understand relationship in their family environment so once they find Jesus, it just happens so naturally and the relationship is so real! Just a privilege to serve with all of them on this journey!!!
While in Bohol, I really got to know all of the Filipino's that were with us...Joan, Clang, Jenny Rose, Erica, Joceline, Wayne, Raymond, Michael and Benji...I can tell it will be hard to leave...they are SO BEAUTIFUL..inside and out!! I hope to see them again this side of Heaven. :)
The other ministry YWAM has in Bohol is a boarding house. The students get a room for free..or at a VERY low rate and then are required to attend a bible study once a week. We led the class one night and found it AMAZING!! Many of our team members were able to speak into the lives of these beautiful young people...so many tears as the Lord just worked on hearts!! I can't tell you how much we enjoyed the time on the Island..God is awesome!!
Got a great story about the mountain town we visited on the Island...that will be my next post!! I will write in a day or two!!!

Trinidad, Bohol

hello friends...

Here at the internet cafe..not the hot and sweaty one today, ac feels nice. Much hotter here in Bohol but not as humid. It is a beautiful Island filled with beautiful people. Poverty is less as the locals are supported by tourism. We met with the mayor a few days ago and he was very proud that most of the people here have money to eat. He was a nice man and we were able to pray with him before we left his office.
We left Saturday morning at 5 am for our 3 hour journey to Trinidad...what an adventure!!! Upon arrival we were escorted to our sleeping quarters..a one room school house and the walls went half way up, concrete floor, toilet a hundred yards away and a dip well shower...BUT AWESOME!! The floor was hard to sleep on and the CR (comfort room, toilet) was pretty rough but overall a good night of camping. :)
We met up with a young pastor who is working in this small town...he was happy to have us there to minister with the local people for a couple of days.
Saturday afternoon, after setting up our mosquito nets, we went into town to do open air drama, worship, testimonies and pray with people. This was an awesome time!! The locals sit in a shaded area and drink coconut wine all morning and afternoon and sometimes just pass out on a table. We began our worship and many people were gathering to see what was up...next we did a few testimonies and some drama. The locals really listened and we were able to pray with many of them. I know God was working in many hearts.
We then met with the pastor's small bible study group..about eight local shop owners and had an incredible time of prayer!! God really was ministering to hearts as the tears fell..a precious time. It just amazes me to see how God works when we step out to encourage and minister to one another!! He is always faithful to show up!!
I was so blessed by the God and how he moved this day.
We walked about 15 minutes back to camp and the Filipinos cooked a wonderful meal for us...camp style of course...over an open fire. They picked a few banana leaves to serve the food on and it was awesome!!
So after a tough night's sleep we were sent out in groups of 5 to 4 churches. Here is where the fun begins!!!! My classmate Dawn and I, in our skirts, climbed onto the back of a small motor cycle and began the journey to church..Vicki, Tom and Benji were on two other bikes. We rode about ten minutes on a paved road..took a left onto a VERY bumpy dirt road and proceeded for another ten to fifteen minutes. The dirt road ended and we drove about 100 yards in the grass and came to the edge of a rice field...that is as far as the motor bikes would take us. :) We then began to walk through the rice field on a small path. There were coconut trees, rice and a few cows around but I could see no church!! WE walked about three hundred yards and curved left at the coconut trees...my mind was racing about how BIG GOD is!! I was wondering what He was thinking as he looked down on us walking...I was laughing at being half way around the world from my home..walking through a rice field, staring at the funny looking cows, getting these prickly things in my skirt and dodging cow patties. IT WAS TRULY A MOMENT I NEVER WANT TO FORGET!! All I could think was "there is a church out here somewhere and they need encouragement". It was dead quiet..Dawn had just been talking about how she missed the English countryside..this was a welcome silence as it is VERY noisy here...everywhere!!
So back to the journey...we curved left and walked another several hundred yards. Just around the bend of a few more trees there is was..the smallest, cutest little church you have ever seen!! Right in the middle of a rice field. It had no walls but four posts and a roof..they extended it a bit with a tarp..all together it would hold maybe 25 people. But because Sunday was their 2 year anniversary as a church, about 40 attended the service and they fed us a lovely meal afterwards. What a day..I really want to remember it forever!! :) God's people are everywhere!! Even at a place that seems to be at the end of the earth. :)
I will write more about this trip in a day or two...time is gone now but there is much more to tell!! Forgive any mistakes...typing fast!!
Love you guys!!! Blessings.

Made it to Bohol

Hi everyone..

We made it to Bohol...ferry ride was overnight so not to bad...i slept most of the trip. BUT, right on time..at 3 am..you guessed it..the rooster woke me up!!! Unbelievable..I 'm in the middle of the ocean and just can't get away from the chickens!! ;)

Ministry here is mostly with college students..YWAM has a coffee shop right in the middle of the school area...Immorality very much a problem. We talk with them and encourage them....testimonies and a lot of sharing...

Tomorrow morning we leave for a two hour trip to another small town on the Island...we will preach, give testimonies and do some open air drama...

I will write when I can!!! Miss you all so much!! My night to cook!!

Blessings!!!

Feeding the hungry

One of the projects we have committed to is feeding the poorest in a few communities. We made 200 food bags..each contains a weeks supply of rice, oil, dried fish and beans. These are taken to the families who most need to eat...their children are hungry..and most of them don't have work. It was such a blessing to bring God's word and to give them a blessing that He has provided. It never gets old to see the smiles, tears and faces of those the Lord is touching...what a blessing!!
We did this at Smokey Mountain the other day as well...I was able to pray with a young woman who had lost her baby just as it was born. She loves the Lord and to pray and sit with her for a moment was so good...we left her a food bag and many prayers. Sharing, crying, laughing and so much more...it is truly amazing to see God work!!
Yesterday, my roommate Nicki and I volunteered to hold a clinic for reading glasses. We had people from age 29 to 86 looking to see better...we prayed for each person and offered them a bible if they wanted to read it. We had several strengths of glasses which we tried on the people...about 40 were will receive a pair...we will return to deliver their new glasses in two weeks!! One lady was SO HAPPY when she looked at her bible and could actually see it!!! What a smile she had on her face as she read to me.... Amazing what joy a $4 pair of reading glasses can bring. :) God is so GOOD!!
July 31 marks the split of our team for additional outreach...9 of us will go to the Island of Bohol which is north of here...the remainder of our team will return to Iligan for additional ministry. I will go to Bohol along with Claire, Dawn, Charles, Helen and Alan, Okja, Chang Su, Vicki and Alison...it is 12 hours by boat. We leave Tuesday night and will have beds so that we can rest while traveling. Ministry in Bohol will be similar to what we have been involved in here...there is a University there so some of us will have the opportunity to witness with the students as well. We will return to Cagayan no later than August 12th and remain in the area for two weeks...we will take that time to tie up any loose ends...bible study, health care issues, glasses...etc.
I will continue to blog from Bohol so keep checking. I think you can find information online if you want to look at where we are going. Please pray for safe travel and that hearts will be prepared to hear Gods word.
Oh...gave my testimony at church today. I almost fell out when I discovered it was being filmed for a local Christian television program...you can catch it at 4, 5 and 6 pm tonight...funny! ;) My friend Bryan preached on relationship and the book of Ephesians. Great day today.
Blessings!!

John 13

Hello everyone!!!
Another busy week!! Hope this finds all of you doing well...I MISS EVERYONE A TON!! Thank you for the wonderful comments...it is great to hear from you.
WOW...where do I begin. Wednesday I went with three young Filipina girls to a local market..we were shopping for second hand clothing and 100 pairs of flip flops. The clothing is piled in HUGE mounds on tables and you just dive in!! I have some great photo's of the excursion but still haven't had a chance to get them put online. Once you see photo's, check past posts and I will try to include the pictures that best fit my post. Anyway...two huge bags of clothing and two huge bags of flip flops...lunch in a local eatery, lots of sweating...three hours later we arrived at the garbage dump aka Smokey Mountain.
Today we were to bless the local men and women with foot washing and a new, clean pair of flip flops...some got clothing if they really needed it...most need it. I washed and my fried Mark read John 13 to the ladies and men. I prayed for them as I washed their beautiful tired feet. I must say this was such a blessing for me...Have you ever washed feet before? I thought I would be a bit freaked out by it but what a pleasure it was to bless them in this way...it was amazing.
God has spoken so many things to my heart through this experience...as we washed feet, the rain came...Smokey Mountain is on a hill and when it rains...well one word..MUD. Mud like you have never seen before...the pigs are definitely in heaven but for the people it is a wet and miserable existence. As the rain came, about 20 of us ran to a small "house" to take cover...I stood outside and was covered by the slight eave (sp) of the roof...God really spoke to my heart at that moment in the rain...I just began to weep for the people. It must be so hard to live this way in the rainy season. Oh, I saw Flora again...I talked about her on last S M post. She and baby are doing well...I took a photo of us and will share when I can...she is so smiley!!
It was a great day...we also washed two little guys hair in the rain...they loved it!! What a day...God is so GOOD!!!!
I have so much more to say but am out of time! Love you all and will post again on Sunday!!! BLESSINGS!!

Vilanueva

Hi friends!!
Sorry I haven't written in a few days...this week was busy and I was a little under the weather...but all is well and my body feels great!!!
Where shall I start...how about my day off on Monday. About 9 of us..foreigners and Filipino..went white water rafting on the Cagayan River!! It was awesome...I have never rafted where coconut trees drift out over the river..we saw a cow swimming at the end of his owners rope...beautiful tropical birds and so much more. We were on the river by 7:30 so it was a peaceful morning and a wonderful trip.
Now to the good stuff!! :) We have done many things this week. Our group went to the town of Vilanueva today..my translators and Filipino friends Roberto and Malou were with me...we traveled door to door visiting, sharing and telling people about Jesus. We met a lovely little couple who owned a small store...it is located at the front of their small house. They are in their 60's and really wanted to talk. They talked about Jesus and have given their lives to Him but I could just tell they needed encouragement...we sat with them for over an hour and just talked, read the bible and answered questions. We asked if they had a bible and she answered no...Roberto offered his and she broke into a few tears...she said the bible was an answer to prayer...man that was awesome. So many people just want to talk and be loved on for a bit. We found out that Mario has some problems with his lungs due to smoking...we offered to pray for him..they really wanted us to pray as she got up and closed the store so there would be no interruption...this was so cool. That was the first time i have seen anyone close their store to pray. :) The Holy Spirit really ministered to all of us...all five of us were in tears as we prayed of Mario's health and for Teresita as well...it was just a special time. After we prayed we asked if we could visit again over the next few weeks and they said yes...they also let us give their names to a local pastor..he will make sure someone visits them for a bible study...they both want to learn more about the bible. ..it was awesome!!
We met another lady who the Holy Spirit also ministered to...I shared my testimony with her and we talked about life....about disappointment, pain and joy!! She was a precious, precious woman!!! It is amazing how God uses us....I started the day today with not a lot of energy and to be honest..not the greatest attitude...we had worship this morning and I really sang to the Lord and then prayed for a few hours...actually, I prayed up until the moment we started the door to door. I just didn't think I had anything to give today...I almost stayed back for intercessory prayer so that I didn't have to give out...Thank you Lord that you are so FAITHFUL!! He was with me and used me even when I thought I could go no more...I love him so much for that!!!
We are visiting a boys home tomorrow...we will be cleaning the toilets, building beds and ministering to the lads!!! I can't wait...I will write and fill you all in. Love and kisses to everyone!!!

Smokey Mountain

Hi everyone...
Wonderful day of ministry today...we went to the rubbage dump or Smokey Mountain. WE did about an hour of door-to-door ministry, a drama and we took time to play and minister to the children...i must admit this was very hard to see...the people live in garbage, pigs are every where and the children often get bitten. The poverty is worse here than I could have imagined...many children are so dirty, you can barely see their faces...many have no clothing and simply walk around naked or half dressed...my heart struggled as we settled in. We will go back soon to do bathing and clothing of the children...I can't wait for that.
I met a young woman named Flora who has a one year old son and a baby on the way...we approached her as she and the baby were digging through the trash looking for metal to sell. Her husband works but is not always guaranteed money...he probably earns 2 pisos an hour which is pennies...she digs for the metal to help pay for food. Flora is 17 and had such a sadness about her...my heart really went out to her. Her mother and grandmother are followers of Jesus and she is too...but I really sensed she needs encouragement. Many people we have met seem to be in the same place...a place I can identify with. My heart screams discipleship as so many of you have really poured your lives into me...I think we are now going to settle down and try to visit and disciple many of the faces we have touched through bible studies and such...there will be many more opportunities to seek those who haven't come to Jesus as well.
Flora and her son were waiting on her husband to return and hoping he would bring food for dinner. Our team felt led to bless them with a few kilos of rice and some proper baby food for the young one...it was great to see her smile and it was and a pleasure to share that the Lord wanted to bless her today.
There are so many so many faces and stories to tell...I will share as many as I can with you. Thank you for your prayers and know that God is here!!! :)
I have been advised by a very special friend to stop early and use spell check...so long for now!! Love you guys and blessings to everyone!!!
Oh...it is spelled piso on the money!! ;)

Off and sun cream

Hello friends...
Sitting in the hottest Internet cafe on the planet!! :) Funny how you just get accustomed to the layers of Off and sun cream(British thing)...and of course the sweat and dirt..just feels like I'm camping on Lake Joccasse. :)
Took two days medical leave this week...lets just say my tummy was not feeling great. ;) We have about 10 with the same issue and another 5 were unable to keep anything down..seems to be a 24 hour thing. Pray for our health.
So we are visiting the same communities and really just loving on people. Tuesday we saw an incredible healing...there was a man who's eye was blood red and it looked like there was something in it...two young men in our group layed hands on this man and watched his eye turn from red to white!!! GOD IS SO AWESOME!!! The man was so happy..crying and jumping for joy..thank you Lord!!
This trip has been so amazing...God really is working in the lives of the Filipino people. My time on the internet has been cut short but I love you all and will write again tomorrow!!! Blessings!!

Iligan City

What weekend. We were in a city named Iligan that is about 2 hours from Caygayan. About 50 of us made the trip as another 50 stayed back. We were about 10 miles outside of Iligan when we were met by a "welcoming committee"...a police escort and federal military guards. We travelled into the city with lights flashing and sirens roaring...it was quite a scene. We arrived at the Iligan City Hall and greeted but hundreds of citizens, city officials, pastors from about 30 churches and a marching band...we were all overwhelmed!
This trip was not planned but came about as a result of our leader meeting with city officials here in Cayagan...when Maged met with the officials and the pastors of Iligan he said the unity among the pastors was not good...they wanted us to come for 3 weeks but we could only commit to 3 days...the Lord said 3 days. Some of the pastors expressed 3 weeks or don't come at all but most pleaded for us to visit their city and minister to the people...there has not been western missionaries there in well over 10 years due to danger.
We hit the streets immediately Friday afternoon and really felt the Lord's presence. Our groups consisted of one westerner, several Filipinos, a security guard and sometimes a local pastor...it has been such a pleasure to walk and minister with the locals here!! One westerner meant I was to go it alone...alone in the sense of not really knowing my interpreters and being the only white person...those we visited looked to us who had come so far to talk with them about God. I was challenged to rely on the Lord to give me the words and He did...I can't tell you what a blessing this has been. On Saturday afternoon I had the privilege to meet with Gabriel and his wife Enriquita....he is 70 and she is 63. They are both Christians and know Jesus as their savior....Gabriel recently had a tumor removed from his intestine and must have another one to reconnect the intestine soon...the problem is money. I prayed with and held his wife as she cried...she is so worried about how they will fund this....they are old, poor and already depend on their children to eat. Gabriel is strong and you can see it!!! He is a GREAT candidate for the surgery...the cost is only $700. I hope those of you who read this will pray about contributing to this couple...as I prayed I really felt the Lord wanted to bless them...not only with the finance but with a full and quick healing from the surgery. They are so beautiful..smiling and in good spirits in spite of the circumstance. It was a blessing to see the Lord touch Enriquita as we prayed.
I had the privilege to lead a young man to the Lord on Friday afternoon. His name is Julito and he was our guide...it was a very special moment that I will never forget it...he asked me to tell him how to pray...how to live for Jesus...it was AWESOME to see this young man set free!!! Thank you Lord!!
There is SO MUCH TO TELL but I have to go now. I will write more tomorrow...thank you for your prayers...I know they are heard!!

Tahannan

Hi everyone!!! Thank you for your words of encouragement!!!
God is really working in the area's we are visiting. We visited about 60 homes as a group on Wednesday and saw about 20 people give their lives to Jesus!!! We continue to pray for healing and for salvation of everyone we come into contact with. There were several healings reported on Wednesday...people with chronic pain in their bodies...an elderly woman who had severe arthritic symptoms in her hips was crying and thanking the Lord for healing her. The Holy Spirit is here and he is working among us...I have been so blessed...everyday.
I just continue to thank the Lord for loving me and for the privilege to be here in His name. Today, Thursday 5th, my group visited a boys prison called Tahannan...there are about 40 boys from age 8 to 18 there. The crimes vary...murder, rape but mostly petty stuff including drugs. I was so touched by their gentleness and the HOPE I could see in them. We did several songs and dances...and a drama about the lost goat..you know that one, right??? They don't know what sheep are here so we used goat instead. A young man from California gave his testimony following the drama...it really touched some of the boys. He was in a boys prison six years ago for a two year term...he cried out to the Lord on the bathroom floor and came to Jesus. I could see several of the young boys really study Ray's words...really connect with what he was saying....amazing!!
I played basketball with several of the boys....man they are good players but this old lady held her own!! ;) It was a special day....we will visit this place once a week while we are here. I think we will take clothing and flip flops next time we visit....they were so beautiful!!!
We have to evacuate our hotel for the weekend but will return on Monday. About 70 of us are traveling an hour and a half tomorrow to visit a group of churches. We will sleep on the floor in a hotel...now that is outreach!!! :) I will post more of these details as I get them...may not post til I return on Monday, depends on internet availability. Illigan is where we will travel to...it is safe.
I will post a few pictures soon...not that organized yet.
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! Blessings!

God is so amazing!!

Yesterday was our first day in the "field". We were divided into two large teams that will remain intact for the 3 weeks of Mega Outreach. Within our teams, we were divided again. This allows us to reach more areas and to visit them on a more frequent basis. My team visited one of the targeted areas...Marcos Bridge. This community is built on the edge of the sea and floods regularly...about every two weeks. The homes are raised so the tide doesn't flood inside. When the water recedes, the roads trap much of the water under the homes and this becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The people in this area have problems with Dengue fever from the mosquitoes and many of the children suffer from diarrhea and dehydration. We met a woman yesterday who lost her baby just four weeks ago from a simple case of diarrhea...she just wasn't able to get help quick enough. The pain and sadness was so heavy in her. A few of us prayed with her and we will continue to visit over the time we are here. Our health care team will do clinics in this area teaching the people basic ways to improve their health....they will also vaccinate and care for some of the immediate needs.
We spent several hours going door to door meeting the people in this community. There are about 140 families and toms of children. When we first arrived, a small girl of about 4 approached me and took hold of my hand...her name is Angelica. :) She walked with us most of the day...we met her mother and father and the family pig. As I stood talking to the interpreter, I felt a tug on the back of my sandal....much to my surprise a small black pig was trying to eat my TEVA!!! :) Hilarious..
We spent a lot of the afternoon in a central street area...we were in front of the home where a weekly bible study takes place. About 15 women attend regularly and they are able to bring their children with them. Vanessa and Rowana are two who usually attend....young teen mothers with beautiful smiles!!! We climbed the ladder into Rowana's home and sat on the bamboo floor...it was awesome to just visit and pray with them. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the street playing with children. They love any attention you can give.... I must have given 200 helicopter rides...just picking them up and spinning around. :) At times there must have been 20 children in front of me holding out their arms.
One of the local men climbed a coconut tree and retrieved a refreshing treat...he climbed in his bare feet and broke the coconut open for us to enjoy!!
There were many wonderful testimonies from the day but one stood out. The area where we had done our prayer walk...Tagaloan saw God work in a big way. One of the ladies from my class prayed with a man on Sunday...she was touched by his story and knew she wanted to visit again on Tuesday.....he had been paralyzed from a stroke four months ago and had been bed ridden since. When she and a few more returned on Tuesday to pray, God healed this man!!! He got out of his bed and he walked...and he jumped...and he ran!!! Afterwards, he and his wife gave their lives to Jesus!!! When she told us back at the base, the room exploded with JOY!!!
All I have time for now...keep praying and forgive my typos!!! :) LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!

Tagoloan

Hello everyone,

Monday is our free day so a bunch of us came to the mall to email. After lunch we will go to a place called Rock Springs for a swim. It is in a tropical rain forrest so the water will be clean and very cold!! Refreshing as it is very hot and humid here.
We went for a prayer walk in a place called Tagoloan last night...think that is spelled right....it was wonderful and yet so hard to see...we all fought back tears. The children are warm and so BEAUTIFUL!!! My blonde hair and fair skin draws quite a crowd. Many look into your eyes..smile and seem to shy away. I found myself walking to them and wanting to let them know that I SEE THEM..touching their hands or just really giving them a smile, individually...i hope that makes sense. My heart senses that they feel invisible and lost in this place. I can't tell you how beautiful and precious these people are. This area has been targeted as a primary place for ministry while we are here. We have a medical team that will give a free clinic many times...the medical team is called IPHC and they also attended school at the King's Lodge for the past 12 weeks. A local pastor has been working in this community and feels there may be opportunity for a big break through! Please pray for God to be real to them...I pray we can show them HIS love and that they will cling to him even as we leave.
As we rode the Jeepney in from the airport I found myself really understanding how much we ALL NEED GOD....no matter our situation...It just became very real and crystal clear that ultimately, He is what we must all cling to...He is the answer. We are all so similar...just people who need Jesus...no matter where we live or what we have...or don't have...God WILL PROVIDE!! My prayer is that we can somehow show his love to the people here in a way that they will understand...he is all we need.
I love you all and miss you very much. Blessings!!!

Hello from the Philippines!!

Hello from the other side of the world!!! :) We arrived as scheduled with only a small delay as we left Manila for CDO. The flight from Manila was beautiful...you can see the dive area's and reef with lovely blue water!!!
We have spent the first few days getting our bodies adjusted to the time change...most of us are good. I have been up with the chickens, literally, both mornings....we have 8 roosters outside our window and they start crowing early!! I have been in my bed laughing hysterically..i gave up sleep this morning at 4:30 and just got up!! :) So funny!!
The area we are staying in is so lovely...it is truly like a tropical paradise and the people are warm and full of smiles. Tonight we do a two hour prayer walk in the city to prepare for ministry in the days to come.
Thank you all for your prayers and I will write more very soon...my ride is ready to go and we cannot split up!!! Love you all and many blessings!!!!!

Few more pics

Just thought I would throw a few more pictures on....beautiful country.

Chatsworth House

We took our last site seeing trip on Sunday to the Chatsworth house in Derbyshire. It is the home to the 12th Duke of Devonshire. Check it out! http://www.chatsworth.org/learning/history.htm UNBELIEVABLE!!! This is the house that doubled as Pemberly in the most recent Pride and Prejudice. We toured the home and the gardens....both were BRILLIANT!! Original construction began in 1552...the house has seen many changes over the years but remains one of Britain's best loved historic houses and estates. Enjoy the pictures!
Another praise report...as of today, we have received the last of the funds for our trip to the Philippines!!! God is so good!!! As for the last few days...we are class as usual through Tuesday...bags packed and in the reception area by 8 am on Wednesday and then we will clean the lodge until noon. We leave by coach for the airport at 14:45 Wednesday afternoon!! Our weekend is free to finish any last minute classwork, packing and of course calling our friends and family. :) We are all very excited and ready to go!!!

Philippines one week away!

Well...it is just a week away now. Where did eleven weeks go?!! This has been an incredible time of learning...sharing...growing...or forming, storming and norming as it was put to us in a lecture on day 1. :) Many tears...much laughter and a greater realization of just how loving and BIG the God we serve is.
I must admit that I spent week seven wondering why I signed up for this...suddenly I felt like a fish out of water...there is no script for this stuff and we just keep digging deeper!! The challenges of community living...shedding more of self on a daily basis....listening for God's voice in all that we are learning and for what the future holds...fighting to give God all we have, everyday....UNITY!!! Word's can't express how special these people are...I know God will use us to bring hope and life to the people we encounter in the Philippines.
Flights look like this: 21:30 out of Heathrow on June 27th...we arrive at Seoul International at 16:20 on June 28th and depart for Manila at 20:10. Arrive in Manila at 23:00 and will stay the night. We will depart on the 29th for Mindanao..I don't have times yet but will pass along ASAP. We return to England on the 23rd of August and will spend a week debriefing.
Also want to pass along a praise report...four weeks ago we still needed 20,000 pounds for outreach fees, purchasing bibles, feeding the hungry and to buy clothing for the poor. As of today, all outreach fees are paid and we are only lacking about 1200 pounds to have our goal met. It has been amazing to watch God release that kind of money into this!!!!
I thank all of you again for your prayers and ask that you continue to remember us as we prepare to leave. Blessings!!!!

Banana Bread

Tuesday night is family in missions night...we usually learn fun and creative ways to interact with people in order to get the message of Jesus out to them. Tonight we were taught two short dramas/skits that involve the adults and the children...though drama is not my thing, I really want to participate and allow God use me. The children loved this and I think most of the adults warmed up and found it fun as well. :)
We also had a woman who is currently living in India speak to us about what life as a missionary looks like. Patience is originally from Scotland and spent six years here at The King's Lodge training to go on to where God was calling her. Living in India since 2004, she does a great deal of training with the people at YWAM bases...they attend similar classes to the one's we are taking here...She said the language is one of the biggest obstacles but after living with a family for two years and studying she is getting along ok. Her desire is to see God raise up locals to take over her position.... she will then move on to the next adventure.
I thought everyone would get a kick out of my hairnet so I included pictures from today's banana bread baking frenzy...we only need enough to serve 100. :) Sara...maybe we should try this in your kitchen in December...what you think??? ;) Part of my daily work duty is to bake treats for the student's, staff and meetings that we are hosting at the base. My partners in the kitchen are Christi....in the stripes and Solvieg...in the checks. Great fun working with these young women....both half my age...man is it weird to say that. :) But God is good as I feel 15 in my heart!!!!
Well.... only two weeks until we leave for the Philippines. This weeks lecture is focusing on relationships and the importance of unity and communication. Great information and I know we will be glad we had this teaching as the enemy will attempt to separate us as we move into his territory. Would you all please pray that we continue to grow in unity and that the enemy will have no room to operate among us. Thank you for your prayers.
"O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!" Jeremiah 32:17 I pray that I keep this scripture close to my heart...He is the creator of all things!!!! Nothing in our lives is too big for Him!

Old Testament Overview

Fantastic week of study....we basically got an overview of the entire Old Testament! Our instructor, Phil Leage, is a missionary based out of The King's Lodge. He is one of the founders of the SBS, School of Biblical Studies and he travels all over the world sharing his passion for God's word. SBS is a nine month course that takes you through the bible.. five times...each time you read it in different ways...you get an overview of the full counsel of God. I think the average weekly study time for the SBS student is 60 hours...INTENSE but they learn so much. Wow...I got off course...we also had a two hour lesson entitled Discovering the Psalms. I have so enjoyed the Bible study this week...when you begin to understand the culture of biblical times and what God's intentions were for Israel, it really paints a beautiful picture of His character...His goodness, faithfulness and his patience with mankind...He is good and he is faithful!!!
I am working on my second book review at the moment... Foreign to Familiar...it is a guide to understanding hot- and cold-climate cultures. Good so far. :) Hope to finish a lot quicker that I did last time...no last minute stuff!! I think we are to do a third on the outreach...haven't studied this much in 18 years...I'm actually enjoying it this time around. ;)
This morning Patrick and I went to Asda..England's walmart...and we handed out beautiful lavender scented wooden roses to Asda employee's. It was awesome to talk to people and see their reaction when we told them we simply wanted to bless them for how hard they work. Having worked in retail for a long time I could appreciate the smiles. :) I hope we do this again.
Memory verse for the week: Genesis 12:1-3 The Lord had said to Abram "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you."

Answered prayers

We are finishing 48 hours of continuous prayer, focused on the Philippines and outreach, this afternoon at 6 pm. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us as we get closer to the time of departure.
One of the areas we have found opposition has been in our housing arrangements. The hotel where we were to stay basically gave our rooms to another group...this left the leadership to find last minute housing for 120 people! BUT...God is FAITHFUL! Just this morning the hotel contacted Maged and has decided they have room for us after all. What a blessing!! We thought we may have to rent houses which would require more money and more items to purchase for the trip...towels, bedding etc... Thank you again for your prayers in this and many other areas. This is wonderful news for the outreach!
A few of our team members have been ministering to a group of elderly people at a local church. They share meals and fellowship once a week...it has been a blessing for all. This week, as they were leaving the meeting, one of the women said she wanted to give some money towards the outreach. They were all grateful and expected to receive 20 - 30 pounds....she wrote a check for 2000 pounds!!! WOW...we all were in shock but so excited to see the Lord provide. Only 4250 pounds left to reach our needs as a group!! It has been so exciting to watch the number drop from a need of 14,500 pounds to where we are today...THANK YOU LORD!!!

Stratford-upon-Avon

Some of us took the train while others ventured out by car...we met up and had a wonderful day touring the former stomping grounds of Shakespeare.
Stratford-upon-Avon is situated in the heart of the English midlands. It lies on the River Avon in south Warwickshire. A market town dating back to medieval times, Stratford is today most famous as the birthplace of the Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare.
We had a picnic on the River Avon and then took an hour bus tour of the town and homes just outside of Stratford. Highlights included the Swan theater, Henley street which contains the birthplace of Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway's Cottage at Shottery..which is the former home of Shakespeare's wife, Mary Arden's House..which is the former home of his mother. Stratford is a beautiful English town nuzzled up to the River Avon...very green, full of quaint streets and VERY old homes and buildings...quite lovely. :) We ended the afternoon with a river cruise on the Avon...incredible!!!
It was a beautiful English afternoon...lots of sunshine and absolutely no humidity. :) I think the Philippines will be a shock to my system after all this cool air...maybe being raised in Alabama will come in handy at that point!! ;)
As we walked back to the car I ducked into the Starbucks for a Cafe Americano and a shortbread cookie...what a treat and a picture perfect ending to a wonderful day. Thank you Lord for blessing us with this day.

Worship service

Two Thursday's ago our DTS took part in an amazing worship service...we worshipped by giving. We prayed and asked God if he wanted us to give anything away...then we asked Him who the gift was to be given to. We gathered together in our classroom to present what the Lord had asked us to give...this giving was to be done in a group setting so we took turns calling the one we felt led to bless up and presented them with their gift. Many items exchanged hands...some gave jewelry..diamond and gold earrings, rings, necklaces..others gave clothing, a portable DVD player...many gave money to help those who still need funds for outreach...and one gave her new Volkswagen car to a family in the class! After presenting the gift each person said a prayer of blessing over the other. The children in our class participated as well...I was so blessed by their willingness to part with their things. It was amazing!
It was a night of tears and celebration as we worshipped through giving.....beautiful evening of sharing and worship.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Remember this-a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully." And the Scriptures say, "They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever."
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving-the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words.

Visit to the Peak District

Several of us spent Saturday hiking in the Peak District. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful the area is...so green and natural, sheep everywhere...it just looks old!! :) We visited Ilam, Dovedale and Milldale. Our travels to these areas took us through Buxton, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and a few other villages. Most of these areas lie within northern Derbyshire...the whole of the Peak District lies in central and northern England. Lyme Pard, which doubled as Pemberley in the 1995 BBC television version of Pride and Prejudice is also located in this area. If you haven't seen this version of Pride and Prejudice...YOU MUST!!! Be ready for a marathon as it is approx 6 hours of viewing...but I promise you won't be disappointed!!!
Dovedale is a limestone valley that is full of rocks, caves, sheep and the river dove which runs through the middle. The pictures I am posting were taken as we walked through the Dovedale valley. The three mile hike through Dovedale leads to the village of Milldale. Milldale is a quiet village today but used to be a busy place with a calamine mill, a corn mill, sheep washing and many pack horses travelled through daily. The bridge in the pictures is where we entered into the village of Milldale.
There is so much history and beauty in the English countryside. I could get lost forever in one of these lovely little villages. :)

Blessed to bless others

Thank you all for your prayers. We have unanimously decided that we will go to the Philippines for the outreach phase. It has been amazing to see everyone pray through this and to know that God will meet us on this journey. Please continue to pray for our journey..for God to prepare the hearts of the people we will meet..for our hearts to be open to the Holy Spirit and the work he will do as we encounter the Philippino people. I am excited to see what God will do as we travel.
It is so incredible to serve a God who LOVES us, who wants to heal our broken hearts, our broken bodies..he wants to feed the poor and clothe the naked and so much more. More and more I realize that he blesses us so that we may bless others...he blesses us so that we may have his heart for the poor, the lost, the broken and the hungry. He blesses us so that we may bless others. I pray for a heart that is willing to reach out to those who need Jesus.
I was introduced today to The Micah Challenge. http://www.micahchallenge.us/ In the year 2000, world leaders made a promise to halve poverty by 2015 through Millennium Development Goals. This summer marks the half way point to halve poverty, and many of the goals are in danger of not being met. We watched a short video and it is just mind blowing how human beings in this world live...I struggle to call it living. There are 5 main areas that the Micah Challenge is addressing: HIV and AIDS, Water and Sanitation, Stop Climate Chaos, Trade Justice, Inclusive Education. The website is easy to maneuver through..check it out and "sign the Micah call" if you feel led. I have included the link for those who are interested in looking at this further. Just something that is on my heart. He blesses us so that we may bless others.
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Outreach

Yesterday our class was presented with two additional choices for outreach in July/August. The Philippines is still an option but South Africa and Egypt were presented as alternatives in light of the unrest in areas of Mindanao. We were all asked to pray and individually decide on the place we feel God has given us peace to visit. My heart is to go where God wants us to go.
Please pray that we will hear him in this decision...that we will not allow the enemy to put fear or doubt in our hearts as we go.

Time...

What is it that God desires most from us? His heart aches for us to know him, for us to seek him, for us to spend time with him. I have prayed and prayed for a closer relationship with my God...for a heart that burns to know him more!!! I found myself lost in this thought over the past two days. To know him more will cost me something....time. Am I willing to give him more of my time? Will I rise early, stay up late or skip a meal so that I can meet with Him for just a little longer today??? I want to...I pray for a heart like Mary had. She didn't get lost in the "weeds" of the day rather she savored the moments by sitting at the Lord's feet. She knew the moments were precious. The moments are precious.
Help me Lord...help me to put my agenda down..help me to sit at your feet every moment that I can. Nothing pleases you more.
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

My friends

This is my class plus the staff. Just a wonderful, wonderful group of friends. Countries represented are Holland, Germany, South Korea, England, Egypt and America. Please continue to pray as we get closer to our outreach. Blessings!!

Study Girl???

Take a good look cause you won't see this very often. :) My "hide away" Friday, Saturday and Sunday..complete with laptop, lamp, snacks, mug of cappuccino and...oh, the book I'm reading!! It's now Sunday night and I have about an hours work left to do on my book report. I think I mentioned previously that we are to do three reports...for those of us who are 20 years removed from College, it took a little getting back in the groove. :) Once I buckled down it was actually a bit fun.
I chose the book Is That Really You, God? by Loren Cunningham...great book!! Loren tells the story of how YWAM came to be. As he tells the story he shares great points, through personal experience, on hearing the voice of God. Pick it up..I promise you won't be disappointed!
It was a cold weekend here in Nuneaton so being all cuddled up in my hide away was just the ticket!! I got plenty of rest and the book report would get done, finally. I was sleeping so well this morning when I heard something strange....like... a marching band. Certain I must be dreaming, I rolled over and closed my eyes for a few more winks. There is was again!! You know that sound...a really off key trumpet mixed with a little tuba and the drummer pounding away...get the picture? :) So I get up, look out the window and...you guessed it...A MARCHING BAND ON THE FOOTBALL PITCH! (field for all the Americans) Complete with flags, the twirling guns and director!!! The community uses the pitch a good bit. There have been some pretty good youth soccer matches lately...fun to watch!! The marching band definitely caught me off guard. :)
So that was my weekend. Throw in two loads of laundry, a trip to ASDA (walmart family) and a skype session with Hope and there you have it. :) Oh, I also got to talk to my dad for a few minutes. He played in a golf tournament that he and I have played together many times. I hope he won....he and I have won our flight every year we've played. :) Love you, dad.
Blessings!

Busy week!

Really busy week!!! Rosanna and Jose Liste, from Argentina, have lectured this week on blessing and curses. They have been with YWAM for over 15 years and run a base in London. This has been another great week of learning and growing as a group! Tonight is ministry time with Jose and Rosanna...can't wait!!
Tuesday was missions night for our class. We spent the evening with the leader of Kings Kids..he and his wife taught us many songs and dances that we can use as we work with the children in the Philippines. It was actually fun to dance, sing and be a free to have some fun. It was awesome to watch the children in our group have such a big time!! We have been told that a key to ministry over there is through the children...many times if you can reach the children the parents will follow. It is so exciting to think about what God can do through us if we allow Him the opportunity.
Let's see....oh, Wednesday is baking in the kitchen. Part of my weekly work duty is to bake goodies for our Monday night celebrations. My partners in the kitchen are Christie and Solveig. They are lovely!! Christie is from the Chicago area and Solveig is from Norway. I love Wednesdays....they remind me of the days Sara and I spend baking at Christmas...those are precious to me Loula!!! :)
No work duty this weekend!!! I'm looking forward to walking into Nuneaton for a cappuccino. I'm also to finish my first book report. We do two during the lecture phase and another on the outreach. I'm reading Is That Really You, God by Loren Cunningham. It's a really good book and so encouraging to see how the Lord spoke to him about the YWAM vision...even more encouraging to know that he responded to the Lords voice!
Thank you all for your prayers and I just ask that you continue to lift our group up as we prepare to serve in the Philippines. I will post a picture of our class and staff soon so you can put a face with your prayers.
I'll leave you with the memory verse for the week: For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 1 Peter 1:17-18 Blessings!!

Praise and Worship

Mondays are long. :) We ended the day with our base celebration...the base is opened up for the community to come in and join us as we listen to God's word and worship. Tonight was a little different. The crowd of 75+ was encouraged to break into small groups and define praise...then we were to define worship. After tossing around many different definitions, we went back to our groups and discussed how we had worshipped the Lord today...how had we praised him today. This was an interesting exercise....one that I will challenge myself to think about each day. So do we think that gathering on Sunday and singing is the only act of worship we are to engage in? Probably not but I wonder if we all too often settle for something that looks very similar. I know I was challenged by the question. It was encouraging that last weeks memory verse clearly came to mind tonight. Blessings!!!

And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 NLT

Saturday at the Lodge

This week was amazing! We were all so blessed by the teaching's and how the Holy Spirit ministered to us. One teaching focused on learning to forgive..others as well as ourselves. Forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling. It is important to remember that forgiveness is a process and we may need to ask the Lord to help us. Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" "No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven." Mt 18:21-22 If we can learn to walk in forgiveness, EVERYDAY, it can be life changing! POWERFUL! God wants us to be FREE and walking is forgiveness offers much freedom. Wonderful teaching and a great reminder of how we should live and love one another. There were so many other good lessons this week!
Most of my class went to Cambridge for the day. One of our classmates, Patrick, is from that area. They are going punting...do a google search, it looks like so much fun! I'll give you a hint: involves water. I'm sure they will have wonderful stories to tell...and I'm betting that someone gets wet today. :)
This is my weekend for work duty so I stayed on base. It is a beautiful day!!! The sun is out and the lodge is very quiet. Breakfast is from 9-11 so it is a chance to SLEEP IN... and I did! Lunch is brown bag on Saturday's... sandwich, yogurt, salad and fruit. I had a PBJ sandwich with banana...awesome! As you can tell from the picture above, we all did laundry this morning. :) It is quite expensive to wash and dry so we wash and mostly hang our clothing up to air dry. We are being prepared for the Philippines...all hand wash and air dry! :)
My weekend work duties...cleaning the men and women's loo on the ground floor, kitchen clean up after dinner on Saturday and after lunch on Sunday. It is really a community effort to keep the lodge running and they have it working like a well oiled machine!!
Good news....a fellow Carolinian, Betsy from NC, loaned me her coffee press for a month!!! They found an automatic maker in their flat...she felt my pain for a good cup of coffee. I am running into town on Sunday for a bag of french roast...I can hardly wait! :)
It is such a blessing to be here. God is working in all of us as we prepare to do our outreach. The bonding among us has come so naturally...we all truly enjoy time together...learning, praying and just getting to know one another better. A note concerning outreach...we will be in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines for our outreach. This area has recently been declared dangerous for travel, especially for Americans and Australians. Please pray that God will prepare the way for us to safely visit this area, that he will prepare the heart's of the people to receive His message and that the people who are causing trouble in this area will be exposed. Thank you friends!!! Blessings!

It's raining in England

At last the rain has come!! Yesterday was the first rainy day I have seen since arriving...and it has continued into today. :) Every Monday we have vegetable soup for lunch...we had just sat down and filled our bowls when the fire alarm went off!! You know the drill...the central meeting point is always outside and away from the building. Soooo...leave your warm bowl of soup and wonder out into the cold rain...soup or rain...soup or rain??? I could tell everyone in the cafeteria felt the same. :) Quite funny...and a blessing to come back in and find my soup was still warm. :0)
The picture above is of a field of rapeseed. It is used for many different things including bio fuel. Just thought I would share it...there are miles of green fields around here and so the bright yellow flowers are magnified in the contrast..quite lovely!
This weeks memory verse: And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 NLT

Week three..already!!

This appears just left of the entrance to Westminister Abbey. I was speechless at the size and beauty.... snapped a photo. London was incredible!!!

This week we are studying Sin and the Cross...the first two day's have been so good. The lecturer this week is Mo Tizzard. She did her CDTS in Kona, Hawaii in 1989 and has staffed several since. She and her husband have remained involved with YWAM over the years, lovely people. (I guess you've have noticed that I take every opportunity I get to use lovely and quite lovely...wish we used the phrase in the states but somehow I think my southern accent could really kill the charm :) Anyway.... Mo has a great teaching style and we all are really enjoying what God has given her to share!!
One of the points I've found myself pondering this week centers around relationship with God. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 The Hebrew word for life here is relationship. Think about that...He is the way, the truth and he is relationship. Two points we have visited many times here.....Learn to hear his voice and have a relationship with him! It all comes down to relationship...He is a God who desires for us to know Him, to know his character, his nature and to have RELATIONSHIP with him. He want's us to want Him. Life is relationship..wow.
So the common theme through three weeks of teaching...learn to hear his voice and engage in relationship with him!! Isn't it incredible to think about how deep his love is for us... I can't get my brain around that sometimes. :) What a wonderful God we serve.