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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!!!