the latest

Things have been fairly quite without to much going on here.  We did partner with a friend of ours and co-missionary to start a basketball ministry for the younger boys of the community.  All the boys aged 8-16 have been invited to come play basketball twice a month.  We have a few of our local young men that come to coach the boys and help out with the games.  Evertime they come the coaches talk about a different aspect of the game and do what they can to tie that in with their faith.  Once a month or so they also get a snack after the game.  We have been rained out a few times so have only played a handful of times so far but are praying that we can establish some consistent teams and start to develop relationship with the boys that come all the time and mentor them not just in basketball but also in life and faith.  March comes with the closing of a school year for us and the kids.  They do not have closing ceremonies till the first week of April but this month is just tieing up loose ends and practicing for closing.  March also brought with it a broken leg for me.  I went out one Saturday morning with the kids to jog and play and slipped on a slippery spot on the cement.  I thought at first it was just a bad sprain and that it would be fine in a couple of days.  It was not any better by Monday and still exetremely painful and swollen.  decided I should have it x-rayed.  Found out that I broke the small bone in my lower leg in two places.  That is what got me this lovely purple cast for six weeks.  I will hopefully have it removed the 9th of April.  It has not been fun or easy.  It is very diffucult to get around here with crutches because the ground is so uneven and rough.  The kids and Jonah have stepped up and done what they can to help out.  I know I have an incredible husband always but he really proves it when something like this happens.  He has become the cheif cook, housekeeper and child care provider. We do have a busy summer planned.  We start with a youth camp the 15-17th of April.  There will be youth from the whole northeastern part of our Island.  Please pray for the youth that are coming and for the leaders that are planning this event.  We are going to take a long weekend in May to celebrate with our girls and all their accomplishments this school year.  

 

My cast after I broke my leg

 



 My wonderful family that I love and that cares for me.

A look back

Three years, what can happen in three years.  Well in the case of our family a lot.  Three years ago today we had just left the US to move and start our mission in the Philippines.  That ministry has become what God wanted it to be and he has proved that it is his ministry and we are just the vessels he is using.  We started out saying we wanted to cater specifically to true orphans.  and the first sibling group of three that came that was true.  Those three ultimately decided to move with other family and made there choices.  The sibling group we have currently are not true orphans but needed the help and God chose us to help.  These children are pictured below.  You all know their story I think.  I will give a brief summary if you don't.  We where told about a sibling group by some church friends that where extremely malnourished and may benefit from the ministry.  On January 2, 2016 we went to see the mom to see what help we could provide.  We did not have  any plans to bring them home that day but just to see the situation.  When we arrived Andrew and Mark where at the house alone and Mark was crying because he had a poop diaper.  it took ten minutes after we arrived for the older sister to arrive and then she went to find mom.  At some point in that time Mickaela arrived also.  The kids where so sick and needed immediate care that it was decided by us and the mom that we would take them with us that day.  This was late afternoon.  Next day we took the long trip to Tagbilaran to find a good pediatrician that could help get us on the right road to get them all healthy.  Mickaela was 5 years old and weighed 8 kilos or 17 pounds.  Andrew was 2 years old and weighed 10 kilos or a little over 22 pounds.  No the numbers are not backwards they are correct.  Most of his weight was from worms.  Mark was 7 months old and weighed 5 kilos or 11 pounds.  They all had worms and where so weak and sick they could barely stay standing.  We spent the next two months going back and forth to tagbilaran to the doctor to adjust meds and diets and so forth to find what was needed.  Here we are two years later with all of the kids healthy and doing well.  Mickaela is now 18.9 kilos or 41.6 pounds.  She is still short and we are sure that her growth has been stunted but she is healthy and learning well at school.  Andrew is 15.5 kilos or 34.1 pounds.  Mark is now 12.2 kilos or 26.8 pounds.  It is with all of the support we receive from you that makes this possible.  Amazing transformations.  It was not an easy road but one full of blessings, learning and struggles.  God directed this ministry and still does.  

 

 

 Andrew Two years ago

 Mickaela  two years ago

 Mark two years ago

 Mark Today

L to R Mickaela, Andrew and Marah today

 

 

 

We have expanded our ministry to involve youth outreaches and other training seminars.  These happen here at our local church and also on others islands.  We have a small mission team at our church made up of our family the pastors and some of the young adults.  We have done a three day leadership training in Mindanao and we have done youth camps and worship trainings in Negros.  We try to do at least two or three youth camps in a neighboring island when invited by the local churches.  we also do a two day youth camp at our home church every three to four months. 

 

 

Our family has changed also.  We are in process of adding to our family with the adoption of our son Mark.  Our girls have grown and learned so much.  They both have learned the language and speak it fluently.  Precious sometimes speaks it better than English.  Precious has also made the change from homeschool to public school.  She is doing very well there and makes great grades.  She is 4th in her class of almost 30 students.  Faith is completing what she says is her last year of homeschool and is planning to go to the public school next year.  She is also doing great in school.  She made it her goal at the beginning of the school year to be classmates with Mickaela next year.  In order to accomplish that goal she needed to advance through two years this year and she is a month away from completing her goal and she is a month ahead of when the rest of the schools finish class.  I speak a few words but not enough to have conversation.  I have tried and keep trying but does not come easy for me.  We have also started a water refilling business to supplement our income and mostly to support the orphanage when we God calls us to leave here and do something different.  We also raise pigs for meat and we have layer chickens.  the chickens are coming to the end of their laying years though so will  not do those again.  A lot of work and not really worth the payout.  We will keep raising the pigs for meat.  It does not necessarily save a lot of money but we know where they come from and we know what they are being feed and that the meat is fresh. 

 

What's next?  That is a  question we have to keep asking ourselves and we rely on God to provide the answers.  The first thing is we would like to grow our orphanage family.  We have room for two to three more kids and are asking God to provide the children but first we have to ask God to provide the support.  If we can get more people to support the ministry and get $300 in monthly commitments then we would be able to provide for those additional kids.  We would like to continue our youth outreach and training ministry as God provides the opportunity. 

 

 

Prayer points

• Pray for the licensing we are in process with for DSWD
• Pray for health for all of us.  We have all been fighting colds with the rainy season they linger for a long time.
• Pray for more support so we can rescue more kids and love them.
• Pray for the right opportunities for outreach.
• Pray for the adoption process to speed up a little bit.

Thank God with us

• For a successful school year coming to a close in a couple months
• Thank God for a blessed Christmas season.
• Thank God for the blessings in the ministry.

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas came early to our houses.  We did Christmas with all the kids the beginning of December.  Christmas for us was a  day trip to Cebu with six kids and two high school helpers.  We left early in the morning to get the most time possible in Cebu.  We spent an hour and a half at a play world type place with a large ball pit and a small town. with a lot of food shops and hospital and fire dept.  The kids had a ton of fun playing together and just having a great time.  From there we went to have some lunch.  Lunch was at the food court, the cheapest way here to feed so many people.  Aftter lunch it was time to get our shopping on.  Each kid was given a budget and told they could buy a toy and one new outfit.  Each of our older kids where partnered with a younger and knew where mom and dad where at all the time and enjoyed finding all the fun things the mall had to offer.  For the kids at the orphanage it was a day of new adventures.  It was there first ferry ride, first time to Cebu and first time to see the big malls.  They had an awesome time and it was a blessing and joy to see the happiness in all of them.  after shopping it was time to make our way back to a ferry for home.  We had some time at the port to play in there little childrens area.  We had supper when we boarded the boat.  after that they where all ready to lay down and sleep.  The kids slept on the boat and the whole drive home.  It was a normal rest of the month finishing up school and christmas parties.  A new adventure starts for us all this afternoon.  Jonah is going with a team from church and our house parents are on vacation so I am staying home with six kids for five days.  I have two middle schoolers around to help watch kids a little but, it will be chaos at my house for a couple of weeks. 

P.S.  sorry again there are no pictures but the internet does not like to upload pictures for me.  This is a quick update being done while Jonah finishes packing and we try to feed kids lunch.  God Bless and Hope you have a very Merry CHRISTmas and very  happy New Year.!!!

october adventures

October brought a new adventure for Precious and for us.  It was exciting and she had a lot of fun.  She was asked by her teacher if she would like to be a girl scout.  The girl scout program is run through the school system and only a certian number of kids can join each year and it is usually by teacher recommendation.  She was happy to have the chance and worked hard to learn the scout law and code and to prepare all that was asked of her by the scout leader,  The second weekend of october was scouting camp weekend.  They left saturday morning and came home late Sunday afternoon.  Jonah went and spent most of the weekend there with her but just to observe and watch out.  He help to act as a parent chaperone.  Precious was very tired when she came home but had a great time and said she cannot wait till next year.  She thinks that next year she will come home after the evening program so that she can sleep better.  The next weekend Jonah had to travel for a funeral.  The leader of the denomination passed away so he with my brother and sister in law traveled to Negros for the funeral.  They where gone the whole weekend.  The end of this month was semester break for all of the kids.  They had two weeks off from school.  We spent part of the first week in Cebu as a family to spend time together and relax.  That is the best way for us to get away from the daily life here so we do that every three months or so.  We spent the rest of break just around home playing and having fun with all the kids here.  We also took updated pictures of the kids at the orphanage and our family.  I tried to upload the pictures but the internet is not liking that idea.  will try again later.  Hope you are all well.  God bless.

Honest reflections on family reunions

Earlier this month Jonah's family gathered for a reunion/memory service for his mom.  It is always fun to have the family together but also a lot of time and work.  It may be easier if the reunion was not at our home and my feelings about such reunion might be different.  I have to be honest when I say that reunions I have a love hate relationship with.  I love that the family can get together once a year because for most of them that is the only time we see them because of distance and finances.  but I am not always happy that my home, schedule and structure are invaded.  When the family comes they all stay at our house because it is the only place that is big enough to hold everyone.  It was only for a couple of days so not to bad.  The pictures are just a couple of snapshots of the weekend.  The reunion weekend I can say is always full of a lot of food and laughter though.

 

 

 Mark helping Junrey with the ice

 

 Brother in laws catching up and talking shop

 

 Kids having fun with bubbles

 

 Mark shaving a cocunut

 

 Airsoft game; uncles vs nephews

 

Rhaim one of the uncles practising his pose

 

 

The reunion was one of the first weekends of the month.  on Saturday the 16th we took a chance to get away with some friends and a few of our nephews to go back to snorkel and swim near panglao.  We went about a month before and went early to go dolphin watching and saw no dolphins.  This time we went without thinking we would see any dolphins but saw a lot of them.  There where about 5 pods of 10 or more each.  The kids where in love and the adults where all pretty excited to.  It was an awesome site.  We stayed and watched the dophins for about 15 minutes and then went on to dock near the island to swim and snorkel.  There is a protected area of the ocean there where there is no fishing or swimming or boating allowed so there are so many fish by the coral that it is awesome to see Gods beauty in its natural environment.  It gives one a new appreciation for all that God created.  The rest of the month has been the normal of school and living life.  One big accomplishement to make note of though is that Faith finished her kindergarten work and has started first grade.  She is learning so much and does well most of the time.  She has some days that she does not want to do school, but we remind her of her goal and that helps.  She really wants to be classmates with one of the girls in the orphanage who will be in 2nd grade next year, in order to achieve that Faith has to excell through two years this year and she is well on her way to achieving that goal.  I am seeing that homeschooling her this year was the better option though or she would have been bored in school and been held back from reaching her full potential. 

 

       Next month we have a wedding to look forward.  Junrey one of our water employees and great friends is getting married and we all get to be a part of his wedding.  pictures and more updates after the big day.

 

Hope you are blessed and have a great day.