The Story of Heavenly Treasure

Once there was a king who had three sons who he sent away to a foreign land to earn their fortunes. He told them all that one day he would summon each of them home without warning. When he called them they where to come immediately and they would not be allowed to bring anything with them. Even the clothes they would be wearing would be forfeited for the same garments they first wore to this foreign realm. Upon arriving in their temporary homes each son found a sparsely furnished room containing a bed, a dresser, a table and a chair. On the bed was a note from their father which said: “anything you bring into this room will never leave it again, however, anything you send home will be kept for you with interest, the choice is yours invest in your temporary residence or in your true home.” The king also promised the sons that their daily needs would always be met no matter how much of their earnings they sent home.

The first son stood in the middle of his room and thought about his Father’s words and the home he had left behind. He imagined what it would be like to one day return home to hoards of treasures that he had sent ahead. He looked forward to pleasing his Father with what he had done, and enjoying a life in his true home with the things he would save for himself. The second son sat down awkwardly on the chair and decided that he would certainly send things home but first he would replace this uncomfortable chair with something a little more bearable. The last son cast the letter aside and said “I’ll send stuff home someday, but first I’ll buy some things to enjoy my time here” and he promptly left to shop for new furnishings for his quarters.
As time went on each of the sons made a place for themselves in the foreign land. The first became a master carpenter whose services were called upon from all over the land. His work was immaculate and could be found in the finest palaces. He was sought after by all the aristocracy, and for his work he received riches beyond imagining. Yet his living quarters did not change from the first day he set foot in his room. Every cent was immediately sent home to his kingdom, and he lived sparsely, but never in want, in his tiny room.

As for the second brother he apprenticed as a tailor and soon was able to open his own shop. Eventually his designs were turning heads all over the city and his coffers began to grow. As time passed it became widely known that lords and ladies simply could not be seen in public unless they were wearing the designs of the Kings second son. At first this son was good about sending a percentage home, but the homes of his customers were so beautiful that soon he began to crave for something more than his simple abode. He then found a more spacious house of his own and set out to decorate it in accord with the same taste and artistry that graced all of his garment designs. Soon he realized that an artisan such as himself should have a studio in which to display his wares, after all should he not be a good steward and have an adequate work place in which to manufacture and distribute his clothing. It wasn’t long before the bills surpassed the money he was sending home, and occasionally he could not even send anything toward his future kingdom. He told himself that this was fine. After all his Father loved him and would understand he just had to make ends meet.

As for the third son thoughts of his true home soon faded into distant memory. He used his skill as a musician to gain recognition and favor throughout all the land. The concerts he would put on were legendary and people would gather from the four corners of the land just to hear him play. His music brought happiness and comfort to all who heard it, and soon he found that men were willing to pay anything to be serenaded by his melodies. It wasn’t long before he was rich beyond all reckoning. He did not even remember the sparsely furnished room that had been his dwelling for his first night in what was then a strange new land. His new home was beyond extravagant. He not only had more rooms then he could sleep in a year but his grounds seemed to stretch off in every direction forever. Room after room was filled with instruments that had never been used. And case after case contained ancient instruments that would never be played again. This brother did not even know the history behind many of the pieces he collected for he was much to busy composing new music and giving concerts. However, not to worry, he an extensive staff of servants who kept everything immaculate and presentable at all times.

Then one day the third brother returned from a concert to find his entire home and all of his possessions engulfed in flames. As he ran to his house he saw his two brothers standing in front of it and staring blankly into the flames. He cried out to them “help me save my home” as he rushed headlong onto the flaming inferno. However, he soon found himself caught up in a powerful grip. At first he struggled against it then he looked up and recognition turned to shame as he stared into the disappointed eyes of his father. He quickly began to make excuses for himself saying “I had so much saved that I was going to send home, I just have not had time yet. If you will give me a chance I can run in and get some of those things that I was meaning to send forward and you can take them home for me. It is just that I have been working so hard that I have not had enough time.” To this his Father replied: “son, you have had plenty of time and now it is too late. You have sent nothing home and though you have lived extravagantly here you are not a prince in my home. You will be brought back now with those you once called brothers to see what could have been yours, but you will never be able to cross over from your torment into the glory of my kingdom” As he said this men came forward and dragged the young musician to the waiting ship. The Father then turned and beckoned to his other two sons to follow him on board. The walked forward in quiet anticipation clothed in the same garments they had worn when they first set foot on this foreign land. It seemed only a moment before they were in sight of their true home, and their Father began to show them the preparations he had been making for them in their absence. To the second son he pointed to a small house on the seashore as they drew near. At first his sons could not see it, but as they drew closer it began to take shape in the shadow of the castle that towered over it. His Father told him that he would dwell here and rule over the fishermen. It would be his responsibility to see that everything on the seashore ran smoothly. As they pulled into port the second son leapt off of the ship and ran forward to see all of the treasures he had sent forward with which to furnish his eternal home. However, upon opening the door he found his fisherman’s cottage, though neat and tidy, did not have much more in it then his original dwelling in the foreign kingdom. As he turned to his Father with a perplexed look on his face, His Father explained to him that he would have liked to have created a grand home for his son, but all of his energies and greatest treasures had been invested in his last home and not sent forward for his Fathers use. Then, after embracing his second son, he took his oldest forward to his glorious mansion the likes of which could not be described in the space afforded here. However, it is sufficient to say that the entrance alone could have contained both of the former homes of his brothers many times over. And the joy of dwelling in such a place in the presence of his Father for all of eternity can not be described even to the most vivid imagination of man apart from the quickening of the Holy Spirit.


Epilogue:

Where does desire for the things of this world and a true longing for the next begin? If we are to live as if this world is not our home how comfortable should we seek to be in this passing phase? If these passing years are our only opportunity to get treasure in eternity should we invest our time in anything else? Money invested in this world may not result in blessing but money invested in the next will always pays dividends beyond your wildest imaginations.

On Typhoons and Time Travel

On Typhoons and Time Travel
June 23, 2008
We are done…sort of. In running one of the greatest spiritual lessons we have learned is to always be content but never satisfied. Having finished this portion of our lives’ course we are content that things have worked out exactly as they should. We know that the Lord allowed us to reach whom He willed, and he prevented my ministry where it was not His will. He gave us all the strength we needed, and if there is anything that we did that glorified Him, it was His strength working inside of us. At the same time our eyes have been opened to what a life of ministry looks like and we are not satisfied with the status quo of our mundane American lives. If you want to experience this same dissatisfaction with your own life then praise, work and pray with men who have received their entire lives from the Lord. Men who have sat in prison knowing they deserved to die for the murders they had committed, but instead now taste daily the eternal mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through my ministry at Arise and Shine Community Church I had many opportunities to see the lives of just such men.
Having completed my initial visit to Cabuyao Laguna on Wednesday I returned their after a day of preparation with my family on Friday. I spent most of Thursday preparing my sermon for Sunday and talking to people back home. This was the only day of the trip where we didn’t go out of the house to do some sort of ministry, and it was a needed rest before the final push to the finish. On Friday morning after breakfast we headed down to Cabuyao for the weekend with a backpack, a diaper bag and two kids in tow. This may sound like meager supplies for a three day trip, but there is no where to stow luggage or children. And everything is expected to rest nicely on your lap, along any with random Filipino who unwittingly tries to sit next to you but finds that your wide American hips don’t allow him to sit four to a two person seat like he is used to. However, these people are friendly and such contact is expected in public transportation. This was our first trip as a family without any missionaries to guide us, so I was somewhat nervous. However, the Lord is faithful and He allowed us to arrive in Cabuyao with little to no difficulties. Our trip did take two hours longer than expected, which was somewhat uncomfortable with all the visitors on my lap, but God preserved us. I can honestly say that all of this travel has truly taught me how delicate my body is. The pain I felt in my legs and hips during these trips was more intense than anything I have ever experienced in any of my long distance runs. This I felt was God’s subtle way of reminding me again that we do not accomplish things with these weak vessels, but it is God who works in us.
Arriving in Cabuyao we went to the school/church where Leah got an opportunity to meet the staff and some of the students, and the staff and students got opportunities to pet our girls (there is nothing quite so irresistible to a Filipino as little blond haired blue eyed Americans). After our daughters finished warding off their adoring fans we made our way to the Alberto’s house where we had merrienda, and I was told I would be speaking in an hour at the youth group. I may have been told this earlier, but I don’t understand everything all of the Tagolish that I spoken to me. So I promptly put together a lesson and went to the church. This group of students seemed to track with me better than on Wednesday. However, several of my stories and jokes were only met with blank stares. I felt as I spoke that I was stripped completely of all my public speaking strategies, I had to instead completely rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance. Once I realized this and put myself in His capable hands I was able to speak in a way that seemed to move my listeners. After this we returned to the Alberto’s for dinner, and we planned our trip for the next day.
The Alberto’s gave us the biggest bed in the house which the four of us shared. This was quite an experience for us, but who needs sleep anyway. The next morning the Alberto’s decided that they wanted to minister to us. We came here to minister to them, but they truly live by the truth that it is better to give than receive. Though they live in one of the poorest towns in a poverty stricken third world country they saw to it that we were treated like royalty. The day started with a trip up to see a volcano in Tagaytay. We made this trek in the church Jeepney along with the Alberto’s and three of the church workers: Ariel (the driver and a man who though quiet is extremely passionate about his walk with the Lord), Ambet (a young convict who has had his life transformed by Christ’s blood) and Richard (a dear brother who has found forgiveness for the terrible things he did in a previous life). Richard spent most of the day trying to get Sophie to talk to him, but she was much distracted with the Alberto’s youngest daughter Xaris.

When we finally arrived in the village we were disappointed to see that the fog and rain completely obstructed the Volcano from view. So we went to a Pancake House for breakfast. We ate pancakes and the Albertos ate spaghetti, chicken and rice (the social restrictions of what is considered breakfast food do not apply in the Philippines). After this we went next door to Starbucks to try to enjoy the view of the Volcano on the veranda. All we could see was fog, but the girls did not mind. We then proceeded down the mountain to a national park were we went for a short hike and were blessed to see the beautiful scenery come into view as the fog and rain gradually cleared. We spent the afternoon enjoying the shops and lunch at an outdoor café. Here the Albertos treated us to much of the island’s most popular foods with fruits, shrimp, snails, chicken and pork all served in traditional Filipino formats.

After that we enjoyed a trip back down the mountain to the Alberto’s house in Cabuyao. Here most everyone enjoyed a quick Siesta then Pastor Noel and I headed out to the hospital to pray for the sick with the other pastors. As we headed down the rains began to get stronger and stronger. We pretty much waded to the Hospital. Arriving there we were stopped by the guards and not allowed to enter. This was an interesting experience to me, for prior to this we had not experienced obstruction in any of our other ministries. After leaving the hospital it was explained to me that we were not allowed to enter because there were a couple cases of a highly contagious disease. I had been praying as we went for the Lord’s protection so I guess this was His way of protecting me. Since that did not work out we went back to the school and prayed anyways. It is amazing to me how the Holy Spirit can cause unity in prayer even when we are praying in different languages.

After prayer we went back home for dinner, and then Pastor Noel told us to go to the front yard so his congregation could serenade us. We then went to the porch and sat in two chairs as a large part of the Church body gathered around us and sang to us. They then thanked us for the work we had done and prayed for us. After this we ate some more. Then with full belies, and even fuller spirits, we went to bed.

The next morning we woke to a typhoon. What this means for those who have not experienced it, is that torrential rain is combined with extremely high winds to produce an awesome display of God’s power. The only way this really affected us was that we did not have electricity or running water to prepare for church. Also, we did not have electricity at the church. So we had a somewhat soggy dark service. Nonetheless, this did not dampen the spirits of the Filipinos who love to sing praise whether they have electricity or not. The poring rains did limit the number of people who could make it to the service, but I am fully convinced that God brought the people whose hearts He had prepared to hear the message I had delivered. During the service I spoke through a translator which was not the original plan. Pastor Noel told me that his parishioners understood English and I would not need an interpreter (I wrote my sermon with this in mind). However, on Sunday morning Pastor Noel went to speak at a different church, so Pastor Alan was in charge and he realized I would need a translator. Though this drastically changed the amount of time I had prepared to speak it gave me time to whittle my sermon down as my translator was speaking. I was once again convinced that this forced me into a new kind of reliance upon the Spirit that I had not experienced before. As I spoke the congregation grew and the electricity came on. At the end of the service there was more excited singing and sharing and the Filipinos sang to us one more time (did I mention that they love to sing). After Church there were still torrents of rain coming down so Leah, Sophie, Aubrey and I all rode in a motorcycle side car to stay out of the rain (the first time I saw these in the Filipines I thought that there was no way I would ever take my family in one of those…however experiences change your proclivities). Back at the Albertos we ate lunch and waited for Pastor Noel to return so that we could say goodbye. Upon his return we loaded one last time into the Church Jeepney and were then chaperoned to our bus with Ambet and Ariel. As we rode back to Manila in the FX I reflected on the work god had allowed us to do.

We came to Cabuyao to observe the ministry and to encourage the ministers, but instead the Lord increased our ministry beyond anything we could have ever imagined. I spent most of my time preparing for this trip in putting together the trip to Bagabag and had viewed my visit to Cabuyao as an afterthought. Perhaps it was because of this that I was more reliant on the Spirit and was able to minister to so many people in various ways. Altogether I believe that this ministry gave a more rounded perspective of what God is doing in the Philippines. I had witnessed much of the international ministry in my interactions with the SIL missionaries, but in Cabuyao I was able to see how nationals are ministering to their own people. Both ministries are vital and effective, and within both of them I can see how I could add to the ministry. However, the Lord has not specifically called me to either of these ministries at this point.

It may have been coincidental, or spirit led, that as I was doing this trip I was reading George Muller Biography. I had picked it up sometime ago, and had not yet been able to read it. One of the things that stood out to me as I read was that George Muller felt called to the mission field from early in his Christian life. He pursued several avenues to make this happen, but none of them ever worked out. As it played out God had plans for him to stay where he was and create an amazing ministry to orphans. During all this time he maintained his passion for missions and was quite effective in raising word about missions work in the East Indies. Altogether he raised millions of pounds to finance the ministry there primarily through his faithful prayer life.

As I meditated on this I realized that there are many ways God can use a heart for missions. That said my passion for missions has only grown stronger through this trip, and I will be faithful to pursue whatever avenues the Lord leads me down. However, for now I know that my ministry (after my family) is to the Jr Highers at Faith Community Church and my students at Rosamond High School. However, I now have a new fervor for these ministries, and I think I can bring to both of them a more global perspective of what the Lord is doing…Paalam! (I found out upon leaving the Filipines that this word is actually not used to say goodbye. It means goodbye, but it is not common to say it. Instead different guttural abbreviations of other words that I can not remember are used. If you were wondering we survived the Typhoon, made our flight [barely], and are now home in the good old A.V. after enduring a 39 hour long Monday in which the sun rose and set twice.)

Living with Filipinos

Caleb preaches Sunday morning with Pastor Alan translating.
Aubrey wearing her traditional Rice Picking hat.
Pineapple fields reminded me of a story I read about a missionary when I was a little girl.
Close up of the Balut Aubrey and I ate.
Caleb, proving his mouth has been emptied of all balut.
Our family on the trail near the volcano at Tagaytay
The Alberto Family: (Clockwise) Pastor Noel, Rapture Noah (aka Noah), Great Blessing (aka Great), Amazing Xaris (aka Xaris), Gina and Faith
Xaris and Sophie: fast friends
The volcano at Tagaytay
Aubrey and Leah eating Balut (yes, we did eat partially developed duck embryos and Aubrey liked it)
Caleb street preaching for the squatters with Pastor Alan translating
Caleb teaching at chapel at the Arise and Shine Academy
Pastor Noel, Caleb, Pastor Alan and Pastor Roger
Sophie playing with the Albertos puppy "Sparkley" (actually the puppies name is Barkley but I think Sophie likes the name "Sparkley" better)
Xaris, "Sparkley" and Sophie

On Filipino Travel (i.e. Travail)

On Filipino Travel (i.e. Travail)

June 19, 2008

We thought we were leaving the jungles of the Philippines behind when we left Bagabag last Saturday, but we were wrong. We were just going to a much different jungle, one of mechanical beasts and trails of pavement. I do not know if anything I have ever done before could have prepared me for the ministry that God has for me here in Manila. But, praise be to God, His resources are greater than our own, and He is faithful to give us access to grace we did not know at first was there. Though the past few days have been busy I have had time both to rest and to work during our stay here in Manila.

The Lord, knowing what would lie ahead, prompted us to take a day of rest on Sunday. We went to CCF (Christ Commission Fellowship…in the Philippines everything has either initials or an acronym) with the Bugbees for the morning service. This was quite an experience since this is the fastest growing church in all of the Asia area. They certainly had all of the bells and whistles that our western mega churches have, but the message was genuine and very biblically solid. The Pastor was addressing a major need in the Philippines for Fathers to be leaders in their homes. It was both a convicting and a compelling sermon.

Having finished the service we all went out for coffee at Starbucks (I was actually able to have cream in my coffee for the first time since getting here). Having assuaged this western craving we then decided to go see Prince Caspian which had just been released here. The Bugbees (Matt, Nathan and Luke) had not seen it yet, and it was a pleasant Father’s Day experience for all of us. We then had the opportunity to bless the Bugbees with a gift from a couple at Faith Community who gave us money to take the Bugbees out to dinner. We went to Outback and had quite a smorgasbord. We then went home to try to recover from having so much food without any rice (this was one of our first non-rice meals since getting here). Later that evening we went to a missionary doctor’s house for a pancake dinner. It was scrumptious, but these western pleasures would soon come to an end. I enjoyed chewing the fat with Dr. Scott Nelson and Matt Bugbee as we discussed the various missionary endeavors of their friends to the Filipinos. There is much that is being done, and yet much still to do.

I believe that God gave me Sunday so that I would be rested enough for what lay ahead. On Monday morning the real fun began. It all started with a text to Pastor Noel. I told him that we were here in Manila and would like to meet with him to both encourage him and witness his ministry. He promptly called us back on the cell phone, and let me tell you if you think it is hard to understand someone who has a thick accent try talking to them over a bad cell phone connection. I finished that conversation with no idea what I was supposed to do. Then, after a series of missed calls and text messages, I figured out that he wanted me to meet him for lunch at the Mega Mall in South Metro Manila (if you are wondering about my reference to texting it is the primary means of communication here in the Philippines, this is actually the texting capital of the world). I then found out that I could take a Taxi, Jeepney, or FX to the Mega Mall, but my best option was to use a combination of Jeepney and FX (if this confuses you, you are not alone). Also I would have to find my way despite the fact that there are next to no street signs (traffic here is very Darwinian in its survival of the fittest/fastest mentality). Sensing my confusion Uncle Matt brought me down to the main FX Depot to catch an FX into Manila. It was here that I discovered what an FX is (this was done primarily through the waving of hands, nervous gesticulating, short guttural coughs, and a brief interpretive dance), so what is it you ask…it is sort of a taxi/bus thingy for people who have no sense of personal space. Most are small SUV’s or minivans that have the regular front two benches and then two retrofitted sideways benches in the back compartment (that would, obviously, make an FX a 16 seater 4 in the front, 4 in the middle, and 8 in the back, that does not include children under 18 years old who are expected to sit on your lap). Now this may all sound like an unpleasant experience except that the Filipinos are the best smelling people you will ever meet. They all bathe and press their clothes before every outing. In their supermarkets there are no less than 8 aisles dedicated to personal hygiene. There are posters all over their malls advertising these products with pictures of people taking deep rapturous whiffs of each other with looks of sheer ecstasy on their faces. That said my trip to the Mega Mall, despite my lack of personal space, was like being transported in a hamper of fresh clean laundry straight out of the drier. Having arrived at the Mega Mall (at least that’s where I guessed we were there were no signs, the driver did not announce the stops, and I was buried under a pile of fragrantly smelling Filipinos) I spent 40 minutes texting and trying to find Pastor Noel. After finally realizing I probably needed to ask God for some help I found Pastor Noel sitting in front of a Krispy Kream Donut Shop. We then discussed my week, and it was agreed that I would come down the next day to see his K-12 Christian School, Arise and Shine Academy. I would spend the night and then speak at Chapel the next morning. I would come back again on Friday and spend the weekend at his home with my whole family this time and I would preach at his Sunday service (though that all sounds very nice and concise it took us an hour to figure it out and it we still had to text several times to get the details ironed out). Having finished the conversation it was time for me to find my way back to the Bugbees. This was even more of an adventure than my trip here. I took several minutes to find a way out of the mall and then I was at the wrong bus station. A taxi driver agreed to take me to the right bus station (however I thought he was saying he would bring me home). Having been a bit fleeced I found the right FX and some friendly companions. A Filipino named Hercules struck up a conversation with me and when he discovered I was doing mission work he paid my fare. An old woman sitting next to (i.e. on top of) me also joined our conversation and she found out where I was going and kept the driver posted of when we needed to stop (I do not know what here name was because everyone just calls the older women “mum”). Having arrived home I began to plan for my adventure the next day.

That night I wrote a message for the Chapel on Wednesday and we went over to the Lander’s for dinner. The Lander’s are a family involved in teaching at Faith Academy, so while we talked to them about the school our girls played with their boys. The next morning I finished my message and packed for my upcoming journey. This time I was a pro at catching the FX, and had no trouble getting to the Mega Mall were the supposed bus depot for Balibago would be (if you wonder why I was taking the bus to Balibago when I wanted to go to Laguna then you are almost just as confused as I am). However, there are several bus depots at the mall and none of them say Balibago on the destinations (once again this is one of those things that the “fittest” Filipinos know instinctively). So, utilizing my non-verbal interpretive dancing skills, I discovered, after an hour and a half, that there was no such bus (but there is…I know it is confusing). So I took the FX to Balibago. This time I found no friendly Filipinos and got off at the wrong depot (I think). I then found a “friendly” trike taxi who said he would get me back on the right path for a price. The price was 200 pesos and a thorough gasoline dousing when he tried to put gas in his tank…but missed. After this I decided I was better off on my own and asked him to drop me off to catch a Jeepney. He decided to only charge me 50 pesos and found the right Jeepney for me to take (Filipinos are always more friendly after they douse you in gasoline…just in case you ever need to make a Filipino more friendly). The Jeepney then brought me into Cabayou were Pastor Noel lives. I met up with Pastor Noel at MacDo (everything here is abbreviated to further subjugate the westerners to their gasoline dousing whims). We then went to the school where I met every teacher, staff member, and student. Every class stopped everything they were doing and in unison welcomed me and thanked me for coming. After making these rounds I then went to Pastor Noel’s office for merienda (i.e. afternoon snack…these people are on an eating schedule that would make a Hobbit jealous) while meeting with the pastors of the church: Pastor Mark, Pastor Alan and Pastor Noel. We then went over the history of the church, the goals of the church, the work of the church and the work of the school in Filipino non-linear fashion. I also met with Mum Gina who showed me the curriculum (A.C.E.) that they use for their school.

Having finished our merienda, sweet bread and coffee, we walked to Pastor Noel’s house. Here I met his family apart from the formality of their school garb, and trust me all formalities were dropped. His children loved having me in their home. The youngest two, Great Blessing and Amazing Xaris, dragged me all over the house by the hand and taught me Tagalog. Within 30 minutes we had covered 50% of the entire vocabulary. Though this did not add anything to my fluency, it did prompt constant giggles and laugher on the part of Xaris (Noel’s 6 years old girl) and Blessing (his 8 year old boy). Having completed my language training it was time to do some street evangelism. We took the Church’s Jeepney (a more dilapidated vehicle I have not viewed since arriving here) along with a car battery wired to a speaker and a microphone and an amp all mounted to metal dolly (this was quite an exciting setup since it was raining). After wiring and rewiring the speaker several times (yes in the rain) we got it working and the preaching began. I was expecting one of the Pastors to grab the microphone and go for it but instead 13 year old Argie led us off. He told of how he lived on the streets his entire life because his parents were drug addicts and felons. He got by through stealing what he needed to survive. One crime led to another till he found himself in prison. Here he heard the gospel was saved and the Lord has turned his life around. Such passion for Jesus Christ I have never seen from someone so young. Though it surprised me when Argie preached it surprised me even more when they asked me to preach (I thought I was just there to look good). However, when we are weak then the Lord is strong inside of us. I spoke and Pastor Alan translated. After I finished Pastor Roger encouraged me. Since he could not speak English clearly enough for me to understand he simply would say a reference I would look it up and read it, then he would wink at me with a knowing smile and promptly quote another reference for me to look up. Having finished with this ministry we went back to the Alberto’s (Pastor Noel’s last name is Alberto). We had dinner and young coconut salad for desert. Pastor Noel and I then talked till late at night.

The next morning I woke at 5:30 to find that the entire family had already had their breakfast. I ate with Pastor Noel then we all walked over to the school. At 7:30 we had the Chapel Service for the High School. This was the first service of the year (school just started on this side of the world). It was exciting to see the passion and fervor that these people have in their praise for their Savior. I then delivered my message to the largest, most attentive, least interactive group of High Schoolers I have ever spoken to. I spoke on “What is your Purpose” and I shared with the students that true joy only comes from glorifying God. After I shared several students shared testimonies in which they thanked the Lord for their sponsors (these kids are mainly children of squatters and have to raise the $35 a month to go to school from sponsors), their salvation and for my message. Pastor Noel then encouraged the students to seek the Lord with all their hearts he told them that they are the future leaders of this nation and they need to rise to that calling. We then ended this Chapel time with prayer for the pastors and the principal of the school.

Having finished Chapel we went directly to the Cabayou City Jail. Here we were locked in with the prisoners and we set up a speaker an electric guitar and a microphone. We then proceeded to sing to them and lead them in worship in Tagalog (during this time I felt much like the Grinch singing Christmas carols with the Who’s). I was surprised to see such passion for worship among these criminals. Next the men who got saved in prison shared their testimonies and the inmates cried openly as they heard of God’s grace and love. Lastly, I was asked to bring the word. So, once again, I preached while Pastor Alan translated. I shared with them my testimony. How the Lord has blessed me as I have been faithful. How I have found true joy in Him. I told them that they know the things of this world do not produce true and lasting joy, this can only be found in Christ Jesus. I told them the story of the woman caught in adultery, and of the both the Lord’s forgiveness and His admonition. I told them the story of Paul in a Philippian jail cell and his message of salvation. After our testimonies, and some more singing, we left. Pastor Noel then shared his Lunch with me. Then, after a time of prayer, I was off on the back of Pastor Alan’s Motorcycle (which is actually a moped …but I’m not going to tell him). My travel back was nearly as adventurous on the way back as it was on the way out, because when you change directions all the arrival and departure depots change again. However, I made it back to the Bugbee’s place in Beverly Hills and I look forward to doing the same journey again tomorrow with my Leah, Sophie and Aubrey and a bit of luggage. These adventures will be documented further in a later post…should the Lord continue to preserve us through our Filipino pilgrimage…Paalam! (This now being one of 3 words I can remember in Tagalog. The others, of which, I could find no appropriate place for inserting. Except, of course, that is to say here at the end where most readers have given up on finding anything interesting anyways. That is to say if they have in fact made it this far without falling asleep. So to stop an FX so you can get out at the wrong place (or the right place if you are lucky) you say “parra” which means stop. Then to thank the driver for dropping you in the middle of nowhere you say “salamat po” which means thanks…I think)

Yes or No? (June17th Update-Leah's version)

The Landers' Family
Sunday was Father's day and it was also a nice day of rest after the busy week at conference and the long day of travel on Saturday. We went to the first of 5 morning services (they have more on Sunday evening) at CCF which is the Bugbee's church. A little bit of research this evening taught me that CCF is a congregation in Metro Manila of 25,000. It is the fastest growing church in S.E. Asia. I personally had never been to such a large church in my life. It seemed very close to what a church of that size in the states would be like. Upbeat, is the word that comes to mind. Not just because of the music, the sermon, the people, the atmosphere was all upbeat. Their pastor spoke on learning to be a good father from the example of our heavenly Father. I think his main points were that father's should protect, discipline, and love their children.

After making our way down the 8 or 10 flights of stairs involved to get to church we stopped by Starbucks for a nice much cheaper version of our favorite drinks. Starbucks drinks cost between 20 and 100 pesos, only 50 cents $2.50. After Starbucks we went to the Mega Mall where we watched Prince Caspian (again for less than $3) and finally we finished off the afternoon with lunch at the Outback. One of the Bugbee's supporters gave us money specifically designated to take the Bugbee's out to a nice dinner. Matt said they only go to the Outback once every three or four years and that was confirmed when Nathan, who wanted steak, had to ask us all how to order his steak.

We had also been invited by the Nelson family over to dinner at their home. They were having breakfast for dinner. After our big lunch a light dinner was perfect so we went to the Nelson's for a nice visit and dinner together.



Here Aubrey is checking out the worms in Scott's worm bins.

Some of the baby bunnies Scott raises who were born only a week ago.

Scott Nelson is a Doctor missionary who has a little clinic where he treats squatters. He says much of the time he doesn't even know how to diagnose the problems he sees because there are so many different strange ways they are manifested. There is one patient he has who was diagnosed by another Doctor with leprosy but is not responding to the appropriate medications. It is a difficult job for Dr. Nelson but it is obvious he loves the people to whom he is ministering and enjoys the challenge. It is clear, also, that Dr Nelson is brilliant. He picked up Tagalog without going to any type of language school and dabbles in many different types of sustainable agriculture experiments which is one of the things that endears him to Matt Bugbee.

I don't think it is the sustainable agriculture that endears Matt's son Nathan to the family. Bethany, the Nelson's youngest daughter is a very kind, sweet girl and I enjoyed getting to know her a little bit. She goes to Faith Academy and will be a Senior in high school this next school year. She plans to become a nurse and is working in her father's clinic in a capacity sort of like a nurses aid.

Cindy, the mother, was a wonderfully hospitable lady. She works very happily alongside her husband in his ministry thinking of sweet little details like a children's library in their clinic as well as little bracelets and things to give to the children. She left for Colorado on Monday to be with her sister who is suffering with severe breast cancer.

We really enjoyed the Nelson family and they eagerly shared their food, family and faith with us. Dr Nelson gave us a wonderful tour of their backyard which he has terraced as an example to the Filipino people of how much more efficient plant growth is when you terrace. He also eagerly showed us his rabbits which he raises and sells to pet stores for only 10 pesos a piece (only about 25 cents). I think his hope is that Filipinos may someday see that rabbits could be a very good meat source. They take very little space, multiply quickly, and taste a great deal like chicken, which Filipinos love. Finally, he showed us his verma composting bins. He uses worms to compost the rabbit droppings and food scraps from his family. The compost then helps fertilize the plants he grows to help feed the rabbits, and the plants keep the soil on the hillside behind his house from eroding. I admire Dr. Nelson's willingness to work really hard as an example to the Filipino people of how their lives could be better with a little organization.

Monday our plan was to plan our week, hopefully making contact with Pastor Noel, and get ourselves slightly more organized. Caleb texted Pastor Noel in the morning. Texting, if I have not mentioned this previously, is the preferred method of communication here even for business matters and such. So, Pastor Noel immediately called Caleb back and arranged for the two of them to meet at the Mega Mall later that day. Caleb figured out public transportation down there, which was very impressive to me and soon texted saying Pastor Noel had invited him to speak at chapel on Wednesday morning and on Sunday morning at his church. Eventually, it was worked out that Caleb would go spend one night down in Laguna with Pastor Noel and family while the girls and I stayed here at the Bugbee's and then we will all go down for the weekend. I was amazed at how quickly the plan materialized and I'm pretty sure the Lord was doing some work beforehand for everything to fall so quickly into place.

Caleb returned safely last night from the Mega Mall in time for us to go to the second of our dinner engagements with missionary friends of the Bugbee's. The Landers were the second family we met and we felt a real connection with them right off. Toby is a chemistry teacher at Faith Academy as well as the head of the Science department and the Basketball coach. Crystal is now a stay-at-home mom but she met Toby because they both taught at Faith Academy. She was a geometry teacher there and it was obvious that she not only had a mathematical mind but also a very creative and organized mind. I was thoroughly impressed with her home and how organized and nicely she cared for it; especially because she has two young sons 4 year old Micah and 2 year old Benjamin and she is pregnant as well.


First, it was wonderful to see a young family, like us, on the mission field and making it work! I really enjoyed some of the common points of interest that Crystal and I had and I could tell Caleb and Toby had a very similar experience. Crystal enjoys cooking and she does a little preschool homeschool time with their older son. She also just seemed like someone who was really genuine. She shared that she was looking forward to a little family getaway they were leaving for the next day because her husband is a hard worker and they have not had much time alone as a family. I could really understand her desire and was thankful that she would share her feelings about the issue so soon after meeting me.

Sophie and Aubrey also really enjoyed the time at the Landers because there were toys, bikes, and kids. Another interesting connection we had with the Landers was the issue of peanut allergies (my niece Mckenna is also highly allergic to peanuts). After a great deal of prayer the Landers are planning to leave the field after this next year because their older son Micah is highly allergic to peanuts. He will be school-aged after this next year and after a lot of prayer, they do not feel it would be appropriate to send him to any school in the Philippines, even Faith Academy because the people here are so laid back it would not be possible to stress the issue of peanut butter enough to keep him safe. I have to admit that I did drop quite a few hints about continuing to home school but Crystal shared that they feel Micah needs to learn from people other than themselves because of his personality. We had a great evening with the Landers and hope that maybe someday we can see them again.

Today, Tuesday, Caleb was able to get down to Laguna (it is equivalent to traveling down to Anaheim from the AV in a bus) on an FX for only 65 pesos, which is about $1.50. He thought if he got lost he may need to take a taxi which would be much more expensive but he was able to take the FX and the Lord had obviously made the way for Caleb. He texted me to tell me he made it safely and tell me about what a great deal he got and later again told me he and Pastor Noel were out preaching on the street. Please pray for his opportunity tomorrow to preach in Chapel at the high school. Pastor Noel said that 80% of the students are unsaved. Caleb rarely preaches to unsaved youth, and even more seldom does he speak to students who do not speak English as their first language so please pray for him. Especially, that his fervor for the Lord and his word would show through in spite of communication challenges.

Another communication challenge we are having here is that Filipinos, even Christians, will answer yes or no questions, most of the time, in the affirmative. It isn't that they want to lie but I guess they think that if they answer "no" they will betray friendship somehow and they do not want to do that. So, even in simple daily interaction Caleb and I are having to remember not to ask yes or no questions. As Americans, especially when we're out in public trying to find places and take care of business, it is very easy to ask direct questions but they are less productive in Filipino culture so please pray that we will have wisdom to know how to ask questions.

Well, here is my update for the week so far and I hope Caleb can get online tomorrow night to post his version. Please continue to pray for us and we thank you for your faithful prayers up until now.

More pictures

Here we are in the province area at Lita's house with all of the Filipino children who have never seen white people before.You can even see the Pomelo tree in the background.
Caleb is balancing on the beam that holds the terrace up at the Rice Terraces in Banaue.
Sophie and Aubrey keep each other entertained on the front porch of the little place we stayed at in Bagabag.
Trikes are the main mode of transportation for Filipinos.

Back to Manila

Yesterday we packed our bags and we were on the road before 8a.m. Virgie, our helper, waved good bye from the little house we had made our home for the last 10 days and we settled in for a long journey back to Manila. For the journey to Manila we had gone on a short cut through the small villages and neighborhoods or Barangay rather than going on the Express Way. The Express Way often takes several hours longer these hours are often spent sitting in traffic without moving for seemingly ridiculous reasons so Matt had found this short-cut from other missionaries.

The only difficulty with the way we originally went was that, as I mentioned before, the directions consisted of instructions like pass three bridges, one large and two small and then turn left at the blue school. While the directions were very thorough they also took a bit of work to follow and going backward, as you may imagine, was even more of a challenge. So, Caleb, as navigator worked hard to keep an eye out, and I, as the backseat driver, with much better vision than my poor hubby tried to keep my eyes open for various landmarks while he read the paragraphs describing what we would pass.

After a couple of hours Sophie mentioned that she needed to relieve herself. Thankfully, Matt Bugbee's four children have more than adequately trained him to heed those words quickly so within a couple of minutes we were parking the car off to the side of the road near a coca cola sign that said Lita's Store. Matt inquired about whether there was a CR (Comfort Room; don't ask for a bathroom or restroom in the Philippines or you'll get a blank stare) and Caleb quickly took Sophie in that direction while I tried to figure out if we were all supposed to get out or if this would just be a quick stop.

I decided to get Aubrey out and as I did so I noticed that a group of children were gathering around the car talking, pointing, staring, and looking generally excited. So, as I got Aubrey out I began talking with them. Most of them had very limited English but we got some of the basics out. Carlos, the most enthusiastic, and most willing to try out his English phrases of the bunch asked me how old Aubrey was and what her name was, he even put out his arms to Aubrey to see if she would let him hold her. She wouldn't go to a strange boy in a strange place, of course, but that action is just an example of the way Filipino's are incredibly relational.

Within a couple of minutes there were three women gathered around the car along with all of the children. The women started to ask questions, too. The Filipino's don't have the same sense of personal space we have in the States so I was having a little trouble getting all of the way out of the car because of our enthusiastic welcoming committee but eventually I made my way out. One women, with very little English skill said "what do you want?" which sounds sort of rude in English but I'm sure if she learns more English she will be embarrassed about saying such a phrase because Filipino's always use very respectful terms and titles when talking with people. What she really wondered was what we were doing in the middle of nowhere. I understood and explained. At that point, another of the women pointed to a third and said she could come back to California with me and be my maid and help with the children. I was amazed that I had just stepped out of the car and I was being offered a "servant". There is a profound need for jobs and work here. I don't remember the exact number but Uncle Matt said millions of Filipinos emigrate to other countries for jobs on a yearly basis.

Uncle Matt came back to the car at this point to tell me Lita (the store owner) spoke English and had offered a shady spot in her yard at a plastic table and chairs for us to eat our lunch and drink some sodas he had bought at her store. We learned that Lita had worked in Hong Kong for 7 years for an English speaking family so she was a proficient English speaker. Carlos and the other children followed us over to her yard and got their friends to come see the spectacle. I asked Lita at one point if the children had ever seen white people before and she said they had not. I guess I really didn't need to ask the poking and pinching of my children along with touching their blond hair was certainly a big clue. We sat and ate our tuna fish while I tried to keep the mangy dog below me from actually touching me and really tried to ask the kids in Tagalog what their names were. They giggled a little when I asked because of my strong accent but I think they could tell I was trying to communicate and they responded well. Caleb told me later that if we ever moved to another country he's sure I would learn the language first not because I'm better at languages than he is but because I'm not embarrassed that I will sound stupid. I guess that was a compliment.

During this time the girls were starting to warm up, especially Sophie. At first she had been feeling rather embarrassed at the other children's stares and at their invasion into her space but I tried to explain in 3 year-old terms that they just like her and think she's really fun and then she wanted to get down and run around. I told Sophie to run to the pomelo tree (about 10 feet away) and back and so she did along with about 10 other children and then Lita offered her a pomelo.

Pomelos are sort of like a giant grapefruit but green and I hear they're a little sweeter. Lita's children had actually written their names on the pomelos still on the tree which they were claiming for their own but one was unclaimed because it was not very ripe and so this one was compromised upon, when we insisted Sophie didn't need to have one of Lita's children's pomelos. We said goodbye and thank you to Lita and her family and asked if we could pay. It's usually polite to offer such things especially as a white person and often money is accepted but Lita just wanted to be truly hospitable. After this short visit we packed ourselves back into the car. Carlos had to run back over to the car to show us his little sister who he had just retrieved from their home. He particularly wanted her to meet Aubrey. It was a sweet gesture. Carlos and Lita particularly impacted me on our short stop; Carlos for his child-like enthusiasm at meeting new people and Lita at her kind hospitality without expectation.

One other cultural experience on the way home took place while coming down one of the mountain roads. There was a rope stretched out across the road. Uncle Matt stopped at the rope and rolled down his window and gave some pesos to the man standing there explaining that it was a funeral procession and the man was trying to raise money to bury his relative. If you just speed through the rope the grievers don't do anything its just a way to get some to stop. But he said it costs 10,000 pesos to bury a relative which is a lot for them. That would be the equivalent of about $2,000 but when you think that regular workers here make about $22 a week that certainly is expensive.

The rest of the trip was uneventful other than getting slightly lost because of the confusion of following complicated directions backwards and inside out. We found our way back to the Express Way and finally made our way back to Manila. We didn't arrive at the Bugbee's until about 6p.m. and so it was a long day in the car.

Caleb's hips hurt even more on this drive but he seems to be recovering more quickly than he did last week. Aubrey is doing well now that she has been on antibiotics for a couple of days. And Sophie is doing well she explained today that her favorite part of the Philippines is the Barbies. suppose this calls for explanation. Normally at home I'm not to thrilled with Barbies. I feel like they start little girls off with unrealistic expectations of what women are supposed to be like at a very young age and it bothers me. The first time Sophie went to the missionary preschool in Bagabag she reported to me that there were Barbies there. I told her that Barbies are not my favorite but its okay if she plays with them here. They're not wrong, just not mommies favorite. So, she played with them in the preschool and now the Philippines are synonymous with Barbie in Sophie's three-year-old mind. Oh, and just in case you didn't know, we had a discussion about the water Buffalo around here. Sophie is sure that Water Buffalo like little girls (not that they would like to eat her just that they think she's cool) but that Wilda beasts, which we have established live in Africa, not the Philippines, do NOT like little girls. We cannot figure out the root of this logical progression in her mind but somehow it makes perfect sense to her and articulating reasons, no matter how hard Uncle Matt tries, is of no consequence to Sophie. So, I will leave you with that thought and thank you for your prayers for our trip back to Manila.

On Spiritual Lessons, Mud Rivers, and Filipino Dogs

June 13, 2008

We’re done…sort of. We finished today with the SIL Conference in Bagabag. However, this is only one of our goals while here (the others being checking out Faith Academy and the ministry of Pastor Noel in Manila). Having, completed the largest part of our short term trip there was a certain sense of accomplishment. I felt as though things had gone well. I felt that I had done something good here. Then, God brought me back to reality.

Having completed the conference we all met in the meeting hall tonight for communion. It was a joyous time of celebrating what the Lord has done and looking forward to an eternity with Him. As we prepared ourselves to partake of the Body and the Blood of Christ, the Lord showed me my soul stained with pride. I had received so much positive feedback that I was beginning to think that I had ministered to hearts at this conference. The Lord showed me that I am just a vessel and He is the One Who is deserving of all the praise. To remind me further of my own inadequacies we began to sing How Deep the Father’s Love For Us. I was reminded that “it was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished”. I am nothing more than a sinner saved by a marvelous grace. If anything good comes out of the work done this week it will because the Lord did it, and not I.

With this reminder the Lord showed me once again the area of my life that has most hindered me in being effective for His names sake. Pray for me for victory over this pride. I am convinced that one of the reasons the Lord has not allowed me to enter into full time ministry is because of my selfish pride. I have found myself often this week saying things to people only to have them think highly of me, there was no other motivation. I have been convicted of this mostly because I have found myself constantly speaking as the authority to people who are much more experienced than me. I do not know what needs to happen to get me to the place of humility were the Lord can more effectively use me, but I know that it probably won’t be pleasant. The Apostle Paul said that lest he grow proud beyond measure a demon was sent to buffet him (2 Cor 12:7). I know that God will be faithful to allow me to overcome my pride no matter what that means.

I would not have you read this and think that I am miserably wallowing in the conviction of my inadequacies. Our God is to gracious for such things. It is the weak things of this world that God uses. I do not dwell on my failure to constantly acknowledge the Lord. Instead I seek to learn from it and I press on toward that for which Christ Jesus has laid a hold of me. I have confessed my sin and received forgiveness. Yet, nonetheless, still pray for me. This is one area where the Lord has shown me I need to have victory before I can go into full time ministry. Otherwise my head would get to big. And bigheaded people can not fit through church doors that well (though they sometimes get in and make quite a scene of themselves). So then, having thoroughly revealed some of my failures let me share with you our Lord’s successes.

We wrapped up our journey toward the Celestial City through the skit of Pilgrim’s Progress today, and I taught the last lesson. Altogether we filmed the entire story in seven acts. We spent about an hour a day putting the skit together and filming. We didn’t want to take time out of the program to have the kids memorize numerous lines, or get all of their parts perfect. Instead we were more interested in them engaging the story by reading it through in a “dramatized” fashion. And filming it gave them an end product by which they can remember what they learned. Each day I followed the skit with a lesson on several attributes that identified Christian as a stranger with his citizenship in Heaven. Altogether, there were about 17 attribute of believers that I covered in 7 days of instruction. Along with these teaching times the kids had morning devotions in which they would study in groups the main Christian characteristic of the day, and memorize a verse in which it was explained. Each member of our leadership team (Matt, Jason, Tiffany, Ellen, Leah and myself) had an opportunity to lead these devotionals for either the guys group or the girls group. Altogether the students responses to all of these times was that of understanding. By the end of the week they could not only answer questions about their faith, but they could explain it as well. It will be my prayer that this will be fruit that remains. I have reminded these kids time and time again that knowledge is nothing if it does not lead to action. I am looking forward to interacting with all of these students via email to continue to encourage them to live out what they now understand.

Some of the activities that we added into the mix where a tubing trip down the river and a movie night. On Tuesday we got a driver to take several of us up a ways from the conference grounds and drop us off at the river, or liquid mud depending on you outlook on life. I have never swum in a river before that was as warm as a Jacuzzi. It made the trip seem extra special to see all the villagers out waving to us with big grins on their faces as they dumped their afternoon trash along the banks of the river. I also learned that it is very hard to go tubing without a tube. We were one tube short at the start of our trip so we had two of the smaller girls share a tube. However, halfway through the trip they decided they each needed their own and took mine by force (it is very hard to fight off ferocious 90 pound Jr High girls in hot flowing mud). Having succumbed to their desire I then proceed to swim/wade/roll/float/bounce/cry out in agony down the river. No matter what the movies say you can not swim through 1 foot of rapidly flowing water over rocks without at least minor bruising (I am not sure what movie says that you can, but they should make one so that I could say that they are wrong). In addition, it is very hard to navigate through rapids when you are legally blind and a water buffalo looks so similar to a middle schooler. It was the faint distinction in the sound of their calls that saved me several times from trying to dunk a water buffalo and take its inner tube (I think). All that said this was a very enjoyable time, and one of the boys, David, told me that he really felt like he got to know me on that trip (I hope that is a good thing).

The movie night was last night and we watched a film called Flywheel from Sherwood Community Church (they are the same people who made Facing the Giants). We had been talking that day about what it means to live your faith, and that was the theme of the movie. Throughout the entire movie I found that Missionary Kids in the Philippines are exactly like Jr Highers in the US. No matter how many time you tell them the contrary, they still think that they can talk to the characters in the movie. They will yell out advice, provide running commentary, and suggest possible results of every situation throughout the entire movie. That said I was dully impressed with the middle schoolers abilities to connect what they saw in the movie with what I had taught them that day. I did not tell them in advance that there was a connection they figured it out on their own, and they even found parallels that I had not thought of. Altogether it was a most encouraging experience.

In addition to watching the movie we also did our Missionary Pen Pal raffle. Leah had the idea of giving the kids fake money for each of the memory verses they said that week, and then letting them bid on who they wanted for a pen pal. So we did. I showed the kids all the video interviews from the kids back home who signed up for the program, and then I let them bid on who they wanted for a pen pal. I felt very much like I was auctioning off human beings for index cards with stickers on them, and I guess I was. It was fun. But don’t worry I will not disclose to my kids in the States who went for the highest bid (or the lowest). We also took video interviews of all the middle schoolers here to bring back to their Pen Pals in the States. One of the Middle Schoolers, Joseph, asked us tonight if it would be alright for him to email his Pen Pal right now even though we are not back yet. We told him that was fine, and his enthusiasm certainly encouraged us in this endeavor.

To wrap things up today we had a time of reflection and commitment. In the middle of this time it began to pour rain (you have no idea what I am talking about unless you have been in a tropical climate). It almost seemed that God was using the rain to shut out the rest of the world so that we could simply focus on what he had done in our lives here. Allot of the kids shared during his time some of the things they had learned over the past week, and some of the things that had challenged them. We then let them each (if they felt led) make a commitment in front of us and the Lord to change some aspect of their lives that the Lord had convicted them about during this conference. This was the most rewarding part of the trip. These kids got it, and now they want to live it. Pray for them as they leave this “Mountain Top” experience and go back to the “valleys” of everyday life.

Through all of this time Leah was working in the background to put together a DVD’s of the kids’ skit. She was doing this while trying to wrangle Aubrey who still has a high temperature. When I came back in the afternoon I took Aubrey over to the nurse and she told us to take Aubrey into the city to see a Pediatrician. I stayed behind and took care of Sophie while Leah went with Uncle Matt into town. The Doctor said that it was nothing serious with Aubrey she just has an upper respiratory infection (we were worried because of a strange rash that she has all over, but it was just form the heat). We feel that Satan has been sifting us a lot through our health struggles while here, but God is faithful. And, despite our weaknesses, He has allowed us the grace to effectively serve Him as a family throughout this conference. We have had the Middle Schoolers in our home several times a day (invited or not) throughout the conference. I have not only gotten to know the kids I am ministering to, but Leah and the girls have grown close to them as well.

Tomorrow, morning we leave to make the 7 hour trip back to Manila. Pray for us for traveling mercies, or, specifically, that the majority of oncoming traffic would stay on the right side of the road as we approach them. Pray also for us for guidance in Manila. We have a pretty lose itinerary for the next week, but we want to be faithful to continue to do the Lord’s work despite our fatigue. Pray also for Aubrey that she would get over this sickness soon, if it is the Lord’s will. We look forward to the effects of all of your prayers in our lives…Paalam! (this continues to be the one Filipino word I have mastered, though I speak the language of the Filipino dogs fluently…I know that begs an explanation. So on my morning runs I am often pursued by starving Filipino dogs who recognize that the high fat content of my calves could greatly aid them in their nutritional endeavors. I, however, have learned that while these dogs do not respond to the typical American phrases of skat, aiye, hey, doh, off with you, or begone you filthy mongrel a quick SSS! Is all they need to turn tale and run)

June 12th early a.m. (Leah's Update)

It is just after 6a.m. Caleb is off running and I sit down to the computer to write a little. I have been more involved with the middle schoolers this week after taking care of logistical household details at the end of last week so I thought I would give some of my perspective on the kids response and such. I'm astonished at how quickly we are getting to know each of the kids.
Jonathan
Joseph (aka Hershey)
David
Jessica
Katie
Fiona
Jaina
Danielle
Clara (who left for furlough yesterday a.m.)
I thought I would mention them by name because I know some people like to pray by name for people. It strikes me that these kids are just regular middle schoolers in many ways. For instance they think Caleb's jokes are funny, they love to dunk people, candy and soda are always popular with them, even some of the interview questions we've asked them for the missionary pen pal program we're starting at Faith Community were answered almost identically. Caleb commented to me yesterday that middle school kids here get tired from playing games almost as quickly as kids in the states. Although I'm confident that Caleb has an unusual amount of stamina for any adult. He consistently wears the kids out by the end of the day.
I think some of the differences between these kids and typical American middle school kids are that they have a very quick recovery time after being man handled all day by Caleb and are eagerly calling "Apu?" which means 'can I come in?' at 7:25 each morning even though devotions do not even start until 8. Also, I don't think I've heard any of them talk about video games (which is pretty refreshing to me) their conversations center more around real events. They also have sort of a familiarity with living a life that is centered around something other than comfort. Caleb has mentioned that they're almost constantly barefoot, they scale up trees as gracefully as a gymnasts, and I don't think my husband has made a single one of them cry (sometimes he doesn't realize his own strength).
I don't want to make these kids sound perfect, though. Many of them could stand to be more careful; they try things sometimes that scare me and I think all of the small accidents that they talk about are good evidence that maybe they shouldn't try some of the things they do (I can share this one because maybe it will help somebody not break their neck:). There are other ways that MK's struggle that American kids never do.
One of the most delightful parts about interacting with these kids for me is that they really are responsive to Caleb's teaching. During the past 9 years Caleb has been teaching Jr High aged kids I've observed many of those times. He has grown as a teacher; he has power points with cool art from Pilgrim's Progress on most slides, he has a cool sword drill routine that the kids love, he has perfectly timed snide comments to make at disruptive kids, but mostly, he has what he has always had and that is pure enthusiasm, even passion for God's word. It is tough for me to watch the times when Caleb shares that passion and it falls on deaf ears. so seeing these kids soak it in is really refreshing for me. My prayer, and I hope your prayer as well, is that the kids will be good soil, not rocky, or thorny, but rich brown soft dirt where the seed can take deep root and grow healthy.
My other delights in working with these middle school kids is that they love to be in our home and that they connect deeply with our family partly as a result of Sophie and Aubrey. Since our group is so dominated by girls we almost don't even need to have as many activities as we have because the mk girls just love to play with Sophie and Aubrey. Sophie is starting to figure out that she can make plans with them. Yesterday she told Katie she could go change her clothes (katie had been in the pool) and then she could come back to our house and play with her. Needless to say, I've been delighted that there is a definite place for our children in the ministry we're doing here.
Okay, the girls are awake and I need to be ready for some middle schoolers to be here soon.
God bless you.
Leah

Pictures

Aubrey enjoying playing with a beetle

Luke Bugbee, a true MK, is teaching Sophie the ropes of tree climbing.

This is a woman we met in Banaue by the rice terraces, who could no longer straighten herself because her back was so badly bent after years of planting and harvesting rice.

The middle school kids during devotions.

Caleb has a passion for his teaching.

Mr Bugbee has been without his wife to long! Actually, he's just playing one of the crazy games Caleb has the Middle school kids play.

Our Abundant Harvest for the week and you can't even see all of the fruit.

Banaue Rice Terraces-built over 1000 years ago by hand and still efficiently helping rice farmers make mountains farmable.

June 9th Update (Caleb's version)

June 9, 2008

I don’t want to go home…but I know I must. I do not know if this is the country God is calling to, but I can not begin to express the joy I am feeling as I experience this time in the “mountains”. There are certainly distractions but there is the constant spiritual refocusing of all the work that we are doing. The Lord, in His grace, has gathered before a select group of nine middle school kids who have had their hearts prepped by years of front line service to the Lord. This is the only life they have ever known, but I am not sure they have yet understood the depth of what it is they are involved in. I do not believe that they have recognized fully the inner workings of the spiritual lives. They see the outward works of their parents and they value such spiritual disciplines, but they are now ready to learn why. It is both challenging and rewarding to tell them what it means to truly live a life set apart for the Lord’s service. It is rewarding because the lights are going on, but it is challenging because the obstacles these kids face are so different from anything I have ever had to endure.

Because I do not have the distraction of the mundane or of daily trials of home life, I feel that my spiritual walk is fuller, my love is more effective, and my joy is more full. Yet I also believe that the Lord is allowing the Devil to sift us with other trials so that we can fully rely on him. The past few days have been like a Filipino road. It is primarily made up of rough stretches with very short somewhat smooth sections interspersed throughout. That said my hips don’t hurt anymore and I have not been beaten by any motorcycle riding pigs in days. I was beaten by another missionary and a MK High Schooler on Saturday in the Missionary Mile Race as part of our fiesta celebration, though this was more fun than humbling (I am not the extremely competitive one in this relationship). The real trials we have faced have mainly been health related. Sophie had a 102 temperature tonight along with her cough, Aubrey still has a nagging cough (but still felt good enough to pat her sisters rear to try to make her feel better), Leah is fighting off an ear infection, and I am beginning to lose my voice to my cough and runny nose (a somewhat difficult trial to overcome while teaching). Though this list may seem daunting we have put it completely in the Lord’s hands and we know that He is more than able. Yet we know that in His sovereignty He often chooses to display His providence through the multitude of prayers. We beseech you all, therefore, to pray for us.

As to the work we are doing the Lord is being extremely faithful. The morning devotional times are going very well. The first day of devotion not a single Middle Schooler brought their Bible. I gave them a soft reprimand (i.e. threatened with flailing), and they have not only brought their Bibles since, but they have all shared during morning devotions. During my teaching time I can see that I am telling them things they have never had ears to hear before. I believe that through all of your prayers, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the grace of God, these young men and women are beginning to understand why they need to live as strangers if heaven is truly their home. They are eating up the Pilgrim’s Progress Skit (thanks Sis), and they are seeing clearly the applications to the Christian life that they are acting out. We are also daily sitting in on Team Reports in which we hear from two teams of missionaries on the work God is doing on the front lines of Bible translation in the Philippines and surrounding areas. It is amazing to witness first hand the faithfulness of God to not allow His word to return void, and for the Middle Schoolers it is a wonderful illustration of just the life we are describing in our daily lessons. In addition to all of that focused time we are also being able to build relationships with the Middle Schoolers through daily game time, swim time, and activities. Today, we planted a garden on the conference grounds, and we have also sold multiple conference T-shirts as part of a fundraiser for the education of the children of Filipino Nationals who are involved in translation work. Tomorrow we will go on a tubing trip down the river (I may sit out depending on my health). Leah and I have also had multiple opportunities to establish friendships with Missionaries here. The two of us went on a trip to the rice terraces with several missionary families, and during the 3 hours in the bus we had a lot of time to connect with them. We also got to breathe some very interesting diesel fumes while traveling sideways for the entire trip (my intestine still are trying to go to the side when I walk forward). We have connected with multiple missionaries outside of that trip, and my global perspective of what is happening with missions is certainly being refined and sharpened on a daily basis.

Let me now end this exposition with the exact opposite thought that gave it birth. I can not wait to see you all again. I long for your fellowship and encouragement. I long to gather with you in prayer, and worship the Lord in praise side by side, but until then hold us up before the Lord in your prayers that we may all have the petitions we make of Him, and so that His work, that we seek to be a part of, would be effective. Paalam! (once again I had to check my dictionary before I wrote this word).