This past weekend I attended a Women's Retreat at Calvary Chapel Training Center. It was entitled "Knowing God". How often do we say that we know about God and the story of Jesus and all of those things? How often do we really talk to God and know Him? I was really blessed by all of the speakers as well as the outpouring of women from all of the Visayan Islands! The retreat was put on by Calvary Chapel Spring Valley in Las Vegas. We have been able to visit with their team a few times and they are all such wonderful people!
Today we had lunch with all of the missionaries from Dumaguete and with the Calvary Chapel Spring Valley team. The restaurant was right on the shore in Dauin. Apparently when the first missionaries came over from the States to Dumaguete, they would go to this specific restaurant after church each Sunday for fellowship. It is always nice to fellowship with the other missionaries and hear about their ministries. I have truly had an encouraging and blessed weekend!
Current Prayer Requests:
Safe travel for Becky and Leanna as they travel visiting missionaries and friends before leaving the Philippines. They will be gone from Sunday night until Saturday afternoon.
One of the yayas (who is around my age) is having a terrible weekend. Friday she was stung by a bee on the face while she was harvesting vegetables in the garden and her eye is swollen very badly. Then Friday night, her husband was down at the Boulevard with some friends and when they tried to return home at night it was very dark and the roads were slick from the terrible rain we had earlier that day. They were on a motor and took a corner too fast and slipped on the road and had a very bad accident. Both men involved are in ICU. The yaya's husband has severe head trauma and is having x-rays and a CT scan to assess the damages. Please pray as their family is going through a hard time and both of them will be out of work this week and have an increasing doctor bill. Pray that the Lord will touch their hearts and use this situation to draw them closer to God.
Thank you for your prayers!
"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness."
-Edward Mote
My Hope is Built
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
On My Mind
Romans 8: 16-17
"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
3 weeks left!
I cannot believe that in three weeks I will be returning to the States!
I almost feel as though many of my relationships are growing stronger due to the fact that I am leaving. I am having more in-depth conversations with people and it is such a blessing! I have begun preparing my 3 M's, telling them that I will be leaving soon and that I will no longer be their tutor. They seem to handle it well right now but I am sure as time gets closer they will start to act out more about it. The Agape girls wrote on their calender "cry day" for February 9, the day that I leave Dumaguete. Then on February 10, they wrote "cry day 2" because that is the day that Becky and Leanna will be leaving. It has been such a blessing to work alongside so many Godly people and if I were to elaborate, I would be writing this blog forever so I will leave that for another time.
Now for an update on the past week or so. Since coming back from Siquijor I mentioned that I had a minor head cold. As soon as that cleared up and I felt comfortable going around the kids, I went into the nursery. One of the kids had the flu and I did not really think too much of it. Later that afternoon I began feeling a little sick to my stomach but just thought it to be a normal everyday stomach ache. After I tutored my M's I began to feel really awful and was really confused by the odd sensation in my stomach, I came back to my cottage and was freezing and had the chills and I knew something was wrong. Shortly after that began a massive all out flu attack on my body. I have never had the flu that bad in my life! (Or, rather, that I can remember) At some points I thought that I was going to die. The major flu symptoms of vomiting and well, the other thing, lasted for two straight days. Then I was stuck in bed for an extra day and a half because my body was so weak. Today was my first day of feeling better and I allowed myself to go play with the kids once more. Needless to say, I was a little weary entering into the nursery for fear of what happened the last time I entered it, but I conquered it.
I have had great success in my "class" with the youngest M. She knows all of her colors now by name and even says them out loud when we color to ensure that I know that she knows them. We are working very hard on learning letters, for some reason it takes her forever to grasp them. We can so a whole lesson on one letter for an hour and at the end, I will ask her what the letter is and she will say "I dont know R?" and it will be letter B. So I am definitely learning patience through all of that. I am also having a great time with her using projects from an activity book I found in the office library. There are many pictures where you color a few objects, cut them out, and paste them in the correct places. She has a hard time cutting and it makes me laugh when she says "Lisod kaayo!!" meaning "This is very hard!"
The middle M is going to have her 11th birthday on January 30. This came as a surprise to me because I believed it to be her 12 birthday. Come to find out we were all very confused and so she will be 11 for one more year. When the three M's came to Rainbow, they did not have the correct information on their dates of birth or even their correct names! After double checking, we found out that her age is currently 10 and she will be 11. She did not seem to mind or understand at her birthday celebration at our family birthday lunch this past Sunday. We were making jokes that when she is older people will ask her why there are so many photos of her when she was 11...
I am currently tutoring like crazy at night time as everyone is having a hard time with their math and suddenly, I have become a math expert! (thank you dad!) I am relearning geometry and working through proofs with one of the girls and also helping so many girls with algebraic equations and simple physics and chemistry. Its so strange!
Colossians 1:10-12
"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."
I almost feel as though many of my relationships are growing stronger due to the fact that I am leaving. I am having more in-depth conversations with people and it is such a blessing! I have begun preparing my 3 M's, telling them that I will be leaving soon and that I will no longer be their tutor. They seem to handle it well right now but I am sure as time gets closer they will start to act out more about it. The Agape girls wrote on their calender "cry day" for February 9, the day that I leave Dumaguete. Then on February 10, they wrote "cry day 2" because that is the day that Becky and Leanna will be leaving. It has been such a blessing to work alongside so many Godly people and if I were to elaborate, I would be writing this blog forever so I will leave that for another time.
Now for an update on the past week or so. Since coming back from Siquijor I mentioned that I had a minor head cold. As soon as that cleared up and I felt comfortable going around the kids, I went into the nursery. One of the kids had the flu and I did not really think too much of it. Later that afternoon I began feeling a little sick to my stomach but just thought it to be a normal everyday stomach ache. After I tutored my M's I began to feel really awful and was really confused by the odd sensation in my stomach, I came back to my cottage and was freezing and had the chills and I knew something was wrong. Shortly after that began a massive all out flu attack on my body. I have never had the flu that bad in my life! (Or, rather, that I can remember) At some points I thought that I was going to die. The major flu symptoms of vomiting and well, the other thing, lasted for two straight days. Then I was stuck in bed for an extra day and a half because my body was so weak. Today was my first day of feeling better and I allowed myself to go play with the kids once more. Needless to say, I was a little weary entering into the nursery for fear of what happened the last time I entered it, but I conquered it.
I have had great success in my "class" with the youngest M. She knows all of her colors now by name and even says them out loud when we color to ensure that I know that she knows them. We are working very hard on learning letters, for some reason it takes her forever to grasp them. We can so a whole lesson on one letter for an hour and at the end, I will ask her what the letter is and she will say "I dont know R?" and it will be letter B. So I am definitely learning patience through all of that. I am also having a great time with her using projects from an activity book I found in the office library. There are many pictures where you color a few objects, cut them out, and paste them in the correct places. She has a hard time cutting and it makes me laugh when she says "Lisod kaayo!!" meaning "This is very hard!"
The middle M is going to have her 11th birthday on January 30. This came as a surprise to me because I believed it to be her 12 birthday. Come to find out we were all very confused and so she will be 11 for one more year. When the three M's came to Rainbow, they did not have the correct information on their dates of birth or even their correct names! After double checking, we found out that her age is currently 10 and she will be 11. She did not seem to mind or understand at her birthday celebration at our family birthday lunch this past Sunday. We were making jokes that when she is older people will ask her why there are so many photos of her when she was 11...
I am currently tutoring like crazy at night time as everyone is having a hard time with their math and suddenly, I have become a math expert! (thank you dad!) I am relearning geometry and working through proofs with one of the girls and also helping so many girls with algebraic equations and simple physics and chemistry. Its so strange!
Colossians 1:10-12
"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Adventures IN Siquijor
I had an amazing time in Siguijor! We had planned on only going for two nights and three days, but ended up extending and staying an extra day because it was so lovely. It was really nice to relax and re-focus. I was able to read an entire book! It is called "Heart Cry" by Arlita Morken Winston. I highly recommend it. Its about a family and their missionary live in Sumatra and the heart cry that God gave them to serve there.
I have SO many stories from the trip that I would love to tell but I would have to write for a long time and I am exhausted! For now I will just say that I have been blessed in so many ways and through so many people on the trip. Best of all we got to go kayaking! Since I am the kayak "expert" I rode in my own two seater kayak while Carmen and Ate Theresa shared. It was interesting to say the least..but I still dominated!
I was also fortunate enough to get the illness that was being passed around Rainbow and was pretty much sick the entire time that we were on holiday. It wasn't too bad though since I just got to lay around on the beach and around the pool all day. That is the best situation that I can think of to recuperate!
Some exciting news...
My two oldest M's are moving up from Reading Readiness in school to.....GRADE 1 !!
I am so excited for them and so are they! They will be staying at school until 5pm like all of the other Agape girls and will have lots and lots of homework, which I will be helping them with. It is really great to watch these girls grow right before my eyes!
Since the holidays are over and I took a vacation, I am kind of out of the routine that I had been on before the holiday season started. Monday is going to change since the girls will not be around in the afternoons. I will not have to do pick ups anymore! It is going to be so strange!
Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.
I have SO many stories from the trip that I would love to tell but I would have to write for a long time and I am exhausted! For now I will just say that I have been blessed in so many ways and through so many people on the trip. Best of all we got to go kayaking! Since I am the kayak "expert" I rode in my own two seater kayak while Carmen and Ate Theresa shared. It was interesting to say the least..but I still dominated!
I was also fortunate enough to get the illness that was being passed around Rainbow and was pretty much sick the entire time that we were on holiday. It wasn't too bad though since I just got to lay around on the beach and around the pool all day. That is the best situation that I can think of to recuperate!
Some exciting news...
My two oldest M's are moving up from Reading Readiness in school to.....GRADE 1 !!
I am so excited for them and so are they! They will be staying at school until 5pm like all of the other Agape girls and will have lots and lots of homework, which I will be helping them with. It is really great to watch these girls grow right before my eyes!
Since the holidays are over and I took a vacation, I am kind of out of the routine that I had been on before the holiday season started. Monday is going to change since the girls will not be around in the afternoons. I will not have to do pick ups anymore! It is going to be so strange!
Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Adventure to Siquijor!
Siquijor is an island near Negros. Carmen and I were invited to visit with one of the missionaries from Pastoral Training of Asia (the organization I served with when I came with CPC the first time). We will be on the island for three days and two nights just to have a time of rest and relaxation. I plan to spend this time really focusing on my last month here in Dumaguete and planning the activites that I am going to be doing in the next month. And of course I will be taking time to shut off my brain and relax! Siquijor is a beautiful island and I will for surely be posting pictures of my adventure when I return on Wednesday.
Prayer Requests:
We are having another course of pnemonia coming through. One of the triplets is in the hospital to be assisted with breathing and to have an IV to maintain hydration. Please pray that the rest of the kids will get better! We took 12 children to the doctor yesterday....they sure love us when we go there!
The girls will be starting school tomorrow after their winter vacation. Please pray that they adjust well and get back in the swing of things.
The two oldest M's have their court hearing tomorrow where they will be testifying against their accusers. Please Please Please pray that they will handle this well, as they will be seeing their abusers in court. Please pray that they will be able to talk to our social worker and that this ordeal will be over for them and their wounds will heal.
Also pray for safe travel!
Thanks!
Blessings,
Manda
Prayer Requests:
We are having another course of pnemonia coming through. One of the triplets is in the hospital to be assisted with breathing and to have an IV to maintain hydration. Please pray that the rest of the kids will get better! We took 12 children to the doctor yesterday....they sure love us when we go there!
The girls will be starting school tomorrow after their winter vacation. Please pray that they adjust well and get back in the swing of things.
The two oldest M's have their court hearing tomorrow where they will be testifying against their accusers. Please Please Please pray that they will handle this well, as they will be seeing their abusers in court. Please pray that they will be able to talk to our social worker and that this ordeal will be over for them and their wounds will heal.
Also pray for safe travel!
Thanks!
Blessings,
Manda
Friday, January 2, 2009
Welcome 2009!
Wow! New Years here is a wonderful time! Fireworks constantly going off. And I am not talking about little snap or popper ones, I'm talking about Disneyland style fireworks. Leanna, Aaron, Carmen, and I went shopping for fireworks at a street that is lined with tons and tons of booths filled with all sorts of fireworks and firecrackers. Some even have dynamite. You can even buy a paper bag full of gun powder! With that said, New Years here is a time of remembrance and celebration. I feel like it is a lot more about prosperity and being with family than an excuse to party like it is in the States. One of the Yayas was telling me about all of the superstitious traditions that some Filipinos partake in. One example is having 13 round fruits displayed on the kitchen table. One for each month and one extra for good luck past the 12 calender months. I enjoy this ritual simply because there are tons and tons of citrus fruits and apples for sale in the town at super competitive prices so fresh fruit is not hard to find this time of year.
New Years Eve we all stayed up on the patio and played games, watched a slide show of photos, ate, and set off fireworks. We also stayed up until 4am watching movies. It was a really fun night. Then New Years night we had a Night of Psalms at church and the theme was "Consecrate". This was a really nice refreshing time of renewal and guidance for the new year.
Rainbow received a donation box with tons of homemade Christmas stockings and stocking stuffers. The kids opened them yesterday and they were all so excited to get a small toy, a piece of candy, and a hand painted Christmas shirt.
So now here are a few photos from the recent festivities...
New Years Eve we all stayed up on the patio and played games, watched a slide show of photos, ate, and set off fireworks. We also stayed up until 4am watching movies. It was a really fun night. Then New Years night we had a Night of Psalms at church and the theme was "Consecrate". This was a really nice refreshing time of renewal and guidance for the new year.
Rainbow received a donation box with tons of homemade Christmas stockings and stocking stuffers. The kids opened them yesterday and they were all so excited to get a small toy, a piece of candy, and a hand painted Christmas shirt.
So now here are a few photos from the recent festivities...
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