there and back again

While Mark was away in another S.E. Asian country,

this (below) was his home away from home:

The open-air deck (upstairs) is where Mark and his roommate slept, 

for the sake of a little bit of air flow on those hot, stuffy nights.  

 E, a little girl who helped out around the house, 

poses by the only running water source at the house - an outdoor tap. 

 Mark does his laundry -  each cycle required a manual fill and drain, 

and the clothes had to be moved into the spinner after washing.

(Great time to pause and give thanks for my washing machine...)

 The upstairs of the house where the 14 staff members slept.  

Through the 'Hobbit Hole' at the back of the photo is the balcony that was Mark's room.

(Notice his mosquito net-covered mattress on the floor?)

Mark poses with F, his room mate for 3 weeks.

F's servant's heart was so evident as he voluntarily swept and mopped 

the dusty upstairs floor every morning before work,

singing as he cleaned.

Above: a few shots from around the city.  Its claim to fame is that it's at the equator.  This friendly man on a scooter not only showed Mark the way to the equatorial monument, but also gave him a ride there!

Mark ran almost every morning he was there. 
He took this cool shot of one of his running companions on a hazy morning.

Mark had a few opportunities to explore the city - usually with his fellow-workers (top).

The little guy on the bottom left was a little wary of this strange man, but with some prompting from his mom gave Mark a thumbs-up.  And the friendly "bus" driver on the bottom right talked excitedly to Mark until he figured out that Mark didn't understand his language.

The world is a book, 

and those who do not travel read only a page.

- Augustine

We're so thankful you're back home, Mark,

but grateful too that you could make this journey...

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

Saint Augustine

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_travel.html#pR217bVq82LIsTTG.99

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

Saint Augustine

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_travel.html#pR217bVq82LIsTTG.99

caught by surprise

 We've lived in Davao since July of 2009, long enough to know this place pretty well.

How is it then that every time I leave our home,

I see new things that surprise me?

Enjoy a few glimpses of surprising elements of life in this country.

I only wish I was quick enough to catch the most amazing ones on camera...

a little boy watches traffic at a busy intersection

Recycling old TVs...it's an uphill job

Jacob had a pillow of stone; this guy's whole bed is just as soft

Somehow I think these guys have what they'd need to fix any radiator in town

Davao River at its best...the clouds were breathtaking!

Yes, the new city speed limits are pretty low...

Furniture Row.  This street is lined with furniture makers with their wares displayed for sale in the road

Make you feel like yodeling?

That's a mighty small lodge...

A shopper (in orange shirt) karaokes in the mall

Bags of ice water on a hot day

Who needs a mini-van?

Umm...are those what I think they are?

In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.
Leo Tolstoy

Have you seen anything that surprised you today??

This is post #600!  Thanks to all of you who stop by and visit us here!

we will not hide them

This weekend we gathered together for our annual Staff Retreat.

It was a time of encouragement and fellowship, fun and reflection.

We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.

Psalm 78:4 

 Several of our co-workers shared with us 'the glorious deeds of the Lord,'
as He cared for them through various challenges.

 The theme verse,

"casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

1 Peter 5:7
 reminded us of His un-relenting care for His own.

 
 Thanks to all of you who shared,
showcasing again the wonders God has done!

 Then there was time for some 'minute-to-win-it' games,

 and throughout the day Ate Bebe cared for the children,
providing them with fun activities
and lessons of God's care for them.

 Ate Tata helped with the little ones.  
Thank you, Ates!

We are privileged to work with a committed, enthusiastic, and loving community of believers.
May God bless the work of your hands, 
and continue to be glorified through your lives!

 

faith comes by hearing

Esther is a sweet, soft-spoken Filipina Christian who loves to attend church, 

where she hears the words that equip her for every good work. (Eph. 4:11-12)

Esther was just 12 years old when she came down with a bad case of measles. The doctor urged her father to take steps to save Esther's sight.  But Esther's mother was also very sick with another disease, and since their family had very little money available, Esther's father had to choose which one of them would receive medical help.

He chose to help her mother.  Esther's mother died.  And Esther lost her sight.

So then faith comes by hearing, 

and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17

Being blind, Esther is unable to read God's Word.  For her, faith literally comes by hearing.  That's why she loves to come to church, to hear the Word, and to be reminded of God's care for her.  And that's why it's so exciting for Esther to have received one more way to hear.  Last Sunday, the church gave an exciting tool to Esther; an Audibible.

Audibible is a hand-held audio player in a sturdy case, capable of holding hundreds of hours of high quality audio content.  The Audibible was designed and developed as a cost efficient, durable tool to meet the needs of those who do not or cannot read.

Because the Audibible is solar powered, it doesn't require any costly batteries to keep it powered.  

A solar-powered device works great in this sunny climate!  

Esther receives her new Audibible, enabling her to listen to the Word in Cebuano

Audibibles are widely used to distribute God's Word in the Philippines. This is a country where, despite a high level of literacy (officially 92.6%), most people do not read.  One reason for that is that most available books are written either in English or in the national language. I don't know about you, but if I didn't have literature in my first language, I wouldn't be reading much for pleasure!

In addition, the Filipino climate and conditions are unfriendly to books.  Heat, humidity, and frequent flooding cause warping and molding, and hungry termites destroy what's left.  (That's such a sad truth for those of us who love books!)

These tough Audibibles, available in many languages, are a fabulous way to distribute the Word of God to many people who otherwise would not, or in Esther's case, cannot read it. May much faith come by hearing!

*Many thanks to Amanda C. for your labor of love to package and send Audibibles this direction!

such sweet sorrow

In a community like ours we find ourselves all too frequently saying good-byes to colleagues

who are either going back to the US for a short time, 

or to colleagues who are leaving Davao for good,

moving on to other areas of ministry and work.

This summer I said one of those long-term good-byes to a very dear friend,

Leanne, (center) who befriended me from the first days of our arrival,

 

who along with her husband invited our family to join their family 

in the village of their ministry back in 2011,

who celebrated holidays with us,

and who worked and prayed with me on several exciting projects.

Leanne will be missed in many spheres - 

including her ministry at a local maternity clinic,

and in her loving, quiet service and encouragement toward so very many of our colleagues.

A send-off for Leanne and her family

You are and will be missed, Leanne.

We trust that God has wonderful things in store for your family,

and that He will bless you as you have blessed others

in His name.

Go in peace! 

I will not say: do not weep; 

for not all tears are an evil.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Raisa's salsa

 What do you do when your family loves salsa,

but the cheapest jar of salsa you can buy locally is over $4?

Well, we did buy it, and we used it sparingly.

Until Raisa told me that she knows how to make it.  

(Why did I never think of making it?)

Raisa is an enthusiastic young Filipina woman who is a Foodie at heart,

eager to try new recipes, and to learn everything she can.

When we returned to Davao in January, she was looking for some extra work,

and was willing to come as our helper for a few hours each Monday morning.

Raisa starts out her work week by preparing bread or tortillas or muffins for us,

a huge blessing when we bake almost all of our own breads
in a perpetually hot, sweaty kitchen.

Besides, Raisa is just plain fun to have around.

And Raisa knows how to whip up salsa with a kick.

So instead of our paying $4 for a jar of salsa,

Raisa now provides us with a batch of 5 jars for just over $2.

And it's delicious.

Raisa's Salsa 
(recipe adapted from Judy C's.!)

3 yellow onions, diced
1 1/2 c. green or red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 T chopped chili peppers w/seeds (add more for hot, less for mild)
6 cups chopped tomatoes
4 tsp brown sugar
2/3 c apple cider vinegar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1/2 c tomato paste
2 tsp cumin

·         Put all of the above into a big pot and cook it all for 20 minutes on low heat

·         When cooked, blend it all together in a blender (or a food processor if you have one!) for a few seconds, depending on how chunky you like your salsa

·        Pour into jars and allow to cool before covering

·        This freezes well, if you can stop eating it while you still have enough left to freeze!
 

Thanks, Raisa, for all you do!

all fear is gone

Today I sat in the chair as my new dentist cleaned my teeth.

Yes, in these parts the dentist does that job.

As I sat, I realized how tense I had become; 

my fists were clenched, and even my toes felt taut.

It was then that my dentist began to sing out, 

 her voice muffled just a bit behind her mask:

"Because He lives,

I can face tomorrow,

because He lives,

all fear is gone..."

As she continued to sing,

I smiled somewhere between the suction tube and the clamps stretching my mouth wide,

that God had inspired my Filipina dentist to remind me

right there in the chair, to relax and trust Him.

Have you ever been surprised by the tools God has used to remind you to trust?

things not seen

Ann was just thirteen years old when she and her three siblings came down with the measles.  Raised in a quiet rural setting on this Filipino island, though the immunization was free, they never did get the measles vaccine.   

And it wasn’t just a simple case of measles.  It was serious enough to claim the lives of her two sisters, and to blind both Ann and her 15 year-old brother.  The doctor had hopes that he might help Ann to recover some of her vision, but Ann’s parents rejected the treatment, fearful that it might bring even more grief.

A few years later, after the death of both of her parents, Ann moved to the city where she found a job at a blind massage center.  She was trained to strengthen her hands to ease the tension from the shoulders of people she could not see.  Then Ann got pregnant, and though the responsibility was weighty, the new infant girl was her delight.    

Visiting her aunt, Ann left the baby with her for a short time to rest.  But while she slept, Ann’s aunt took the 2-week old baby and sold it to another family, believing that Ann in her blindness wasn’t capable of raising the child on her own.

Ann was in despair.  She quit attending church, angry and wounded.  She married a quiet, stable young man, also partially blind, and found some solace in his care for her, but two years later she’s still struggling with the loss of her baby.  She knows the child is living somewhere in another city, but not only will Ann never see her daughter, she will never hold her in her arms again. She says that she finds it so hard to forgive, yet a voice inside tells her that is what she must do.  

Ann is now at our local church with her husband, longing for comfort and peace.  She’s listening to the book of Job, trying to come to terms with God’s sovereignty and His ability to bring life out of pain.

And though Ann may never be fully comforted in this life, though all of her grief may not be erased, she has a hope that reaches beyond all this.  Her hope stems from God’s own searing agony, in willingly sending His own precious Child to a destiny of suffering, appointing Christ to bear the judgment for her sin so that even in her temporary pain, she might never know a day apart from Him.

God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.

 – Saint Augustine

 Ann trusts in Christ’s work for her.  She knows that her sight will one day be restored and her grief will be soothed.     

One day, outside of this brief window of time, the rest of us who rest in His grace will also be freed from our own physical pain and our own individual sorrows.  Because of that day, we can already by faith, in the midst of pain, praise Him for rescuing us from the domain of darkness through the voluntary sacrifice of His only Son.  

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1