new reasons to give thanks

The day came all too soon.

The day to pack up their belongings, and to drive Amy and Elise off to college.

 Last Friday, through a few tears, we loaded a friend's truck

and drove to campus where we joined the lines at the dorm.

 Student volunteers with big rolling carts

were poised to help the freshmen unload, and to move into their rooms.

This door (above) had Elise's and Amy's names on it;

the spot reserved for two sisters to make a new home together.

God provided them (thanks to scholarships!) with an beautiful dorm suite,

including a kitchen and their own bathroom.

They even have their own bedrooms...for the very first time in their lives!

 We had just enough time to help them move furniture around, 

eat lunch together, 

pray, 

and give some long hugs.

Then us3 turned and walked out.

As I looked back with tears, 

I wondered why every other person I passed wasn't crying too.

And then I remembered that I've been blessed 

with something in these daughters of ours

that I can never take for granted.

I've been blessed with two sweet, loving relationships,

a family with countless, precious shared memories.

And it's because it's been so good

that it's so hard to be apart.

But Elise and Amy,

though home is just not the same without you,

I wouldn't want it any other way.

I thank God that you have the minds and strength,

the courage and the maturity

to open this new wonderful chapter of college!

As you tell us about new friends made, new ideas learned, new campus ministries enjoyed, I find new reasons to give thanks to God, as He proves Himself faithful to you.  It's my prayer that in this new place you will grow to know and trust Him like never before.  And we'll do the same here back at home, learning of His goodness in every new circumstance of life.

Your sheets are washed, and I'm already looking forward to your first visit back home, you2! 

As my friend J wondered, I also wonder if God the Father isn't equally eager for the day when His beloved children will be all together, at Home in His house.

Giving thanks,by grace alone...

presenting the class of 2014

Graduation - Thursday, May 22nd

Congratulations, Amy and Elise...

we are delighted in each of you...

profoundly thankful for both of you, 

and for the wonderful people who have impacted you here in Davao.

 We're so excited to see what God will do in the coming months and years of your lives.

 May you never know an hour apart from Him,

and may His goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your lives.

 CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2014!

"You'll travel where my arms won't reach
As the road will rise to lead your feet
On a journey of your own.
May my mistakes not hinder you
But His grace remain and guide you through;
This is my prayer for you.

Take His hand
And go where He calls you to.
And whatever comes, seek Him
With all your heart;
This will be my prayer for you.

Father, hear my ceaseless prayer;
Oh keep them in your care."

From: A Mother's Prayer
by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty,
and Fionan de Barra

whirlwind of transition

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind

as we prepare for our departure from the Philippines.

Along with many other things, we've treasured time with friends,

cheered as Michael celebrated his 8th grade commencement,

Michael (front and center) with the rest of the 8th grade class

moved from our house to a guesthouse,

Amy and Elise on an early morning run with their friend, T

 treasured more time with friends,

Michael's buddies

and another Michael buddy who brought a sweet going-away gift

visited Immigration for more fingerprints,

prepared for finals and...

GRADUATION!

(tomorrow!)

our sweet friends pick up the items they bought

and dispersed the last of our household goods.

 Transition is never easy.

But we give thanks for God's goodness...

for our health and strength,

for Elise's braces that came off last night! 

that Amy and Elise have been asked to walk in graduation with the senior class,

(though they are part-time students)

for this guesthouse - a quiet, cool harbor through the transition,

and for those of you who are praying for us through this process...

thank you!

It is well for us that, amidst all the variableness of life, 

there is One whom change cannot affect; 

One whose heart can never alter, 

and on whose brow mutability can make no furrows. 

  ~ Charles Spurgeon

team travel

Early last Wednesday morning our whole family arrived at the airport,

ready to join the school ISAC teams (International Schools Athletic Competition)

on a trip to Subic for the spring tournament.

We were excited...it was Amy and Elise's last tournament,

and our first time to go cheer them on!

 Sleepy teammates converge at the airport

The boys load all of our luggage on the bus

 In Manila we met up with our boy's basketball team;

they had taken an earlier flight that morning.

(What gentlemen.)

 And we started our 3-hour bus ride to Subic.

Much of it was through Manila traffic, 

but we also got to see some beautiful countryside (above).

Subic itself is unlike any other place we've been in the Philippines.

The strong American military presence here up until 1992

  left much reminiscent of America - 

military housing is now considered an upscale neighborhood,

and hotels and restaurants left from 20 years ago still dominate the landscape.

 Even our host school was once a DOD campus.

 Though our girls didn't place in the finals,

they played strong, and gave those teams a run for their money!

 We loved cheering our teams on,

and seeing their strong character and sportsmanship on the field and off.

Elise (center) warms up before a game

Amy warming up with a teammate.

Though Subic had a very American feel,

there were reminders that we were not in California.

The banana trees (above) right outside the soccer field fence attract monkeys.

We didn't see any during the games, but the athletic director told us that

occasionally monkeys will steal balls off the field during a game!

Michael and a friend saw some monkeys at the side of the road watching our bus go by,

and one host family told our girls to close their bedroom window,

because otherwise monkeys would come in to join the party.

Amy cools off after a game

 It was an intense three days, with three games the first day,

and the blazing sun required our girls to get lots of hydration, 

sunscreen and rest.

But it was also a fun three days filled with time sweating and laughing together,

supporting and encouraging each other, and experiencing life with host families from other cultures.

 It was a time to be built up and encouraged by our coaches,

 

all of whom helped our team remember to care for themselves
 physically, emotionally and spiritually,


and to find joy in the experience,

finding their identity not in winning, but in God.

Thank you, coaches!!

 "A life of frustration is inevitable
for any coach whose main enjoyment
is winning."
-Chuck Noll

A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning.

Chuck Noll

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/coach.html#dtrqQqALWuMYgSvr.99

A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning.

Chuck Noll

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/coach.html#dtrqQqALWuMYgSvr.99

A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning.

Chuck Noll

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/coach.html#dtrqQqALWuMYgSvr.99

A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning.

Chuck Noll

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/coach.html#dtrqQqALWuMYgSvr.9

Michael climbs a volcano

Last Monday morning, Michael got up at 3 AM, 

packed last-minute essentials in his bag, 

and headed to the airport.

There he met up with his classmates, and boarded a plane for the island of Luzon

to participate in his second Outdoor Education experience.

Photo by Michael

 They traveled by bus to "Base Camp" where they joined with students from Manila to make a group of over 200 middle schoolers.  From there they split into three travel groups, 

rotating to visit three different locations during the week.

Michael's first day's trip was to Taal Volcano, about 30 miles south of Manila.

(Okay, Michael didn't take this one!) photo credits: Wikipedia

 Taal is the second most active volcano in the Philippines, with 33 recorded eruptions.

It's been pretty quiet since 1977; long enough to make it an interesting but safe place to explore!

 His group boarded a barge (above) pushed by one boat and pulled by another (see below) 

toward the island volcano (which you can also see in the photo below)

 Here they set up camp, and then hiked across the island 

of volcanic rock to the volcanic lake in the center.

Michael and a friend at the overlook

They swam in Lake Taal

Michael poses by a steaming hot fumarole

and explored the beach around it, carefully avoiding hot spots in the rock,

and these burning fumaroles; cracks in the earth's crust emitting steam and gasses.

Michael said that this one (above) was a little frightening, with no bottom in view

He had other adventures last week too, including learning to dive,

killing and cooking a chicken for dinner, 

ministering to kids from a local school,

snorkeling, competing in games,

and sleeping out under the stars, on a bed of coral rock.

He was happy to get back to a mattress, a hot shower and flushing toilet, and something other than PB 'n Js for lunch, but he loved the experience, and has some fabulous memories as a result.

Thanks to all of the adults who led these kids on such an adventure!  

We're thankful for each one of you!

from basketball starters to night of stars

The International School Athletic Conference gathered

from January 22nd- 25th at the British School of Manila.

There our high school girls' basketball team (including Elise and Amy) and the boys' soccer team competed with several other schools in the league.

 Top: all of the delegates from our school in Davao

Bottom Left: Sister-work - Elise picks an opponent to make room for Amy to get through

Bottom Middle: our girls' team won 3rd place - not bad for a school 1/4 the size of most of the others!

Bottom Right: Amy is named one of the All-ISAC team

 **********

Then last weekend Amy and Elise joined together musically on stage 

at the school's Night of Stars performing "Concerning Hobbits" in a beautiful piano/flute duet.

(Yes, I'm a little bit biased.)

How thankful we are for opportunities like this

in a community of believers unlike anything we could have imagined.

It's been a wonderful thing in the lives of our children.

 "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, 
for the sake of the kingdom of God,  

who will not receive many times as much at this time 

and in the age to come, eternal life."

Luke 18:29-30

And we give thanks to God for His faithfulness...

tcks

The senior class of the international school - Amy and Elise: 5th and 6th from left

Yesterday was the last day of the school semester,

and it came with reminders again of the uniqueness of life overseas.

Since the Korean College year begins in February,

four of the Korean seniors graduated at first semester in order to enter college in 2014.

graduating seniors receiving their diplomas

The high school staff and students gathered around them to pray,

to entrust them to God's care,

knowing that this may be the very last time they are all together.

When you live overseas, 

and study with people from all over the world,

graduation means a severance of greater proportions, 

knowing that the goodbyes you say may be the last ones ever in person.

The senior class...photo thanks to Mr. T

Though our children are part-time students,

they belong here with these TCKs (third culture kids);

people who have moved away from their home land (first culture),

are living in a foreign country (second culture),

and have created a third culture here together where they all belong.

You know you are a TCK when:

1. "Where are you from?" has more than one correct answer, and you never know which one to use

2. You get nervous when college applications ask for your permanent address

3. You convert any price to two different currencies before making significant purchases

4. You know that McDonalds tastes drastically different from country to country

5. You are the token exotic friend among your national friends

6. You feel odd being in the ethnic majority

7. You have a passport but no driver's license

8. You think VISA is a document stamped on your passport; not a plastic card in your wallet

9. You get homesick reading National Geographic

10. Your circle of friends is as politically, racially and religiously diverse as the United Nations

11. You are really good at calculating time differences

13. You read the foreign news before the national news

12. You think that high school reunions are all but impossible

13. You can't find your family in an American store because everyone looks the same

14. You sort your friends by continent

15. You know that "home" isn't a place, it's the people in it

16. You realize what a small world it is, after all