Overwhelmed!

Okay, so that title can be a little misleading.  I am not meaning it in the commonly assumed negative connotation.  But in that I am overwhelmed = overcome completely in mind and feeling.  As I am experiencing this feeling this week it is in a completely affirming and positive way.

As many of you know I have been planning for several years to go to the Philippines to teach English.  Along the way I have been open to the idea that God used that sense of calling as a way to motivate me back into school and the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), but not necessarily to the specific place I was imagining all those years ago back in 2010.  Since then I have completed my BS in Interdisciplinary Studies focusing on intercultural communications and TESOL and now I am halfway through an MA in TESOL.  I have also maintained contact with the friends I made on Bohol.

As I was graduating, in 2015 I thought perhaps God was calling me to Romania instead as a very specific opportunity laid itself at my feet.  Over the course of several months God made it clear that was not where he wanted me.  Instead I took a position locally teaching English through AmeriCorps.  It was a great growth and learning opportunity, but also not where I was feeling led for the long term.  Then this past December/January I was able to revisit my friends on Bohol and talk about the plans.  Since that time I have been a bit dazed at the possibilities.  I won't bore you with anymore details, but things are no longer just thoughts and plans.  This is becoming a reality!

As of last week Friday I have been officially welcomed in the Commission to Every Nation (CTEN) family!  It has only been 4 days, but I have felt incredibly welcomed by this family.  They are the US based organization that will help me through the process of raising funds, preparing to depart, and mentoring along the way even after I'm overseas.  This does not mean I don't need my other families as well, they are just joining my crew :)  I will still need to lean on my biological and church families as well as the many friends who are standing with me in this process.

I am still in that state of being overwhelmed so my thoughts are not completely collected, but this means some really great things are going to be happening in the next couple of weeks.  We are working on setting things up, but if you have just been waiting for the tax-deductible convenience before donating to this ministry now is your chance!  You can give as easily as going to this site: http://cten.org/christinedavenport/  As of right now that is a way to give online if you are in the US.  In the near future there will also be a short blurb about the ministry on that same page.  If you are not keen on online giving, please keep your eyes on the left side of my blog in the coming weeks you will find a resource link titled "Funding the Mission."  It will include how to mail or call in donations as well as information if you are Canadian :)

And now for some more of the much anticipated photos of my recent visit.

 The Cajigas' balcony where the kids like to hang out and play or read books.

 The yard looking out from the balcony.  That is another house on the left and the church on the right.

 Just a common site everywhere we went.  It's a little blurry because I took it while we were driving down the road.

 Some of the kids receiving their Christmas gifts from donations that were shared.

 I wasn't so sure about the hats as it's not really that cold there, but I saw several of them wearing them even a couple of weeks later!  Thanks!

 Just hanging out on the front porch.  The light blue in the background is the children's shelter and the dark blue (barely noticeable on the far right) is the front of the Cajigas home where we were standing.

 This is one of the first friends I made way back in 2004!  She is now married and just had her baby the week before I arrived.  I am now a ninang (godmother) to this precious little one.

 One night Jonah just wanted to celebrate and so took many of us out to dinner at an outdoor place.  The locals call it 'Sky's the Limit,' because with out a roof you are dining under the stars.

 It is really where the buses park during the day.  But at night vendors come along and barbecue and grill all kinds of meat and serve soup.  You can bring your own rice or they have it available to purchase.

 Mark just being curious.  This was our tourist day :)  A couple of times we thought he might just jump right out!

 This was the team of youth who did the worship conference.  As a treat before the other conference we spent a day at this place enjoying the hot springs and swimming.

 Most of the kids tried to pretend they were shy and would hide their faces when they saw a camera.  Here James is cleaning wood for cooking.

 Faith getting ready to ligo (bath) at the water pump.  Laundry was also done at this pump.

 This is the remodeled orphanage.  I don't know how much came down from what I helped build in 2004, but they definitely reinforced the main floor with brick all the way up and added a second floor.

 Jonah's dad build a new bookshelf because we donated so many books!  Jess was already hoping one would happen, but I think our donations made it happen :)  Now there is a dedicated kids book shelf!

 Some of the men hanging out after church on a Sunday.  I think they might have been discussing something particular, but I don't remember why it was only guys.

 For those of you who might know... this is Alfredo.  He was the oldest of the first group of siblings to live at the orphanage after we built it in 2004.  He is now married and has kids of his own!

 The fearless Cajigas family!  They were such gracious hosts. :)

 I think I already posted this, but just in case.  This is the house parents and the children living at the shelter (two of them belong to the house parents).

The fearless Dupalco family!  I wish I had more time with them while I was there, but there is always next time :)

Finally!

I have been back in Arizona for 3 weeks now.  I am finally starting to feel a little like normal.  I still struggle to get up and start my day because no on is around all day long to motivate me into getting up, but I think I am finally jet lag free.  I have been struggling to keep up with my current class, but this past week was a "break" so we didn't have anything due.  That gave me the opportunity to get a little caught up in other areas.

Today I am going to the post office to mail 20 envelopes with pictures and cards.  I wish I had enough energy to do more, but over the course of the next couple of months I am hoping to design a newsletter and start sending them quarterly.  If you would like to receive these, please let me know.  I already have a list that I will send my initial newsletters to, but I would love to add more!

I'd like to share a little more about the second half of my visit so here it goes.  The last update ended with us having returned to Bohol after an extended stay on neighboring island Negros.  We had arrived back to Juagdan very early in the morning on Friday (3:00 am).  Thankfully I didn't have any particular thing to do that day so I was able to sleep in a bit and got a decent 6 hours of sleep.  Some of the others on the other hand had to host a Christmas party for the local young people, they had a rough day.  Then Saturday there was a mix of parties and gatherings that happened at the church and it ended with a great fireworks presentation to bring in the New Year!  In the Philippines it is legal to set off the big shooting fireworks and at least 2 sets of them were purchased and a lot of people gathered to watch them.

The last three weeks sort of blend together because there were no specific events aside from my last three days.  Life just went on as usual.  There were two typhoons that caused a lot of rain and wind and school was off for a couple of days.  I did my laundry and often watched Mama Bebee cooking to see if I could figure it out.  The two guys who work the water business live in the house and so they each took a turn cooking.  Ogeke is still learning, so he didn't do much, but it was good.  Junrey can cook for me anytime because he makes great seafood!

I was able to meet with Mama Anging and talk about a lot of the plans.  She really likes where I am heading for the program and had a few suggestions to add.  They would like me to get involved with the young people's group as this covers from teenagers until you get married (and I'm not married).  They would also like me to preach occasionally.  On the first point I wholeheartedly agree.  I will get involved in the young peoples group because they will likely be my students and friends :)  On the second point I told her that is not how it works for Americans so it will take me a while to get used to the idea of preaching.  I told her I would need at least 6 months, maybe a year, before I would feel comfortable preaching, but I would work on it since that is how it works in the Philippines.

After proposing my ideas and getting questions answered with Mama Anging, she wanted me to meet  with the church leaders and tell them about it.  She said she shared some of the idea, but wanted me to tell them in my words and see if they had any questions.  I was a little nervous, because I only knew about half of the people.  But I knew most of them understand a fair amount of English so that was easier.  When I asked if there were any questions Kuya Romeo said, "No, it's clear."  They did end up asking a few questions and really seemed to like the idea and are anxious to get it started.  Their prayer is that I can come sooner, but I told them the soonest would be 1 year (Jan/Feb 2018).

I did a lot of observation of people and how things work for day to day life and feel pretty ready to make this work.  I also took note of prices on certain things when at the markets and shops to know what a budget will likely be.  I am nervous about the initial start up cost, and even a bit about the necessary monthly pledges.  However, I know it is all in God's timing and he will make happen what needs to happen.

My last three days were very eventful, but as this is already long I will wait and post that another time with a lot of pictures.  I'm still sorting through and making a detailed slide show.  Perhaps in another three weeks I will have that done and post it!

Thank you for your support!