Moving Forward Despite the Conditions

The last few weeks have flown by and I don't know why.  Some moment feel like they last forever and others speed past in a blurry cloud of dust.

However, it seems to have been productive:

• We are nearing a full box to send off to our friends half a world away.
• I'm almost done with 5 more school credits. (Only 11 to go after that!)
• Curriculum development has started in written form instead of just ideas.
• Educational resources are starting to collect.
• I have a physical book for helping me learn Cebuano!
• 20% of my start up cost are covered!

On the other hand, if you received my newsletter you also know it just feels like the life of an average American.  I eat, sleep, and work.  I'm still excited about the future and how things are coming together for my departure and the language program, but some days it just feels unreal and I wonder if my departure from the US will ever happen.  Things come up such as unexpected expenses, education requirements, or insufficient long term provisions and I get discouraged.  Then other things come up such as a unexpected donation, knowledge that previous experience cuts education requirements, or visits with local friends and I am encouraged by the general forward motion.

I am still a long ways off and can't give an actual date for departure, but the plan still holds and is progressing forward.  Lord willing, spring will not only bring forth new plant life, but also the major move across the globe to my other family in Bohol!

Speaking of my family in Bohol... prayers are desperately needed!  In early July there was a 6.5 strength earthquake whose epicenter was the neighboring island.  That island supplied their power and the connections were severed.  They have been without consistent power since (barely a couple hours a day if that), but life goes on as normal.  The kids still have to go to school and the adults still have to go to work.  It gets dark around 5:30 pm so bedtime is quite early with out lights.  The two big concerns without power are: 1. no filtration for the water business = no income to support the orphanage and 2. no fans or air conditioning + hot + humid = miserable children who are exhausted just from the weather.

Their box won't arrive in time to help with power loss, so we will wait a little longer as there are still some things we want to add (will send the box in 1-2 weeks):

• volleyballs
• basketballs
• footballs
• adult and children's allergy
• adult and children's cough/cold
• adult and children's Tylenol
• ALSO NEEDED, cash to cover the cost to ship the box