Quarter in review.

 I was thinking the other day that it had been awhile since I updated.  Now I see it's been too long!

The end of November we hosted an American Thanksgiving dinner with the extended family.  I (Christine) shared a little of the history of the relationship between the Pilgrims and Native American people.  I was greatful to have the opportunity to research it to refresh my memory because there were some interesting questions.

December began with a class closing party for my small group in Mabini and hen we took a break for the rest of the month from class.  Although it was a class break the time disappeared.  Jun and I did take a weekend away, but that brought us to a new church and relationship.  It was a super busy time for Jun who had to actually begin to say no to some things because he had so much with corn harvest and chainsaw work.   There were also plenty of parties and even a wedding.

January has brought a lot more already.  School started again so I have students coming for modular help.  Jun had a few neighbors help with shelling and drying the corn.  He has already had half of it ground for selling.  Total there is likely to be close to 400 kilos by the time he takes the second batch for grinding!  He has also been able to start cutting the lumber for building our house!

Mid January we were able to bless the new church we met with a dozen chairs to upgrade from rough wooden benches.  We were also able to spend that weekend in fellowship with them as they requested Jun to preach.  We were also blessed to attend the wedding of our nephew!

Next up is preparing for starting regular classes again.  Creating a new schedule might be interesting and I'm still not sure what our limitations will be.  Please pray that communication with officials is effective and beneficial.  The hope is to start again sometime next month.

I will try later this week to post pictures of some of these events!

Happy Fall and Beginning of the Holiday Season!

This time of year can be crazy normally, but many things we would normally do might be hindered by Covid and the rules in place to keep it to a minimum.  Here in the Philippines we are continuing to do what we can to fill the needs around us.  Some of those things include:

1. First Aid supplies 
2. School supplies 
3. Clothing and Shoes
4. Educational Support

If you, your family, small group, or church are looking for a way to give back, share the wealth, or “pay it forward” we can use help in these areas.  Ordinarily we have two ways to help... a. Financial Donations so we can buy what is needed OR b. Sending boxes of supplies via balikbayan box.  If you are interested in either please let me know because there are even options within each of those two!  

We are really hoping to get our first aid supplies refilled this coming year.  That may sound strange, but it can take up to six months to get supplies normally so possibly even longer with the current world situation.  I’m going to try to add a link to a simple flier created to share with groups who might be interested in helping collect items.  What complicates this process is how to send it.  We have shipped through a couple companies but timing and regulations for Covid might delay shipments.  I’m in the process of determining “if and when” shipments are being accepted.  HOWEVER, don’t let that hinder you in collecting items.  It can take some time to get enough supplies to fill a box (approximately 24x27x20 inch cube) and even if it cannot be sent now these types of things are always useful!

If you are interested in filling a box but are nervous about the process I can connect you with those who have done it in the past to hear how simple it really is... Just know that it’s not cost effective for you or us to send packages via regular post and addresses are different here than the US.   We can also give you specific “wish list” items besides the medical items.

Thank you for considering our ministry in your giving back to God! Link to Google Doc Wish List Flier:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/113bdqdirHTiljtj9TEjXYwB99c_mTGER6o4TNakEI-4/edit

Delicious-ness!

Sorry for the long delay, but these are the sample recipes my students made.  Also a few of the ones they wrote for me.

 

Why my husband is a better person than I am...

 

When I was young I often heard people refer to their spouse as their “better half.”  It was more often spoken by husbands of their wives and I guess I assumed it was something to do with the “helpmate” concept.  Now, as I am completing only 8 months of marriage I have a different understanding of Jun being my “better half.”

I have found that I am brought to tears and anger when I see our water source is quite literally dirty.  The same can happen when my kitchen counter or living room floor is invaded with ants.  Or even when I see people building grand houses when we are needing to loan them money or giving them rice so they can eat, but I’m sitting in a house that is leaking and ill equipped for the modern conveniences of life.  Jun on the other hand can just let it roll off his back like water off a duck.

I’m frustrated when I can’t do the “work” of teaching English like I came here to do.  Even though it’s because of Covid and all that implies, I still feel like I’m letting down my financial supporters and God but not having those regular classes and ministry opportunities.  Jun on the other hand says things like, “I don’t want to rush it just to have it our way and end up hurting people.”

I think of being a missionary as hosting Bible studies, preaching, and showing people the path to God.  When I asked Jun what it means to him that we are missionaries he said it was even about doing the things that sustain life like growing crops.

Now, I know Jun is not perfect.  I didn’t need 8 months of engagement and 8 months of marriage to know that.  He is a human being not God so it is a given that he is not perfect.  But in the last year and a half I have learned that he is a much better person than I am.  Jun is slow to get involved because he is afraid of hurting people.  I’m slow to get involved because I’m afraid there won’t be enough resources to support us and them.

In case you haven’t figured out why he is a better person than I am let me spell it out...

1. I have more concern for us and he has more concern for others.
2. I am afraid of failing my fellow man and he is afraid of failing God.
3. I am focused on making sure the resources are there for the future and he is focused on making use of what we already have to help others now.
4. My main emotion seems to be fear and his seems to be love.

Right now I am struggling with feeling like I’m a horrible human being.  I know it’s not true and Satan is just trying to get me down, but the struggle exists.  It is not something that will be easily overcome, but with our God and the man he has provided as my husband I will survive and even one day thrive again.  I need to refocus on the FACT that my worth is not in what I do, but who I am in Christ.

Need some encouragement yourself?  Be reminded of God’s mercy, grace and love in Romans 12.

A Message fro Jun

Somebody said there are only two English words Filipino farmers know.  1) Short 2) Failure

The experience of this can change some farmers to quit farming, specially when there’s no seeds to sow due to the shortage and failure.  But real farmers would always find a way to plant again.  If our works fail, God is always faithful to give seed for the sower and bread for the eater.  So, go on and cultivate your farm until you experience (your 3rd and 4th English words) BENEFIT and SUCCESS.

Isaiah 55: ““Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.” Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”” 

NIV