Cold Showers, Bugs, and Jesus

Ok so quick update I made it safely to Maylaybalay city. Manila is still near and very dear to my heart but the quiet peaceful countryside here in Mindinao is grow nearer to my heart each day I spend here. I love that you can here crickets and animals and not traffic and chaos. There are so many neat kids and people we have had an opportunities to meet here as well. One thing I must say though is I DO NOT LIKE BUGS (and does this place have an abundance of them). The weather here is also much cooler than Manila raining almost every afternoon. The cooler weather does make not having hot water in the showers a bit less tolerable than in Manila ( think the pacific ocean in the winter). All in all God has great plans and potential for the property we are staying on and for the children's home that is still under construction. This place is more campy which I love as well. I will have tons of stories and will be sure to share them when I get home.... speaking of that ...... I will be home this Saturday evening ..... How the time flew. Love you all!!!!!!!!! See you when I get home.

A Quick Update

It has been a little over a week since arriving here in Manila. The humidity is still a bit draining but we all have acclimated pretty well to the weather over here. It is just a matter of dealing with constantly being sticky and wet. So much has been done since we have arrived both spiritually and physically that it is hard to believe that it was all done in such a short time. The past few days we have been going out to a squatter area about 40 mins. away that burnt down and left 500 + families without their homes.... we have been bringing them water, food, clothes, and whatever else we could find that would help hold some families over. Going out to the burn site with all the families and seeing first hand the devastation that was caused by this fire was overwhelming at best. The sights and sounds were all very dreary especially since it was raining as well.... but most of the people seemed in high spirits with thankful attitudes and warm smiles. Also for the last few days we have been helping out a Flipino friend whose name is Emily with her homeless children feeding ministry in the early evenings. That has been a huge blessing for the entire team. Not only do we get to fill these children's stomachs we also get to fill their minds and hearts with the truth and love that is presented in the Bible. We get to put on Bible themed skits and share testimonies that are then translated into tagalog by Emily. During the time we also get to sing songs and play games with the children ( they catch on so quickly). Their favorite song is "father Abraham" and they love playing simon says. Today Me, Rachel, and Corrie got to plant some shrubs that will help when the rainy season comes ..... then Me, Cherish , and Heather began some painting on the Ministry center next door to where we are staying. We are all getting ready to go to Emily's one last time this evening. So thanks for your continued prayers
Some Prayer Request
~ for the 500+ families that were displaced by the fire
~ for Emily's ministry for the homeless children
~ for continued team strength both mentally and physically

Magandang Tanghali...... Good Afternoon

Our first day here was a really long day. We got to the house and were able to settle in .... but Jeff wanted us to keep moving so that jet lag would not set in so we went over and played with the kids for a while and then went on a tour of the community around the house. There was so much poverty it was heartbreaking at times I felt like crying. The people are so happy and content to be in whatever junk and scraps they can find to build their houses out of. So after a couple hour walking tour of the community and the different buildings that KIM has in the community(which were all erected by short term teams like ourselves) we went back to the house and had dinner (which was delicious ) One of our team members birthday was yesterday so Jeff treated us all to Starbucks and a huge chocolate cake. Then it was bedtime for us. We woke up the morning around 7:30 to have breakfast and start our day in the community helping a woman build a more substantial house. Little did we know that meant the world's worst/slick hill ever and about 600 cinder block and about 40 bags of cement(weighing 90 pounds each) that needed to be toted down this hill. We were all exhausted but toted it all down there in about 3 hours. Then we came back and had lunch (Flipino women are amazing cooks). After lunch some of the team went back to haul gravel and sand in bags as well. All this and it is only 3 in the afternoon. So all in all we are all healthy and happy but very tired. Pictures coming soon! Love you all continue to pray for us!

We made it

We made it safely and with out incident to Hong Kong and now it is a short layover here and then a quick 2 hour flight to Manila thanks for all your prayers. Here are a few pictures at the airport

Sidney and Rachel


Me, Joe , Trevor, Justin , Charlie, and Corrie

the view is beautiful from the huge window out to the misty moutians behind the tarmac

Me and Sarah tired from long flight!

Well got to go my computer is dying so I send my love back to you all and well update as soon as I can.
Love,
Jessica

Never To Dwell Again

Jeremiah 42:22
"Now therefore know for a certainty that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live"

So many times we will desire to go back and dwell in our Egypt. We long for the days that sin ruled our being. In the end this desire to dwell in the place we have been freed from will slowly kill us

We have been delivered from Egypt may we never desire to go back least that desire bring us to ruin. It is a certain death there are no ifs.... ands.... or buts about it.

We need to live like we have been set free. When the Lord warns us and sends His Word to bring us truth and salvation heading that Word is a must. Back to Egypt we shall never go

Pressing On

I just got back from accountability group at the Mooney's house. I had such a wonderful time sharing our weeks and encouraging one another on towards our goals of developing spiritual disciplines. I would have to say that I have grown so much in my appreciation for God's word and have been able to see a consistent growth in my daily time in His word. I realize that even though I see progress that does not mean that I stop there I must continue to press on to greater and greater goals. Every time we get together we share what our goals are. Mine for the next couple weeks are:
1. Memorize the rest of James Chapter 2
2. Develop a more consistent and intentional prayer time and not so much of a pray when I think about it prayer life.

So thanks to all the lovely norco ladies and others who are pushing towards the goal of knowing and loving Christ more!

Strength in Weakness

Today my mind is a little uneasy. I left the team meeting for our trip to the Philippines feeling really heavy. I think the reality of the fact that I am going to the Philippines this summer is setting in and I am excited but at the same time kind of unnerved. You never really understand the amount of spiritual preparation it takes to go on a missions trip until you are in the midst of the planning and training. I now the the Lord is good and He is ultimately in control over all aspects of this trip, but I feel for some reason inadequate (Not that I don't think God can use me because I know He can). It is more of a submitting to God's will and being humbled that is happening. I am completely inadequate and unworthy of what He has entrusted me with and that is the ability to be a vessel and messenger of His truth. I know that it is by His grace and mercy alone that I am able to go with boldness and confidence and show His love to those I may come in contact with. I want to be intentional in my time over in the Philippines with Christ as my sole focus and desire. I want to have His plan and purpose of salvation in mind ; at the same time it is easy to become complacent and not really be intentional in what I do . Why is this? Ok so I think that is enough rambling for the night. I hope that those who read this would keep me in their prayers over the next few months as I prepare to go over and work with Kids International Ministry in the Philippines this summer.
Here are some things you can pray for:

• Financial Plans and fund raising
  

• That I would be spending time daily in prayer and the word intentionally preparing for this trip

• That I would budget my time wisely as to best serve and be a part of the team that is going

• That I would begin to grow a deep and lasting affection for the Filipino People

• Mental , physical and spiritual strength now and during the trip

I would covet any and all prayers. This is a verse my friend gave me when I was telling her how insufficient I felt for this task and it brought me great comfort

2 Corinthians 12:9
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. "

God's grace is the only thing that makes me sufficient to do the work of the kingdom. I take great pleasure in knowing that in my weakness Christ's power is set on display and all the glory to Him belong because of nothing I did but His power in me.

Thoughts

I have decided that I need to start blogging again. I think it is something that will help keep me accountable to learn and hash out the things I am learning in God's word. For now I am just going to share a few verses that impacted me today

Proverbs 19:21
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man,but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand"

We can get so wrapped up in making plans for the future and even just planning what the next step we need to take in our lives is that we forget the one whose sovereign purpose for our life stands eternally. We are so fickle and scatter brained that we can change our minds as often as we change our clothes. It is so refreshing to know that our God is not like us in that way. God's counsel and purpose are steadfast and unchanging.

Proverbs 19:27
"cease to hear instruction, my son, and YOU WILL STRAY from the words of knowledge

My pastor kind of touched on this topic a while back but it has really stuck with me. Just the fact that when you stop listening to and seeking after wisdom you by default are following folly and foolishness. You are either moving forward and seeking the things of God (wise and righteous things) or you are in reverse seeking and following foolishness. There is no neutral position to take when seeking after the things of God and when you don't seek wisdom YOU WILL STRAY. Such a powerful and convicting message from the word. I know I don't always seek wisdom and to realize that means I am pursuing foolishness over wisdom at that time is very convicting

Any thoughts?