There isn’t much to this update. My research is going ok, there have been more road blocks than my initial impression when I first arrived. Considering everything, it’s still going well, it could be far worse. This last week was a little different for me, I had my first health issue. Nothing bad, just an upset stomach that lead to some other things. I’m feeling better now for the most part.
The time that I have spent here has been incredibly rich for me. I have been blessed by everyone around me and I fear that I am more than inadequate when it comes to being a blessing to them. Every one around me has my best interest at heart, I have learned this in various ways through different circumstances and different people.
I could really use prayer for my health and for having energy. I’m usually tired all day, this sometimes gets in the way of doing work. Also, prayer for being satisfied in the Lord and his will for my life. I feel that for the most part God is spiritually making me stronger while I have been here. Thanks for your time and your prayers, God Bless.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
An Update
I realize that it has been a while since my last post, sorry, I’m not really good at these things. Lets see.... Life is still really good. God has been really good to me. He continues to teach me more about himself and his love for me. He is continually providing for me through many different people here, that has been a true blessing to see his body at work in such a foreign place to me.
There have been little things along the way that are being taken care of. One, is my passport. I had to get an extension for my visa to legally to stay here until December, not a big problem. When I went to apply for the extension, they told me I got the wrong stamp on my passport when I landed and that the stamp had already expired! Well that got worked out, but in the end the whole process cost twice as much to get a visa extension here than when I was at home. Such is life says the philosophical beggar.
I realize that I only have two months left here, that’s kind of scary for me, because at the end I’m suppose to pull everything together and make sense of my research. I guess I’ll just take one day at a time cause that’s how they come. The research that I’m doing is going well, it has gotten tricky at some points.
My health has been really good while I have been here. The most I can say is that I’m almost always tired, but usually in good spirits. There is always lots of food here. I’m always tagging along to go to someone’s birthday party, of course I don’t know the person who is having the birthday (this was awkward for me at first, but I’ve since gotten over it). There is usually vidoeke where your expected to sing, this has been a blast, it doesn’t matter how you sound, you just sing it loud and everyone has a good time. There was also a fiesta in the town about two weeks ago, more food! You’re expected to go around to all the houses of your friends and eat their food and for such a friendly culture you have a lot of friends, so naturally you have a lot of food. Thanks for reading and thanks for those who are praying for me. God Bless.
P.S. I’ll try to write again in about a week, lets see if it happens.
There have been little things along the way that are being taken care of. One, is my passport. I had to get an extension for my visa to legally to stay here until December, not a big problem. When I went to apply for the extension, they told me I got the wrong stamp on my passport when I landed and that the stamp had already expired! Well that got worked out, but in the end the whole process cost twice as much to get a visa extension here than when I was at home. Such is life says the philosophical beggar.
I realize that I only have two months left here, that’s kind of scary for me, because at the end I’m suppose to pull everything together and make sense of my research. I guess I’ll just take one day at a time cause that’s how they come. The research that I’m doing is going well, it has gotten tricky at some points.
My health has been really good while I have been here. The most I can say is that I’m almost always tired, but usually in good spirits. There is always lots of food here. I’m always tagging along to go to someone’s birthday party, of course I don’t know the person who is having the birthday (this was awkward for me at first, but I’ve since gotten over it). There is usually vidoeke where your expected to sing, this has been a blast, it doesn’t matter how you sound, you just sing it loud and everyone has a good time. There was also a fiesta in the town about two weeks ago, more food! You’re expected to go around to all the houses of your friends and eat their food and for such a friendly culture you have a lot of friends, so naturally you have a lot of food. Thanks for reading and thanks for those who are praying for me. God Bless.
P.S. I’ll try to write again in about a week, lets see if it happens.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Good Times
This next entry is to make every one jealous. One morning the mom of the house said to me, "We go to the farm." Of course I obliged. They grow coconuts on their farm and they were picking some this day. I got to drink coconut milk straight from the coconut, and yes it looked like every movie moment of someone gulping it down with excess coconut milk trickling through their beard. It was amazing.
One of the national fruits here is called lensonas, it’s like a grape with a thick skin that you have to peel back to get the fruit. Anyhow we went to a house here that was tucked away in the mountain with a little stream running through the back of the property. It was paradise. All the plants were beautiful. It was about time for a snack, so naturally we looked around to see what the various trees had to offer. We then spent about fifteen minutes drop kicking a tree to shower the ground with lensonas. Are snack had been taken care of by the fruit of the land, pretty sweet!
I spent an hour the other day catching crabs in a stream, this was just after we had finish eating our picnic off of banana leaves.
All in all the experiences here have been amazing. I’ve been told that I’m experiencing the Philippines that even most Filipino’s don’t usually experience. God has been good, and continues to faithfully work in my life and my heart. Thanks for reading and God Bless.
One of the national fruits here is called lensonas, it’s like a grape with a thick skin that you have to peel back to get the fruit. Anyhow we went to a house here that was tucked away in the mountain with a little stream running through the back of the property. It was paradise. All the plants were beautiful. It was about time for a snack, so naturally we looked around to see what the various trees had to offer. We then spent about fifteen minutes drop kicking a tree to shower the ground with lensonas. Are snack had been taken care of by the fruit of the land, pretty sweet!
I spent an hour the other day catching crabs in a stream, this was just after we had finish eating our picnic off of banana leaves.
All in all the experiences here have been amazing. I’ve been told that I’m experiencing the Philippines that even most Filipino’s don’t usually experience. God has been good, and continues to faithfully work in my life and my heart. Thanks for reading and God Bless.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Not Dead Yet
I’m now in the Philippines. I arrived here safely with no problems. The hardest part about the trip was the 18 hour flight, ouch. I’m not sure the body was meant to sit for 18 hours straight. I am about two hours from Manila (the capital of the Philippines). I’m living in a small agricultural village. I’ve been very blessed with the people that I have met. I most certainly have felt the comfort of God through his people while I have been here, Filipinos love to laugh. For the most part I’m already comfortable with being here. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me. If you would like to pray for specifics I would appreciate prayer for wisdom, humility, and finding complete satisfaction in the Lord. God Bless.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
International Airport
It's a little after 4:00 pm and I'm sitting in the international airport in LA. I have about another 5 and half hours before I get on my next flight. Right now my head is spinning, I never thought I would actually go to the Philippines. I just spent a week in New Jersey watching my oldest sister get married to an amazing man, it was wonderful. There have been many good things happenning in my life which has also made it somewhat crazy. As I sit here I already miss my family and friends and it hasn't been more than 24 hrs. I don't feel like I'm all here or with myself yet, my heart feels like it has been left in many places along with my mind. Thanks again for everyone's prayers, conversations and support. Much love.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Not There Yet
I am preparing to go to the Philippines during the entire month of May, by way of taking May term. There are still a lot things that need to come together on my end and for the most part they seem to be lining up. I also wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been praying for me. May God bless and keep you.
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