Let's hit the ground running!

Week 1 of 10

With more than half our 20+ hour air travels over, we had an overnight rest at a hotel in Seoul, South Korea! What a blessing to sleep in a bed before we finished our travels to Kathmandu! We awoke to this beautiful view in the morning. 

Over seas and mountains (hello, Himalayas!), we finished our travels to Kathmandu. 

March 31, we joined a multitude of Christians for a 5-mile walk to an Easter rally in Nepal's capital of Kathmandu. Way to push through jet lag, team! What started as a small walk with a couple of churches grew into a 5-10 people wide "parade" singing songs until we reached the rally.

At the rally, we began to pray for those around us, first to encourage other believers, then for healing. I remember one woman in particular: we laid hands on her hands and persisted in prayer until she regained normal movement in her previously stiffened fingers. Praise God! The team continued to pray for healings for several hours that hot afternoon.

As we finished week one, we learned more about Nepalese culture as we visited a local evening festival and the "Monkey Temple", pictured above. This temple is a site important to both Buddhists and Hindus and showed an expansive view of the Kathmandu Valley, with mountains in the hazy distance.

Thank you for traveling along for week one! Next, we'll head to villages surrounding Kathmandu. What diversity in such a small area!

WDTS 2013 Nepal Outreach - Video!

http://youtu.be/G1MUvIfJ7Ys

Click on the link above for a glimpse at the faces and places that made an impression on my heart Spring 2013. Silly team moments, Nepali believers encouraged, and people hearing Jesus' name and His good news for the first time....just a few of the extraordinary events of March-June.

A Spring in Review....Coming Soon!

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by options in life. Anyone else?!

2013 has been an incredible year growing in my faith and relationship with God. Since an email update would be MUCH too long to recap WDTS 2013 and our outreach to Nepal, this blog will be its home.

If you'd like to receive regular updates from me, I normally send these via email and am working hard to be more consistent sending updates. If you want to receive email updates and aren't yet, please fill in the form at the bottom of this page. I'd love for you to be a part of knowing God and making Him known in the little corners of the world He takes me to.

See you back here soon!

Week Three - "Turn over"

September 20 - "God, what habit/thinking are you asking me to change?" he brought this to mind this week in a simple, physical way. I was in pain in my bed, my neck stretched too far to one side. He spoke to me: "You can stay like this in pain because it's easy or where you are, oro you can turn over because it's better for you." Simple idea, right? Apparently God thought it needed repeating because the topic came up later again that day with a student when we talked about changing.

I'll personalize this here, though I have a feeling I could make it a statement that includes many of us.  I'm so prone to stay in "pain" where I am because it's comfortable, familiar, or because I'm simply too lazy to TURN OVER. To exert the small effort it takes to change a small habit or way of thinking. And God doesn't even ask me to do this on my own. He says in 2 Corinthians 3 "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God...."

Could God be asking me to change how I approach people? To let them "in", to be vulnerable and trust Him, all while learning to have good boundaries too? Hmmm....

September 21 - "I declare today that I am here to glofiy God, that I am here because I love Jesus and want to share Him with others. Are my actions showing that?

And now, several Filipino "pictures of the week". :)

After rice harvest

29 in a jeepney?! Bring it on!

Blowing bubbles "au naturel"

Prayer walk and smiles, Samoki barangay

Debatable to some which are the real "eighth wonder of the world"...the rice terraces here or at nearby Banaue. We didn't see the others, so I'll remain neutral on this point. :) An amazing feat, regardless.

The other half of our team, children and all, returning from the 1+ hour trek to church in the nearby village. Unfortunately not all made it unscathed (read: un-muddy).

Returning to Bontoc. Breathtaking views atop the jeepney.

Children's ministry in the park. Learning team-building.

Making Space

Though last fall's outreach experiences aren't all logged, I wanted to share a video that was encouraging to me recently. For anyone who is or who knows an introvert (after all, that's 1/3-1/2 of us ;)), the words in this video bear some importance to what we need to function and contribute at our fullest. I don't always allow myself the time and space I need to hear God clearly and respond to Him, nor to even let myself be refreshed. This is especially "interesting" while living in community (4+ roommates and living on a campus) and it's taking some effort to work out. Or rather, some SPACE to give up excessive control and allow God to move.

So enjoy. And be refreshed, no matter your personality persuasion. :)
 
http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts.html?source=facebook#.T2KWjryTYJZ.facebook
 

Week Two - A week of festivities

Am-Among Festival

The Am-among Festival is a celebration unique to Bontoc. It celebrates the local tribes' heritages through dance and other celebrations. It takes place every September 16, celebrating rest after rice fields have been planted.

This was a great way to begin to experience local culture and appreciate their heritage. For the more traditional experience, there were parades and indigenous dances. On the more "modern" side was "Bontoc Got Talent" and a dog show! 

For more local information about Am-among, you can visit:

a description of the festival and ministry from our missionary hosts or a Filipino's collection of pictures from this year's festival

Here we are, taking part in the festivities

by watching dances

jumping rope (made of rubber bands!)

or giving water away!

Following our missionary hosts' idea, we took this time to share free water bottles, with labels that told the recipients this was a free gift, like God's free gift of salvation.

Love Feast and Birthdays

As a tradition, YWAM bases often gather once a month/quarter to celebrate God's blessings together in a "Love Feast". Our team was honored to be a part of YWAM Mountain Province's September Love Feast, where we watched, then participated in indigenous dances, enjoyed tasty food, and even celebrated our September birthdays. Thank you, YWAM Mountain Province, for your hospitality!

Bummer Turned Blessing
If you saw my post "8 weeks of outreach", you saw our team passed around two rounds of sickness. The first hit this weekend, and though we had to reschedule a visit to Can-eo, we had enough people well to do "team church" in the hall of the hotel. This time was a blessing for me, as one of our team members reminded us to "walk humbly" before each other. We started the practice of "Matthew 18", in other words, allowing God to show us if we needed to approach others for forgiveness, or to forgive them. I believe quieting ourselves each day together to do this was an important aspect of team unity.

 

It's about the heart

Exodus 23:20 - "Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared."

Through our "team church", Exodus 23:20, and some others that the YWAM Salem base had written during intercession (a specific time of prayer for me and the team), God reminded me something He's been working on me for the past couple years: It's about the heart! We can have the best-laid human plans, but HE has prepared the way we should go, He is faithful to bring that plan to completion, and MY job is to present myself humbly before Him and respond to the grace He's given me.

For this two month season, that was to relax :) , seek Him daily, and support my team in their growth and struggles.

A blessed birthday
A new tradition for me in YWAM is spending my birthday overseas! As a part of Crossroads DTS at YWAM Salem, our outreach will always include that special day in the middle of September!  This year it started with hugs and greetings from my team members at our team meal times, and included watching children, a prayer walk in the barangay of Samoki, and an important trip to my favorite pastry shop, Evelyn's, for a doughnut and coke. I don't know why, but those simple pastries were my favorites! And a huge thanks to Lisa, who introduced our team to "popcorn cakes" for my birthday. They were great!!

Decisions
Often when I get overwhelmed, I start to distance myself from everyone. I realized while journaling during this first week that I was doing this, and that my comments were all about myself. :( At this point, I decided I needed to make a conscious decision to praise God, and that I did. I needed to remind myself: He is worthy of praise, no matter our circumstances or feelings!

Lastly, God spoke to me this week through I Corinthians 1:17:

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

He was reminding me at this moment that I didn't have to have all the right answers or know exactly what I was doing here. But my "mission" was to bring Truth to those I was with, and let GOD do HIS part.

Blessings, thank you for your patience for this post, and next....Week 3!!

Week One

Getting there

   15 hours of flights (Portland-Seattle-Seoul-Manila)

+ several hours layovers

+ 14 hours bus rides

+ a little sleep and shopping 

= 3 days later, arrival in Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines!



Midnight bus rides



Thank you, God, for smooth travel to the Philippines!

This week was primarily spent in travel, and getting used to our new home for two months. Our team began ministering Monday morning with government officials, a regular Monday morning occurance. What a blessing, to share God's truths freely within the government!

How many days in the same clothes?! ;)
Feet on solid ground = a great feeling!

My personal journey

Journal glimpse, Sept 11

I'm not sure what I was expecting for my arrival here, but am glad to be here. Learning to lead in these team dynamics...is something I know You've called me to, but I need so much help doing. I tend to push through, not paying attention that I should to my physical or emotional health. I want to lead by example, and so [in the past] I don't give myself rest. What a poor example that is!

God, would you light my heart with a new passion?

Help me to see the truth of situations, the way you would have me see them.

God gave me wisdom and encouragement this day in the form of John 1:9, talking about Jesus' example:

That was the true Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world."

And He's given this Light to our path for you, for me, for every circumstance as we walk through life with Him!

Figuring out my "place leading this team took some time. I had a relationship with the kids, spending about 30+ hours/week with them June-Sept, but moments with their parents, our outreach adults, had been much shorter. This is part of why I wondered how to lead and why He had me with this group in the Philippines.

Over the next two months, God was faithful to show me John 1:9 personally -- giving Light to me as He promised in only ways that He could.

The look on her face was a little how I felt, not knowing what God had me there for. :)
~Bonding in close quarters~

Our team!

Next entry:

Week 2!

Eight weeks of outreach

Our students created a song (to the tune of "12 days of Christmas") that summed up some of the more quirky parts of the trip. I didn't record it, so the written version will have to do! For best effect, sing it yourself and repeat the "verses" before. :)


On the first week of outreach in the Philippines, 
we saw caribao poop everywhere.



On the second week of outreach in the Philippines,
we had two flu bugs...

On the third week of outreach in the Philippines,
we had three typhoons...

On the fourth week of outreach in the Philippines,
we had 4 bumpy bus rides...



On the fifth week of outreach in the Philippines,
five fell off a path...

 

On the sixth week of outreach in the Philippines,
we fit six in a trike!

 

On the seventh week of outreach in the Philippines,
he drank seven dews a day...
(maybe an exaggeration ;))

On the eighth week of outreach in the Philippines,
we rode eight on top a jeepney...

Next entry...

Week One!

Catching up...



First weekend home. You can't tell, but it's the most tan I'll be! ;)



Home

Home is so many places now. Kansas is a forever home, I now often introduce myself from Oregon when overseas, and, well, the Philippines felt like home too. I've now been back in Oregon-home for two weeks and recuperated from jet-lag! The first week back was spent debriefing with students--Good times sharing with each other what God's done in our lives and the Philippines.

December will take me to Kansas-home. I should arrive around Dec. 5.  I will be sharing what God has been doing in Salem, OR and the Philippines through your support.  I'm also returning to continue my part of asking others to join me financially and in prayer in the work God has called me to.  I look forward to catching up with you and hearing how you've been doing. And of course, I'll spend some treasured time with friends and family during the holidays.

Catching up

So now I'd like to take you on a brief ride of the past few months in the Philippines. I'm going to try and capture a week per day. So grab a seat and a computer and hold on for the ride!

Airport train...almost home!
Hold on for the ride!

Can-eo

Greetings after a weekend visit to Can-eo (pronounced can - EW....sort of! I'm still getting the hang of it!).

Six of us, plus local pastors to Can-eo made the trek to this special village this weekend to minister, despite around 40 landslides and a wash-out along the way. I am SO thankful to be part of the group that went.

We began our trip waiting for a jeepney around 8am, a light drizzle accompanying us. About an hour later, a jeepney took us on the shortest part of our trip, about 20 until the road was no longer vehicle-friendly. Then for the 1 1/2 hour hike where I realized I should have had a better poncho! But the views of winding rivers, mountains, and even landslides were breath-taking (more to come on that as I can, though pictures don't do it justice).

We arrived in Can-eo and enjoyed Pastor Rudy and Bridgette's company, learning more about our weekend town and resting for lunch. Next adventure....Chapiosen (sp) ! This barrio of Can-eo (which is already a barrio of Bontoc) can only be reached by slippery rock/mud paths, but we believed God wanted us to take the challenge! This leg of our trip was when I felt closest to my team, as we truly had to put others first, staying aware of each others' footing on the slippery, steep steps. I also received the "drowned rat award", as I was completely soaked to the core. Unfortunately, there was a major landslide still sliding when we got about 5/6 of the way to Chapiosen, so we stopped, took a moment to pray for the town, and began our trek back. Still raining, it sure wasn't as wet for this leg of the trip.

On our way back, we made home visits to some community members. I love meeting people where they are. You can pray for R, whose deep oppression kept him completely covered under a charcoal colored blanket both visits when we prayed for him. Praise God that his mother told our team on the second visit how he had removed the blanket when we left for a short time. Please pray for his spiritual healing.

Team members ministered in a Saturday night meeting, and we also lead the church in children's and adult ministry the next morning. I'm so proud of my teammates, who all had firsts that weekend, whether preaching or leading worship!

Sunday was an especially special time for our team and a villager named Ochowan (sp?). We learned that she was across the river, and though we would miss our jeepney ride back to Bontoc, we wanted to go and pray with her. Ochowan is around 80 years old and suffers from tuberculosis and diabetes. She's homebound, and medications for her illnesses are just not an option. Before we went, we knew we did not just want her to make a decision to follow Christ in order to be hospitable to us.

I look forward to sharing photos of this special weekend as soon as possible.

God bless!

During our time at her house, we prayed for her, talked about her childhood and her present, and Tom, our missionary friend, and Pastor Rudy presented the truth of the gospel to her in a very clear way, reminding her that this faith decision meant forsaking the pagan gods so deep a part of the culture. By the end of our time with her, Ochowan had accepted Christ as her savior, and told us how "light" and "happy" she felt. Please pray for people to disciple and love her, and for her healing. Praise God with us for her salvation.

A little help from my friends

First update from the Philippines!

For our second week of outreach, we'v begun our "regular" schedule of ministry. Here's a glimpse at a typical week:

Every day: Team meals, debrief, prayer/worship, and 'community ministry' (student- initiated interactions with people in our city)

Monday: Values teaching and prayer at the Moral Recovery Program with local government officials, Kids' Club in the park

Tuesday: Day off + evening worship, prayer, teaching with local young adult ministry

Thursday: Discipleship Training Course with the same young people as Tuesday

Friday: Health Clinic (test blood pressure and blood sugar and develop relationships with participants through conversation); Values Education course with seven 7th grade classrooms

Saturday-Sunday = visit village or local churches to support them by preaching, leading worship, praying, etc.

Weeks become packed fast! We take one day off a week (Tuesdays), and encourage our students to get involved, yet maintain a balance of rest. This time can be intense! Many of you know my heart, that I am continually learning this balance of work and rest, giving and receiving. It's good to be here, practicing those life lessons along with our students.

My role on outreach

Some have asked what exactly I'm doing during this portion of ministry. As a staff leader, I encourage adult students and their families to take risks, hear from God, and follow what He asks fo them during this time. I help with logistics, like making schedules for meal prep and keeping track of students' ministry time they turn in (part of this introductory university course--University of the Nations). I minister with them, getting to know our Filipino neighbors and praying and playing with them. My focus is supporting the team, but I'm honored to minster with them locally, in practical ways.

Health Clinic

I was blessed Friday by the older citizens of Bontoc that came to the Health Clinic. THey patiently told me their names and family members and occupations, and taught me a couple small words in Ilocano ( a local tribal language) and Bontoc dialect. Most of them speak at least 4 languages--these 2 plus Tagalog and English!

Urgent Prayers Needed!

Please pray for our team--a nasty stomach virus has moved through most of the team. I'm currently unscathed, please pray this continues! After prayer, we felt God wanted us to postpone this weekend's trips to villages. We know God hears our cries to be well and continue ministry and ask you to join with us as we trust for God's timing to minister in the villages we will miss this weekend. Please also pray for health and protection for Pastor R and wife B as they make the trip around a landslide to minister Saturday and Sunday to these villages. Pray for God to move among the people in Can-eo and beyond.

Carrying beans on my head....all the way home! :)

Student learning to test blood sugar

Typhoon coming??? For now, just a waterfall on the stairs

Kids' Club in the park - trust building activity

team returning on the rice terraces from ministry in the villages outside Malicong

28 in a jeepney--yes! 10 were soon on top--good times :)

View of Bontoc from barangay Samoki...I live in the house in the middle far left of the picture, with white roof and red water canister. The rest of the team stays at a hotel just to the left of the picture

playing with kids at the Am-Among festival

Am-Among festival - cultural dancers

Birthday!

Playing baseball in the harvested rice fields with a tennis ball and stick

Where I live...just kidding! :) Young women's sleeping quarters at the Bontoc museum

the larger city of Baguio, about 8 hours away by bus

Lecture phase draws to an end...and outreach begins!

I really have to remember that taking so long between posts does NOT help me keep things brief OR help me remember what all God has done! :)

The week of July 10, our children learned different biblical examples of discipleship, like Jesus and His disciples, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy. They had great recall about these people form some of the videos they'd watched earlier and responded with specific examples when we would refer to these stories.

The end of the week brought a trip to the Oregon Zoo! We didn't realize what good outreach preperation it would be when we planned it! :) After nearly an hour ride to Portland in the van, there were no places to park! So, back to city center to park the van, take a lunch break...then practice mass transit!

The children were stellar at the zoo (above, with our "magic rope" to keep them all together), and the train station. They learned how to not walk on each others' flip-flops as much, walk for a looooong time, drink enough liquids, and have a long warm(ish) van ride.

So much fun! :)

Our week on Servanthood was next, with the kids learning how to "put on the mind of Christ" and think of others first. Though we just scratched the surface with our lessons and our speakers' excellent examples, we could see the kids start to "get" it by the end of the week. They were really starting to gel as a group! We practiced servanthood with kind words on the sidewalk outside our classroom, and a visit to the Union Gospel Mission to learn how it works. They even took a prayer walk during the week downtown to tell people Jesus loves them and pray for our city.

A little time for me :)

The beginning of August, I was beginning to wear down a little, especially physcially and emotionally. I was sad to miss the Morse family reunion, but took a weekend away and visited a friend's hometown in Washington state. She got to visit family, we got to visit a mutual friend, and I got to....sleep in peace and recuperate from a brief, painful sinus bout. Later that week, I spent time with dear Kansas friends visiting other friends in Portland. What a treat! Not long after, a trip with our base to Pacific City for a day at the beach. Yay!

Back to training

The rest of August sped by, exploring the attributes of God, what He really says about us vs. lies we believe, worship, and God's Father Heart.

The children were challenged in a Trust Walk, where they were blindfolded and had to trust others to communicate with them and the teachers to lead them safely! What a step of faith! We were so proud of them!

After the students tried unfamiliar foods in early August, they asked for more "outreach food prep"...they wanted us to make it "worse" the second time, walking alongside them as they tried to be grateful for ALL food they're given, without making faces. That's even a challenge for this big girl! :) So....mini onions, anchovy paste, and other goodies it was!

It was a little harder this time, but I'm so proud of them -- they've come such a long way, preparing for the unfamiliar!

Family preparation

We can't forget our now weekly Tuesday and Saturday "outreach prep" times with our families. We're learning children's songs, practicing skits, learning about tribal languages, practicing teamwork on the ropes course, and more! Among it all, we're learning to be prepared, but flexible!

A new role

For the past three months, I have co-lead our children with Arielle and Dani, but for the next two months, I must don a new hat: team leader. Arielle and I will be co-leading this outreach with a couple who has been staff leaders for the children's parents. I'm excited to step into this role, but it's sometimes tough to shut off the teacher in me! Please pray for a smooth transition, that I can walk alongside families and support them on their outreach experience. I know God has equipped me, and I will need His help and your prayers!!

A glimpse at outreach ministry

There is a lot we have yet to find out about how God will have us minister on outreach, but we know we will be partnering with http://ywammountainprovince.wordpress.com. Please see their on-going ministries links for some of the ways we might help. I can't wait to share more with you as we begin to serve. But the groundwork must be prepared now -- please join us in prayer for the lives that will be touched while we are there.

A few prayers
* Prayers for a safe trip beginning Wednesday, September 7. We'll have three flights and two 5-8 bus rides before we reach our home for the next two months. Wellness and stamina for all adults and children!

* Hearts of team members and Filipinos to be prepared. We're excited for the work God has prepared in our hearts and theirs.

* A smooth transition for Arielle and me -- we've been the children's "teachers", but are now joining the team's leadership.

...and praises

* Lecture phase is nearly complete -- students have grown closer to God and each other -- exciting to see the transformations!

* Wellness for me -- I'm thankful for some local honey :) and God's protection as I've gotten used to a new set of allergens. My reactions have not been as bad as last summer.

* Learning experiences for me, especially in leading together with others

I can't wait to share more as outreach begins!

~Amy