There is a girl at the ranch named Amber (not her real name) who has been rescued from the trafficking industry. I don't know all of her story, but I can tell that she has had a very hard life. She doesn't talk much, and she likes to give icy stares at me when I try to talk to her. A few weeks after we arrived here, Amber received the news that her father had died. She was very upset, and at church that weekend the minister asked her to stand at the front of the church so we could pray for her. I was holding my two year old, Lincoln, and he asked what we were doing. I explained that we were praying for the girl because she was very sad. During bedtime prayers that night, Lincoln prayed for "the sad girl" and he hasn't forgotten to pray for her every night since then.
Our Family
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Sad Girl
Hi! Just want to share a story of how God used my little boy to show His love.
There is a girl at the ranch named Amber (not her real name) who has been rescued from the trafficking industry. I don't know all of her story, but I can tell that she has had a very hard life. She doesn't talk much, and she likes to give icy stares at me when I try to talk to her. A few weeks after we arrived here, Amber received the news that her father had died. She was very upset, and at church that weekend the minister asked her to stand at the front of the church so we could pray for her. I was holding my two year old, Lincoln, and he asked what we were doing. I explained that we were praying for the girl because she was very sad. During bedtime prayers that night, Lincoln prayed for "the sad girl" and he hasn't forgotten to pray for her every night since then.
I happen to be a fan of "High School Musical" (even though I am definitely NOT in high school any more!), and silly as it sounds, knowing the songs from the movies has really helped me break the ice with the older kids at the ranch! One day, out of the blue, Amber came over and asked me to sing her a song. I gladly did so, then I told her about how Lincoln prays for her every night. She didn't really say anything at the time, but the next day she handed me a small box to give to Lincoln. Inside was a tiny, hand-sewn pillow and a note telling Lincoln how much she loves him and she is thankful for his prayers. Since then, whenever Linc is around, Amber gives him a big hug and talks to him like he understands all of her problems. I am so proud of my boy for his tender, two year old heart! Never doubt that God can use little things (and little people) to make a big difference!
There is a girl at the ranch named Amber (not her real name) who has been rescued from the trafficking industry. I don't know all of her story, but I can tell that she has had a very hard life. She doesn't talk much, and she likes to give icy stares at me when I try to talk to her. A few weeks after we arrived here, Amber received the news that her father had died. She was very upset, and at church that weekend the minister asked her to stand at the front of the church so we could pray for her. I was holding my two year old, Lincoln, and he asked what we were doing. I explained that we were praying for the girl because she was very sad. During bedtime prayers that night, Lincoln prayed for "the sad girl" and he hasn't forgotten to pray for her every night since then.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
rest
I am writing today from the beautiful beach in Lapu Lapu City (about 2 hours from our home at the ranch). Our family is taking a mini-vacation for two nights and it feels soooo wonderful! They have a bathtub in our room! I haven't had a bath since we left in December (showers, yes, but no bathtub!) And the food here is soooo good!
This is a very short post, but here's the story: we've been working really hard and enjoying our time here. However, we don't have much time off because I (Kelli) work during the week and John works a lot with the church on the weekends. So our mentor missionary suggested that we take a little rest and relaxation time, and we agreed. Yesterday and today are holidays in the Philippines, anyway. Tomorrow we will be back at work!
We are so thankful to all of you are supporting us emotionally, financially, and through prayer. Don't forget to take time out of your own busy schedules to stop and enjoy your family and your life. It will put a big smile on your face!
Friday, January 28, 2011
life
Hello!! We are happy to be back in the city for the evening, where will be able to skype with our families and do a quick grocery run before heading back to the ranch tomorrow morning. Things are becoming very busy as we get settled into our new jobs. Below is a summary of an average week:
Monday through Friday
5:00 am-- Kelli starts a load of laundry. We currently share 3 washers and dryers with about 80 other people, so we have a scheduled laundry time. : ) The ranch kids wake up and complete their morning chores.
6:00 am-- Clara and Linc are awake and ready for the day. Breakfast!
8:00 am-- John and Kelli drop off the kids at "school" (the nursery class for kids under age 5). Kelli begins her day at school, training to teach levels 2 & 3 and practicing the kids' performing arts. John begins planning meetings with the church staff, organizing church events, and writing sermons.
11:30 am-- Lunch time in the cafeteria for all!
12:00 pm-- Recess! John takes a break to play with the ranch kids, too. : )
1:00 pm-- Kelli picks up Clara and Linc from school and takes them home for a nap. John continues working.
3:00 pm-- Family time. We all go to the playground, watch a movie, or play in the house together. On some days John also has a meeting during this time.
5:00 pm-- Ranch kids are out of school. Play, play, play!
5:45 pm-- Dinner in the cafeteria (or, if we simply must eat American cuisine, at home).
6:15 pm-- Back to the house, showers and storytime for Clara and Linc.
7:00 pm-- Bedtime for Clara and Linc.
9:00 pm-- Bedtime for John and Kelli
Saturday
9:00-11:00 am-- Mission of Mercy kids church. This is a sponsorship program that provides children in the local village medical care, school supplies, and clothing.
1:00 pm-- Praise & Worship music practice
3:00 pm-- Small groups. (We lead a young adults small group).
Sunday
9:00 am-- prayer time
9:30-11:00 am-- church
1:00-4:00 pm-- youth group
I just wanted to give you an idea of what we do every day. Like I said, life is busy, but we are still making time for our family to relax and spend time together. I (Kelli) am only working half-days until June so that I can ease the transition for my kids, who have not been in a nursery school program before.
Right now I am working on performing arts with the kids. This is an event that they hold every quarter in which students choose a talent, choose a piece to present, and prepare a presentation. Most of the kids sing, dance, or do a drama. If you know me, you know this is right up my alley! I love rehearsing with the kids and seeing their self-confidence build up. I can't wait to post videos of the finished performance!
John is spending a lot of time organizing people and events, and if you know him, you know he is so great at that! He will be preaching his second sermon this Sunday morning. I am so proud of all of the hard work he is doing.
Life in the Philippines is slowly becoming just life. Not in a bad, "this-is-so-boring" kind of way, but in a familiar, "hey-i'm-getting-used-to-this" way.
To sum things up: WE ARE HAPPY!
We are so so thankful for your support. Your monthly donations provide the funds we need to pay for our home, food, insurance, etc. and they make it possible for us to keep doing this. Thank you.
Talk to you in a few weeks!
Monday through Friday
5:00 am-- Kelli starts a load of laundry. We currently share 3 washers and dryers with about 80 other people, so we have a scheduled laundry time. : ) The ranch kids wake up and complete their morning chores.
6:00 am-- Clara and Linc are awake and ready for the day. Breakfast!
8:00 am-- John and Kelli drop off the kids at "school" (the nursery class for kids under age 5). Kelli begins her day at school, training to teach levels 2 & 3 and practicing the kids' performing arts. John begins planning meetings with the church staff, organizing church events, and writing sermons.
11:30 am-- Lunch time in the cafeteria for all!
12:00 pm-- Recess! John takes a break to play with the ranch kids, too. : )
1:00 pm-- Kelli picks up Clara and Linc from school and takes them home for a nap. John continues working.
3:00 pm-- Family time. We all go to the playground, watch a movie, or play in the house together. On some days John also has a meeting during this time.
5:00 pm-- Ranch kids are out of school. Play, play, play!
5:45 pm-- Dinner in the cafeteria (or, if we simply must eat American cuisine, at home).
6:15 pm-- Back to the house, showers and storytime for Clara and Linc.
7:00 pm-- Bedtime for Clara and Linc.
9:00 pm-- Bedtime for John and Kelli
Saturday
9:00-11:00 am-- Mission of Mercy kids church. This is a sponsorship program that provides children in the local village medical care, school supplies, and clothing.
1:00 pm-- Praise & Worship music practice
3:00 pm-- Small groups. (We lead a young adults small group).
Sunday
9:00 am-- prayer time
9:30-11:00 am-- church
1:00-4:00 pm-- youth group
I just wanted to give you an idea of what we do every day. Like I said, life is busy, but we are still making time for our family to relax and spend time together. I (Kelli) am only working half-days until June so that I can ease the transition for my kids, who have not been in a nursery school program before.
Right now I am working on performing arts with the kids. This is an event that they hold every quarter in which students choose a talent, choose a piece to present, and prepare a presentation. Most of the kids sing, dance, or do a drama. If you know me, you know this is right up my alley! I love rehearsing with the kids and seeing their self-confidence build up. I can't wait to post videos of the finished performance!
John is spending a lot of time organizing people and events, and if you know him, you know he is so great at that! He will be preaching his second sermon this Sunday morning. I am so proud of all of the hard work he is doing.
Life in the Philippines is slowly becoming just life. Not in a bad, "this-is-so-boring" kind of way, but in a familiar, "hey-i'm-getting-used-to-this" way.
To sum things up: WE ARE HAPPY!
We are so so thankful for your support. Your monthly donations provide the funds we need to pay for our home, food, insurance, etc. and they make it possible for us to keep doing this. Thank you.
Talk to you in a few weeks!
Monday, January 3, 2011
important
Hi! Happy New Year!! We had a very festive evening and stayed up until 3 am with the Ranch kids (they were awake until 5:00am!!) We are adjusting well to our new home, and things are definitely feeling more settled. Still no warm showers, but we are working on that : )
I have been thinking the past few days about what is really important. You know, in life. For example, in America it is important to us that church services flow smoothly with no interruptions or distractions. But in the Philippines, it is considered perfectly normal for a rambunctious toddler to go tearing across the platform, or a mother hen and her chicks to meander in between the congregation's legs, or a goat to defecate in the lawn in front of everyone! (Church is outside by the way.) I thought something like that would totally throw off the church service, but no one even blinked!
We took communion at church yesterday. Guess what was in the glass? PEPSI!! I feel like if someone tried that in an American church it would be sacreligious or something!
But I wonder what God thinks about all of that? I had never before considered that He probably doesn't really care about those issues. Because he is busy looking into our hearts. And yesterday I drank my Pepsi communion (which tasted pretty good) and my heart worshipped God and thanked Him for the sacrifice that He made for all of us.
Living in the Philippines has definitely taught me to loosen up!
Also, I (this is Kelli, by the way) was asked to give the girls' devotion yesterday evening. Of course, if you know me at all, you know that I cried. Yes, it's true. : ) I wasn't sure what to tell these girls. Sometimes it is very hard to look at their trusting eyes and think about the horrible circumstances that they have come out of. So I told the girls the scripture in 1 Corinthians 13:12 "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face..." I told them that the life we live here on earth is not all there is, we were created for something way better. Right now our life is a lot like looking through a nasty, dirty window. You can't see clearly and you can't understand why things happen the way that they do, especially for kids like these who have been abused or had their families torn apart. BUT one day that window will be gone, and we will be able to see everything perfectly clearly. All of the questions will be answered, and the pieces to the puzzle will all fit together.
I don't think we were meant to understand everything right now. Just the important stuff.
1. God is with us.
2. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His very own Son, a part of Himself, so we could be with Him.
3. He is in control.
Hebrews 13:20
That's all for now!
I have been thinking the past few days about what is really important. You know, in life. For example, in America it is important to us that church services flow smoothly with no interruptions or distractions. But in the Philippines, it is considered perfectly normal for a rambunctious toddler to go tearing across the platform, or a mother hen and her chicks to meander in between the congregation's legs, or a goat to defecate in the lawn in front of everyone! (Church is outside by the way.) I thought something like that would totally throw off the church service, but no one even blinked!
We took communion at church yesterday. Guess what was in the glass? PEPSI!! I feel like if someone tried that in an American church it would be sacreligious or something!
But I wonder what God thinks about all of that? I had never before considered that He probably doesn't really care about those issues. Because he is busy looking into our hearts. And yesterday I drank my Pepsi communion (which tasted pretty good) and my heart worshipped God and thanked Him for the sacrifice that He made for all of us.
Living in the Philippines has definitely taught me to loosen up!
Also, I (this is Kelli, by the way) was asked to give the girls' devotion yesterday evening. Of course, if you know me at all, you know that I cried. Yes, it's true. : ) I wasn't sure what to tell these girls. Sometimes it is very hard to look at their trusting eyes and think about the horrible circumstances that they have come out of. So I told the girls the scripture in 1 Corinthians 13:12 "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face..." I told them that the life we live here on earth is not all there is, we were created for something way better. Right now our life is a lot like looking through a nasty, dirty window. You can't see clearly and you can't understand why things happen the way that they do, especially for kids like these who have been abused or had their families torn apart. BUT one day that window will be gone, and we will be able to see everything perfectly clearly. All of the questions will be answered, and the pieces to the puzzle will all fit together.
I don't think we were meant to understand everything right now. Just the important stuff.
1. God is with us.
2. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His very own Son, a part of Himself, so we could be with Him.
3. He is in control.
Hebrews 13:20
That's all for now!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
So far...
We made it! I have a lot that I want to say, and not a ton of time, so here is the condensed version
(be warned, it doesn't flow together, just random thoughts!):
This country is a big mix of everything! We can drive by huge, 4 story shopping malls with hundreds of stores, next door to "squatter villages", the slums where thousands of people build tiny dwellings right on top or each other. American girls, we all want to be tan, so we buy lotion that slowly darkens our skin. Well, yesterday, I found a whole aisle of "lightening lotion" for Filipino women! McDonald's serves spaghetti and rice with almost everything, and a large drink is the size of a medium U.S. drink. There are cows, dogs, chickens, and goats EVERYWHERE! No line integrity at a store or lane integrity when driving (it's like playing a giant game of "chicken").
It is beautiful here!!! Huge palm trees, banana trees, green is everywhere. The China Sea is not far from us, and you can see other islands when driving across the bridges. There are lots of mountains, too!
The people are GREAT! Clara has already made fast friends with Sarah, who works at HHCR. Clara is about 3/4 of her height, and Sarah is 35! : ) It is polite to take off your shoes when entering a building. Well, my size 10 shoes are easy to recognize in the line-up with the other size 5 shoes! Everyone sings here, all the time. I LOVE IT!
Yesterday, we went to see the kids for the first time. Of course, I cried as soon as I walked in! Then they welcomed us with an interperative dance, a comedic dance, a drama, a story, and a song, "Welcome to the Family". They prayed for us too! John was crying by the end of that!!
So, basically, things are way different and will take some getting used to, but it is wonderful and I know we will love it! Ok, more complete thoughts later!!
(be warned, it doesn't flow together, just random thoughts!):
This country is a big mix of everything! We can drive by huge, 4 story shopping malls with hundreds of stores, next door to "squatter villages", the slums where thousands of people build tiny dwellings right on top or each other. American girls, we all want to be tan, so we buy lotion that slowly darkens our skin. Well, yesterday, I found a whole aisle of "lightening lotion" for Filipino women! McDonald's serves spaghetti and rice with almost everything, and a large drink is the size of a medium U.S. drink. There are cows, dogs, chickens, and goats EVERYWHERE! No line integrity at a store or lane integrity when driving (it's like playing a giant game of "chicken").
It is beautiful here!!! Huge palm trees, banana trees, green is everywhere. The China Sea is not far from us, and you can see other islands when driving across the bridges. There are lots of mountains, too!
The people are GREAT! Clara has already made fast friends with Sarah, who works at HHCR. Clara is about 3/4 of her height, and Sarah is 35! : ) It is polite to take off your shoes when entering a building. Well, my size 10 shoes are easy to recognize in the line-up with the other size 5 shoes! Everyone sings here, all the time. I LOVE IT!
Yesterday, we went to see the kids for the first time. Of course, I cried as soon as I walked in! Then they welcomed us with an interperative dance, a comedic dance, a drama, a story, and a song, "Welcome to the Family". They prayed for us too! John was crying by the end of that!!
So, basically, things are way different and will take some getting used to, but it is wonderful and I know we will love it! Ok, more complete thoughts later!!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Next stop: Cebu City!
Tomorrow is the big day! We will leave my parents' house at 11:30 and be at the airport at noon. Here is our flight itinerary:
2:55pm-- Memphis to Dallas
6:40pm-- Dallas to LA
10:20pm-- LA to Hong Kong
9:05am-- Hong Kong to Cebu City
We will arrive in Cebu at 11:45am on December 14, so we will kind of miss out on Monday, the 13, altogether!
Please pray for our children to SLEEP A LOT during the flight, haha! Seriously, we are praying for smooth connecting flights and calm, quiet children.
Our parents have been so wonderful, providing meals, creating memories, and arranging get-togethers so that we could tell our friends goodbye! Thank you, Mom & Dad and Arvin & Linda! My sister, Mindy, got matching rings for my mom, myself, and Mindy to wear. Thanks, Min! I love you! John's brothers and sister-in-law took us out for a fun night of bowling. Thank you, Steven, Sandra, and Daniel! Also, before we left Johnson City, Disover Life Church showered us with love and
appreciation. And the Torres and Davis families fed us a great meal!
We have felt so much love and support from so many people. THANK YOU!! We love you all back! We'll catch up with you in a few days from the other side of the world!
2:55pm-- Memphis to Dallas
6:40pm-- Dallas to LA
10:20pm-- LA to Hong Kong
9:05am-- Hong Kong to Cebu City
We will arrive in Cebu at 11:45am on December 14, so we will kind of miss out on Monday, the 13, altogether!
Please pray for our children to SLEEP A LOT during the flight, haha! Seriously, we are praying for smooth connecting flights and calm, quiet children.
Our parents have been so wonderful, providing meals, creating memories, and arranging get-togethers so that we could tell our friends goodbye! Thank you, Mom & Dad and Arvin & Linda! My sister, Mindy, got matching rings for my mom, myself, and Mindy to wear. Thanks, Min! I love you! John's brothers and sister-in-law took us out for a fun night of bowling. Thank you, Steven, Sandra, and Daniel! Also, before we left Johnson City, Disover Life Church showered us with love and
appreciation. And the Torres and Davis families fed us a great meal!
We have felt so much love and support from so many people. THANK YOU!! We love you all back! We'll catch up with you in a few days from the other side of the world!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tickets!
We have tickets! We're leaving for the Philippines on December 12. Right now, our family is driving to Southaven, MS to spend Thanksgiving with my (Kelli's) family. On Sunday we will return to Johnson City and pack everything up, heading for Birmingham on December 2. After we spend a week with John's family, we will drive to Memphis, where we wil be flying out! This will all take place in less than 2 1/2 weeks!
It's funny, we have been planning and dreaming about this adventure for close to 2 years, and now that it is actually going to happen, I feel like, "Are we ready? Can we do this? Two years is a long time to be away from family and friends." Then I think of these amazing, precious children, the lives that we will become an intricate part of. And I feel such excitement and anticipation! I absolutely can't wait to meet the kids at HHCR! I KNOW God has put each detail of this entire process together, and the Philippines is simply where we are meant to be. (At least for the next two years. . . We'll see what God has in store for us later!)
Many thanks to be given to:
--Our parents and family members who are rejoicing with us, even though they might shed some tears every now and then. We will think of you every day, and we love you!
--So many faithful friends and churches who are turning this dream into a reality. We couldnt do this without you!
--The perfect, amazing God who holds each of us in His hands. We trust in You.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
It's funny, we have been planning and dreaming about this adventure for close to 2 years, and now that it is actually going to happen, I feel like, "Are we ready? Can we do this? Two years is a long time to be away from family and friends." Then I think of these amazing, precious children, the lives that we will become an intricate part of. And I feel such excitement and anticipation! I absolutely can't wait to meet the kids at HHCR! I KNOW God has put each detail of this entire process together, and the Philippines is simply where we are meant to be. (At least for the next two years. . . We'll see what God has in store for us later!)
Many thanks to be given to:
--Our parents and family members who are rejoicing with us, even though they might shed some tears every now and then. We will think of you every day, and we love you!
--So many faithful friends and churches who are turning this dream into a reality. We couldnt do this without you!
--The perfect, amazing God who holds each of us in His hands. We trust in You.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
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