MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

We hope you had a wonderful holiday.  Here at the Ranch, we had a huge party last night complete with a nativity contest, caroling contest, dance contest, and TONS of games!

This morning we gathered together and watched all of the kids open their stockings and presents.  The kids were thrilled with their gifts, and showed them off proudly.  We had a huge lunch of lechon (an entire roasted pig), lasagna, and rice.  Lots of hugs and smiles today!

Last week some of the kids’ families came to visit and bring gifts to their kids.  It was pretty sad to watch a five year old stand at the gate waving goodbye to his visiting brothers and sisters.  But the worst part was watching the kids who knew that no one was coming to visit them.  They didn’t cry or complain, but it still broke my heart.

John spoke at the Christmas party last night, and talked about families.  All of the kids miss their families, especially at Christmas. I know the kids would never have chosen to live here; they would much rather be with their own parents.  But for reasons that we will never understand, these kids aren’t safe with their families. Even though the staff have chosen this life, we all miss our families, too.  But God has given us a gift in each other! He’s made us into a family here at the Ranch.  We made memories this Christmas that we will never forget.  And we are so thankful for that gift!

By the way, speaking of families, our family is growing! Baby number 3 will be here in August!  What an awesome Christmas blessing, huh?!

Big Plans

One of the hardest things about doing missions work is being separated from my family.  Since John and I have been married, I’ve lived about 8 hours’ drive away from my parents.  I used to think that was a long way!  But living literally on the other side of the world, 20+ hours on a plane, 8,500 miles away.... that’s a different story!  Some days I feel trapped here, not because I don’t love living in the Philippines, but just because I know it would take so much time and money simply to give my parents or my sister a hug.  

Last week, my parents came for a visit!  They planned it to be halfway (we’re just about one year into our two-year term).  I was soooo excited!!! I was counting down the weeks and days, planning every minute that we would spend together.  The closer it got to their visit, I actually started dreading them leaving... before they even got here! I think I was afraid that a lot would have changed between us, and that being with them would really make me miss America.  I thought I would be crushed when they left.

But you know, as soon as I saw them and hugged them, I realized, not much had changed!  We picked up right where we had left off, and spent 8 wonderful, fun-filled days together.  When it was time to drop them off at the airport, I only cried a few tears.  I wasn’t crushed!  And I knew I could make it another year here, and we would all be just fine!  

Sitting in church this morning, I looked around and saw all of the kids and staff at the Ranch worshipping God together.  I thought about how one year from now, I will be dreading leaving all of them here.  I know it will be such a sad, tearful day when I hug all of these precious kids good-bye.  I’m already sad just thinking about it!

That’s when I realized I spend way too much time planning the next “big event” and not just enjoying each day as it comes.  All I really need to do is be content with where I am, and who I am with, right now.  Nothing in this life will last.  So I need to enjoy each moment while it is happening, and stop wasting time “planning” for what I think is important.  Because sometimes the most important moments... aren’t planned! :)

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. Ecclesiastes 3:11-12

There's only one who knows

What's really out there waiting

In all the moments yet to be

And all we need to know

Is he's out there waiting

To Him the future's history

And He has given us

A treasure called right now

And this is the only moment

We can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out

And listen to your heartbeat

There's a wonder in the here and now

It's right there in front of you

I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

“Miracle of the Moment”

Steven Curtis Chapman

hugs

Hi guys, I feel like it's been a long time since my last post. Our family is doing well, actually today marks 11 months since we first came to the Philippines! We are busy and happy. We just had a really great chapel service, and I wanted to share some of it with you.


"Lola" Nancy, one of the founders of Happy Horizons, talked with the kids today about keeping their bodies pure. She used the verses from 1 Corinthians 6:15-20, where Paul says:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. Lola Nancy went on to talk to the kids about valuing themselves.  The only way these kids will treat their bodies with respect is if they realize how valuable they are.  Something she said really struck me:  Some of you truly don't know that you are valuable. You don't know that you are worth something, because no one ever showed it to you.  Maybe someone, whether it was a stranger, a relative, or your own parents, hurt you or mistreated your body.  I am telling you today that God loves you, He thinks you are valuable, worth more than anything else. And we love you. Then, she had all of the staff and teachers go around hugging the kids and telling them we love them.  Now, I am not terribly huggy, especially to to older kids... I hug the the little ones a lot, but the older kids I just give a shoulder pat, you know? So today, I hugged some kids that I've never hugged before.  It is amazing how something that seems so insignificant (to me) really touches people.  The kids and staff were crying and hugging, and it was just great! Some of my "tough girls" just melted in my arms. I know the kids really felt loved today. So, my new resolution is to give more hugs!

Worth A Thousand Words

Hello my family and friends. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. I am not sure who “they” are but the following picture has a lot to say so keep reading. I want you to study the picture closely before moving on down the page. There will be a lot you will want to remember. 

Praise God!

This is a normal day at Happy Church, the campus church of Happy Horizons Children’s Ranch (HHCR) and the local church for those in our Bunga community.

Here is what you may not see:

1) The far left in a light blue shirt is our young preacher for today. He grew up at this Ranch and now is finishing bible college with the desire to be a pastor. His education here at the Ranch was provided by BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge). The reason he was able to be raised at the Ranch his whole life is because of supporters like you. 

2) The group of people to the left are Happy Horizons kids (less than half, this is all that would fit in the frame).  These children have come here because they have been trafficked, orphaned, abused, or have an older sibling who was a victim of the former and were removed from the ‘parent/guardian’ for their own safety. There have been countless prayers offered for the Ranch kids and countless dollars given to maintain their livelihood from supporters like you. 

3) The group to the right are the community people who attend faithfully each week. Many of these families are also apart of our MoM (Mission of Mercy) outreach program that helps their child get an education along with meeting many other needs. Almost all the kids in this picture are touched by MoM, and in turn have learned about the love of Jesus Christ. MoM is a “child sponsor” program that ministers to the basic needs of children with food, clothes, and money for education. This ministry is funded by generous supports like you.  

4) Up-front and center is our dance team with a mix of Ranch kids and community kids. The two dancers in the back (closest to the stage) are from outside the Ranch. These two have been coming to this church most of their young lives. One is in college on a scholarship from MoM. The other is not only being sponsored by MoM, she is now a teacher of one of the age groups in our MoM Saturday program (basically a kids church with over 200 kids. We use the same area in the above photo for this program, that is why it is on Saturday). These young ladies are “living the life” because a supporter like you was able to reach out to them using MoM to teach them the love of Jesus Christ.

5) On the stage is our worship team using instruments paid for by STL (Speed The  Light). We use these instruments at every event and service. A church service to over 100 people would be very difficult without these vital ministry tools. The same instruments paid for by STL allow us to effectively minister in our Saturday morning MoM programs (that is our kids’ church) and minister in our youth services every Sunday afternoon. The worship team is composed of mostly Ranch kids but there is one adult who is also a “house parent” (meaning he is an employee of HHCR). He is able to take care of his wife and two kids as well as be a ‘parent’ for the Ranch kids because of supporters like you donating to HHCR.

6) Hanging off the stage are banners proudly paid for by the locals who take pride in their home church. Each banner is decoratively declaring glory to God. The local people would have a very difficult time trying to pay for the use of such a quality facility on their own, without the help of supporters like you. So they do what they can to show their appreciation.  

7) The whole church area; stage, stage lights, chairs, roof, and floor was provided by supporters like you. The men that were able to come and construct the facility where able to work and earn money to provide for their families because of the financial giving of supporters like you.

8) The upper level of the white building in the background is Happy Horizons Academy (HHA). The school was provided for by supporters like you. The school materials: school books, notebooks, pens, pencils, and erasers where provided by BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge). The teachers, computers, school uniforms, and desks where all paid for by BGMC. All the Ranch kids attend HHA along with some of the HHCR Alumni’s children. HHA gives the kids a quality education foundation that will allow them the opportunity to build a productive life as an adult. 

9) The lower level of the white building in the back ground is the Ranch cafeteria. This cafeteria serves 3 meals a day every day to the kids, staff and any local workers that are working for the Ranch that day. One meal feeds 70 - 80 people. Thats roughly 225 meals in one day; 1,575 meals a week; 6,300 meals a month; 75,600 meals a year. Every meal is paid for by supporters like you!

10) From the clothes the Ranch kids are wearing to the very possibility of them being able to live at HHCR is because of people like you, who love enough to give support. 

11) The reason there is a Ranch at all is because Missionaries Glenn and Nancy Garrison obeyed the leading of the Lord. Local churches like yours and people like you continue the prayers and financial giving to keep this ministry changing lives all day, every day of every week.

12) This picture was taken by a camera paid for by a supporter like you. And I, John A. Williford took this picture because during this worship service God showed me this idea of a picture being worth a thousand words. I would not be here if not for the prayers of supporters and the financial giving of the faithful followers of Jesus Christ. I think maybe God wanted you to see what it is your prayers turn into. Maybe God wanted you to see that your giving makes a life-changing difference. Your prayers and your financial support are making a life-changing difference in a small community, in the jungle-covered mountains, on the island of Cebu, in the middle of the country of the Philippines. 

We serve a great big God. He is worthy of our praise. I hope this picture inspires you to praise the holy name of Jesus. This picture is not a picture of the glory of what “man” can do but of what God can do. These people here are praising the Lord because they are in love with the Master. They are grateful for all the prayers, all the giving, all the support. But they know it was not “man” who provided for them, but God. God uses people to bless people. He deserves all the glory, all the honor and all the praise. 

The young preacher in the blue shirt told me a great little saying “You can praise anyone, but only God deserves our worship.” Give God the Glory today!

(Oh and the word count was 1,240) 

Walat Problema (No problem!)

Things have been going ok at the ranch... a few of our older girls decided to go back to their families, and that was heart-breaking for us, but it was their choice.  We are praying for God's protection over their lives, and we ask you to do the same.


We also have received 3 new kids, and are expecting another next week.  It's bittersweet to get new kids, because it's so sad to see them missing their families, but it's so good to know that they will be safe here!


God is good.  Lately, I've been quoting Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."


I often find myself leaning on my own understanding.  I try to understand why troubles come, why innocent kids go through so much pain, why people are so cruel.  In my mind, it doesn't make sense, and it never will.  Then I remember to trust God.


I gave this illustration to my class during devotions last week. If Clara, my 4 year old, has a problem with something, she has two options.  She can try to solve it by herself, or she can get help from me.  Let's say she can't understand how to tie her shoes.  So she can try and try to do it herself until she gets so frustrated and upset and just wants to give up... or she can ask me for help.  I know how to tie shoes, no problem.  I can get it done in a few seconds.  Mana! ("Done" in Cebuano!)


Now, I know that at some point I will have to teach her how to do it herself, but that doesn't really tie in (no pun intended!) with my illustration.  


The point is, sometimes I get so caught up in trying to do everything myself, and so frustrated, and I forget that God is an all-powerful, omniscient God.  I am never going to stump him with a problem that I have.  God will never say, "Sorry, you're on your own with that one."  All I have to do is ask!


2 Corinthians 12:9  "For my power is made perfect in weakness." 


I wrote this song when I was in high school: 

I look around me, I've failed you again.  
Time after time, I try to do good, 
then I fall right back into my sin.
And I think about you,
God, do I make you sad?
'cause every time I try to do good, 
it always ends up bad.


But I want to please you, I want to hold your hand!
I want to live for you, help me understand
Your power's made perfect in my weakness,
well, I'm as weak as I can be.
But I want to please you, please can you forgive me?




Don't forget to trust in your heavenly Father today, no matter how big or small your problem is! 


Thank you for praying for us.  We appreciate you! 

wisdom we've gleaned since becoming missionaries:

Hope this makes you laugh!

• simple tasks are never as easy as they should be (example: going to the store for ground beef takes 3 hours round-trip)
• traffic laws are suggestive guidelines only. the biggest vehicle wins
• rice. 3 times a day. every day.
• spiders make really great toys

• flip-flops can be used in place of high heels, running shoes, hiking boots, steel-toe construction boots, and rain boots. just don't wear them INSIDE the house!
• personal space is an American term, and it's a luxury
• some places in the world NEVER get cold 
• roosters crow ANY time in the day or night 
• toilet paper in not very important in some countries
• toilet seats are optional
• bananas can be cooked, boiled, fried, barbecued, grilled, sugar glazed...
• the maximum quantity of passengers that will fit on one motorbike has yet to be determined   

But seriously:

• missions work is 99% perseverance
• people are very generous
• God is always faithful!

internet!!!

It's amazing!! After 8 months of living at the ranch without internet access, we've finally discovered a device that will get us a strong enough signal to check email, surf the web, and even...gasp... SKYPE!! In the past, we've only been able to skype with our families once every 2-3 weeks when we could take an overnight trip into the city.  Now we can skype from our living room!! This is a really big deal to us!

Now that we have this capability, I am realizing (once again) that God's ways are higher than ours.  If it had been up to me, i would have made sure we had an internet connection from day one.  That way when things got tough or I had a bad "culture shock" experience, I could just hop online and pretend I was in America, chat with some Facebook friends or cry to my mama.  (By the way, this is Kelli typing, not John)
: )

Now I see God's wisdom.  He knew that John and I needed to learn to depend on Him, to work through our experiences together.  And now that we finally have internet, we have already gone through the hardest "why-in-the-world-are-we-living-in-this-country" experiences and we're really enjoying our lives here.

So I am feeling very blessed today.  Our great big God takes care of all these little things, in his perfect timing.

Ok, time to go talk to my mama!!