Ready for Take-off!

God is such an amazing Provider!!! WOW!! A few months ago we were worried about whether we would be able to buy groceries for the week, trying to have faith but also facing the reality that we probably would not raise enough money to get back to the Ranch anytime soon.

Now I sit in my almost-empty house, surrounded by boxes and suitcases, 2 days away from another trip around the world!! God is so great!

Thank you all so much, those of you who have prayed for us and given sacrificially to help us get back to where our hearts are.  And we know that every gift is a sacrifice, whether it’s $5 or $1,000. Thank you. You guys have been the answer to our prayers.

Right now, we are an emotional mess! Saying goodbye to our American family and friends for another 2 years, but also looking forward to hugging those precious children we’ve been missing and dreaming about. 

We’ve been making some really great memories. It was such a privilege to have my father and brother-in-law dedicate sweet Bonnie Faith! We’ve shared plenty of meals together with our parents, watched our kids get to know their uncles, great-grandparents, and cousin.  We even saw snow! :)

We will fly out of Memphis this Monday at 6:00am, go through Houston, Hawaii, and Guam, and arrive in Manila at 9:30pm (9:30am American time!) on Tuesday. Please pray for our family during this time, that we will have a smooth, safe trip and that the kids will be happy! :) I am especially anxious to see how our 4 month old adjusts to a 12-hour time change... I’ll keep you posted!

We will stay in Manila for 3 days to get our visas and some other paperwork completed, and then we will fly to Cebu on January 18th! I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to see my sweet kids!!!!!!!!!  Our next post should be from the other side of the world! :) 

Thank you, so much, Heavenly Father, for allowing us to be a part of our amazing family, in America and in the Philippines!

Homeward Bound

  We have some very exciting-- and sudden-- news to share! In just 8 days (July 5), we will be getting on a plane and making the 20+ hour trip back to the States! 

As you know, our newest addition to the family is due to arrive around August 25. We have tried and tried to find a hospital that has a private labor room (as opposed to a group of women all laboring in the same room) or that will allow John or my mother to be with me during the labor.  Unfortunately, the hospitals here simply don’t allow either of these circumstances, and a home birth is considered risky due to my previous Caesarean delivery with Lincoln. (Sorry men for boring you, but I know the ladies here will understand!)  After exhausting every option, we have finally decided that it makes the most sense for us to return to the States a few months early (we were scheduled to fly back in December). 

  Here’s another surprise: We are going to return to the Philippines for another 2 year term! This was a very big decision for us, and we spent a lot of time in prayer. We really had to count the cost, because our kids are getting older and we will be sacrificing even more time with our precious, patient family members in America. But John and I both feel that God isn’t finished with us here. We’ve already spent one year and seven months building relationships with the children at Happy Horizons, and they have become a part of us. We know that we will never take the place of their “real” parents, but if God can use us to care for them and love them, we are willing to be used. The kids are thrilled that we are coming back!!

  While we are in America, we will be living in Olive Branch, Mississippi (just outside of Memphis, Tennessee) and renting a house from my parents.  We will spend our time building up the financial support needed to spend another 2 years here. Some of our monthly supporters have had to stop or reduce their giving, and we also need to raise some cash to pay for plane tickets back to the Philippines. Our house right now is about 800 square feet with one bathroom and one bedroom, split in half with a makeshift plywood wall. We are hoping to raise enough cash to add on another bedroom and bathroom (5 people and one bathroom gets a little crowded!). 

  If you would like to be a part of the ministry that God has entrusted us with, please let me know! And if you already are giving, would you mind sending me a message to let us know if you plan on continuing your financial support? We are going to have to move fast to raise the money we need before January, but we know that God is our Provider. So I am not going to worry... too much! :)
   Also, while we are in the States we will still be living off of the monthly support that we currently receive.  So if you are already giving towards our current 2 year term, please DON’T STOP! Thank you guys, and we hope to see you very SOON!

I Don't Belong Here!

Hi everyone! Hope you all are doing well. We are staying busy at the Ranch, enjoying summertime!


A few days ago Clara came home with another itchy rash (this would be like the third time in the last 2 months).  As I was applying anti-itch cream, I was kind of thinking out-loud and I said, "I wonder why you are Linc get these rashes, but the other Ranch kids don't.  They play where you play, and eat what you eat.  That's weird." To that Clara responded:


 "It's because I don't belong here." 


I stopped and looked at her and asked what she meant, and she explained that the other Filipino kids belong in the Philippines, but she is American and therefore does not belong. 


Honestly, this made me kind of sad. No one wants to be the kid who "doesn't belong", right? I already doubt our choice to live here sometimes, simply because no matter how much language we learn, or how "culturally adapted" we become, we'll always be "the white people". The foreigners. The ones who don't belong. 


Then the words to a Switchfoot song popped into my head. "Beautiful Letdown". Here are some of the lyrics:

It was a beautiful let down 
When you found me here
Yeah for once in a rare blue moon I see everything clear

I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I'm gonna set sight and set sail for the kingdom come
I will carry a cross and a song where I don't belong
But i don't belong
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
Kingdom come



This was a timely reminder for me that no matter where we live here on earth, we will never really belong.

Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 1 Peter 2:11

Have you ever felt like an outsider, like you are "different"? The next time you feel that way, remember, that's because you ARE!! We weren't meant to live in this world and feel satisfaction, feel complete.  This is our temporary home, and God has a MUCH better one for us in Heaven. Where we will dwell with Him. Forever! Isn't that awesome?! 


Hope you have a great day! :)

Broken-hearted

I'm sure you've heard the prayer "God, break my heart for the things that break Your heart."  Maybe you've prayed it yourself. I know I have.  We want to be passionate for the things that our God is passionate about, right?

But do you realize that means we're praying for a broken heart? I hate to sound like some Christian super-woman, because I am certainly not, but I think God has answered this prayer for me. And let me tell you, it is no fun!

God has a very hard job.  He knows everything, every tiny detail about each one of us, where our choices will lead us, and yet He gives us the freedom to choose.  We can choose to love Him, to live for Him, or...not.  He won't force us to make the right choice.  But watching someone make bad choices is heartbreaking.

Teaching my class each day, I see my students' choices.  I see when they choose to be lazy and sleep, or work hard and succeed.  And most of the time, I want to "force" them to make the right choice!  "Sit properly! Stop talking! Get that eraser out of your nose!"  I see their really hard-headed, bad attitude sides, and their sweet, obedient sides.  And I have to be honest, it's difficult to show patience and love to certain kids who, most of the time, will not give me the time of day.  I want to treat them with the same disrespect that they show to me.  Sometimes I want to say hurtful words to them like they do to me.  And yet, I continue to go back to school each day, try to start fresh with grace and forgiveness, even though I know that my students probably haven't had an overnight personality transformation. :)

The point is: I feel like I am starting to understand a tiny bit of what God feels every day. His mercies are new every morning! But how about the people that He is granting that mercy to? Every day there are people all over the world who proudly proclaim their disbelief in God, take His name is vain, disobey His commandments, "sleep" instead of doing the work He's asked them to do.  And every day God is faithful to His promises, even while His heart is breaking for us.

Aren't you glad God doesn't give up on us? "Ok, no more mercy, I'm sick of your attitude.  You're a lost cause."  But instead God says, "I know the plans I have for you... plans for a hope and a future!" He won't force His plans on any of us... He just keeps waiting patiently.

It's so heartbreaking to see a kid who's been hurt, and is still wounded.  I try my best to give love and encouragement, but in the end it is their own personal choice, to accept the help or reject it.  I can't force them to choose God, to change their attitude towards life.  I just think about all of the people who are rejecting God's love, His help.  It's like my tiny heartbreak magnified by a billion... and I cry for the pain He must feel.

 I just want to tell God thank you. Thank you for loving us even when we are really hard to love. When we break your heart. Thank you for your love that endures forever.

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!