Before I went to America

Wow!

So, it is the end of Christmas day and I am realizing that I have only updated once this month! Where did time go?!

My last few weeks in the Philippines were filled with Christmas parties and preparing to go to America.

At the Christmas parties, I ate pig's jaw. I also sang. Yes, that's right, I sang. I tried to get out of it, but there was just no way. Filipinos love to sing. I love to sing. The only difference is that Filipinos are good at it. I am not. I survived two choruses and to my knowledge, no windows broke and everyone can still hear. Praise the Lord!

I finished adjusting the teacher's schedules for January and now the changes will be put into place when I get back. I have very little of an idea what this is going to look like. We just get to collectively go the TEACHER and ask Him how to teach these students what they need.

The weekend before I left for America, I took a trip to Mount Dueg in San Clement, Tarloc. (Dueg is pronounced dw-eg.) Dueg is where IFL started as a disaster relief organization for victims from the Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption in the early '90's. The Ieta people were relocated to this mountain. Many of them maintain their tribal customs.

I took 183+ pictures in the two short days we were there. It was absolutely beautiful there! They are ALL posted on facebook, but I will post a few here, too.

We had to travel up the mountain by jeep because our bus couldn't make it.

The morning mist covering the valley below. It was sooo cold!

I had the privilege of teaching Sunday school to the children. I spoke English and my friends interpreted for me. I taught them the songs, "Jesus Loves Me," and "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands." I also told them the story of how Jesus loves the little children and wants to bless each one individually. I told them the story of salvation, too. All of us have done bad things that make our relationships bad. But Jesus can put that relationship back in place. I asked the kids to pray the "sinner's prayer." Many of them were very serious. Then, I taught them to hear the voice of the Lord. His voice comes often as thoughts with peace.

This is me teaching "Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so."

One of the little boys prayed the prayer, then came up and gave me a hug. This was all the communication I needed to know God had touched this little boy's life.

I later used my camera as a tool to make friends with the kids. One of the moms from the tribe came out and let me hold her little boy. He was one year old and weighed less than Aubrey. Moy-Moy will forever be held in my heart.

Counting Down

I am counting down the days until I board my plane and my feet touch American soil! At the time of this writing, I'm down to 12 days! Wahoo!

I am counting down so many other things, too.

Last weekend, I got to witness a Filipino wedding. The training center here was completely transformed to become a wedding chapel. The bride was absolutely beautiful! There were many differences in the wedding ceremony, but the differences are not the things that matter. What matters is that two people have become one and are joined together forever to further God's spread God's love.

The entire week leading up to the wedding, all throughout, and afterwards, I kept hearing the same question, "Raymi, when is your wedding?" I seriously think 15 different people asked me this! My goodness!! I almost went crazy answering this! It is not the right timing for me to be married or court. God's plan is the best plan. I know He has called me to marriage, but right now is not the time. Now is the time for me to sow blessings into other people's marriages. It brings me so much joy to see friends "falling" in love and making commitments. I love praying for them and cheering them on. I love love. I tell the people here that, "I'm a hopeful romantic." :-) But now is not my time.

And right now, I am being romanced by the Lord. This is a season for me to know the Lord as my c0-worker. I am working with Him to see His plans established. Marriage is about two people working together for a common goal but being motivated towards that common goal out of love for one another. And that common goal is to see Jesus made famous in the life of others.

So, I am counting how many times I get to sow into other's marriages and pray for them. So far, it's more than I can count! :-) Marriage is to be heaven on earth. So I am sowing the prayers of heaven into the marriages around me and into my future marriage. And I am working with the Lord to see Him made famous in the earth. Like I said, I am a hopeful romantic!

In counting down my days until I leave for America, I am also counting down the days that I have left to get things prepared for my return. I have so much to do! But I know the Lord will give me the grace to get it done. The following is what I am working on until I leave, besides speaking to the youth group this weekend, leading the HUT group, and teaching two English classes each day.

Basically, these are areas to be covered in prayer for the next few weeks. I need to:

• Extend the school day by at least 30 minutes next semester (this is the point that really needs prayer. Pray that we are able to quickly and easily change the schedules and that the teachers are open to the changes. This is easier said than done.)
• Put at least 3 teachers in place to teach SSRW (each teacher will teach 3-4 grade levels every day starting in January. They need to be trained before I leave and have on-going training once I get back. I will take the High School level which is the equivalent to grades 7,8, 9, and 10)
• Test every student in the school to find their reading level (more than likely, this won't happen, but I need it to be done before I get back)
• Train the teachers in giving tests before I leave for the states (this REALLY needs to be done before I leave so that teachers can test students even while I'm gone)
• Obtain materials for each intervention group (God, give me wisdom to see the right materials even before I know the needs)
• Create a scope and sequence (objectives for each ability level) for the next three months. (Even if I get the month of January done, this will be an accomplishment and make things run more smoothly when I get back.)
• Prepare and tentatively schedule teacher training sessions on reading comprehension in 16+ topics to presented on a rotating basis next semester (this is a continual work in progress, but the more I get done now, the easier next semester will be for me.)

I am also counting down the days I have in America. My trip there is going to be fast and very purposeful. I wish I could spend all the time in the world with everyone I love there, but it just won't be possible. If you think of my time there as a mission trip to America, it makes my schedule easier to understand. Please understand now that even if I don't get to see you when I go to America, or don't get to spend as much time with you as we'd like, it doesn't mean I love you any less. Also understand that my going to OneThing is a time for my personal refreshment/refueling. I know that I will take the things from there back here and this next season in the Philippines will be different because of it. As you look at my itinerary and know where you will be and want to meet up, send me an email and we try to can schedule that time together.

Dec 21 6:45pm Arrive from Philippines. Dinner with family.

Dec 22 Sleep, shop for educational supplies to bring back. Meet with friends. Go swing dancing that night?

Dec 23 Meet with friends. Meet at Heidi's house at 7pm for old time's sake worship group night and a time for me to share my stories. All are welcome to come! Email me for more details.

Dec 24 Family Day!

Dec 25 Merry Christmas! Family Day!

Dec 26 Drive to Austin for Christmas with my "crazy" side ;-)

Dec 27 Leave Austin by 2pm at latest. Arrive in DFW. Drive to Tulsa.

Dec 28 Drive to Kansas City for OneThing conference. See friends there :-)

Dec 29-Jan 1 OneThing Conference. Encounter Jesus.

Jan 1 Drive home from conference. Sleep. Chill.

Jan 2 Church. Drive to East Texas

Jan 3 East Texas

Jan 4 EARLY MORNING Drive home from East Texas. Meet with various pastors from Gateway. Visit Friendship Elementary?

Jan 5 Pack, meet with another Gateway pastor, shop, wrap up trip including last day visits with friends and family. 5:30 pm Leave for DFW. Plane leaves at 8pm

Jan 7 9:55am Arrive in Philippines.

I recommend printing out this blog post so you can read it easier! I also appreciate those of you who would pray over the details of this. Feel free to send me anything the Lord places on your heart, too. I love encouragement! :-)

PS After many drama filled moments of searching my computer and my external hard drive, I found my pictures!!!! PRAISE THE LORD! At one point, I thought I'd lost the last three years of my life! Check facebook soon to see them!