BABY! Details of an interesting week

Let me start with this... pictures will be added either later or in a follow up blog. Check facebook for the pictures discussed here... It's a long post and to add pictures would make it longer and my night later. :-)

Thursday night someone tried to break into the girls' dorm here. (I do not live in the girls' dorm.) There were four men and they actually spoke to the girls and said they'd be back.

Since then, the IFL men here (mostly high school boys) have been taking shifts to patrol the campus at night. It's been interesting to see them carrying big sticks and flashlights around. As a result of these unwelcomed visitors, people have been very vigilant in making sure I am safe. So, I am never alone anymore. We keep our fire exit closed and locked and take our surroundings into account, as usual. I am VERY safe here. The people do everything they can to make sure I am protected by them and by the Lord. Do not worry about my safety. I share this incident so that you can pray, not worry. I also share this incident so you can understand how daily life is here.

Many of you saw my post or hear from the news about a major typhoon hitting the Philippines. It hit the far northern part of Luzon (my island), but not my area. However, we did get a day of rain. And, there are 7,000 people displaced from their homes in the northern area. Pray for these people and that the flooding would quickly go down.

During class with Tina this week, she taught me how to write with my toes. I can make my name legible using only my feet to pick up the pencil, hold the paper, and write. I have so much more respect for Tina now!

Friday, I went out with my friend Rochelle to Calamba. We took pictures of bad English grammar and I visited my first real Filipino market. It's crazy to think that I've been here for almost 4 months and hadn't visited such a place until Friday! I LOVED the market! I want to go back there and to do my shopping there again. It is such an authentic picture of life here. I posted a ton of pictures on my facebook from that day, but will try to post some here, also.

While we were walking around, my shoe broke, so I had to get new ones. I spent only $7 for two pairs of really cute flip flops! :-)

When I got home around 6pm, the kitchen staff had already eaten my plate of food. So, I got to cook! :-) I was so excited! I was dancing around the kitchen as I made tortillas from scratch, couscous with spinach, egg, onion and seasonings, and tahini. I was sooo happy! I miss cooking!

That night, two of my friends from the college dorm came to stay with me. Around 11pm, someone came to our door shouting our names. Genesis, a young woman who was 9 months pregnant was experiencing labor pains! One of the girls with me were supposed to go to the hospital with her. So, my sleep was cut short. It turned out to be false labor.

Saturday morning we had HUT. Again, I cannot express how excited I am about this group! I opened up with prayer and God's presence showed up! The people were so eager to share how God was impacting them. I talked about the difference between teaching and facilitating. Teaching is imparting knowledge. Facilitating is causing another to be moved ahead. My role is to impart to (teach) the people how to move forward (facilitate) the work of Holy Spirit. We closed the meeting with asking God who He is. Again, His presence was overwhelming. I love partnering with God to see Him expressed in others. :-)

After HUT, I went with Emerito and Raymond to the Laguna Youth for Jesus Movement planning meeting. We are holding a conference for the youth on October 28-30th. I went to meet the planning group and to help add some things. I will be leading the prayer meeting for this event on October 25th and will be sharing a devotional word at the event on October 29th.

I went straight to the chiropractor after the LYJM meeting. It was great to be there again! :-) I feel all put back into place and relaxed.

I got back just in time for our YA (Youth Alive- youth group). I caught some of the worship and it was wonderful. I can already tell that HUT is making a difference. :-)

I was sooo tired!

Sunday, I got to talk to my family on skype. It was great to see everybody in one place! :-)

By the time my conversation with them was over, I had missed half of church. I was going to sneak in the back (as if my white skin would not be noticed) when I saw a lot of kids running around on the playground. I don't know what got into me, but I gathered the kids together for an impromptu Sunday school lesson. I walked down the path and I had one kid be Zaccheus. Yes, I sang the song. :-) I also pretended to hide at one point and all the kids came and found me. I said, "When you find Jesus, He gives you hugs and kisses." It was so sweet to hear and see the kids begging for the hugs and kisses. Then, they each took turns climbing up in a tree and being Zaccheus. I think I sang the song about 50 times! Now, all the little kids are singing the song all over campus and telling their parents that Jesus wants to come to their house to play and that He gives hugs and kisses and is fun.

Sunday afternoon, I had the opportunity to be Zaccheus. Someone threw a cat into the tree next to my apartment. So, I climbed the tree in my dress and leggings, with bare feet, and got the cat down. I had people telling me, "Raymi, you come down!"

Monday, my roommates and I cooked together. We made hot pot like what I had when I was in China. It was so much fun to have everyone together and everyone helping!

Yesterday after lunch, Genesis went into labor. Janie and I missed the first carload of excited college girls and caught a ride from one of the guys here. Janie is a nurse in the states and we were not about to miss this experience. The entire thing was very strange, and very much an experience. No one was allowed into the room with Genesis except the doctors and nurses from the hospital. It practically killed us to know that she was in there without moral support. Janie and I were trying to talk to Genesis through the closed window. Janie was adamant about finding out information. I am glad for my personal peace of mind that she did. It was so hard on us as Americans to see how things were playing out in front of us! At the hospital, the people had to supply everything- even the guaze and soap!

At 4:55pm, October 19, 2010, Aubrey Lauryn was welcomed into this world. She is PRECIOUS!

Genesis and her bundle of joy came home from the hospital this afternoon. Genesis had been staying in the college girls' dorm before Aubrey came. Now, both mom and baby are my roommates! :-)

Today was a bustle of activity getting ready to receive the baby. We rearranged the house and cleaned everything. Janie and I had bought a cute little outfit and a bonnet for Aubrey when we were out picking up my alien card today. So, once the baby was here, we washed baby clothes and blankets.

Aubrey and Genesis are now settled in and feeling at home. I am so excited to love on these two. Babies are a reminder that God is so involved in the details of things. I am ready for the late nights, the middle of the night cries, and the dirty diapers. Love for this little one and her mom make those things seem so trivial.

Pray for wisdom for Genesis. She wants to finish school, but now has Aubrey in her life. We don't know yet what she is going to do. And pray for wisdom for us.

Pictures will come soon.