Progression and Purpose

God is moving here! We have had an awesome time getting to know the rockin’ pastors and people of God loving here. I (Shawn) hiked with the medic team to two Manyan villages (Sipit and Ambang) Tuesday-Thursday. Marching through the massive mud and up steep mountains for 3.5 hours carrying packs rocked as we learned, sang songs, and joked about life. It was a blast to see God using the school teachers of the village truly serving and loving on the people there. Sipit is a tribe of coconut farmers without an outhouse, a well (they do have a good natural spring and gorgeous river which they let their pigs and caribou poop in), or passable road for their goods. Yet, hope and thankfulness is written all over their faces and spirits. Not having a grid for a loving God, it was obvious from even our extremely short visit that they long for real prayer and real connection. Sipit is a village rife with injustice and ripe for God’s transforming love. Disease runs basically unchecked (the health clinic is that 3.5 hour hike away and even if they got there the likelihood of them having the money to pay for treatment is extremely low). With the little money they earn from selling their coconuts, they buy tins roofs for their bamboo Nipa huts (and sometimes beer and materials to improve their dirt basketball court-the national pastime of the Philippines).
Jenna and the girls did great in my absence, though Marie did get locked in her room one night. Jenna had about 17 Filipinos trying to help her get it unlocked and eventually they just broke the handle off the door. Jenna stood at the window singing to her to minimize the trauma. That same night she fell off the bed onto the tile floor, Jenna said the whole night just prompted her to step up the prayer for the girls a little more!
Jenna is doing well and continues to meet more Filipino moms. Yesterday her heart broke as she got to know a young lady on the beach. This 25 year old mother of 2 was about to marry an American she met over the internet. It was clear that she was afraid and desperate and felt like she had no options. Jenna is talking a lot with the other missionaries here on what sort of micro-businesses might help these woman have other options.
Marie is getting over her fear of the ocean and now even likes to go “a little deeper” as long as I am holding her tight. We figured out that the fear originated from our boat ride to the island when the waves were capping over the sides. But, building sand castles and letting waves “tickle our toes” is helping her to relax a bit more! Yesterday she made a little Filipino friend who taught her how to build sand whales. When I said, “Marie, say ‘thank you’” She said “Salamat Po”, which was the first time she spoke Tagalog without being prompted! Too cute.
Ellie is teething and the drool doesn’t stop. She was running a fever a few nights ago but it proved to be nothing to worry about. Thank you so much for praying for our girls!