Realized I am not really a blogger... so here's our newsletter sent out Sept 2013

Of Missionaries, Wet Market and Serving

I (Phoebe) have been dragging my feet, my mind, my body to write this newsletter. No, it's not that we don't want to communicate with you. Ever heard of..."the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak"? That has been my cry for the last few months.

Myths about Missionaries

Before we left for the Philippines, while still in Canada, I had all the images of what a missionary life would look like: No. 1 is making friends with the locals, right? What about appreciating the novelty of the new culture? And, of course, the main thing that we are here for - sharing the gospel to the Filipinos! Survey said....the buzzer sounded - bbuuzzzz! Wrong!

Let's see... Top 3 answers are on the board....Survey says....Screaming over bugs and ants; (Yeah, we haven't gotten past that);  Struggling with cultural/relational issues; and the No. 1 answer is......Learning more life lessons from God!

Yes, it has been a continuous learning process from our Father...who was I to think those would cease once we got here?! God said forget all those images you formed about missionaries - whether they are from people's actual stories, from inspiring books that I've read, or from seminars that have challenged me in the past. Erase them all, and let's start from a clean slate, my child.

Love that Wet Market

When I first arrived in our area, Silang, colleagues pointed out the wet market (palengke in Tagalog). I went there to buy some household stuff (dry goods), and managed okay. But, I told myself, I'm not going to buy my veggies and meat there. No way! It's gross! But, "palengke" prices are cheaper. So, I chose to go to a farther one because it was cleaner. I wasn't shy in letting others know that I didn't want to go to Silang Market because of how gross it was.

Sometime in mid-July, the persons in charge of buying the food for the boys' meals had to leave due to moral failure. Since we were short-handed, a colleague and I decided to share the responsibility of going to the market. Huh? What? Not that gross market? Well, to make a long story short... God removed the fear (more like dread) of the wet market - smell, sights and sounds. I've realized how silly I was to drive almost 10 km farther just because I thought the Silang one was unbearable.

A Lady named Letlet

While I was wallowing in my own unending litany of complaints in adjustments, it took a friend to make me realize why we were here. Not just in the Philippines, but here in this world. We have a community group that meets regularly where a few families gather to explore Scriptures, exchange stories, and enjoy a meal together. During one meeting, our leader challenged us not to forget why we are meeting together. It is to lead others to Christ. Are we telling others about Jesus? I know this is true but somehow amidst all that has happened, guess what? I got distracted! That challenge jolted me!

I soon decided I'm going to find opportunities to do just that. And, where else but... the market! One day, I was buying from my "suki" (a regular supplier). Her name is Letlet. She was rather cross and not smiling. I felt slighted that she would treat me - a regular customer like that (Read: Hey, I'm buying from you, shouldn't you be nice to me?)(Read again: Arrogance on my part)  So, I said to her in Tagalog: "May "s" ka ba? ("s" is for sumpong - which loosely means: tantrum or not feeling up to it)  (Are you having a tantrum today?)  A neighbour vendor replied for her, and said, "Oh, she's not feeling well, she has had a cold for a while." Oops, uhm... okay, Lord, sorry.

I decided to go back the next day (I told you I love the wet market now) and give her a honey based product that could help her feel better. The product is made by Ilog Maria which is a few blocks from Second Mile. So, I did. When she saw the product, she blurted out, "Ilog Maria - I know that place, I live in the shanties near there. Last week, when the storm came through, our house blew down, so I had to stay at my in-laws." Then, another vendor joined in and said, "Yes, she slept on the floor with just a mat, that's why she's been sick for a while." That opened up the conversation as she started asking me where I am from. And the rest is to be continued. (Now I have more reason to go to the "palengke")

No School for a Week

August 19-23 was a week of rains and floods in Metro Manila as well as our area, Cavite. As the rains continued pouring, school was cancelled each day of the week at Working Hands, as well as in Jouren's school. Jouren, being a child that he is, enjoyed the class suspensions initially, but by the second day, he was wishing school would resume. Here's what he wrote for his class project.

The Joy of Serving by Jouren Wong Monday, August the 26th, my class went to "Barangay Aplaya" (a little community) to serve families who have lost their homes to the typhoon, Maring. They were staying at the school because there was nowhere else to go so they opened it up to them. As soon  as they saw the food, they started flocking to us. I guess even just the thought of food got them moving. We tried to control them but it was no use so we just started. There were at least 75 families we had to feed so the teachers got to work right away. They directed us to the different rooms we were to go. In each room there were at least 10 families in each room. Their rooms were divided into 2 sections, one for sleeping and hanging out and the other was a "CR" (short for comfort room – which is a washroom) which was covered with a shower curtain or blanket. Some even had a "sari-sari" store! (little convenience store) As we brought the food to the different rooms, there were lots of “obstacles” we had to overcome. Firstly, lots of kids would come to us saying,  “Kuya/Ate, pahingi isa! Pahingi isa! Pahingi isa!”(Big brother, big sister, can I have one? Can I have one?) Secondly, there were puddles everywhere and everywhere we went, smelled bad. Thirdly, the bags were heavy and we had to carry like 4-5 bags up one to two flights of stairs! It got annoying after a while but I felt bad for them because some of them only had a long shirt or just shorts or even no clothes at all! They were so kawawa. (poor) But after we gave them food, I could see how much joy we gave them. During the ride back, we were all aching and tired and most of all, hungry. But while feeling all those things, I felt good. It felt good to be able to show kindness to these families. They had lost everything, and wondering whether they’d eat tomorrow or not! I just hope that they don’t see this as another school showing that they’re cool by helping them but as an act of love.

Thank you for your friendship, partnership, and prayers. When you think of us, please ask God to give us eyes to see what He is doing, ask Jesus to give us the joy to do what He's asked us to, and ask the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to obey. Thank you. Wayne, Phoebe and Jouren

Paul wrote in Philippians 1: 9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.