New year = new oppurtunities

Hello one and all! I apologize, it has been many weeks since I have been able to update my blog! There are many things to inform you about.. Where do I begin? Well I left you hanging last time just before Christmas... So Christmas went great. Rhonda and I had a quiet Christmas day exchanging gifts and eating great food. Rhonda and I were invited to dinner with an older American missionary couple on Christmas day so we joined them at their house and had a great time together. We even watched the classic movie, What About Bob! We all laughed a lot,.This couple have been really good to us. When we were missing home on Christmas day they took Rhonda and I like their own "children" and really helped make us feel at home with a family. Praise God for them, it made my first Christmas away from home very bareable.

I was asking for prayer for our youth retreat in Massin, Leyte and thank you for your prayers! It was such an awesome time with the youth. The theme of this retreat was: " Leaders: Challenging the Youth of Tomorrow!" There were over 150 young people from all over the central Visayas who came out to this district conference. And I was able to meet dozens of Alliance youth pastors, youth leaders and of course the youth over the week,. My job was to lead 5 leaders of my youth group from Cebu to this conference in Leyte. Also during the afternoons, I was asked to lead the delegates in team building exercises. At the end of the week, each team won prizes and presented skits and dances. Here are some of the youth making a pyramid for the team building exercise! Each of our days were jammed packed with activities and some of the longest working days of my life. But the best part was, that it didn't feel like work! We would wake up at 5 am and I would lead them in our daily Bible Study and prayer for about an hour. Then by 7 am we would be picked up from the host family we were staying with and dropped off at the church to begin our day at the conference which would go until about 11 or 12 at night! There would be a morning speaker, then three different seminars on worship leading, Sunday school teaching, and Christian values that the youth got to chose from. Then the afternoon activities I led with another youth pastor from Cebu in team building then there was an evening speaker and of course games and songs! (This IS the Philippines) We all enjoyed our time in Leyte and left physically tired but spiritually refreshed and geared up for another year of ministry ahead! Little did I know that just a day later I would have the adventure of a lifetime,..

The four of my youth: Nadine, Lyka, Emmy and Fredgie took an early boat back to Cebu on the 30th with about 100 other youth from the conference. Rhonda, myself and Riezel stayed behind in Leyte for another day to go visit some extended family of Riezel way in the "boonies" of the island. Before we went all the way out there we had left all of our stuff with friends of Riezel in the city and then made our way. We were visiting the auntie of Riezel and her cousins who live in this humble little provincial home in the middle of a rice field. In order to get to this house you have to climb down a cliff, cross a river by a raft and hike back up another cliff, cross the rice field and you are there (as in the middle of nowhere!) Check out the pictures below! We spent the day with the family, visiting and eating and playing some games. I wanted to explore a bit around their property but it began to rain, and hard! Our boat to Cebu was leaving that night at 9 pm, so at around 6 pm we began our trek back to civilization through muddy fields and steep cliffs..! (it's all so dramatic I know!) By the time we reached the river, (after falling into the mud a few times and being completely soaked from head to toe and laughing hysterically with Rhonda) it has risen so much from the rain and was moving so fast, that it was too dangerous to cross. Thankfully Riezel had already crossed safely earlier and was able to catch a bus to the next town and stay with the friends who had all of our stuff. So Rhonda and I were stuck in a flood with no clothes or money and missed our boat back to Cebu! During the night the water continued to rise and snapped the nylon rope that is needed to pull yourself across on the raft. Thankfully word got out that night of our situation and by early the next morning one of Riezel's older brothers who was living in the next town came to rescue us. He swam across the river and fixed the rope and we were able to get across and catch another boat to Cebu on the 31st. We got back just in time for our News Years celebration with some other American friends and watched the fireworks with them, and of course had some of our own as well :) So, I ended off my 2008 with quite an adventure. But thanks to God we were completely safe and will always have a fun story to tell.

I also was able to celebrate my birthday here with many friends. On Saturday, the 10th there was a group of over 100 scholars who are in a tutorial program run by Jiji and Rick a missionary couple here in Cebu. They were having a celebration day at this beautiful park with a petting zoo, a pool and huge areas of grass and places for kids to play. And it just happened to be my birthday so they invited me along and turned it into a birthday party for me and there was cake and ice cream and lots of games and prizes for the kids. I rang in my 22nd year with beautiful children of the Philippines, there is nothing better :)

Right now, in this month of January, Padala ministries has been given the opportunity to sell many of its livelihood products for the poor on the OM ministry ship called the Doulos. This is a massive ship that travels around the world with over 350 crew members and ports in different countries to do ministry and also let the public come on board for their famous Christian book store. I has never heard of it until I came here, but its a huge thing here. And thousands of people come each year to see this boat, tour it, and shop at the bookstore. I am also in charge of taking teams of crew members on the ship and leading them to different ministries we're involved in. I will take a team of about 6 to Stepping Stones where they will lead a children's outreach program for the kids and I will take them also to meet the youth I work with and they will lead the youth group for a night. I have been able to be on this ship helping sell the recycled bags which are a huge hit for crew members on board and its a great ministry opportunity to be involved in. The Doulos will be in Cebu until the second week of February, so please pray for this ministry as they reach out to the communities in Cebu and also invite those to come to the ship and offer them hope in Jesus :)

There is also a group of young people from Nyack university in New York visiting on a missions trip right now staying with Jiji and Rick who I mentioned earlier. They are a real fun group and I have enjoyed getting to know them. Rhonda and I have been working closely with them and touring them around this last week and a bit. They will head back to New York this Saturday.

So it is a very busy new year here in the Philippines! Though I am loving every minute of it as I soak it all in. I am now over half way done my internship and the end is fast approaching with many more things to be accomplished before I go back to Canada in April. But by God's grace it will all be finished and finished well.

Thanks for reading! I appreciate your prayers and support! Pag Ayo Ayo mo!

This is a view from high up of the river and field.

Here I am crossing the river by raft with Riezel's auntie and little brother, Arnel.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Greetings friends and family. And a very Merry Christmas to you all! The count down is on, since only days remain until Christmas. The malls and streets are busy here with shoppers preparing for the big day(s). This has indeed been the busiest month so far for me since I came in July. Rhonda and I were looking through our calenders and realizing that between the both of us, every day of this month there is some sort of party or function which we have been invited

to. Of course, we can't make it to everything, but we are sure trying!

There has even been a wedding we were a part of of a Filipina friend of ours who married a Nigerian. So, not only did I get to experience a Filipino wedding for the first time, but also a Nigerian one! It was a neat mix of both. There was a lot of cultural dancing and music and the most entertaining with seeing Rhonda dance down the aisle at the reception to Nigerian music, she did great! We had a lot of fun and great food.

I have also planned a few parties of my own here with our different ministries. The biggest so far was our youth party last saturday night which was also a sleepover at the church. We started with a dinner. Here we are praying before our meal!

And we played a lot of games. Here are Lyka, Jane and CerryAnn getting ready to play as they listen to the instruction of our M.C., Mark. -->

And here is us as a group with our gifts! Saying Merry Christmas to you from the youth group of ACF church!

Last week was also extra busy because we had three visitors from Japan here to see some of the children's ministries going on in Cebu City and visit a bunch of schools. We also took them to the island of Bohol where they saw the Chocolate Hills and the smallest monkeys in the world: The Tarsiers. See below :)

But it wasn't all fun and games, we visited a large land property where we were before back in August to do our missions trip. On this property, there is a dream to build a camp and/or retreat centre for pastors and couples to go and rest. And also a place for recovering addicts to go and live in the province, away from the city where there will be counsellors available to them as they recover. It's a beautiful property. So we took some time to pray over the land and ask God's direction and provision for this dream camp in Bohol.

Next big event coming up, is on the 26th of December. Rhonda and I will be leaving for an Alliance youth retreat in Leyte, another island off of Cebu. We both have big roles to play as we are leading and facilitating small groups and doing some teaching together with many youth pastors from all around the Visayans. I will be taking 4 of my youth to this retreat and we are all pretty excited to go.

That's it for now, its about time to go. There was just a large group of young people that came in with a guitar and sang Christmas carols in this tiny internet cafe! There, my friends, is an example of something I would have never thought even happened in this world, but I have learned to never say never. Everyday I am witnessing that anything is possible in the Philippines!

Praises:

-Had a great Christmas party with the youth, it went smoothly and we were all blessed

- God's provision for all my needs

- A great month of meeting new people and making new connections

Prayer Requests:

-For the rest of this busy month, to get everything done that needs to get done!

-Youth retreat in Leyte, safety and protection in our travels and for the youth to grow deeper in their walk with God!

- All around health and protection

Thank you all for your prayers.

God Bless

-Amanda

Updates!

Its been a few weeks since my last post, so its that time again for a new update.
As it is getting colder in Canada, I'm pretty sure it is getting hotter here! And the Philippines is in full swing for the Christmas season! I have heard enough Christmas carols and have seen enough Christmas decorations for any one person to handle! Since the beginning of September, Cebu was transformed into a Christmas wonderland and I've been told the Christmas season in Cebu ends at the end of January, so we're not done yet!

This last week, we as the staff of Padala Ministries, had a prayer and planning day from 9 am to 10 pm! Long day, but it was well worth it. We were even able to go through some material from the popular, 'Emotionally Healthy Church' to see how emotionally healthy we were personally and pray for one another in our areas of struggle. It was also a great time of seeking after God as we move forward in this ministry. We also all took out our calenders and planned until the end of the year. This is when I realized I am invited or hosting or singing at 12 different Christmas parties! Filipino's know how to party, so I'm looking forward to this month. When I say know how to party I mean, there is always singing, dancing, roasted pig, games and fireworks! I still have a lot of prep work to do but it should be a great month.

On December 26th, I will be leaving to another island right beside Cebu for a youth retreat for Alliance youth all over the Visyan islands. I will be speaking at a seminar on Worship and facilitating Bible Study groups every day. I'm really looking forward to this retreat and the plan is to bring 4 of my youth from my youth group to this retreat with me.

As part of the onSite program I am in am Ambrose, at some point during each of our internships, the goal is to meet up with other onSiters around your area for a week called extended learning experience. So with my fellow onSiters in Asia (7 others) we have now decided when and where we will be going for ELE. In the first week of Feburary we will all be meeting in Phuket, Thailand for a week of rest and fun together!

I think that is all for updates for now! Life here is amazing. Everyday is filled with new adventures and challenges. I would just like to thank all of you who follow this blog and pray for me without ceasing that I could not be here without you. Your support and meant the world to me. I praise God because I have found this beautiful country of the Philippines to be my new home for these short months I am here. And please continue to pray for God to use me powerfully for His names' sake in the months to come.

God Bless you all.

"Look after the orphans and widows in their distress.." James 1:27

Maayong Hapon one and all!

So we're back safe and sound from our adventure to Mindanao to visit Christian Haven, the orphanage, right in the middle of the mountains! It was so beautiful and became a place of rest for both Rhonda and I. They welcomed us warmly and fed us like Queen's! I had a chance to meet a lot of wonderful people who serve at this orphanage full time and want nothing more than the best for these children. The children range in age from 5 years old all the way to 20. The college aged men and women live in separate housing. It's an amazing ministry. The dorm parents and kids wake up at 4:00 every morning and start with a time of devotionals and breakfast. Then they have to leave by 5 am to commute about an hour by jeep over rough roads in the mountains to get to their school. It's a whole different reality for these children. I was blessed so by their joy for their lives which are now filled with hope! I hope I can go back and visit one day.

The pictures below are pictures from the last week: First is a picture with me and a few of the kids: Romeo, Joy Joy and Jessie. The second is the view outside our front door to the guesthouse



Thank you for all your prayers during our trip. Both Rhonda and I feel great and our colds are all gone! But there is another urgent prayer request: unfortunately during our time away from Cebu, our house was broken into. Thankfully and strangely, only a bank card and book and a bit of jewellery was taken. Laptops, money and passports were all left untouched, praise God! Please pray for continued protection over our house, as we go in and out and for all we invite in. We're not scared, just more aware we need to be more careful.
love you and miss you all,
Amanda

We're off to see the island, the wonderful island of Mindanao!

Dear friends and family,
Unfortunately we no longer have access to Internet where I am living, so it makes it a little more difficult to have regular updates. But as we figure out a new plan, I will try my best to get these out regularly.
It was neat to be able to experience Halloween in Cebu. Two days following Halloween, Nov.1 and 2nd, All Saints Day and All Souls Day, Catholic families go to the cemetery to visit their loved ones who have passed away. In the streets you see thousands of people walking into the cemeteries, lighting candles, saying prayers and offering food and to the dead. What I also saw were Christians with loudspeakers and Bibles and pamphlets telling people to repent right outside the cemetery amongst the crowds! Not quite the same Halloween experience I had growing up that's for sure. But that's why I am here, to experience all these new things and learn from them . Its been something I've asked a lot of Filipino's about, both Catholic and Protestant and there are certainly many different views on the whole thing. Regardless, it continues to be a tradition of the Filipino people.

Last week we also had a Canadian family here visiting and staying with us. We did a mini-missions trip with them. It was great to have them and show them the ministries we are involved in here. They were very gracious and kind and of course brought the good ol' Canadian sarcasm I miss so much!








<-- This is Rhonda and I with the Ardell family from Canada at an art exhibit. We also are with the Ambassador from Canada who was here in Cebu visiting! And we're standing in front of a picture of Niagara Falls! It was truly a Canadian moment so far away from home :)




Tomorrow Rhonda and I are leaving for the island of Mindanao, just south of Cebu, to visit a friend who is the director of an orphanage there. We're really looking forward to this trip. I would love to work in an orphanage one day, so I'm hoping this trip will help open my eyes to the needs and possible future missions opportunity one day.

My language study continues to get better and better. I realize when visitors come that is my gage for how I am doing with it, because I become the translator! And this time I was able to do a lot of translating for them and answer lots of cultural questions. At different points during the week, I was even the one taking them around the city to different ministries. Even just a month ago, I couldn't have done that!

Praise:
That Language is going well: lots of growth.
Visitors came and left safely: lots of blessings from them and for them.

Prayer:
For our trip to Mindanao: safety and protection in every way
Also, both Rhonda and I have been feeling a bit under the weather with colds, so please pray for healing especially as we travel.

God Bless you all,
Amanda

p.s. I will put pictures up as soon as I can!

Food, a stuffed animal and a prison..all a day in the life

Hello friends and family. Happy thanksgiving again to all you Canadians! I hope it was a great time of reflection for you and of course.. great food!! We had a wonderful Chinese thanksgiving meal with the Canadian Consulate representative and his wife here in Cebu. They really spoiled us with an abundance of food and even some salmon sent from their nephew in Canada. Rhonda and I were really blessed.

This last week I received in the mail the Ambrose mascot which is a little stuffed lion. My onSite team is sending this mascot around the world to each other just for fun and also as an encouragement. He started in China with one of my onSite teammates, then he went to Indonesia and now to me here in the Philippines. Next, I will send him off to another onSiter in Asia. So the point is we each have him for a few weeks and take pictures of him in our various ministries and important places in our city/region. So I have taken him to my language classes and my ministries. Everyone loves him and are quick to jump into the photo opportunity. This silly little Ambrose stuffed animal has actually been a great ice breaker and conversation starter.


Here is a picture of the lion with some good ol' Kraft Diner my roomates and I made.



<--And this is my language teacher, Anita posing with the mascot. She is great. We share a lot of laughs and she is very encouraging to me as I learn all the ins and outs of Cebuano.










Our trip to the prison went really well. Rhonda and I were accompanied by two women. One of the women was visiting her son and the other was visiting her husband. When we walked in we were greeted by hundreds of men, both young and old. But we quickly found our men amongst the crowd who came to greet us. Then we were escorted to the visiting hall which is basically a big open room with tables and chairs and people selling things. They were all speaking Cebuano back and forth and I just sat and listened and tried to pick up on words or phrases I could understand. Though most could also speak English and we kind enough to do some translating. To her surprise, Rhonda ended up knowing quite a few more young men in the prison, not just the ones we went to see! So I ended up meeting at least 20 people who sat and visited with us that afternoon. We were able to share the gospel with them and hand out some tracks which they willingly took and read. After that they took us outside to see some dancing! Sounds kind of random I realize..but dancing is really such a part of the Filipino culture it just doesn't seem strange to me anymore. Last year, a YouTube video of hundreds of prisoners dressed in their orange suits dancing in sync to Thriller by Micheal Jackson was made famous all over the world. That dance was performed at the Cebu Jail we were just at. And we were actually allowed to see their new routine they were practicing to try to get on YouTube again. It was great! They are really good. There is certainly some controversy surrounding the inmates dancing, but they were getting exercise and they loved performing for Rhonda and I. Some even invited us to join but we kindly declined even though I think it would have been hilarious. All in all it was a really neat experience and a ministry I could see myself pursuing one day. Not the dancing..but the prison. To let those men know they are not forgotten, but loved deeply but their heavenly father. That is a place where Jesus would be and I want to be where Jesus would be and in fact, is.

Thank you for your prayers. God Bless.
-Amanda

The harvest is PLENTIFUL

Greetings again all the way from Cebu! I hope this finds you well.
As I was looking at my calender, I realized it is almost thanksgiving in just a few days in Canada! So Rhonda and I decided we needed to celebrate thanksgiving with other Canadians we could find here. So we have arranged a thanksgiving meal this coming Monday with the Canadian Consulate representative and his family. I'm looking forward to this time of fellowship and celebration.
This last weekend at my ministry at Stepping Stones, I spent all of Saturday with the youth scholars in my tutorial class. In the morning there is a Christian Education program of about half an hour with all the 45 scholars at Stepping Stones from as young as five or six to college age. This program every Saturday morning is where they are taught a Bible Story and do different activities in relation to what they learned. I am in charge of leading this part this weekend. All the staff rotate every week. I will be teaching them some songs and playing games along with the Bible story from Acts 2: The Day of Pentecost.
Then I will be tutoring the youth on how to do effective online research and continue teaching them how to put together a power point presentation. They really love to learn computer skills. Some have never had a chance to learn how to type or go online very often, so I find great joy and satisfaction in being able to teach them very practical skills!
Then every Saturday evening I continue to co-lead the youth group from Alliance Fellowship Church, where Bong pastors at. I have included a picture of the youth group Mark (another Bible College student) and I lead. I really love it! We have a lot of fun, and we like to tease each other. At the same time, I have also seen so much potential in the youth and their appetite for learning more about God. I look forward to my ministry to come with them.
I'm also busy at church these next few weeks. We as the leadership team, have planned for a children's outreach in Didos where we will have a feeding for them and teach them some English, songs, games and of course about Jesus! We will also be having a worship seminar at the church for the church members involved in worship teams and anyone interested in learning. We have split the seminar between a few of us, and the part I am in charge of teaching is about how to present yourself confidently, how to lead a worship team and I will also teach practical singing tips. Pastor Bong is very thrilled to be doing this and have the resources to do so.
Also every Saturday night, I have the unique experience of sleeping over right in the community of Didos. I have been there now with two different host families. Not only is it practical for me to stay over on the weekend, since my house is about an hour commute away, but also very beneficial for me to apply for language study and cultural learning hands on. The families have been so gracious, hospitable and wonderful! I feel so blessed to have stayed with them. I certainly attracted a lot of attention from all the neighbors, but I was able to turn the attention for God's glory and use it as a witnessing opportunity!
Tomorrow I will be visiting a prison with Rhonda and quite a large group of others from a community here in Cebu City called Lorega that is built in and around a cemetery. Over the years Rhonda has done a lot of ministry in this poor community and has started Bible Studies and there is even an Alliance Church planted right in the heart of the cemetery. Unfortunately this community is notorious for crime and drugs and two young guys that Rhonda has known over the years are now in prison for those exact things. So we will accompany their families and go visit and minister to them. I am a little nervous about what to expect about this trip since I've never been to a prison before..but excited for the opportunity.

Praises:
For a family to share thanksgiving with.
For all the ministry opportunities I've had.
For the acceptance and blessings I have had from working alongside the scholarship program at Stepping Stones and in the community of Didos

Prayer Requests:
Prayer for the children's outreach and worship seminar we will teach at the church this month.
For safety and wisdom as we go to the prison.
For continued protection and good health as I stay over in Didos every weekend and practice my Cebuano.

Also, I have included a picture of ittle baby Sam, Pastor Bong's son, who brings joy into my life every weekend! In this picture he's grabbing for my hair..not a surprise!

Blessings on you all, thank you for reading and thank you for your prayers.
Until next time..