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Showing posts from September, 2009

Five Years

This was the scene five years ago today, a very young Eric and Faith were watching a Veggie Tales DVD on my Powerbook while sitting in LAX, waiting for our flight to Asia. We had reduced all our belongings to eight suitcases and a few backpacks, we were leaving our American life and about to embark on our new missionary life in the Philippines. So much has happened over these five years, but the biggest thing that we have seen and heard is God's faithfulness. God has proven over and over that He is more than faithful to meet all our needs, and to take good care of His people. This has been an incredible adventure, and honestly, we feel we are just getting started. Another big lesson learned is obedience. We are nothing special, if our family can do this, ANYBODY can do this. Obedience is the key, that is all God is looking for. We rejoice with the Lord over what He has done in us and through us these five wonderful years on the mission field, and we look forward to what He has

Only 24 Pounds

This precious little girl is five years old and weighs only twenty four pounds. She lives in the Calajunan city dump area. My youngest son, Danny, is two years younger than her, and yet he weighs more. The fact of the matter is, most pets in the United States are better fed and have better health care than most of the children we work with. We are trying to change that. Working with a local church near the city dump site, the Sonshine Center is expanding its ministry presence in the Calajunan area. We still bring the kids to Saturday Kids Club, but it has been on our hearts to do more for the poorest of the poor. Calvary missionaries Nate and Abegail Shuck and Mike and Jude Kelly, along with Rodney McDonald have started a major community development project in this area. A survey of the families and the homes has been conducted, the kids were weighed, needs were assessed, and goals were set. A regular feeding program has also been started. Abegail told me how the kids were so excited a

From Chris, . . . going back to Egypt

Dave and I see miracles often--lives being radically changed, broken families coming together; but sometimes we see lives being broken with pain. We usually share about the positive and encouraging stories, preferring to focus on the blessings and the amazing ways that God is moving here in Asia. Sometimes there are pains that touch so deeply, we can’t help but reflect upon them. Two of the street kids that we work with recently decided to “go back to Egypt.” They were given a place to live, food everyday, discipleship, education, love, and a place to be at peace. They were given abundance, but they were also given boundaries for their protection. They had come from a dark place of sin, pain, hunger, homelessness, anger and rejection; but it was a place with no rules, seemingly free. We have all known that place--sometimes we frequent it still. For these boys the temptation for “freedom” was too great, the pain was familiar and so welcome; the abundance and acceptance too good to be tr