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Before God will send you to the nations, He wants to know what you are doing to reach the world next door. We boldly declare we are willing to go to the ends of the earth for Him, how about to the ends of your school, to the ends of your workplace, to the ends of your neighborhood? Before you can go to the other side of the world, God wants to see you going right where you are at. Step out of your comfort zone, open your front door, and go to the lost world you are already in. But be careful. As was said in the Lord of the Rings, it is a dangerous thing stepping out your front door, because you never know where you may end up. If God sees you stepping out to your immediate world, He may just take you to the other side of the world as well.

A home. I love our home in Iloilo. It is a big airy home with bright rooms that seem to catch every breeze that passes by, and breezes are very valuable here in the Philippines. We have a welcoming receiving hallway that leads into a bright and open living room. We have a large dining room, with a huge table, enough seating for eight. The kid's bedrooms are upstairs and our family/TV room is also upstairs. The house is not really our home, it belongs to my Lola who will eventually will it to her son, my Uncle Ed. We do not own a home in the United States. When my children are older, there will be no home of their youth for them to visit. No home where they had their many birthday parties, Christmas mornings, etc. There will be no hometown for them to visit, with memories of elementary school playgrounds and high school sports fields. A part of me regrets this. A part of me wishes we would have a somewhat normal or traditional life in the U.S. with a home to raise our kids

What do I miss? We have been in the Philippines for about five months. What kinds of things do we miss? Many people know that the way to my heart is through my stomach, so naturally some of the things I miss are food related. Both Chris and I really miss Mexican food. We loved Don Pablo's and Taco Bell (not really "Mexican") We try and eat Mexican at least once a week, but it is not as easy to prepare since we have to make our tortillas from scratch. This can be a lot of work, but it is worth it. Chris has really impressed me by learning how to make many things from scratch, like Italian bread (very good and a hit with all who try it), different kinds of cookies, cakes, and breads. Of course we miss the comforts of the US. Since it is so hot here we keep our windows open 24/7. Few houses have any kind of thermostat or central air conditioning. Having your windows open all day invites more than just the breezes. It can get very dusty inside. Also, even with sc

Praise the Lord for windows. No not the computer operating system. One of the major pieces left in order to complete the renovation of the Sonshine Center building is Windows. We need 90 windows. An appeal has been made for individuals, groups and churches to sponsor a window for $333.33. Many people have come forward, pledging to purchase a window for the Sonshine Center building. Through these individuals coming forward, we now have 15 windows for the Center. I am amazed to see God moving on the hearts of people to give to a project that they have not even seen with their own eyes. We need 75 more. My prayer to the Lord is, "This is not enough." I am thankful for the 15 purchased so far, but we still need more. Our God is not a God of not enough. When I consider the total need, and how people have come forward to give, I am blessed, still I say, "More Lord." I am blessed and encouraged to see what He has done so far, but I know His work is not yet comp