I recently got some very unfortunate news.
Over the past couple of months, I've been working on some odd jobs, and selling a lot of my possessions to help pay for the trip.
One of the things I sold was my laptop.
Long story short, it was apparently a fraudulent transaction, yet it took paypal over a month to notify me, and now they want all the money back (this money went straight to my first plane ticket). This couldn't have come at a worse time for me as I leave in just 4 days! They say that the transaction was never approved, yet they sent me the money, and I was able to use that money, so to be honest, I did everything I was suppose to. To me it seems that this is paypal's problem, not mine. I'm praying that this will all work out, and fast!
October 8th, 2009
I talked with the director of the volunteer organization I'll be working with, and he told me about the flooding in the region. He told me the whole island of Luzon was effected. The first place i'm going is Baguio City, and they have had problems with landslides, and mud floods. Keep praying for safety for everyone effected.
October 11th-October15th, 2009
The past few days have been absolutely amazing! It's amazing how things have just been falling into place! So last week, I was told that I was gonna have to change my plane ticket. Unfortunately the company who i bough my ticket from were closed until 1 hour before my plane took off, so i was unable to change it, and so my plans all got out of whack.
I had originally planned to fly in with Kelsey Staudacher and someone was going to pick us up from the airport and bring us up to Baguio City. Unfortunately with all the typhoons and flooding, the road to the city became blocked by mud,rock and landslides. Which is why Kelsey Changed her ticket.
Because I was unable to change my ticket, I had no idea what was going to happen, because I had nothing to do for the week before Kelsey flies in (October 20th).
But through a lot of prayer and faith, God really worked and provided me an opportunity.
My Dad's friend Peter Tropper worked with YWAM with a Filipino lady by the name of Ezra, who's brother Pol Camacho lives in Manila, and through him connected me with an Orphanage called FHL Kid's Ranch (Faith Hope and Love). And so Until Kelsey Arrives, I will be at the Ranch, working and volunteering my time with the kids and staff, and it's absolutely amazing. I am so thankful for everyone that has helped me so far, because if it wasn't for them, I would without a doubt be lost.
October 16th-19th, 2009
My last few days at the FHL Kid's Ranch were just awesome. I spent time with the kids, and they tried to teach me some simple phrases in Tagalog, I just hope I remember them for the next time I visit. I was sad to leave but I know God has other plans for me elsewhere. Hopefully one day I will return. I made so many friends there that will not easily be forgotten. Now I'm back in Manila waiting for Kelsey to arrive. Again Pol Camacho has helped me and provided me a place to stay while I wait. I cannot wait until I head up to Baguio, which should be an exciting, but scary, drive.
October 20th-21st, 2009
We arrived in Baguio City early this morning after catching a bus around 1 in the morning down in Manila.
The drive up here was interesting to say the least. Traveling along the mountain roads it was clear how big of an impact Ketsana and Ondoy had on the island. Big blotches of brown shown all over mountain sides, revealing the muddy and rocky interiors. Giant piles of dirt over 10 feet lay over various sections of the road. It's amazing how much effort the government had to put into clearing the roads so that they would continue to operate for the thousands of people using them daily.
The Weather here today was absolutly beautiful. Not too hot, not too cold, just right, at least for me. The Valleys are coated with beautiful pines along with the tropic trees such as Mango, guava, and palm. The Bible school is quite a place. Nice gardens, and beautiful views through the trees to the Mountains in the distance. A freshwater spring on the mountain side provides the school with all the water they need, which is pretty cool I think!
Got to ride in a Jeepney today in Baguio, even if it was only for about a mile or so. Such a unique way of getting around.
(Jeepney's were originally created after WWII when the Americans left some of their Jeeps here. The public decided to turn them into a source of income, and since then, they have actually started manufacturing them! None of them look the same, as they all have their own unique design. They are a very cheap way, (not to mention fun, and exciting) of getting around most places in the Philippines that I've visited.
Time to go eat dinner.
October 22nd-31st, 2009
So, I haven't put anything up here in a while just because I've been pretty busy running around doing all sorts of different things.
I've put up alot of pictures since last time, pictures from the Outreach we had last weekend, pictures from the road trip we had two days ago.
Time seems to be going fast, but slow...it's very strange.
So far I have been having an awesome time here, there are only a few things I have disliked, one being the bad water I drank last night, which has been causing me pain ever since, another would have to be the man outside pushing a treat cart around the block, he is using an old bike horn to draw attention, but he hasn't stopped honking it for about 5 minutes now, pretty soon he will be drawing the wrong kind of attention, the kind of attention that ends up with my fist in his face (not really, I would never do that).
When we went out last weekend, it was a long drive. I started to notice how smoky it was all over. As we were driving and I looked out into the endless rice fields, I saw hundreds of fires everywhere, and these fires weren't just in fields, oh no, they were next to brick walls surrounding houses, close to the streets, pretty much everywhere. An endless cloud of smoke, that smelt of dead leaves, plastic, and other refuse covers the whole island. The people here burn there waste rather then put it in a dump. Gradually I started to get a headache and very sleepy. The smell was beginning to be to much. So I just covered my mouth with my shirt.
That's another thing I've notice driving around town, is that the pollution level in the city is so high, that officials and pedestrians have to where masks to keep out the smog and fumes from the passing traffic. It can really make you light-headed fast. Pretty much in one inhale, if you aren't used to it.
When we did the outreach from the 23rd-25th, I felt something moving inside me, and no it wasn't the rice, or the dog.
It was the holy spirit. Being surround by hundreds of people of a different culture, of a different race, and of a different religion, and in a strange place, it really had a profound effect upon my view of people as a whole.
The differences between actions and reactions, through conversations, labor, and all other types of activity.
I eventually came to terms with the reality that God put me in! During the first 2 weeks I had been here, it really hadn't hit me that I was 8,000 Miles from home, in a different country.
During the outreach I shared a short little testimony at each of the Film showings in the 3 villages and during the Church service. Of course not everyone there was able to understand what I had to say, but thankfully I had a translator.
At the end of each session, I really felt like God was moving through the crowd. He showed me that, even if you don't have everything you want, or even everything you need, or the healthcare some have, or the education others have, you can still be happy and know the Lord. He gave them life, and that was good enough for them.
I came to the shocking conclusion that I wasn't the person I thought I was. I wasn't thankful enough, I wasn't loving enough, I wasn't true to myself, and I wasn't true to God.
He really opened my eyes and slapped my face and yelled "WAKE UP".
I said "Just give me 5 more minutes, okay?"
Then he said "No, you've had 20 years, now you need to open your eyes and stop dreaming, you have a long day ahead of you."
That weekend was one of the most eye opening experiences ever.
During the week, a lady on staff here, Ate Tina, Lost her older brother. He had been struggling to hold on for a while, but thankfully at the end he was without pain.
About 2 months before He started following Jesus.
Most of the staff, along with Kelsey and I, went with Ate Tina down to her brother's house. We helped with the preparation of flowers and such, but then had to head back, as it was another 3 hours back the way we came.
Yesterday, I got the students pizza as a thank-you.
Since I've been here, they have gone way out of their way to help me. They really deserve more, but I really don't have the money right now. I'm so thankful for them all though, they truly love the Lord, and as such love their brothers and sisters through Christ.
My Future Blogs will be more Formal, this was just taken from my facebook group
