Beautiful Sky

from Laura
I love it when the sky is beautiful. Here in Manila, we have been having some beautiful skies lately. As we left campus this afternoon, there was a stack of clouds above the downtown skyscrapers, with gold and white and bright blue and glowing orange streaking the sky around. As we drove into our subdivision, facing the other way, there was a rainbow over our neighborhood! It wasn't a complete arch, but the colors were brilliant, and it even had an echo off to the side. The tragedy was that our camera wasn't in the car. And, even worse, when we hurried inside and got the camera and came back out... the rainbow had gone. I was sad. But the light was still that kind of reflecting light that makes everything beautiful. I had to take a few pictures. I'm sorry I don't have rainbow pictures for you, but at least maybe these will let you enjoy a bit of beautiful Manila sky with us.

A Note from Home

from Laura

This week has been a LONG week. I’ve had something to do every day after school, and it’s mostly been something draining. Wednesday and Thursday evenings, we had something to do after the stuff after school, so we didn’t get home until past 9:00 either night. (Given that we’re generally getting ready for bed by 9 or so, these were late nights after long days.) Wednesday’s evening activity turned into the worst Manila evening we’ve had in quite a while. We reached Friday drained in every way.

This was scary to me. I can teach when exhausted, though it’s no fun—I’ve done it before. But Friday afternoon (today) was the first of several meetings that will stretch me in faith and ministry. There is a group of girls who have been struggling with a number of interpersonal clashes. The counselors and chaplains decided to put together some time for this group to name their problems, learn some conflict resolution skills, and pursue a new level of peace with one another. Because I know almost all of the girls and have had good relationships with them, I am one of the adults helping with this process. This is a big deal. These meetings have potential for much good within this group, but, as with anything about interpersonal clashes, it’s complicated and tricky, and things can go south with frightening ease. I am out of my depth, in terms of training. This will stretch me, and it was NOT something I wanted to do when I was drained. So, scary.

I was distracted most of the day, and praying rather desperately with every other thought. In the afternoon, I got my sub plans in order and left my classroom nice and early. On my way to the meeting room, I passed the mailboxes and, out of habit, I looked in ours. And look! An envelope! I laughed—because this is God all over. It was a card from a community group at our sending church, Elk Grove Baptist Church. They just wanted us to know they were praying for us “today.” For us, and our ministry, and those precious children. “Be encouraged,” they said. J So I was.

The meeting went well. I didn’t have much to do with that, though I did my part. I know Who was doing the work. Through His Body in multiple locations, praying and writing and talking and listening, God started a process that can bring healing to students, as they keep letting Him in to work. Please pray for those girls, whom God loves so much.

Thank you, EGBC home, for sending us into our work today. Thank you for letting God use your prayers and your words in your handwriting to lift us up. 

Summer Learning

from Laura


Along with richly blessing us this summer, God also taught us a lot. The different rhythm and experiences provided the contrast we needed to solidify a number of lessons from the year, and to begin a few new ones. Here are some of the lessons of my summer: (The pictures are of beautiful things from the summer, only sometimes related to the nearest lesson.)

On a jungle hike on Mindoro

1- In June, we spent a day with God, partly alone, partly together. (Our mission asks each missionary to do this at least once a year, as a way of letting Him clarify our vision and our goals.) I was reminded on this day of the power of God's presence in our lives, and the depth and breadth of His plan. He is changing my heart and Seth's heart, and has a vision for our marriage to continue to grow. God wants to work in and through our friendships-- close and long-distance. He has ideas about every area of our lives and refuses to be limited to just teaching us to be better teachers and mentors. (Not that He's stopping that process either!) Our God is both enormous and intimate, far-reaching both outside of us and within.


2- On our Palawan trip, we were not always comfortable. We especially noticed this downtown- riding trikes, shopping in the (only?) local grocery store, walking through the market, or exploring a few of the quieter 'sights.' There were a variety of reasons: Non-Filipinos are much rarer in Puerto Princessa than in Manila, so our white faces made us very noticeable. (not my favorite experience) Beyond that, as tourists, we didn't know the right prices for things, or where anything was, or how to get there. I'd forgotten just how many questions there are to ask, when you're truly new to a place! We hadn't realized how comfortable we've become in Manila, but Palawan woke us up! It was nice to see that our new home has become a home-like place to be, but it was also a reminder that we remain novices in this country, outside of our own neighborhood. We were challenged to remain learners!

The Baywalk in downtown
Puerto Princessa, with
friendly children

3- Over the summer, we got to the point in Tagalog where we can awkwardly accomplish a few things, and I was reminded of how bad I am at 'putting myself out there' to try conversations I'm not good at yet. It's hard! But as we have tried to use bits and pieces more, I have been convicted of the importance of this process. I am humbled by how graciously our stumbling phrases are received, and angered by my own reluctance. This is a lesson that has just begun-- God will be teaching me a lot as we wrestle with the challenge of learning Tagalog.

Cathedral of the
Immaculate Conception,
in Puerto Princessa

4- As we traveled and visited, we learned more about life in the Philippines, the complicated mix of good and bad and otherwise. Beautiful dances, generosity, humor, a sense of equilibrium, family love, superstition, poverty, fear, deception, crippling circumstances. I think a dual lesson is always learned as you get to know a culture. Your views of the possibilities of the culture and of its desperate need for God's help-- both of these grow and grow. This certainly happened for me this summer. Perhaps the biggest lesson was growth in my understanding of the spiritual needs here. For so many, a veneer of Christianity covers a terrible cycle of penitence and superstition and fear-- a cycle without the forgiving grace of God, without the power to free them from sin, without resurrection or life. I see the work of the Filipino evangelical churches, and of the missionaries who assist and equip them, in a new light and with a new urgency.

Jovar's family (missing some siblings)

5- My personal biggie, taught repeatedly all summer: I am not in control. I really like being able to do things independently, but I don't have that power or that privilege. In Puerto Princessa, I couldn't even hold a conversation without the grace of God and the help of others. It took both of those again for us to get lunch or get across the city. When we met Jovar's family, and I caught a glimpse of what it takes for a poor family to get through a week, I found myself praying for them with the fervor of the completely helpless. In that city, I recognized God as my strength and theirs, and my biggest job was to hang on tight. What is the difference between that and being in Manila? Only one thing-- here, I can sometimes forget about it. But it is good to be dependent. It is good to know that I do not run things. It is good to pray in helplessness and hope-- when I am lost in a new city, and when I meet with problems I cannot even begin to solve, and equally when I walk into my very own, very familiar classroom to teach a lesson that I have fully planned and prepared.

The view from Pandan Island

How does this boil down? We have a lot still to learn, and it is not always going to be a comfortable process. We are not called to be comfortable. Certainly we, O'Days living in Manila, are not. But neither are we, Christians living on Earth. That is NOT God's goal for us. Growth and holiness, obedience and service, are some of His goals. Joy, peace, and love. But not being comfortable. And my maturity is often revealed most clearly by how I respond to discomfort. On vacation, with few responsibilities, no real timetable, and no outside stress, I was ok with that...which is why God got these lessons going over break. Now the school year begins, and the lessons take the next step. My prayer is that I will not forget, but that what I learned in the light and the joy of summer will take root now and grow.