Philippine Mission

What happened to my little monster?

2011-12-31T19:29:00.018-05:00

It was a lifetime ago; long before the days of driving to dinner with friends, baby sitting on New Year's Eve and high school; long before a move across the sea to another land, even before those fun elementary homeschooling days. It was a simpler time before the pressure of SATs, grades and getting into college and a little 3 1/2 year old girl sat with a square pad of paper and a pencil. She drew alone; the Daddy off at med school, the Mommy probably in the shower or taking care of the baby brother. She meticulously drew the same picture on each piece of paper. She had a plan! While no one was looking, she hid those pieces of paper around the house, in drawers, cabinets, under the covers in the bed, any little hide-y hole a 3 year old could find. Wouldn't the Mommy and Daddy be scared when they found them.

Later that day the first one was discovered. "What's this?", the daddy asked the Mommy. The little girl could hardly contain herself, "It's a monster. Are you scared?" She giggled. Over the next few weeks, monsters turned up in all sorts of places, each one greeted with the appropriate "scared" response from the parents. They were typical of drawings by kids of that age, a round circle with eyes, a nose and jagged triangles for monster teeth, 2 stick arms came off each head and an occasional one also had 2 stick legs coming out of the bottom of the head. They were stacked together until there were 30, 35, then more than 40 little monsters. Eventually, monster findings became fewer and fewer and after a while, in an effort to clean up, the mom threw away the stack of monsters. More than a year had passed when one day the Mommy was digging through her makeup drawer and found, tucked in the back under a plastic tray, a little monster. She showed it to the little girl and the daddy and they all chuckled about the monsters before the Mommy tucked the little monster back into the drawer.

Time marched on, and the little girl grew, the family moved, then moved again overseas. The little monster moved along with the family, always living in a drawer with the Mommy's makeup. Occasionally, coming out as the Mom showed him to the Dad and they remembered that funny little girl and her "trick". One day, it came time for the family to return to the US for a year. The monster was packed up and returned with the family. The next year or so was a confusing time as the little girl became a teenager and the busyness that brings. There were a couple of moves as the family settled into life in the states. In all of this, the little monster was misplaced, forgotten and somehow lost.

For some reason, the Mom was reminded of the little monster one New Year's Eve. Perhaps it was because the Mom was looking for something in her makeup drawer or maybe it was that for the first time the little girl wouldn't be home on this night, but instead, off watching someone else's little boy. Whatever the reason, the bathroom was searched, each drawer dug through, the clothes drawers scoured and dumped, but much to my dismay, no little monster was found.

As I look ahead to 2012, I can't help but look back. How did we get here? How did time pass so quickly? Shouldn't my girl be little still?Moving into the new year, I'm excited to see what this year will bring, but it comes at a price and a little sadness. This will be the year that my youngest will learn to drive. It will most likely be the last full year my little girl will live at home. My Dad one time told me that days seem like years, but the years just fly by. I think I was about Emily's age at the time, and I understood the days seeming long as I sat in school each day. Now I truly understand fully what he meant. So my resolution for 2012 is to not get bogged down in the frustrations of each day, but to see the bigger picture, to stop and remember the "little monster" stories that happen during this year. We won't pass this way again and I want to cherish this precious time.

As for the little girl, she still likes to draw, but her pictures have gotten much better. I wish I could show you the little monster, but instead I will have to just leave you with this one drawn just this week.

Fun with my new camera

2011-12-27T21:40:00.009-05:00

For Christmas I wanted a new camera. One that could
take those great shots I see others taking of their kids. You know the ones, really crisp subject with a blurred background. I also wanted to be able to take some artistic type shots. I have had an interest in amateur photography for about 5 years now, ever since I feel in love with the pictures a fellow missionary took in the Philippines. His style of photography really influenced the pictures I took with my little digital camera during our last year on the field- tight head shots of people. I used many of those in a video we showed in churches during our furlough year that we called "The Face of Grace". I did a lot with that little 6m camera. For the last 6 months or so I have really flipped flopped about getting a new camera and what type it should be. See I really wanted a DSLR, but I didn't want to lug one of those big cameras around. So for Christmas Allan gave me a micro four thirds camera. DSLR quality with changeable lenses, but smaller. I really love it, but I think I've driven the kids a little crazy by taking pictures of anything and everything in the last few days. I think I'm really starting to get the hang of all those settings. So here are a few of my creative shots:

Maggie tends to sometimes be a little more cooperative than the kids, or at least she just doesn't complain

I love reading food blogs and seeing pictures of those tasty meals. That inspired me to take a picture of my lunch.

Here's some fun with the Christmas tree

Home for the Holidays

2011-12-02T08:43:00.006-05:00

I vividly remember our first major holiday away from home, living on the other side of the world. I remember it so well because my family seems to like to bring it up and laugh about it.

It was Thanksgiving and we had been living in the Philippines for about 4 months; long enough for some of the newness to wear off. Our ministry partners were back in the states for their son's wedding and we were alone. Being that this was an American holiday and we were no longer in America, it was mostly just another typical day. The kids went to school, ministry continued, but 9000 miles away my family gathered together to celebrate their Thankfulness and stuff themselves with turkey and sweet potatoes. I had tried to talk to them on the phone earlier in the day, but with their house full and getting ready for the big event, they didn't really have much time to talk. I understood, really I did, but that evening as I sat at our table, dripping sweat in the evening heat, and eating our own turkey, I wasn't very Thankful. In fact, I burst out crying at the table. Here is why the kids and Allan like to tease, and giggle, "Haha, Remember that time you cried at Thanksgiving?" I do. I remember it- vividly; a picture imprinted on my brain. (You can read the blogs Allan and I posted about that day here: http://thegilmers.blogspot.com/2005/11/happy-thanksgiving.html ; http://thegilmers.blogspot.com/2005/11/what-we-did-on-thanksgiving.html)

Holidays came and went in the Philippines and I never cried at the table again. We made new traditions, ate with new "family", and while we made great memories during those holidays, I always had a little part of me that longed to be "home".

A few years later, it would make that first Thanksgiving and Christmas back in the States all the sweeter as we gathered around the table with our loved ones.

Each year around this time, I'm reminded of those living and serving around the world. Those Americans who have left hearth and home to bring the reason we celebrate Christmas to others. We have dear friends scattered across the globe, some of them living in countries where Christmas will go mostly unrecognized. My heart and prayers go out to them. But today my heart was touched by another group of people that will once again miss being home with family for Christmas.

The biggest export from the Philippines is her people. Filipinos leave their homeland in huge numbers in order to find work. Called OFW, Overseas Filipino Workers span the globe, in almost every country. Current numbers put that amount around 10-11 million workers, roughly 11% of the population. They are working hard and sending money back to support their families. Each year over 16 billion dollars is sent back to their homeland. Moms and Dads who can't find decent work at home, leave their spouses and kids in order that their families can have a chance at a decent life, food on the table, an education. Often educated, skilled workers take on unskilled jobs such as domestic helpers and personal service workers. Doctors become nurses because they can make more in the United Kingdom as a nurse than as a Doctor in the Philippines. College graduates perform jobs in manual labor, migrant work, construction, and fisheries in the Middle East, Nigeria, and Malaysia. The sad part is, many leave the Philippines for years without being able to return. Unlike the American Missionary, most don't get a "furlough" or home assignment. They are working and struggling to provide for their parents, children, and siblings. This year my heart and prayers also go out to them and to all those far from home and loved ones during the holidays.

CocaCola embarked on a project to help ease the pain of being away from home for a few of these Filipinos as part of their "Where Will Happiness Strike Next" Campaign. Called the "OFW Project", they surprised families by bringing their loved ones home for Christmas. Here is a video about the project. You might want to have a couple of tissues handy.

Growing Up

2011-11-14T10:23:00.014-05:00

When I was a child, I spoke like a child,

I thought like a child,I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

1 Corinthians 13:11

I knew this day was coming. It loomed on the distant horizon. In the last few months, it seems we have been rushing toward it. But yesterday it finally happened and I didn't know whether to laugh with joyous glee or to weep. As parents, we face little milestones all the time. Some are big and momentous like first steps, potty training, and beginning school. Some pass quietly by, hardly noticed, like no longer leaving on a nightlight or no longer being asked to help button up a coat.

I knew this one was coming though. Over the last 2 years, I told myself over and over; comforted myself in days of frustration that "this too shall pass". Days of walking by his room and seeing the little colored pieces scattered all over the floor. Nights of trying to walk pain free as I traversed in the dark across the minefield of his bedroom. Debates of "should I pick it up or just vacuum it up?" I just never realized that it would be an innocent question, a little casual conversation, that would have such an impact in the growing up process. Who knew that "What were you doing up in your room?" would lead to him asking to put them away. Asking to put up something he has played with almost everyday since he was a preschooler and asked for every Christmas since.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I haven't played with them in weeks."

He's right. His days are now filled with school, football, lacrosse, drawing, friends, youth group, and of course, like most teenage boys, video games. He'd rather spend an afternoon shooting his bb gun or

playing around with the lacrosse stick out in the yard. His creativity and imagination are coming from the end of a pencil these days as he draws and creates page after page.

So there I was last night, while the room was relatively clean and he was off with the youth group, packing up bright little pieces of plastic.

"Are you crying yet?" the voice of my husband came from downstairs.

No, not yet, not then. I think maybe I was too happy to see the mess of them gone. But in the stillness and the quiet of the night, I know I will mourn the loss of what this represents; that my little boy is growing up. He is moving on, becoming a man. It's as it should be. I don't want him to stay little forever, but I will miss that sweet child filled with wonder and innocence. But for now, it's time to look forward to the man he is becoming; to the world that is opening up for him; that the time spent building, creating, and dreaming will help him to not be limited by circumstances but to look for unlimited possibilities for his future. Most importantly, it's a time for me to stop and pray that God will use him and his life in a powerful way.

For now, the Legos are stored away next to the box of Star Wars action figures. Hours of building, creating, imagining, dreaming are up on a high shelf in his closet waiting for another generation to come along and enjoy the brief moment that is childhood.

Star Wars Legos for Will's 10th Birthday in 2007

Beginning again and giving them wings

2011-08-17T08:30:00.009-04:00

Hard to believe that I haven't posted to this blog in well over a year. It used to be such a big part of my life. While it was a way to keep everyone posted of our life in the Philippines, it also was my journal of life, joys, and struggles. So even though no one ever probably checks it anymore, I thought I would start again; just for me.

The last time I blogged, both kids were still homeschooling and we were just settling into the new normal of life in Greenville. How can so many things change in a year? Emily started public high school a few months later and got her license to drive in the fall. Will made great friends through a homeschool PE class and began to not miss the Philippines quite so much, shot up 6-7", dropped his voice an octave or two, and today I sent him off to his first day of public high school where he is playing tackle football on the 9th grade team.

Here is a little now and then shot of the kids from long ago and today:

Kindergarten and Second Grade

Today: Freshman and a Junior

Sending them to public high school has been a step of faith. Questions and disapproval have come from some of our homeschool friends, while great support and encouragement have come from others. I understand the questions, I really do and I know this isn't the path that God calls every Christian to walk. I would like nothing more than to hold them close and protect them from all the bad things of the world, but Allan and I strongly believe that God has called us to be in the world, but not of the world. How can they learn to stand on their own 2 feet, secure in Christ, if we don't help them through with stretching and spreading their wings and learning to fly.

Last month, Will and Emily left Allan and I alone for 2 weeks while they had a blast at camp. It made for some deep thinking and praying on my part as I got a taste of the coming school year.The following is a letter written to Will during that time.

Dear Will-

I know you are having a great time, but since you've been gone, I've been thinking about a lot about life and about you and Emily growing up. Going off to camp and going off to school are big things in your life right now. It's a time when you step out from the familiar and the comfortable and into a situation that makes you vulnerable, exposed to the world. Things may be going really good right now and I'm glad, but I know life isn't always easy. No matter how hard your dad and I try, we cannot keep you safe and sheltered forever. We cannot save you from evil, from the bad intentions of others, from those who don’t care what happens to you. As hard as we try to protect you, people will discourage you, fight against you, make life harder for you, be mean to you. We would love to hold you tight and never let the world have a chance to change you, to hurt you.

But we can't.

What can do is pray really hard. We ask God to save you and protect you. We seek His paths for you, even when it seems those paths may be filled with pain and hurt. We rejoice with your triumphs and cry with you when the disappointments come. The world won’t always make sense to you, but we are here for you, to help guide and direct you to the One who can heal all hurts and give all wisdom. We will help you find true joy in life through good things that God desires.

When the rain and storms of the world pound you,and they will, we cannot stop it. But we will hold you. We will brace ourselves as a family and hold tight to the promise that you belong to God first and then us. You will always be ours and all the kisses and hugs and laughter that we share will only make this trip through life that much better. I'm so proud of the man you are becoming. Of the strength as a man you are beginning to display. So many changes will come as you move into high school this year. I pray you will remember to keep God first and that you can always come to us no matter what.

There is a song by Sidewalk Prophets that I love that always makes me think of you. I wish I could write as eloquently as this, but These ARE the Words I would say...

It's Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

Last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say

Happy 15th Birthday, Emily!

2010-03-31T13:19:00.000-04:00

Last week, Emily reached a milestone....She turned 15. She is excited that she got her beginner's permit and is learning to drive. Over the weekend, we were hanging out in her room, when I noticed she had a picture on her desk of herself and her cousin, Laura taken on her 8th birthday in 2003. Back then they were so enamoured with makeup.

They still love to wear makeup. I'm just glad they have learned how to put it on. The picture below was taken at Mellow Mushroom where we celebrated her birthday. These 15 year olds are becoming such wonderful young ladies. Next year they will be attending the same high school. I'm glad they are not only cousins but the best of friends.

Here are a couple pictures I took of Emily driving today. She drove the two of us around town shopping for summer clothes. I've loved spending time teaching her how to drive. She has done so well. There have only been a couple heart pounding moments. Hard to believe she's been driving less than a week.

The Valley of Vision

2010-03-28T21:35:00.005-04:00

Lord High and Holy, Meek and Lowly
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is t possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be sen from the deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
Thy joy in my sorrow,
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty,
Thy glory in my valley.

A Puritan Poem

Skiing

2010-02-17T08:28:00.006-05:00

Snowboarding, Luge, Figure Skating, Skiing; watching these events this week has really put us into the Winter Olympic Spirit. Since the kids are out of school for winter break, we have been able watch the games late into the night. To experience a little of that first hand, yesterday we spent the day on the slopes less than 2 hours from us at the Cataloochee Ski Ranch. With all the snow this winter, the conditions were near perfect with all lifts and runs open. The kids had a great time and are getting really comfortable on the slopes. The only thing that would have made the day better is friends to share it with. Unfortunately, the cousins and our church friends are in school this week and none of our homeschool friends were able to join us.
The temp on the mountain was 13 degrees with strong gusting winds. It was freezing! In order for the kids to be able to stay out for long periods of time, we had to buy neoprene face masks. The kids joked that they looked liked bank robbers, but it did the job of keeping their faces warm. I noticed most of the skiers and snowboarders had similar things to protect their faces.

Snow day #2

2010-02-13T10:40:00.005-05:00

Total snow accumulations seem to be just over 4 ". Enough to cover everything completely and be beautiful. I am inside thawing out while the kids are sledding, rolling, and trying to make a snowman. It's a little powdery so I don't think they are being very successful on that front. Here's some pics from this morning:

On a snowy walk with my Valentine

Allan by the Enoree River

Em and Me!

Mags and Will love to romp in the snow

Bob! by Will

Emily trying to sled

A final shot of Maggie

SNOW!

2010-02-12T17:08:00.005-05:00

All winter the Gilmer family has been waiting and hoping for snow. Living at the base of the Smokies means that we often get teased by forecast snow that only falls just north of us. While Asheville and Flat Rock are probably grateful this southern storm is mostly passing them by we are rejoicing that it is far enough north to include us.

Maggie, our golden retriever, particularly likes snow. It makes her just a wee bit hyper and crazy. It's kind of funny for a Filipino born dog to love cold and snow so much. This afternoon she stood at the back door barking at the flakes falling until I let her out to scamper around in the downfall. A few weeks ago we had a minor ice storm and she spent the afternoon out with the kids sledding down the steep hill in our side yard. Even when the kids were finished, she continued to try and slide down on her belly.

After about 1 1/2 hours, we already have an inch and snow is expected to continue until the morning. While we won't get near the amounts that the mid-Atlantic states have gotten this past week, we are hoping for 6-8 inches. That will probably be a bit too much to expect.

For now, I am just sitting by the window watching the big flakes fill up my deck while listening to my new favorite album by Sidewalk Prophets. Too bad the large flakes don't show up in this picture.

Maggie is passed out by the fireplace with the gas logs burning. She's probably dreaming of the big fluffy white stuff.

I love winter! Got to go play in the snow with Will!

Updated Pictures:

These pictures were taken just after 5pm. The clinic closed so Allan came home from work while we were outside. By 8:00pm we had at least 3" and it has continued to snow all evening. The kids can't wait to get out again in the morning! I'm sure we will have more pics tomorrow.

Maggie loves to stick her face down into the snow and push it around.

I have no idea what she's doing.

Emily in front of the new house.

Christmas Performances

2010-02-06T23:25:00.003-05:00

This year the kids have been involved in some extracurricular musical activities.

Will began playing the trumpet through BACH Festival Choir and Band, a homeschool group here in Greenville. He has really taken off and his band director says he has natural talent. In December, he had his first concert of Christmas songs. Here are a few pictures of that night:

Just before performing and he's not nervous at all

Playing Jingle Bells!

Emily is still playing the flute, but not taking formal lessons. She has been showcasing her musical talent by playing in the hand bell choir at church and singing with an all girls choir, Vox Angeli. In December the Vox Angeli Singers performed 2 evenings at an annual Medieval dinner feast called The Madrigal. Emily loves singing with these girls which includes her cousin Beth, and particularly loved dressing up for the Madrigal Feast!

Both kids have more performances scheduled for the spring.

The Vox Angeli Singers

Emily and her cousin Beth

Emily squared

Emily and one of her best friends, Emily

2 Moms and a Minivan

2010-02-03T15:01:00.003-05:00

In mid-December, Allan and I made a major purchase cementing our decision to remain in the US for the next few years....we bought a house. Allan has taken a job at a new clinic opened by the Greenville Hospital System and we will be remaining here for the time being. So 9 days before Christmas, my sister-in-law, Chris helped me begin moving from the rental house to the new house. She came up with the clever name of our moving expedition, a play on 2 Men and a Truck. Since we didn't have bunches of stuff to move, we rented a UHAUL and hired a couple of guys from church to help us move the big stuff. We are just beginning to get settled and looking for furniture. Just for the record, I don't recommend moving the week before Christmas! I have lots I want to blog about from the last few months, but time marches on and I probably won't. For now we are busy finishing up the house and continuing homeschooling. Thanks Chris and everyone else who helped with the move!

He's 13!

2010-01-31T20:54:00.006-05:00

A couple weeks ago, Will had a couple of changes. He reached a major milestone as he left childhood behind and entered his teen years. That same day he also got something that made him look really different. Can you tell from the above picture?

For his birthday, Will invited some boys over to an airsoft war in the woods behind our new house. 4 boys and 2 dads spent the afternoon tromping around and shooting at each other. They had a grand time. Below are a few pictures from the afternoon:

2 Dads and 2 boys prepare for battle

Fun shooting holes in the silt screen

Seth and Austin sharing war stories over cake and ice cream

Seth and his Dad debate over where who shot who

Dalton tells his story

Will just enjoying the tales

Emily invited Austin's sister Olivia over to keep her company

By the way, if you didn't notice what's different about Will, he now has glasses.

Happy New Year from the Gilmer's New Home

2010-01-01T10:21:00.004-05:00

2 weeks ago today we moved into our new home and it has made for a crazy Christmas season. We spent a relaxing evening last night welcoming in 2010 by eating at the Chinese restaurant with my parents and then hanging out at home shooting off a few fireworks. Since we don't yet have tv service, we toasted the New Year by watching a web cam of Times Square on the computer and listening to James Taylor sing Auld Lang Syne. We look forward to see how God is going to work in our lives in the coming year.

Happy New Years!

The Gilmers

My life condensed in 13 suitcases

2009-11-13T03:24:00.008-05:00

The last 2 weeks have been somewhat of an emotional roller coaster for the Gilmer family. We have returned to the Philippines to pack up our belongings, visit with friends, say some tough goodbyes and participate in some medical outreaches to areas hit by the heavy flooding.

Allan and I have spent many hours in the last 14 days going through our belongings and deciding which to keep and which to give away. It's amazing how our earthly treasures often looked like trash after being stored in a cardboard box in the tropics for 15 months. When we left the US 4 and 1/2 years ago, we left very little behind. Most things, we either got rid of or shipped here. We came to the Philippines for what we thought was a lifetime and therefore brought many sentimental things along. We leave taking with us 13 suitcases/boxes, roughly 520 lbs of stuff. So what does the last 18 years of our marriage condense to? The kids Christmas ornaments and other special Christmas decor, the clock Allan gave me for my birthday and Mother's Day during medical school, a few pictures, a few dishes given to us when we married, some Filipino mementos, and some toys and things special to the kids. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to let things go. My dear friend Ling Ling took all my dishes. She wanted something new and said these would remind her of us when she used them. Others came and chose things they needed or wanted. It was nice to be a blessing to those Filipinos involved in our ministry.

Today we had a final clinic lunch. It was a surprise despadeta for us. That's a going away party. 16 people were there to share with us some final words. There were lots of tears, some sweet prayers, and a wonderful time of sharing memories. It was a precious time. These people mean so much to Allan and I. There are many things about the Philippines we won't miss; the traffic, the heat, the noise at night, drunk karaoke, but we will truly miss these dear friends; times spent eating meals and sharing fellowship on our lanai; investing our lives together.

Tomorrow we will board a plane and close this chapter of our life. It's tough to leave it behind. In many ways we are still in the grieving process. We know God has a plan for the future even though it doesn't seem to make sense to us now. We leave trusting the same promise that we trusted when He led us here:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Tonight's final sunset overlooking Manila:

Clinic Involved in Disaster Relief

2009-10-24T22:24:00.008-04:00

In the wake of recent flooding, the clinic has been overwhelmed with water-born illnesses and skin infections from hours spent standing in water. Not only are they seeing patients in our clinic, but they are also providing medical outreaches to some of the hardest hit areas. This week we received the following story from Val and Tom Thompson relating one of the many tragedies that they have been involved with. Val is currently the only doctor at the clinic.

"It would be too difficult to paint a picture of all of the devastation or to tell you all of the stories that we have heard. So, I would like to tell you the story of just one family that we know and have been trying to help with food and medical care.

This story is about Marivic, a young wife and mother. She, her husband, and their 4 children lived in the province of Baras (in the country side). They lived in a bamboo hut right next to her cousin, Dennis, his wife and their 4 children. On the day that Typhoon Ondoy struck, Marivic was in her home, near a small stream, resting as she had just given birth to a baby 5 days earlier. All 4 of her children were with her while her husband was working in the rice fields. It had been raining all night and all day, but this is not unusual in the tropical climate of the Philippines. She noticed that the water had begun rising in the stream, when suddenly, she heard a loud noise. It was a landslide and a large wave of water began rushing down the gorge towards her home. She took a sheet and tied her 5-day-old infant to her chest and around her shoulders, she grabbed the hands of her 3 year old and 5 year old children and told her 7 year old to hang on tightly to her and she tried to leave the house.

Meanwhile, she was shouting to her cousin’s wife, next door, to gather her 4 children (ages 2-7). Her cousin, Dennis, had traveled up the side of the hill sometime earlier to buy some items at the nearby sari sari store (a road side store selling snacks and drinks).Then the wave struck, forming a raging river where the small stream had been. It completely demolished the bamboo huts leaving no sign that there had ever been people living there. The 2 mothers and there 8 children were swept away with the water. Dennis watched all of this happen--as he was actually returning home from the store at the time the landslide occurred. A large boulder rolled down the hill landing on his leg and pinning him. He struggled to get free, but he was helpless as he watched his family being swept away. After the water had rushed through, other members of the village (most of them family) came running down the hill, they freed Dennis and started searching for the rest of the family. First, they found Marivic, on her hands and knees in a large pile of mud screaming and striking the ground with the sheet that had been tied around her. All of her children were gone, including the 5-day-old infant. By the end of the day, only the two 7 year olds were found alive, as they had been able to hold on to trees down the stream. Dennis’ wife and 6 children were killed in all.

When we arrived at this village—it was 2 days after the landslide. We first saw Marivic sitting and staring off in the distance. She was in shock. Her T-shirt soiled from her leaking breast milk, as she no longer had a baby to feed. Dennis and 20 other men were dragging the river looking for bodies. They had only been able to find one 5-year-old boy’s body. We gave them medical attention and began giving all of the men dragging the river tetanus shots. We gave them food and clothes and prayed with them as their hearts were breaking…knowing what we were doing was completely inadequate.

It has now been 3 weeks since the landslide affected this family. They are still looking for the bodies of their family members, but now they watch for the grouping of flies and then dig in the mud to see if they can find a body. They have only found one and half more bodies.

I do not tell you this story to upset or disgust you. I tell you this story because it is only one of a thousand stories of the loss and devastation that the Filipinos have suffered recently. Please pray for the victims and their families. Pray for the Lord’s peace and love to flow over them. Pray that all of the heartache and loss will draw them to the Lord—that His Kingdom will be advanced through this disaster. We have heard many missionaries report that their church plants are seeing many new attendees and there are many stories of salvation. Pray, also, that the Lord will show us where and how to work for Him in the aftermath of this tragedy."

Our family will soon join the Thompsons to lend a hand for a couple weeks. Pray for us as we prepare to return for this short time. Pray for Emily and Will that this time would provide some much needed closure, especially for Will who took our remaining in the states the hardest.

Below are a few pictures that the Thompsons took during one of their visits to this family.

A look at the riverbed

Destroyed Home

Make Shift Clinic

Our nurse LingLing comforts a child

Dr Val Thompson

Video Tribute to the Victims of the Ondoy Flood

2009-10-02T18:16:00.006-04:00

Here is a video that is circulating among our missionaries friends in the Philippines. It is heart wrenching for Allan and I to watch for many reasons, but also because a lot of these pictures were taken in the area surrounding where we lived in Manila. They are places we've been and know. So much to be done there, unsure why God has us here in South Carolina.

"When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will soar with you above the storm

Father you are king over the flood

I will be still and know you are God"

Massive Flooding

2009-09-27T23:17:00.002-04:00

It is amazing how we can get caught up in our own little world. This past week I have seen pictures on the news of the flooding in my hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. It has been a little surreal to see the local amusement park under water and to know the pain, frustration, and suffering that is going on there. Unfortunately, Allan and I have been so caught up in the process of moving ahead with our life and making some important decisions this week that I didn't really give it a whole lot of thought beyond a mere passing notice. I didn't realize that in another town I call home, on the other side of the world, even worse flooding was happening. Last night we received an email message from the American Embassy in Manila about their office being closed on Monday due to the flooding from the recent typhoon. We often get messages from them because we had to register with the Embassy when we moved overseas and I am unsure how to "unregister". Since there are often typhoons and flooding in the Philippines, I really didn't give it much thought until Allan began showing me horrific pictures of streets and places that were not just some place somewhere in a country we once lived in, but of places we knew and streets we had been on.

The news media is calling this "the worst flooding in the nations capital in 4 decades... as more than a months worth of rain was dumped on the city in 12 hours". The last count Allan and I saw of reported dead was 106. Beyond that, the devastation has to be unimaginable as people who have so little to begin with are now left with nothing. As power begins to be restored in some areas, friends are beginning to post pictures on facebook. I have spent the last hour looking at them. In some ways it is amazing how quickly life goes on. Pictures from around Faith Academy on Monday show the women and men working to get rid of the mud and muck left behind, while the Filipino kids are enjoying the day off school playing basketball on what's left of the courts.

Here are a few pictures I saw on the internet of an area called Cainta which is near our home and where the kids school, Faith Academy is located. These are places we know and places we've been. It's a little hard for me to see such destruction.

A picture of Cainta in the Rizal province
This is a major road into Manila called Ortigas
We traveled over this bridge every Sunday on the way to church

Another picture of the same scene.

More people traveling on Ortigas

We have had no news from the area around the clinic, but it is on somewhat high ground. Please pray for the Filipinos impacted by this calamity as well as the missionaries who have also lost much and for those who will begin to help rebuild what has been lost.

This picture is in an area of Manila called Pasig

It is a little further down Ortigas closer to town.

The Mad Scientist

2009-09-17T09:42:00.000-04:00

Will is taking his first intense Jr High Science program this year. He has been excited about beginning it and doing experiements. He has enviously watched Emily doing labs for the last 2 years. That sounds like he hasn't had any Science. He has, but this begins a different chapter in his education as he moves toward high school. This week he had his first experiments. He was quite thrilled and enjoyed every moment. This is his mad scientist look. Can you hear his eveil laugh?

The Other Side of the Box

2009-09-16T12:22:00.001-04:00

There is a large Filipino business in the US known as Balikbayan. "Balikbayan" literally means a Filipino living outside of the Philippines who returns for a visit. A Balikbayan box is filled with stuff Filipinos send or take back home to their family in the Philippines. In Filipino communities across the US, Filipinos specialize in shipping these boxes. During our time in the Philippines, our family and Dr Holmes often sent us a box of little treats from home, Christmas gifts for the kids, and supplies for our ministry. (remember the pill bottles?) Now we are on the other end of the spectrum. Last week we packed up a box of stuff to ship to the ministry. Here is Allan doing what my parents did quite a few times:In the past we have shipped out of Atlanta, but there was a shipping office in Myrtle Beach. So we took it with us on vacation and right now it is waiting train transportation to the west coast before being loaded on a cargo ship.

Pictures from the Beach

2009-09-14T23:55:00.005-04:00

Since I posted a blog from the beach last week, I thought I would show just a couple pictures:

Will ready to catch a few waves

Emily found a neat shell.

I just love the look I caught on Will's face

Showing the same shell to Dad

and here is one of Emily's treasured shell

She loves looking for sea shells

We brought home 2 buckets full

Will's favorite: The fast water slide

Every night he went down this slide at least 12 times.

By the way--I don't know those people in the hot tub

Here is Will coming off the botton of the slide

Out by the lazy river.

How many times can you go around in a circle?

ALOT!

Allan and Emily on the beach

A Distance Greater Than 21 Months

2009-09-08T08:39:00.001-04:00

I remember it as if it was yesterday. One Christmas morning an 11 month old boy and a 2 1/2 year old girl received a pop-up tent. For the first time, the 2 wee ones began to play with one another not just next to one another. They chased and popped out of the tent; giggling and squealing all the while. And thus began a beautiful friendship. With only 21 months separating them, Emily and Will have always been close.

When Emily turned 12 and Will was 10 I noticed things began to change. I would tell people,"This is probably the biggest difference in age that they will ever have." I was wrong! 12 and 14 is a much bigger age difference. Poor Will is surrounded by teenage girls who are rapidly leaving childhood behind. While he is looking for a game to play in the pool, his sister and cousins want to "lay out" or just talk. Last fall the kids all went out into the woods to play imaginary games. As hard as he tries, he now can rarely talk them into heading out into the woods and when they do the girls do more talking than playing. I've discovered "talking" is a big past time of teenage girls. Just last week, his cousin Beth called him on the phone to come play in the backyard in the camping tent she had set up. He went filled with excitement only to discover the girls wanted to sit in the tent and.....you guessed it, talk. He finally talked them into getting out of the tent and into the yard where they.....practiced handstands and handsprings. Now is that a great boy activity?

We are spending a few days relaxing at the beach this week and the differences scream at me. Emily is enjoying walking on the beach looking for shells, swimming in the lazy river or riding in waves on her boogie board, then laying out in the sun or sitting in the hot tub while chatting with me. Will on the other hand is in constant perpetual motion. To the beach to boogie board and get completely filthy building sand castles or chasing seagulls, to the pool, swimming the lazy river backwards, chasing his father or anyone else through the lazy river forward, running up the 3 flights of stairs to the hotel slide and then throwing himself down it at rocket speed to the pool below only to do it over and over again. He is having a blast, but I wish I had brought his friend Christopher along!

Besides the differences in my kids, I am beginning to see signs of physical changes in Will too as he nears 13. His feet have exploded out of his shoes and all his pants are able to go through deep puddles without getting wet. In the picture below, you can see he is almost as tall as his sister; much to his delight. I am sure in the next few years he will leave action figures and legos in the past. For now, he is wanting to embrace childhood and get in some good testosterone play time. I just need to find him another boy locally to join him on the journey.

Sweatshirts and Jeans??

2009-09-03T09:27:00.003-04:00

There's a nice little breeze blowing through my windows this morning. Last Monday a cool front blew in bringing with it the first hints of fall. I quickly turned off the ac and threw open the windows to relish in the cool weather. I really love fall. It's my favorite time of year. While I have struggled with not being in the Philippines, I am thankful to spend another Autumn in the upstate of South Carolina. The days have been sunny with highs in the upper 70s and low humidity; just about near perfect. The kids on the other hand are acting like it is in the 40s. Every morning they wake up and put on bluejeans and sweatshirts. I am still in my summer PJs or Capri pants. I wonder if this is still a by-product of living in the Philippines. It never felt this nice there and the humidity rarely dropped below 80%. It's a good thing we didn't return home to someplace like Montana. They would have never survived. For me, I am going to enjoy this brief taste of fall while it lasts. This being the South, I'm sure summer will return, probably with a vengeance, before fall is here to stay.

Here's a picture of the boy taken just moments ago.

Notice he also has on Wool Ski socks. He's CRAZY!

Here's our new High Schooler! She had ditched her sweatshirt while I was typing this blog. It was just too cute a picture to not post. Besides it gives you a little glimpse into our home school life.

The Nursery

2009-08-23T17:32:00.003-04:00

This morning I did something I haven't done in over 4 years. ...I worked in the church nursery. They came desperately looking for volunteers during Sunday School (or whatever we call it these days) What a great morning, rocking, singing and talking to the under 1 set and the biggest plus...I didn't have to change a single diaper. I loved holding those sweet smelling babies. Just another step back into the old normal.

Another year of Homeschooling

2009-08-20T15:44:00.002-04:00

This week began another chapter in our lives. Emily began High School. It is hard to believe she has gotten so old. I don't feel old enough to have a child in high school. For now she will be at home until we get settled somewhere. We didn't want to enroll her somewhere only to uproot her mid semester when we move on. She agreed whole heartily and would like to wait until her Sophomore year to go off to school. She is excited about going to some of her cousin Laura's High School's Football games.

The kids are taking some of their tougher academic courses online this year. We did a little of that last year and it was a great experience. The classes are rigorous and they have to develop some form of self discipline since I don't know everything that was taught and all due dates. An important thing to learn as a homeschooler. One of the classes Em is taking this year is Biology. 4 times during the upcoming year, some place in our home will turn into a dissection lab! Fun or Yuck?? Maybe a little of both. She will get to dissect a worm, a frog, a perch, and a crayfish. Maybe we should limit guests during that time. I remember the smell from my high school days. Eww.

Will is looking forward to a Computer Programing Robotics course. It uses a robotic educational Lego set and the Terrapin computer language. He should do well with that and have a blast doing it. While Emily always dreads the start of school, he was excited for school to begin again.

I didn't take a picture of the first day of school this year. I always do that when the kids go off to school, but rarely when they homeschool. I should really try to do that. By the way, I always get this question; in case you are wondering, the Gilmers do not school in their pjs. (OK well at least the kids don't. Sometimes their teacher shows up in hers)

The Job Hunt

2009-08-07T14:07:00.004-04:00

If you could move almost anywhere in the US where would you move? I'm serious. I need to know. We are facing this dilemma. There are family practice jobs almost everywhere, but what's the right job and where's the right home? How do you pick a place when where you really want to live is 9000 miles away. School at Faith Academy has begun this week and through Facebook it has been hard to watch Emily's class mates begin their first year of high school while we sit in a holding pattern. For now, we wait for direction and continue the job hunt. This year we will be homeschooling once again. Who knows what the next school year will bring. I think I'll take a break from all this thinking and go hang out by the pool with my sister-in-law while the kids swim with their cousins. The end of summer is rapidly approaching. It's a tough life being a stay at home mom, but someone has to do it!

By the way, Will says the picture in the blog below of the boy at camp who looks like he is sleeping is not him. He had a fabulous time and can't wait to go back next year. He won a trophy for Horseback. He loves horses now and wants to begin riding somewhere. Here's a shot of him carrying a homemade raft for some kind of competition.And another of him with a Djembe (African drum). This was one of his favorite skills at camp and he now taps and drums on everything.

A verse for the path we are on:

2009-08-03T22:29:00.006-04:00

Isaiah 42:16

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,

along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;

I will turn the darkness into light before them

and make the rough places smooth.

These are the things I will do;

I will not forsake them.

More Camp Photos

2009-07-23T23:25:00.005-04:00

Well I have heard from Emily. She says "Camp is a blast!!!" Her favorite activity so far? Horseback riding. That was always my favorite too. No letter yet from Will. I made the kids promise to write home at least twice. He could possibly wait and do both of them the last day. I have at least seen him in a few pics now. Below he is climbing up on the docks out in the lake.

He is wearing his green rash guard so I know it's him.

Here he is with his team playing

a live version of the board game Clue

and Finally the shot that lets me know he's having fun...

Notice the boy with the mouth hanging open being goofy.

That's our Will!

Here are Emily and Laura headed to

the Council of Progress

Camp Photos

2009-07-22T00:31:00.004-04:00

Every day the kids camps post pictures of the campers participating in activities and having fun. I thought I would share a few.

First up: Just a couple of the pictures I've seen of Emily

Jumping off the dock with her cabin mates

She's the one in the middle with the light blue bathing suit

Climbing out on the "blob"

Wish there was one of her being popped off into the water

Archery!

In 3 days of pictures, Will has been in exactly 2 pictures. One was him during the swim test that I put in the last blog. The other is below.

He's the one in the gray shirt with his head down. I hope this isn't indicative of the time he's having. I am going to think positively and say it's because he is worn out from too much fun.

Ahh, Silence!

2009-07-19T23:06:00.008-04:00

Swimming, hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, chiggers, sleeping under the stars, leather crafts, cabin cheers, archery, riflery, bonfires....these things stir up such fond memories for me. When I was a girl, each summer I went away to summer camp. The old fashioned kind where you slept in unairconditioned cabins and each day was crammed so full of activities that you fell instantly asleep at night. Each year I begged to go for as many weeks as my parents would send me. When I was old enough, I spent all summer long there working as a counselor and a lifeguard. I have always wanted my kids to have this same experience. Unfortunately, med school, residency, and living overseas have kept us from sending them.

Back in February, I had looked into it for this summer, but with a church youth retreat in June and plans to leave the US in mid-July, it would have made things too crazy. In June, with the summer still stretching long before us, it dawned on me that camp might actually work for this summer. After discussing this with Allan, I quickly signed Emily up at Camp Crestridge for Girls. Her cousin, Laura, decided she wanted to go and also signed up. Sadly, Will had to be placed on a waiting list at Camp Ridgecrest for boys. It seems 12 is a really popular age for boys to go to camp. Over the last few weeks, the camp has called with possibilities like a kid missing camp for a play-off game, but these didn't seem to pan out. The wonderful camp registrar told us last Thursday to pack his stuff just in case. She just felt good about him getting in. There was always the possibility of a no-show and since we would be dropping Em off at the sister camp down the road, we could easily bring him at the last minute. This morning as we were backing out of the driveway to head up to North Carolina, the call came. Will was in!! What a good lessonfor all of the family on God answering prayers .

Will was beyond ecstatic. He had wanted to go so bad and it was hard to put a trunk in the car that he knew might come out back at home at the end of the day. For the next 2 weeks, the kids will be romping and playing and worshiping in the North Carolina mountains. They will both ride a horse for the first time and learn to play the guitar. Bonfires, campouts, canoeing, ziplines, crafts, archery, paintball, riflery, and too many activities to name await them. I hope they love it as much as I did! It is quiet in the Gilmer house tonight. It's just me and the dog. Allan is off working 24 hours in the ER. The TV is off...no Disney channel, video games, Jonas Brothers, or Adventures in Odyssey fill the space. In a few days, the quiet may seem too loud, but right now silence is golden. It's time to refresh and renew before we begin the crazy months ahead. (By the way, isn't this more exciting than new pillows??)

I am sure I will have more pictures to share in coming days, but these are the only ones I found my kids in on the camp website today.

Emily's Cabin Mates

Emily is in the blue shirt on the end

and Laura is in the green shirt next to her

Will during the swim test

Pillows

2009-07-17T08:28:00.000-04:00

Ok I am a little embarrassed to admit this, but my children have never had a new pillow that belonged to them alone. When they were little I gave them old pillows that were somewhat flat because they were so small. Since that time they have just had hand-me-downs from Allan and I. When we returned from the Philippines last August, we each got a pillow that we had left at my parents house 3 years before. The kids each thought they could remeber the one they had left behind and were thrilled with tha little bit of the past. Back in May after our decision to remain in the US, I decided that I needed to ditch the sorry pillow Allan and I were using and buy new ones for us. Since that time, I have felt a little guilty that my kids do not also have new pillows. So yesterday the kids and I went out and I let them pick their own new one (within a reasonable $$). They have been so excited and funny about it. We had to try everyone at JC Pennys. I thought at any moment Will was going to start trying them out on the sample beds. I tried to take their pictures, but being 14 and 12 they wouldn't cooperate. I guess it was a little bizarre. So here are the 2 pictures I tried to snap. Were they pleased with their purchase? The morning after verdict was that the pillows were soft and they slept wonderfully.

Isn't this a pathetic way to begin blogging again?? Maybe I should post some pictures from our recent trip to DC

Beginning again

2009-07-15T00:15:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time since I have blogged and I'm not sure anybody even checks this anymore. Since our decision not to return to the Philippines, I haven't had any words to say. It has been a tough time for our family as we have grieved the death of a dream and a vision. Last week I was talking to a dear friend on the phone and she asked me if I had been journaling the things we are going through. In the past 14 years, I have kept a record of this journey and the path God has led us on. But recently, I have not been able to write down any of my experiences or feelings or even blog about our daily happenings. Maybe it is time to begin blogging again. Life continues and we struggle to see God's purpose in our remaining in the US. We have big decisions and job interviews in the coming months and would appreciate any prayers for those decisions.

The Elephant

2009-05-20T11:15:00.003-04:00

Have you ever heard the expression about overlooking the elephant in the room? Well, there's an elephant in our blog that we just can't overlook any more. Many of you already know that we recently had to make a tough decision concerning our ministry in the Philippines. We were scheduled to return to the PI in late July. Unfortunately our support has been impacted by the current economic crisis and we are unable to financially return at this time. This has probably been the toughest decision Allan and I have ever had to make, much harder than deciding to move overseas. It has been a decision filled with sadness by all of our family. The kids in particular have had a hard time adjusting. Missions is what we have felt called to and planned for. We have struggled with what God has for us now. We would appreciate your prayers during this difficult time as we seek out what the future holds. I plan to keep blogging and we will keep you posted as to our future plans. I have loved blogging about our experiences in the Philippines. Thanks to all our faithful readers for sharing in our adventure with us.

NASCAR All Star Race pt 2

2009-05-18T16:00:00.004-04:00

Well Allan and Emily's NASCAR trip on Friday and Saturday was a rousing success. Emily loved every moment at the track. I am afraid she likes NASCAR even more now. The 2 of them couldn't have asked for a better time. They kept me posted on all the exciting events by the cell phone. One of the main highlights happened Saturday afternoon. They went to a Q&A time with Emily's favorite driver, Matt Kenseth that was broadcast on the Speed Cable TV station. Emily was chosen to ask Matt a question on live TV. She was given a Kenseth shirt because of that. Afterwards, Kenseth signed her hat as he was heading out. The race itself was an thrilling nail biter. Kenseth was in the lead during the last few laps of the race, but was beat out with 2 laps to go by Tony Stewart. This made for much excitement and she was thrilled he came in 2nd. They had a great time and came home exhausted. What a precious memory for the 2 of them of their NASCAR race together.

Matt's trailer

You can hardly see it, but here is Emily in front of Kenseth

as he is about to begin his Qualifying run.

Answering Emily's Question at the Q&A Session on SpeedTV

The Question?:

"What type of tracks do you like better; long or short?"

Autographing Emily's hat

NASCAR All Star Race

2009-05-16T20:44:00.001-04:00

If you have personally known Emily in the last few years, you will know that she has an obsession uncommon to most 14 year old girls. She is crazy about NASCAR. She developed this love while we were in the Philippines through a combination of the movies Herbie and Cars, and our neighbors the Brewers and Nelsens. Her favorite driver is......Matt Kenseth, who happens to be related to our partner Cindy Nelsen. After Kenseth won the first 2 races of the season, his website offered some $17 tickets to the All Star race in Charlotte. Emily had a birthday coming up and Charlotte just happens to be 2 hours from here. So Right now Emily and Allan are having a father/daughter weekend cheering Kenseth on at the Lowe's motor speedway. I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow.

40!

2009-05-02T13:28:00.004-04:00

Well it's official. I am now middle-aged!

Yesterday I turned the big 4-0.

I had a really great birthday. After lunch at Chick-fil-a, I spent the afternoon with Emily at our monthly crocheting class. We have been taking this class together for the last couple of months. This month we are making dish rags. It has been a hysterical time as we have bumbled through together. After our class, we arrived home to find that Allan had been busy decorating with the obligatory black crepe paper and sparkly streamers. We celebrated last night with my family by eating at my favorite restaurant--The Flat Rock Grill. For those of you familiar with South Carolina cuisine, I love their she-crab soup and crab stuffed shrimp. YUM! We then stuffed ourselves with cake and loaded cherry chocolate ice cream. (or Cookies n Cream for those non-cherry eaters) I now have to get back on my healthy eating plan today.

What am I doing right now?

2009-04-21T11:23:00.005-04:00

I haven't quite joined the Twitter age or posting blogs from my cell phone about what I am doing moment by moment. To be honest, it would be really boring, but I thought this morning I would let you have a peek into my life. Right at this moment I am giving the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to a group of homeschoolers (including my 2). Once I get each section started, I have 15 to 30 minutes of silence. I am thankful for wireless internet so I can get on my laptop and check emails and such, but I should have brought a book.

Special Olympics

2009-04-20T09:24:00.001-04:00

Last week the kids and I had the opportunity to work at the Greenville Special Olympics Spring Games. It was a really fun day and the weather was perfect. It couldn't have been nicer. Emily, Will and I were buddies for 2 atheletes. They were both 9. The hit of the day for both boys and Will was not actually the games, but climbing in some Army Hummers and talking to the soldiers who had come out for the day. Unfortunately, I thought I had left my camera at my parent's house on Easter Sunday so I didn't take any pictures myself. To be honest, I found my camera in my purse later that evening so I could have actually taken some. Someone else took the pictures of us below, but there were none of Emily.

Easter

2009-04-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

Sunday was such a gorgeous Easter Sunday. After church, the family gathered at my parents for lunch. Mom made such delcious food; ham, sweet potato cassarole, broccoli with Hollandaise sauce, Sister Shuberts rolls, Mimi's famous Mac and Cheese, and Strawberry Cake for dessert. It was all so good!

We took a great family picture in front of the fireplace.

Back when Allan was in medical school, my mom had an Easter egg hunt for Emily and Will one year. I think the kids were 2 and 4. It was such a big hit that she began to do it every year. Sometimes my brother's kids would also be there. As we began our year long walk down memory lane, it was one of things Em and Will were excited about. They have mentioned it quite a few times since last Easter. My mom had no choice, but to plan another hunt. (like she would have ever told the grandkids no) Since she hadn't done one in 3 years and this might be the last one, she went all out and had 18 dozen eggs filled with all kinds of goodies. After lunch, the "kids" hid the eggs for the "grandkids". My brother set the rules: at this age, the eggs had to be hidden well, but at least part of the egg had to be able to be seen. I was in charge of hiding 12 golden eggs that each had a gold dollar inside. That responsibility included remembering where they were hidden. Well at last count, there were still 15-20 eggs hidden in the yard, including one of the gold eggs. I can't remember where I hid it. I have even offered a reward to the kid who finds it, but it is no where to be found. Maybe 30 years from now some child will make a wonderful discovery. Of course if they discover one of the ones with chocolate inside, I wouldn't recommend eating it.

The kids getting ready to hunt eggs.

They decorated these bags when they spent the night with Mimi and Pop the week before.

They needed large ones for 18 dozen eggs

Will on the hunt

Revelation

2009-03-27T02:32:00.007-04:00

It's late and my mind seems to be racing with all the thoughts running through my head that I can't seem to turn off. As we anguish over the decision laid before us, once again a song seems to express my feelings and emotions better that I can. If only I were eloquent enough to explain what is in my heart tonight. The Christian group, Third Day, says it much better:

My life has led me down the road that' so uncertain...

This time, I know you are holding all the answers...

My life has led me down this path that's ever winding
Through every twist and turn I'm always finding....

Give me a revelation
Show me what to do
Cause I've been tryin' to find my way,
I haven't got a clue
Tell me should I stay here,
Or do I need to move
Give me a Revelation
I've got nothing without You
I've got nothing without You

I don’t know where I can turn
Tell me when will I learn
Won't You show me where I need to go
Let me follow Your lead,
I know that it's the only way I can get back home

Give me a revelation,

Show me what to do

Cause I’ve been tryin’ to find my way,

I haven’t got a clue

Tell me should I stay here,

Or do I need to move

Give me a revelation

I’ve got nothing without You

Revelation by Third Day

14!

2009-03-25T20:22:00.003-04:00

Emily turned 14 today!

It is hard to believe she is so grown up. She has become such a beautiful young woman.

On Saturday, we celebrated at our house with the family. Emily chose to have fried chicken and a Matt Kenseth cake.

She is a huge NASCAR fan and has enjoyed being able to watch it this year.

Allan and I are learning to like it.Afterwards, we went go-karting per Emily's request. She has always had a need for speed and she drives around the track pedal to the metal. I might need to be scared of her turning 16.

Here is a final picture of Emily this morning after breakfast ready to open presents

God of This City

2009-03-13T23:12:00.014-04:00

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head? Usually when that happens to me, it drives me crazy. Often it is some bizarre song that I don’t even really like. In the last few weeks I have had the song “God of This City” by Chris Tomlin suck in my head. This time, it is driving Will crazy. You see there aren’t too many words to this song and I tend to sing the same 3 lines over and over. On the other hand, I have liked having this song playing over and over in my brain. The Lord has really used it as a great reminder of why we are serving in the Philippines. As we struggle to raise enough support to return to the Philippines, it helps me remember that He isn’t done with Manila yet regardless of what our future holds. There is Hope among the poor and hopeless of Manila. Please pray with us that we will be able to return to the Philippines in late July and share His Love, Grace and Mercy there.

Below are the lyrics to this song along with some pictures of things that flash through my mind as I hear it. You can hear this song at http://www.last.fm/music/Chris+Tomlin/_/God+Of+This+City?autostart It will start playing automatically.

God of this City

by Chris Tomlin You’re the God of this City
You’re the King of these People
You’re the Lord of this Nation
You Are

You’re the Light in this darkness
You’re Hope to the hopeless
You’re the Peace to the restless
You Are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
For Greater things have yet to come
and greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
We believe, we believe in you God

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

SNOW!

2009-03-02T12:41:00.007-05:00

Since December the kids have hoped and prayed for some of that white stuff and yesterday those prayers were answered. The heavy rains began changing over to snow around 3pm and it snowed constantly until almost midnight. We received 6.5"! (Ok for those of you in places like Chicago, I realize that is almost nothing, but for South Carolina it's a big deal) The kids are thrilled and so thankful to be able to trek back in forth through the woods to their cousins'. We lost power about 11:30 last night, but it was restored about 4am. My brother is still without so everyone converged upon our house for lunch. The afternoon temps are expected to reach 40 so the kids are busy trying to get their fill of snowball fights, sledding, and snowmen before then. Here are a few pictures we took this morning. Some of them were taken in the woods behind our house. We headed out for a walk back there around 8:30 this morning. It was so beautiful and we loved trudging through the deep untouched snow. Thankfully the kids have some old snow pants to wear so they aren't too wet or cold and can stay out all day. I've never taken a snow day in homeschooling before, but sometimes you got to stop and throw a snowball or 2.

Pelting Dad with snowballs

Yesterday around 5pm

Today around 9:30am

We took a gorgeous walk through these woods this morning

A Bridge down in the woods behind our house

Will's 12th Birthday!

2009-02-04T11:42:00.002-05:00

On January 17th, Will turned 12. We celebrated by spending a day at the lake. Will wanted to have a party with just his cousins. They are all a little obsessed with the movie Prince Caspian. They often play Narnia in the woods behind our house. Last fall they all made swords with scraps of wood from my brother's house. We upgraded everyone with new nerf swords. It was the coldest day in the past 3 or 4 years, but the kids braved the biting wind for a little while. Afterwards, they came in and warmed up with hot chocolate and video games on my parents big screen tv.

The King and Queens of Narnia

Chasing down Dad

Video time!

Uncle Tray's Birthday

2009-02-03T23:37:00.002-05:00

We recently celebrated my brother's birthday at a Japanese steakhouse. It's always a fun time. The kids hadn't been to one since they were 3 and 5 so this was really a new experience. If you know Emily at all, you can imagine how thrilled and excited she was. She really loves life.

A few Final Christmas shots

2009-02-02T23:26:00.004-05:00

I know, I know.... Christmas was over a month ago and I have been pretty slack at blogging recently. I just downloaded these pics from my camera and thought I would share a few before moving on to other topics.

Christmas Morning at Mimi and Pop's

What every teenage girl needs...make-up

"Thanks for the new Casting Crowns CD, Will"

The kids with their cousins in Birmingham.

I can't believe how old they all are

Allan's parent and Grandmother with the kids

Christmas Season

2009-01-06T10:02:00.008-05:00

Well, Christmas is officially over :( We had such a good if not a busy one. I told someone recently that I was trying to fit 8 years worth of American Christmases into one. (I figure it has been 3 years since the last Christmas in the states and will be at least 4 more before we have another) We crammed the month of December with trips to see holiday lights, church musicals, drive through Nativities, the Christmas Parade, other holiday items of interest and tons of eating! The one place I never made it to was the mall! Oh well, I get enough of that in the Philippines. Here are a few pictures from some of our activities. I didn't take too many pictures over the holidays. We were too busy just enjoying being with our family and friends. The ones I did take tended to be of the kids' backs since they were always looking at whatever was going on.

Emily and Laura at the church Middle School Christmas Party

Holiday Lights at Roper Mountain Science Center

Simpsonville Christmas Parade

Hollywild Animal Park

This was actually one of the highlights of the Christmas season. We hadn't been able to fit this in and so my brother and I decided to go one rainy night the week of Christmas. Unfortunately Allan was working and missed out. We arrived and began what we thought was a typical drive through of lights. It was nice, but we didn't think it was worth the entry fee. Then we passed through some gates and entered into the "Reindeer Forest". It was basically a big open field you could drive through with deer and Zebra running around everywhere. We opened the sliding doors to the van and hung out the sides in the rain trying to pet the animals.

After driving through another section of light displays we arrived at "Santa's Village". Should we get out??? It was pretty nasty, but since we had packed rain boots for just such an occasion, we braved the muck and the mud to go to what was essentially a petting zoo. The kids loved it! We saw some great animals. One of my favorites was the big Texas longhorns. I'd never seen them in person before. The kids fed bottles to baby goats, crackers to horses and reindeer, and were spit on by a camel. It was so fun!

I took this picture just seconds before the camel spitting incident.
I guess he doesn't like his picture taken.

Remember those serving Christ in foreign lands

2008-12-13T00:34:00.001-05:00

My Aunt Linda sent me the following poem today. It really hit home with our last 3 Christmases. We were always so grateful to those who remembered us by sending their Christmas cards and letters. I want to encourage those of you who personally know others serving overseas, please send them a Christmas hello. It only costs about 80 cents and helps makes the holidays a little warmer to be remembered by friends back home.

Missionary Christmas

Christmas was special when he was a child,
food and presents and carols and smiles.

Tree decorating was great family fun,
and cold nights by the fire watching old reruns.

But then one day God spoke to his heart,
and he gave up his culture to make a new start.

Now taking the Gospel to far off lands,
his Christmas is different than what he had planned.

The weather is sticky, with stench in the air,
the needs that surround him are terrible to bear.

Instead of carols and Christmas bells,
he hears chanting and the casting of spells.

The childhood dream of Christmas in the snow,
was left at the altar when he decided to go.

If only the ones who he left behind,
would remember his face during this special time.

And send him a note, or a word of thanks
or maybe even something he could put in the bank.

Then Christmas would not be so tough this year
and even for the missionary it would be ‘good cheer.’

©Wayne Dillard 2004 (Missionary to Thailand)

Gingerbread Houses

2008-12-09T08:34:00.009-05:00

One year at Thanksgiving, when the kids were about 5 and 3, my Mom decided we were going to make Gingerbread houses. It became an annual tradition and each year sometime around Thanksgiving or the first of December, my whole family got together to help the kids make Gingerbread houses. The kids would chose a different adult partner to be there helper while one of the ladies (usually my Mom) was in charge of keeping the icing coming. I have to be honest and admit that I really didn't like this fun family project. While I was glad the kids got to do it, for some reason I dreaded it. I am not really sure why. Maybe it was the sticky mess or trying to get the house to stand up or just all the noise and confusion, but each year I really wanted to groan on Gingerbread house day. So of all the traditions we gave up when we moved to the Philippines, this is not one I have morned.

Here's Will in 2000 with the finished product

If you remember from previous blogs, my children are really wanting to walk down memory lane during our year in the states. We have to do all the things we used to do. Of course this includes Gingerbread houses. My Sister-in-law assured me that times have changed and it is actually a fun experience. The main reason....they do it all themselves. So last Friday my sister-in-law and I got the kids together to build a house, actually 4 houses. Chris, my sis-in-law, made the icing, while I was in charge of buying the candy. She was right, we had fun! The kids did their own with little to no help while Chris and I just watched, talked and laughed with them. Afterwards, my brother came home from work and Allan came over and we ate pizza and then out to see Christmas lights. It was such a great evening

Will in 2008--he's gotten so old!

Emily in the building process

Beth spread a little icing on

Laura puts the finishing touches on the board

Laura and Beth's final product

Emily and Will's Gingerbread Drive!

"Oh There's no place like Home for the Holidays....

2008-12-03T02:31:00.004-05:00

...no matter how far away you roam.

When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze.

For the Holidays you can't beat Home Sweet Home!"

A combined Miller/Gilmer Thanksgiving at my brother's house

The kids table

A Little Bit of White

2008-12-02T02:08:00.002-05:00

I was pushing the cart through the grocery store, just picking up a few things, when the call came. Half expecting it, I still wasn't prepared for the piercing scream coming from the other end. "Mom! Guess what? Guess What? Guess What?" I knew the answer, but I played along asking "What?" "It's SNOWING!!" I had seen a few flurries while out doing some Christmas shopping and had hoped the kids would see them too. They were currently out in the yard dancing with glee. The first ones were spotted while driving home in the car with Allan and hands and heads were hung out the window touch it. Of course, the flurries lasted only a short while, but hopefully it is a taste of weather to come. There are 2 kids (OK maybe 2 adults as well) who are dreaming of a white Christmas. "Let it Snow!"

Furlough?

2008-11-25T10:05:00.006-05:00

I bet many of you are wondering, "What exactly do missionaries do on furlough?" It's a question that probably has about a hundred different answers. For most though, furlough means time on the road. It is a year to visit family and a year to touch base and make contact with supporters. We have been doing a bit of traveling while back in the US. Our latest trip was to the Scientific Assembly of the South Carolina Academy of Family Practice Physicians. That's just a fancy way of saying a conference of Family Medicine Doctors. Allan had been asked to speak at a luncheon. He was able to challenge these Doctors to look beyond the current "healthcare crisis" in America into areas where no healthcare exists - to expand their vision to not only the Philippines but many areas that need even the most basic of primary care.

About a month ago, we spent a week in Auburn, Alabama at Lakeview Baptist Church's missions conference. This church has played an important part in our lives. It was here that we met Christ and each other. Through the ministry of this church, we felt our first call to missions and were united in marriage. They have been a great support and encouragement to us over the last 4 years of preparing and going overseas. It was a wonderfully refreshing week as we got to share our stories and visit with other missionaries from around the world. We were also encouraged by the staff and congregation. It was a great week to walk down memory lane with the kids and revisit some of our old haunts.

During this week in Auburn, we had the opportunity to go to an Auburn University Football game! It was the first time the kids had been to any football game and they loved it.

Will loved hanging out eating hot dogs in the Alumni tent.

When you are in Auburn on game day you have to go to:

Tiger Walk

(the guy in the sports coat hidden behind the people

is head coach Tommy Tuberville)

and to see the meeting of the band

It was a nail biter of a game and, typical of this season, we lost in the final minutes. The kids didn't get to participate in an Auburn tradition after a win...rolling Toomer's Corner, but that just leaves something new for next time.

It was an exciting time and we all left slightly hoarse from cheering so loud.

A final Picture from our week in Auburn:

Just because we are on the road doesn't mean a vacation from school. Homeschool can happen anywhere, even the bride's room of a church

That Little holiday in October

2008-11-17T15:47:00.005-05:00

The excitement began soon after our arrival in the US in August. It became a constant source of conversation and planning; building and growing until it I almost screamed "ENOUGH!" The topic....that holiday that falls on the last day of the month of October. Was it any wonder? It had been 4 long years since the kids had been able to participate in this event. The last time was when they were in 3rd and 1st grade. Shortly after touching down in the US, it dawned on Emily that this year we would be able to dress up and beg candy from our neighbors. The kids and the cousins began planning and scheming..... Costumes, dinner, trick or treating, the "after party" (that's what Em called it) and camping out on our Living room floor watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". The day has now come and gone and it lived up to all of Emily's hopes. Just thought I would share a few pictures from that week.

On Wednesday night the kids dressed up as M&Ms to go

to the church youth group party

Everyone in the family came to our house for dinner,

including the grandparents, Mimi and Pop

The menu included: Mummy dogs, Personal Pumpkin Pizzas,

and Mini Monster Meatball sandwiches

The kids created these rock star personas
and named themselves Biff and his Chicks

The Beauty of Fall

2008-11-06T23:19:00.005-05:00

I have so many pictures and things I want to blog about, but life keeps moving forward full steam ahead and things like blogging and emails seem to be pushed to the bottom of the stack. Tomorrow I am leaving for my Grandfather's memorial and I wanted to dump some pictures off the camera before leaving. I just had to share a few that I have taken over the last few days. I need to preface this by saying WE LOVE FALL!!! I always loved this season, but this year it is better than ever.

Here is the gorgeous view from our patio: The colors are spectacular,

but the camera just doesn't do them justice.

God has really blessed us with our rental house.

The view of the woods behind the house is amazing.

This afternoon the kids and I went out to my parents' house for a few hours. They are already in Gulf Shores, but the kids felt the need to canoe on the lake a bit. I was helping Em finish a bit of schoolwork when looking outside, I saw Will raking leaves up in the yard. I thought, "How sweet! He's helping out Pop without even being asked."

I should have known better. He had ulterior motives. Those golden, orange, red and brown leaves were just crying out to be raked into a pile and jumped into.

The kids had a grand time jumping, throwing, and sliding in the leaves. At one point in the afternoon, Emily said, "I just love the sound of walking in crunchy leaves." If you haven't made it up toward the Carolina mountains this year, you are missing a great treat.

It's beautiful!

Apple Picking

2008-10-29T08:48:00.013-04:00

Since being back in the US, the kids are all about tradition. There are certain things that they think we just have to do because we've "always done" them. (Sometimes "always done" means we did it once) I think it is like a trip down memory lane for them. One of the things the kids and I did every fall during Allan's residency was to travel north across the state line into North Carolina and pick apples. Usually we did this with a group of fellow homeschoolers. I was the one to suggest this outing. To be honest, this trip down memory lane was for me. So back at the end of September the 4 of us packed a picnic, gathered Mimi and Pop and headed out for a day at Sky Top Apple Orchard. It was a wonderful crisp fall day with little hints of the fall colors soon to come.

Below is a picture taken the last time we went to the Orchard and one taken in the same spot this year. My how the kids have grown in 3 years! (Don't ask why the first pic is in black and white. I was new to the digital photography world and monkeyed with the picture on the computer without saving a copy.)

2004 and 2008

Emily climbed up in the tree to pick apples

a great picture of my dad

I do exist!
I am the primary photographer so

rarely do I make the blog in pictures

Pop and Will bagging up our apples

Feeding the goats at the orchard

A Walk through the Bamboo forest

A Breezy Lunch!

A Hay Ride

Me and My Mom!

Just being silly!

Goodbye Cap!

2008-10-22T21:52:00.006-04:00

Ira Emmett Wilcox Jr.

December 16, 1916-October 19, 2008

This week we are saddened by the death of my Grandfather. A feisty, spunky 92 year old who lived on his own until checking himself into the hospital 3 weeks ago with an infection. My mother and my Great-Aunt Margaret have spent the last 2 weeks by his side, holding his hand and caring for him. Affectionately called Cap by his grandchildren, he was a true outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing and boating.
Cap with me and my brother in 1970

Cap is survived by 3 children, 7 grandchildren,
and 9 great grandchildren
This picture was taken of Cap and the great grandkids
the last time our whole family was together- Summer 2004

While we had not been able to visit him since returning home,
we are thankful we got to visit him while we were

in the states last summer. This picture was taken the last

time we saw him in August 2007

An answer to prayer-our house

2008-09-19T02:50:00.002-04:00

For the last year, Will has said "I want to live by Laura and Beth (his cousins). I want to live in their neighborhood, next door even." We told him that we didn't think we could afford to rent a house in their neighborhood, but to pray about it. It was one of those pat Christian parent answers we all give to let down our kids easily. He took it earnestly and as we prepared to leave the PI he prayed for a house near the cousins.

We began our search for a home in the same town as the family as well as an hour down the rode in Greenwood where we lived before going to the PI. There wasn't much in Greenwood, but the abundance of for sale houses and the current poor houseing market made our choices much better up near Greenville. We had spent some time looking and had narrowed our choice down to a couple of different places. When we finally decided we would make a decision, my Dad suggested we ride through another neighborhood that he thought would be perfect for us. He was right. It was just one street that made a loop around like the #6. It would be great for the kids to ride bikes. There was a big park in the middle and a walking trail though it. It was about a mile down the road from my brother's so Will would be close to his cousins, not exactly in the same neighborhood like he wanted, but close enough. There was a house for rent. The next day we went to see about it and decided it was the best place we had seen. It met almost all the things we were looking for in a rental. We headed off to fill out the application and start the ball rolling.

We had noticed that the walking trail passed along the side yard of the house into a wooded area beyond the backyard. That night Allan got on Google Earth to see where the trail went. We were shocked. It couldn't be! The trail connected the back of our neighborhood with the side of my brother's neighborhood. Door to door the kids are 3/10 of a mile from their cousins. 2-3 afternoons a week, they head off down the path after school for an afternoon of fun with them. I love having the cousins in and out of the house all the time. What a wonderful way for Will to see God work in his life. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

Will and his cousin Laura

Family

2008-09-17T22:26:00.005-04:00

In my last blog I told you a little bit about how crazy life has been. There has also been time to stop and enjoy the journey. It has been great to be back home with family. We were able to have nice visit in Birmingham with Allan's folks shortly after our arrival. The kids loved being spoiled by Nana and Gramps. It was a lot of fun and the kids and Allan even got in an afternoon of flying in Gramps plane between rain storms.

Lunch after church at Ruby Tuesdays with the Gilmers

Our first couple weeks were spent officially staying with my parents, although we traveled some of that time. Since last summer, they moved to the same town as my brother. They still live on a lake, but it is a little bigger (55 acres) and has the added benefit that the kids are allowed to swim in it. Emily and Will love jumping off the pontoon boat into the lake and swimming, especially with their cousins. Since we decided to settle in the same town, we have gotten to spend so much time with the cousins, the aunt and uncle, and the grandparents. Mimi and Pop have a big sleepover planned for Friday night with the 4 grandkids. Everyone is really excited, including Allan and I. We are headed on a double date with my brother and sister-in-law.

Boating on the pontoon

Will caught a dragon fly

Being in the same town as family has been really great. Last Saturday, we celebrated my Mom's birthday with lunch out at her favorite Mexican restaurant and then cake and ice cream at my brother's. I love being home and available to celebrate these days. After we stuffed ourselves, it was out to my parents for an afternoon of swimming and boating. We have truly been blessed with wonderful family, weather, and fun things to do.

Happy Birthday Mimi!

Mimi and the grandkids

Home

2008-09-16T09:52:00.000-04:00

You might wonder what has happened to us since our last blog was so long ago. Did we fall off the face of the earth?? Actually sometimes it feels as if we have tunneled through the earth and come up on the other side. Just over a month ago we arrived at the Charlotte, NC airport. We hit the ground running and in the first 2 weeks we had visited 2 different orthodontists 4 times for braces, the dentist once to have 2 permanent teeth pulled, traveled among 3 states picking up items being loaned to us like cars and furniture, as well as gathering our own belonging at various locations. Next on the agenda was finding a place to live and beginning the homeschooling year. Needless to say we have run ourselves ragged over the past month.

We are finally settled in our home for the next year. While we don't have an abundance of furniture, everyone does have their own bed (ok AL and I share) and we can all sit at the kichen table and on a comfy couch or chair in the living room. It is beginning to have a homey feel. We are so thankful to all those who have graciously loaned and given us things needed for our survival. I have enjoyed going through the 5 or 6 boxes marked "save for furlough" that we packed up before we left. Somethings are wonderful finds...like the everyday dishes we got when we got married, and some of the pictures we had hanging on our walls. Some things I pull out of the box and say "what was I thinking??" Did I really think that the winter clothes my kids wore over 3 years ago would fit them this winter? They have grown quite a bit and I think everything I saved headed off to Goodwill except one Auburn sweatshirt that was Emily's and now belongs to Will.

Today, a new day dawned and we experienced something we haven't since 2004.......fall! The temps have hovered around 63 all day. It has been rainy and overcast so it was a wet, chilly 63. I threw open the windows, put on some bluejeans for the first time, and loved every second of it. We had soup and grilled sandwiches for lunch with Little Debbie Gingerbread men. It was a very fall lunch. Tonight I am sitting here drinking a pot of hot black spice chai tea (thanks Dad and Mom) and eating another Gingerbread man as I blog. I am hoping we have said goodbye to temps above 85 for a while, but this being the South, I am sure they will return. I just can't wait until the leaves begin to turn. For now, I am going to go snuggle up under the quilt on my bed. Yes I could close the windows, but I am loving the cool. I leave you with a picture of the new Emily.

Burn Care

2008-07-21T09:51:00.007-04:00

As a result of the increased use of wood for cooking, we have seen an increase in the number of burns. During the past months, the clinic has cared for many burn patients, some minor and some fairly extensive. The girl shown below is a regular patient at the clinic. She came in recently with a facial burn that was 24 hours old. Our nurse Ling had seen the girl the night before and provided some basic care and a tetanus injection. The next morning when she came to our regular clinic, her eyes had swollen shut and the burns were causing her severe pain.

The first picture I was able to get was on day #3 after the burn. She was looking somewhat better by this time. We continued daily debridement and cleaning for her for more than 2 weeks. I was concerned about the amount of scarring that would occur but she did remarkably well. Even the pigment in her skin began to return after some time. She continues to do well and is seen at the clinic with the rest of her family.

Day # 7

Weeks later...

Cooking

2008-07-19T07:17:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I posted a picture of some kids dragging a bag of sticks they had gathered for their family to use in cooking.
( http://thegilmers.blogspot.com/2008/03/firewood.html ). I thought I would show you a picture of an actual kitchen in the home of one of our patients. This kitchen actually doubles as a restaurant in the front part of their home.

Boys collecting sticks on the road to our house

What's Shaking?

2008-07-07T06:28:00.004-04:00

Last night, I left Allan and the kids downstairs watching a DVD of the Andy Griffith Show while I went upstairs to put on my jammies. While I was up there, I decided to do a couple sudoku puzzles. I was lying on the bed working one, when the bed began to shake. Then the windows began to rattle. Hmmm, I thought. "I wonder if they feel this downstairs?" The shaking stopped and I went back to my puzzle. A few minutes later Allan came to the kitchen to fix a drink. "Did you feel that shaking?" I asked. His reply was "What shaking?" "I think we just had an earthquake."
Allan and the kids soon joined me upstairs and the shaking was forgotten. About 9:15 Al got on the internet to check email and the news. "Hey Ginger, listen to this...'A 4.5-magnitude earthquake shook several portions of Luzon at 8:01 Sunday night, the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology said....'" The epicenter was quite a ways from us making our region only felt intensity 3 which causes little damage and not everyone can feel. That explains why Allan and the kids didn't feel it, but three floors up the house shook a bit. I do have to say living in the Pacific Ring of Fire is never dull- typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes

Flame Tree

2008-07-01T22:12:00.004-04:00

In 2001 before we went to Kenya, a friend recommended I read the book "The Flame Trees of Thika: Memories of an African Childhood". It is the story of a 6 year old British girl who moves to Kenya with her family. I don't really remember too much about the book except the name and as far as I know we never saw a flame tree during the 9 weeks we were in Kenya. Naively, I thought this tree was indigenous to Africa. Imagine my surprise when we moved here to be told the beautiful tree in our back yard is a flame tree. Each year as hot season begins to draw to a close, the flame trees begin to bloom their bright orange blossoms. I love these trees. Their display of color is just gorgeous. It may even rank above Azaleas in Augusta, GA. So enjoy this view of our backyard. It is what I see when looking out the kitchen or bedroom windows.

Crowded waiting room

2008-06-24T18:00:00.000-04:00

"Someone asked Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we -- who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not -- can be saved." Charles Spurgeon

Waiting for the chance to see the doctors!

Typhoon Fengshen

2008-06-23T09:33:00.005-04:00

Howling winds, sheets of torrential rain, and total darkness. That is how we awoke at 5am yesterday morning. We had prepared somewhat the night before for the impending typhoon, but after 3 years we have grown somewhat lax in our preparations. The threat of a typhoon used to send me out to the store to stack up on supplies, flashlights were out and ready, prepared for days of confinement. I've learned that when a country has an average of 20 typhoons during any given year that life in the metropolis may slow for a moment, but it never really stops. We usually just make sure the buckets we keep filled in the shower have fresh water and that we fill some pitchers with tap water to be filtered as needed. Oh and we shut all the windows downstairs before heading to bed. (No one likes to get up and shut them during the night)

Yesterday morning, after being awakened by the storm, we all snuggled together for a while and enjoyed the cool 72 degrees before heading down to eat pancakes by candle light. The great thing about a gas stove is that we can still cook. We debated whether we would go to church or not. See we knew that church would go on despite the category 3 typhoon currently passing through. Allan decided he didn't want to get stuck in heavy flooding that is a constant reality of torrential rains in this city. We have gotten quite adept at driving through flooded roadways. Something I was very apprehensive to do 3 years ago.

After breakfast, the kids went to build a fort with some pillows and blankets. They needed socks to keep their feet warm. We spent the day reading, talking, playing and weather watching from our screen porch. For us, the day was passed in quiet enjoyment of cool breezes and each other. We were thankful to have power restored around 6:30 pm and water restored a couple hours later. We realize this was not the case for many of those around us.

Today clean up began and life in Manila continues on like any other Monday. It always surprises me that natural disasters seem to be such a part of life here. So much so that the city never really shuts down. Yesterday, most of the malls, stores, and restaurants were open even during the height of the storm. The airport never closed and planes landed all day. Unfortunately many of our adopted countrymen will begin today differently than they had planned last week. They will have lost much, including loved ones. We grieve and pray for those who lost loved ones on the Ferry that capsized during the storm and for those who lost houses and family here in our city and around the Philippines.

Public transportation continues even
during a typhoon and heavy flooding

Since we had no power, we didn't want to open
the refrigerator so we ordered Pizza Hut delivery.
Even food delivery happens during a typhoon.

Obviously it was a popular dinner choice,
it took Allan a few tries to get through on the phone.

Passing it on

2008-06-21T18:00:00.000-04:00

There is an old saying in medical training, "See one, do one, teach one". We have volunteers in our clinic of all stages of medical training, including those with absolutely no training at all. We definitely hold to the model that once you have developed a skill, it is time to pass it on to the next person. Whether its teaching vital signs, wound care, blood tests, or the Tagalog language, there is always a new skill to learn. Here Cindy is instructing a first year Filipino nursing student in wound evaluation and care.

Healthcare Training class

2008-06-20T20:38:00.005-04:00

We just finished a Healtcare Training class. As I mentioned on a prior blog, this class was composed of all Westerners, mostly with New Tribes Mission. One of the challenges of teaching medicine to someone with little prior medical training is pushing them gently but consistently to expand their comfort and ability to access, diagnose and treat basic medical problems with confidence.

Every student progresses at their own rate, some need more re-assurance, some need a little nudging to move to the next step. One thing is sure, they will definitely need these skills in the areas where they serve. One of the most important skills they learn is how to communicate with medical professionals about the patient they are evaluating. Not a week goes by that we don't receive several emails asking for medical advise. Those who have received even the most basic of training provide a much clearer story and description than those who have not. Presenting the patient with the pertinent information and descriptive words makes our advice much more accurate and valuable to them and their patient.

One of our fun events is to finish the training with a class on basic wound care including suturing. Everyone enjoys sewing the pig's feet back together (except for the smell).

Our dog enjoyed the feet after the class. I did take out the sutures though.

I was in prison - Matt 25:36

2008-06-19T21:45:00.007-04:00

"'Not called!' did you say?'Not heard the call,' I think you should say.Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face -- whose mercy you have professed to obey -- and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world." William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

Ministering to the prisoners of Iwahig. Chronic problems abound and our short visit provided only a temporary relief.

However, many heard the Gospel presented, maybe for the first time.

"Sympathy is no substitute for action."

2008-06-18T21:19:00.005-04:00

"Sympathy is no substitute for action." quote from David Livingstone, missionary to Africa

There is nothing like experience to teach you. This past year, we have been caring for a patient with a very difficult case of leprosy. On top of his disease, he has had multiple adverse reactions to the medications. Fortunately, the WHO is providing his medication at no cost to him. Our clinic is providing the follow-up evaluations and managing the complications of his treatment. After a rough beginning, Ted (not his real name) is doing better and will be seen in our clinic for many more months.

The "not nice" price of rice--Update

2008-05-31T01:23:00.000-04:00

One Friday morning a couple weeks ago, I needed to dash to the grocery store for just a couple items. I left the kids home doing school work and assured them I would be back within the hour. The grocery store is probably no more than a mile from our house and, depending on traffic, the drive normally takes 5-10 minutes. This Friday, traffic was terrible. I sat and sat moving inches every few minutes. After about 30 minutes I neared the stop light in front of the grocery store. I began to see groups of people walking with heavy white grocery bags. Finally it dawned on me, somewhere ahead the NFA truck was selling government rice. Thankfully I turned before I got any closer to the distribution point.

The world shortage of rice continues to effect the Philippines. The National Food Authority (NFA) is trying to help provide rice to the poor by selling "nfa rice" in depressed areas. People will line up for hours in the hot sun to buy rice from NFA trucks. The rice is selling for 18.25 pesos per kilo as opposed to 25-30 pesos in the market. Each family is allowed to buy 3 kilos per day. Just this week, Emily and I passed another distribution truck. Em took these pictures as we passed by.

Read one woman's story here:http://www.bulatlat.com/2008/04/queues-nfa-rice-keep-getting-longer

"I scream, you scream....

2008-05-29T22:02:00.001-04:00

.....We all scream for Ice Cream"

This is a familiar site around Manila. This guy is selling ice cream from his push cart. We often see men with carts like this or on bikes with the ice cream at the front. Just like American ice cream trucks, they have a special tune that plays to let the kids know they are coming.

At the Car Wash

2008-05-29T07:01:00.003-04:00

Almost every Saturday, we pay these girls to wash our car. They are part of Cindy's Bible Study. She has been discipling these girls since they were 12. They are now 17-18 and have taken over the leadership and teaching of a new group of girls. They meet with Cindy during the week to study the lesson and prepare for their teaching time. I have really enjoyed getting to know these young women over the last 3 years. They are a lot of fun and seem to really want to follow Christ. I took this picture back in April. One of the girls had graduated from high school that day and we were having a special merianda (snack) in celebration. The graduate is the one holding up the peace sign. She hopes to go to college and become a teacher. The 2 girls on the left graduated last year. One is in college and the other hopes to begin midwifery school soon. The girl on the right is our next door neighbor and the youngest of the bunch. She is still in high school.

Summertime!

2008-05-28T06:31:00.005-04:00

Well- the homeschool year for the Gilmer's is officially over! We finished school last Friday, much to the kids (and mom's) delight. The long endless days of summer stretch before us. Unfortunately most of the kids' friends are heading to the states this summer so they will be a little lonely.

While summertime in the US means hot weather, we are moving into rainy season. We like the rains since it is a little cooler. We were thankful that the rains began about a month early this year. Hot season lasted only about half it's normal time. While it lasted it was HOT. There is one great benefit of hot season.....Mangos! Mangos are one of our favorite fruits and the best mangos of the year are sold during the months of April and May.
Fruit stands and vendors begin popping up in early April along the road side selling all types of fresh fruit. This year the mangos were sweet and delicious and about the cheapest they've been in our 3 years here. Allan said he wanted to eat a mango everyday since we won't be able to enjoy them while on furlough. I am not sure we ate one everyday, but we did eat quite a few kilos. Just last week the prices began to rise and we have had some tart ones. It's sad to see another mango season come to an end. We will still buy them, but just not as often. Pineapple, I am happy to report, doesn't seem to have a season. It is sweet and delicious all year long.

A pushcart selling fresh fruits and other goodies.

Mangos ran between 20-35 pesos a half kilo this year.

That is about a dollar for 5 large mangos.

Happy Memorial Day!

2008-05-25T23:03:00.009-04:00

Today is a holiday in America and most people are enjoying the day off. Life goes on here in the PI, Faith Academy is in session and Allan is at the clinic. We did celebrate Memorial Day though. Yesterday, we went a ceremony done by the Embassy at the American Military Cemetery here in Manila. It was a nice recognition of those soldiers, both American and Filipino who fought and died for our country.

17,202 American Soldiers who died during
the war in the Pacific lie in these graves.

Honoring the dead

Remembering friends and fellow soldiers

The Memorial to more than 36,000 soldiers

who "sleep in unknown graves"

Emily and Will with the S. Carolina state seal

Remiss in Blogging

2008-05-24T08:47:00.002-04:00

I just saw the date of my last blog and realized it has been almost a month since I last blogged. It has been a busy month with end of school activities and such. I never finished the series on jobs our patients do. I will have to get on that. While I haven't been blogging, I have been taking tons of pictures. I just downloaded 245 from my camera to the computer. I will be weeding through them over the next few days and hopefully get some uploaded soon. Meanwhile I will show you a some pictures I took just a few hours ago of Em. She is at the Faith Academy Middle School Banquet tonight. Doesn't she look beautiful? She has gotten so old this year.

Pretty in Pink!

With friends

Here she is giving Bonnie a quick pet.
I just love her smile in this one.

Making a living - part 3

2008-04-25T00:44:00.019-04:00

Another common money making venture is to prepare and cook foods and sell it "by the serving". Here is a small "restaurant setup near the clinic. These are fairly popular eating places because of the difficulty of preparing food. Most people in our area still use open fires burning whatever wood or trash they can scavenge. Propane and electricity are expensive options for cooking.

.

Making the restaurant mobile is another variation. Here a boy sells "fish balls" that are fried in the wok while you wait. There is a variety of dipping sauces, some sweet, some hot to suit every palate. These items are usually sold as snacks between meals

"not nice" price of rice continues...

2008-04-23T22:19:00.003-04:00

Even Wal Mart has entered the world rice saga. According to a recent story on Fox News, 'Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, said Wednesday that it would ration the amount of rice each customer can purchase at its Sam's Club warehouse stores because of recent “supply and demand trends.”'

You can read the entire story at:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/industries/retail/article/walmart-rations-rice-warns-supply-demand-concerns_575879_7.html

Making a living - part 2

2008-04-23T11:54:00.011-04:00

Because people here have limited income and limited ability to store products they purchase, they will often purchase just enough of a product to last one day, or even one use. It is very common to see small packages of shampoo, toothpaste, rice, vinegar and salt being sold for a single day of use. This opens the market for those who have enough savings and ability to travel to purchase bulk items at the local markets then divide the product into small daily rations which are sold for a profit. In this picture, a cleaning product is being divided into daily portions and will be sold in the squatter area next to our clinic.

Making a living

2008-04-22T01:26:00.008-04:00

Poverty can have widely varying effects on people. Some seem caught in its ever tightening grip, unable to break free from whatever the cause. Some people, however, fight and struggle with everything they have to get themselves (or at least their next generation) out of poverty.

This picture shows one of our patients who lives in a squatter area near the clinic. She is attempting to make a living and break out of poverty through a small bakery in her home. She buys bulk peanuts, sugar and syrup and cooks these into a candy similar to peanut brittle. The pieces are packaged individually to make them more affordable to the people around her. During a recent visit, she generously gave us samples to take home. The photographer of this picture was our visiting dentist, Jim. While he highly supported her hard work and industrious attitude, he wasn't too thrilled with the sticky, sugary product because he had spent the last week pulling rotten teeth from kid's mouths.

Updated Prayer requests for home assignment

2008-04-18T20:00:00.000-04:00

Thank You from our patients!

This August we will begin our first home assignment period. We are excited about this unique time in a missionary’s career, particularly the chance to visit with our friends, family, supporters and churches. We have many goals to accomplish during this time. We hope to visit each of our supporters personally and attend each mission conference of our supporting churches. Since we sold practically everything we owned prior to moving to the Philippines, returning will not be an easy task. We ask that you pray for our following needs:

Inexpensive place to live around Greenwood or Greenville, SC

Wisdom to chose the best use of our short time
Transportation with at least one vehicle suitable for long distance travel
Living items such as Beds, cooking supplies, etc

Winter clothing particularly for Emily and Will
Renewed medical certifications and licenses required to practice
Part time work for Allan

Travel plans and arrangements getting to the USA

Cultural adaptation back into the USA way of doing stuff
Increase in the committed and regular supporters of the ministry

Renewed vision for our supporters into the ministry of the clinic
Additional training in Ultrasound imaging

Arrival of our new missionaries, Tom and Val
Strength and encouragement for our co-missionaries, Scott and Cindy

Encouragement for our Filipina nurse, Ling

Boldness and insight for our Filipino Pastor, Buddy

John Christopher

2008-04-18T06:00:00.001-04:00

2 years ago in April 06, we blogged about a little boy with a heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot. (http://thegilmers.blogspot.com/2006/04/how-old.html)

He was 18 months old then and was suffering from a heart defect. His only long-term option is surgical intervention, which the family cannot afford. Two years later he still comes to the clinic every couple of weeks for medicine. He is now 3, but not his size and stature have not increased significantly.

In January of this year, we had a couple girls volunteer in the clinic who were part of a mission trip called the World Race. They spend 11 months doing mission work in different countries as they travel around the world. One of the girls, Katey was touched by John Christopher and his story. She wrote a blog about him and about his condition.

http://kateybreneman.theworldrace.org/index.asp?filename=john-christopher

Through her contacts, money was provided for the specific purpose of paying for John Christopher's surgery. The money is sufficient to cover the family's cost if they qualify for a government subsidized partial payment system (based on income). The family has been trying to obtain the necessary paperwork to navigate the "red tape" of approval. At the last clinic visit for John Christopher, the family had not received approval. Please pray for their family and the obstacles before them. Pray for John Christopher that he would be able to obtain is surgery and that he would have a safe and effective outcome.

This is John Christopher today at 3 years old.

The picure at the top of the blog was taken by Ginger 2 years ago.

The "not nice" price of rice

2008-04-17T06:38:00.018-04:00

Recently one of the most commonly eaten, worldwide staples (rice) came under scrutiny because, as reported by the news “a crisis of shortage” loomed in the future. If you haven’t seen these stories, feel free to view http://www.inquirer.net/ (which despite the same name as a maligned paper in the US is a widely read Filipino news agency). The top banner proclaims “The rice problem” and links to a summary of articles recently written concerning a looming rice shortage. There have been multiple news stories, political statements, and general opinions made about the cause, severity or even existence of a rice shortage. Arrests have been made for illegal distribution of rice. Accusations of hoarding have been made at all levels of rice distribution. The Filipino’s government subsidized rice is now distributed under close military supervision. The US government has guaranteed shipments of rice to the Philippines. The story continues to unfold.

While debates rage about how we got to this point, one thing is certain – the price of rice at the consumer level is increasing and increasing rapidly. For those interested take a look at this graph of consumer rice prices:
http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/riceproblem/graphs.php?g=2

Rice market in 2006

Rice Market 2007

In the community where we minister, this is a serious and unrelenting problem. Most families who access our clinic for medical care (and most Filipino families in general) eat rice three times daily. Some of our families are eating rice alone for each meal because they cannot afford a topping for the rice. This dramatically increasing price is certainly straining many family finances. No one can predict where the strain will finally break.

Please pray for our community, the Philippines, and the poor around the world.

13!!!

2008-03-25T03:59:00.001-04:00

Today Emily officially turns 13! This marks the end of the 13 days of celebrating that began with a spend the night party on March 13th. We have had 2 weeks of fun celebrating. Of course this also coincided with Spring Break, but Em has claimed every fun event as her own. Thankfully evenwith the drop in the dollar, most of these events are much cheaper here than in the US. I thought I would share a few pictures of our 13th year festivities!

Emily was so excited this morning.

In this case a picture is not worth a thousand words.

You need to hear her voice as she squeals...."I'm thirteeeeeeen!

Celebration #1- Sleepover March 13

We loaded our van with 4 girls, 2 boys, and 2 parents and went to an amusement park down on Manila Bay. The Faith kids were off school on Friday while most of Manila was not so this meant few people out at the park on a Thursday. We had birthday cupcakes on the way in the car. Can you see the decorations?

Cup Cakes in the car

Em and Friends at the entrance to Star City

Bumper Cars were a big hit. The kids loved crashing into each other. They must have ridden this ride at least 20 times. As soon as it was over they would rush back to the entrance to get on again.

Emily and her friend Jaina have no fear when it comes to rides. This is their favorite: an inverted roller coaster called the Star Flyer. They thought it was great to fly through the air and whip upside down, all with your feet dangling below (or above depending on where you are in the ride.)

Will got to invite a friend along so he wouldn't be surrounded by teenage girls--(eeww yuck) He and his friend Sam look wet because they are. Their favorite ride was the Log Jam an old fashioned log flume ride. They counted and rode it about 18 times.

Celebration #2

2008-03-25T03:24:00.000-04:00

Celebration #2 --Go Karts; Palm Sunday March 16

This celebration was kind of spur of the moment. After church on Palm Sunday, we went down to the business district and took a field trip to the Ayala Museum. This had been planned for earlier in the week, but a public transportation strike and political tensions made us postpone it.

On the way home from the museum I knew we would pass a Go Kart track. Em's dream is to be a NASCAR driver. (What happened to wanting to be a Princess?). The kids were noisy in the back so I quietly mentioned it to Al. We stopped to "check the price for a future date". The price was right and so Al, Em and Will took to the track while I took pictures. I opted not to try and stuff my dress into the jumpsuits they made you wear. The kids loved it. Again I wish you could hear Emily as she squealed around the track. With church clothes, jumpsuits, helmets, summer time temps and the afternoon sun streaming down, they were balls of sweat when they finished. The car AC felt so good!

Allan zoomin' around the track.

He was really fast.

Here are my 2 boys. Al is breathing down Will's neck as Will fights hard not to let him pass.

And here is the fearless driver herself!

She loved every second, but still has time to wave for the camera

Celebrations #3, 4 & 5

2008-03-25T01:47:00.003-04:00

Ok so #3 is just many days spent swimming with friends at the Faith pool. Because it was Spring Break last week, the kids went to the pool with friends a lot. Emily also had her friend Jaina over to play, although I don't think you say it that way at 13. I think they come over to just "hang out".

#4 Lunch! Easter Sunday March 23

Emily had a Birthday meal out at her favorite restaurant on Sunday after church. She loves to have the staff come and sing to her. The waiters brought a chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge and a candle. Sorry, but the camera was at home resting.

#5 Splash Island Monday March 24

Some friends invited us to go to a water park on the final day of Faith Academy Spring break. Again it was a good day to go to a place like this because Filipino kids returned to school and work after the long weekend. Manila schools will be out in 2 weeks for summer break and this place will be packed. The kids love anything that involves water. They especially love water slides and the higher and faster the better. So while this was officially kind of a Spring Break trip, Em claimes it as a party for her birthday. Poor Al had to work so he had to miss the fun. Again no camera since I didn't want it to get wet.

This is a Google Earth shot of the park though.

Final Celebration

2008-03-25T00:01:00.000-04:00

Today is Em's actual birthday. She woke to the aroma of breakfast burritos. The morning was spent on the phone with various grandparents and cousins and opening of gifts--lots of shower gels and scenty lotions, a purse, some tunes and other girly things.

Just after lunch we went to see the movie Horton Hears a Who. Emily at first didn't want to see it because she thought it was a movie for babies. For a baby movie, she giggled through the whole thing and really enjoyed herself. (it isn't a baby movie by the way)

Dinner was a Gilmer family tradition began before the kids were even a glimmer...pizza in front of the Cosby Show. Emily has become very fond of cheesecake so I made that instead of traditional birthday cake. Let me tell you I didn't miss trying to decorate a cake with buttercream icing, especially in this climate where it tends to run off the cake. After dinner Em gave herself a facial. Isn't she just so cute.

In many ways she is getting so old, but she is still the same fun girl who loves and embraces life. Below is an example. She took these pictures up on the roof one evening last week. The first is her self portrait---very 13. The next are her and Will being their normal crazy selves. I'm glad she hasn't left childhood behind completely.

Semana Santa or Holy Week

2008-03-20T07:49:00.010-04:00

This week is one of the holiest weeks of the year for many Filipinos. The start of Holy Week is Palm Sunday. It is quite a sight to see many Filipino Catholics carry palm leaves, known as palaspas, to chuch for the priest to bless. The palaspas (palms) are made from the young fresh unopened leaves of the coconut called ibus. The palaspas are woven into intricate forms and shapes and sold on the sidewalks and streets leading up to the church. After they are blessed by the priest, they are later kept at home, placed at a door or window to ward off evil.

(These pictures were taken Sunday morning on our way to church)

On Maundy Thursday, many families practice the "Visita Iglesia," an old Filipino tradition of visiting as many churches as possible. Huge crowds take a pilgrimage up the hilly roads to our town of Antipolo passing by the stations of the cross. They start out on Maundy Thursday evening and hope to reach the Antipolo Shrine at the Catholic Church by dawn of Good Friday. In the past we have avoided going out on this day due to the huge number of crowds, but this year I decided I just wanted to see what went on. Allan, the kids, and I drove down the back hill to the beginning of the ascent into Antipolo. I went with camera in hand; I guess as somewhat of a tourist. I am not sure what I expected to feel. Maybe "Hey this is cool" or some similar emotion. I found that was not the case. Tears filled my eyes as I watched hundreds of people pass by who think that acts and pilgrimages will somehow save them from a lost eternity.

Makeshift shrines are set up along the way for those wanting to stop and pray.

Each year some families from Faith Academy pass out tracts and gospel bracelets to those passing by. Below is a video from You Tube that one of them shot last year.

Tomorrow on Good Friday many penitents will fulfill their "panata", a sacred vow made in thanksgiving for answered prayer . The "penitencia" takes the form of flagellation. Men will cover their faces with hoods, wear a crown of leaves and walk the streets, sometimes carrying a wooden cross while their bare backs are whipped by homemade whips tipped with sharp objects that scar their backs . Some towns are known for re-enacting Christ's ordeal through real-life crucifixion. In the town of Pampanga, north of Manila, penitents are nailed to wooden crosses using 2-inch stainless steel nails soaked in alcohol. They are only lifted up like this for several seconds.

Around noon on Friday the "Siete Palabras" or the reading of the Seven Last Words of Christ begins. In the afternoon the "Via Crucis" (Way of the Cross) or "Estacion General" (Stations of the Cross) moves into the street.

Black Saturday or "Sabado de Gloria" is ushered in with the ringing of church bells. Children are told to jump as high as they can on this day, in the belief that they will grow taller. This is also done at New Year Eve.

***Some of this info was found on the websight www.filipinoheritage.com

EKG

2008-03-11T05:56:00.002-04:00

Despite a recent failure of the built-in rechargeable battery, we are still able to check EKGs by keeping the device plugged into a power converter 24 hours a day. The ability to do rapid on-site EKGs is a real benefit as cardiovascular disease rises. The small amount of power used to keep the EKG "alive" without the battery is a small price to pay for this added capability.

The machine we purchased to do Complete Blood Counts succumbed to the heat and humidity of the tropics. Even after multiple attempts by the seller to correct the problems, it was finally returned to the manufacturer. They were able to identify the defect and someday may have a product suitable for our environment. Until then we'll depend on an outside commercial lab to do this test.

Firewood

2008-03-04T19:47:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I was sitting on the lanai with my lap top when I noticed an old man looking through the fence into Scott's agricultural lot next door. This in itself is not unusual, but the man continued to stand there, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, then 15 minutes later he remained. My mind ran through all the different reasons he might be standing there. While I debated whether I should go and find out what was going on, the gate opened up and in walked the man with Jhun, a young Filipino man who works with Scott on the agricultural demonstration project. The reason for the man's wait became obvious as they began picking up some piles of sticks and small limbs from where Jhun had done some trimming recently.

Most poor Filipinos cook over open fires. Until the last couple of years, charcoal was the fuel of choice for most of them. Unfortunately, the price of charcoal, as well as prices in general have risen greatly in the last few years. This means that instead of charcoal, families are hunting for firewood. Often walking along the road I see women and young boys carrying large rice sacks filled with sticks that they have collected for their family. In a concrete urban area, I am sure this wood is hard to come by. Even now, I hear some chopping going on in the trees across from our house. I took this picture a week or so ago of these kids walking by our house. They were with 2 ladies that I assume were their moms and they had been out collecting sticks. They were awfully little to be carrying, or rather dragging, this big bag, but they were so cute!

On an unrelated cooking note, last week Emily cooked her first full meal. She has been learning some basic cooking this year and this was her first night to be completely in charge. The menu: homemade spaghetti sauce, Caesar salad with homemade croutons, garlic bread, and for dessert brownies.

It was a good meal for conquering a fear of getting food in and out of the oven. She is growing up so fast. The meal was quite yummy!

Playing in the Street

2008-03-02T20:31:00.002-05:00

Here's a couple pictures of the kids playing in front of our house with some neighborhood kids, mostly squatters. These girls are in Cindy's bible study and I am sure all have been patients. At play on the street, though, they are just friends.

Badminton is a huge sport in Asia as well as here in the PI. Our kids like it too. Emily's tennis lessons last year help her to be a tough opponent. If you click on the picture and make it larger, you can see both the shuttlecocks, or birdies. What timing! I couldn't have orchestrated and better shot.

What's for breakfast???

2008-02-29T21:04:00.003-05:00

How about some Quail eggs? They are tiny and good and surprisingly taste like....chicken, well chicken eggs anyway.

The kids love them

Lord I stand in the midst of a multitude

2008-02-24T21:35:00.007-05:00

Lord I stand in the midst of a multitude
Of those from every tribe and tongue

We are Your people redeemed by Your blood

Rescued from death by Your love

There are no words

Good enough to thank You

There are no words to express my praise

But I will lift up my voice

And sing from my heart

With all of my strength

Yesterday. as we sang the chorus above, a parade of 15 flags decended fom the balcony of our sanctuary. Most of them unfamiliar flags from the nations of Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Turkey, Pakistan, Thailand, Sri Lanka. The flag bearers, dressed in traditional attire, came across the podium where they stopped and shouted words of praise to the Lord in the national language. I've witnessed similar scenes at missions conferences in America as churches celebrate the different places they are involved in missions, but this one was different. These 15 flags were from countries all in Asia, all in the 10/40 window, most predominately muslim, and all resistent to the gospel. All of these flag bearers were from these countries. They have come here to the Philippines to go to Seminary. Our church is working in conjunction with Campus Crusade for Christ to provide training for Christian leaders from all over Asia, particularty from countries where this type of schooling would be illegal. During the past month of mission emphasis at church, many have shared of their salvation and God's faithfulness through persecution in their home countries. Rejected by family and friends, loss of jobs, governmental persecution, and fear for personal safety have filled their lives since choosing to follow Christ. It is something most American Christians have never experienced. They have come here to study and learn, to then return and be Christian leaders in places where it is hard to be a Christian. They know the risks in returning, yet they have a passion for their fellow countrymen to come to Christ. It was quite inspiring to see these fellow Christians as we praised the Lord together, one congregation from many nations lifting up the name of God. The above chorus continues:

Hallelujah hallelujah

hallelujah To the Lamb

Hallelujah hallelujah

By the blood of Christ we stand

Every tongue, every tribe

Every people, every land

Giving glory giving honor

Giving praise unto the Lamb of God

If you are unfamiliar with this song you can hear a 30 second sample at: http://www.audiblefaith.com/music/realclips/sample.ram?song=200879

***By the way a prize goes to the first person who can email me with the correct names to the flags on this page. (all of the coutries are named above)

Wal Mart of the Philippines

2008-02-21T02:34:00.016-05:00

Well, not quite... but you get the picture (pun intended):
Some of these pictures were taken by our recent guests when we took them to the local market for a shopping/sightseeing/cultural adaptation trip.

This would be the housewares section.

And the produce section.

The Health and Beauty Aisle- notice everything comes in a single use size

The Bakery: sticky rice anyone?

Poulty: No need to worry about freshness

New class begins

2008-02-18T19:25:00.005-05:00

This February we began a new Healthcare Workers Training class. This class is unusual in that it contains all expatriates serving as missionaries here in the Philippines. Most are from New Tribes Mission and plan to work in some of the most remote areas of the Philippines. This class was fortunate to have Dr. Jim Davis begin their training with an introduction to dentistry, including discussion about proper anesthesia and dental extractions. Before and after the lecture, the students had the opportunity to put their skills use with hands-on training in dental care.

One of the interesting points that Jim made during his talk was the comparison of proper anesthesia to the love of Christ. He commented that often times when medical care is provided to those lacking in either routine medical care or lacking in money, shortcuts are often taken by the medical professionals (often with a rationalization about why the shortcuts are taken). However, we as Christ's ambassadors, should seek to love the person as Christ does, which in his work, means providing a completely numb tooth prior to repair or extraction. The Bible states it likes this, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Col 3:17 NIV

Dentistry Again

2008-02-11T08:45:00.000-05:00

Once again we have a dentist working in our clinic. A longtime friend of the Nelsen's has been here for the last week taking care of some of the many rotten teeth that need to be pulled in our patients. Since 1998, Dr. Davis and his family have come to the Philippines and worked in our clinic 7 times. He was actually supposed to be teaching at a CMDA(Christian Medical Dental Association) conference in Kenya, but due to political unrest it was canceled. While we grieve with the turmoil currently continuing in Kenya, we are thankful to have Jim and his daughter Bethany here with us. Last Wednesday over 125 people showed up for dental care. We will try to take care as many as possible during the rest of this week. Tomorrow, Jim will be teaching some basic dentistry to our current Health Training Class. (our new class began last week. I am sure a blog about them is coming) Maybe one of them will be able to take care of some minor dentistry in the coming weeks.

Here is a quote from an email Jim sent out last week. I thought it was a good glimpse into our patients mouths....... "Today (Wed) we had a busy day at clinic. I set up both chairs and had them both going at the same time with Edna as translator and assistant. Bethany and one of the students helped keep up with the sterilization of instruments. We saw about 30 pts and took out a lot of really bad teeth, some of the worse I have seen. Had a number of repeat customers who remembered me from past trips. Ling had not told anyone we were coming, and hadn't made out a "schedule" because of the last minute plans we made, yet we had a steady stream of pts and had to tell a lot of folks to come back next week. Some of the extractions were very tough, but all went well and the pts were wonderful to work with. Much more tolerant than pts I see in the states. Thanks for your prayers, they made a big difference. They were very appreciative of the care, especially being numb for the extractions. Inspite of a full clinic, we were able to pray with each pt and show them Christ's love thought the dental care."

I love the second picture above. For those of you who haven't seen her, the lady in the middle is our nurse Ling Ling. She is the one who keeps everything running for us here. Without her our life would be a lot tougher. The masked lady next to her is Edna. She is a Filipina midwife who volunteers in our clinic once a week. She is such a blessing to our ministry.

Kung Hei Fat Choi

2008-02-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

or Happy Chinese New Year! The streets of Manila are once again festooned with red Chinese paper lanterns. With a large Chinese population in the Philippines, this is a day for celebrating. Today we begin the Year of the Rat! When we lived in the US, I couldn't have told you what time of year Chinese New Year occured. Now I not only know the date each year (it moves by the way), but also the yearly animal. So I will pass along to you the greeting given here in the PI "Kung hei Fat Choi!"
On a personal note- Em and I were out at the store yesterday and one of the salemen said this greeting to me. I didn't understand what he said and asked him to repeat himself. Again not understanding him, I repeated back..."I have a choice?? of what?" His response..."No, Happy Chinese New Year! Kung Hei Fat Choi!" How embarrassing!

Grocery stores and markets have out boxes of Tikoy (Chinese New Year pudding) This is a standard delicacy for Filipinos during the celebration of Chinese New Year.

Will's 11th Birthday!

2008-01-19T00:15:00.000-05:00

For Will's 11th Birthday we decided to take a little sightseeing trip. We spent 2 days on the island of Corregidor in Manila Bay. As any self-respecting homeschooling Mom would, we prepared beforehand for this adventure by learning about it's history. Corregidor was a key pacific battle site during WW2. It is the place MacArthur left when he gave his famous "I shall return" speech. It was a crushing blow to the American Army in 1941 and a great victory when MacArthur fulfilled his promise of return in 1945. During the war, this small island was bombed so heavily that it was left desolate. No building escaped being hit and all suffered major damage, including the 1000 bed hospital.

The kids (and Al and I) had a great time stomping around the ruins and making history come alive. Our favorite part of the trip though had to be our expedition into the recesses of Malinta tunnel, a huge set of tunnels carved under a mountain to be used as a bomb shelter. The kids liked crawling through these tight spaces with hard hats and flashlights. This is only open to those visitors who spend the night on the island. Since most visitors just take a day trip, we were alone in our adventure. We had a great Filipino guide, who really taught us a lot of history.

While the kids loved Malinta tunnel, they weren't crazy about all caves. They have always loved exploring and I thought they would jump at the chance to explore other caves, but they decided they don't really like bats and therefore were hesitant to go too deep into "Bat Cave". We did enjoy hiking the 300 stair shortcut. (We chose to hike down) Our eyes were peeled for bomb craters, fallen structures, and monkeys.

In the afternoons we enjoyed strolling the coastline picking up shells. There were more beautiful, unbroken shells than anyone person could ever collect. The search wasn't for a perfect unblemished shell, but for which perfect shell was the most unique. We have brought home 2 bags full and we didn't even make a dent on the shell-filled shore.

We arrived home after 2 days of scampering over and through ruins, batteries, tunnels, mountains, and coastlines tired, but thrilled with all we were able to do. It is a birthday gift Will will long remember.

Halo Halo

2008-01-16T03:25:00.000-05:00

I know I have blogged about halo halo in the past, but I thought I would share a picture of the kids eating some. Recently we went to the pool after dinner and stopped for a treat on the way home. The kids kind of debate whether this was a treat or not. They would have rather stopped for milkshakes, but that's not an option. For those of you who didn't read the earlier blog or don't remember, halo halo is kind of the national dessert for the Philippines. While there isn't one particular way to make halo halo, it is basically a mixture of crushed ice topped with milk or coconut milk, sweet beans, coconut, jackfruit, other various tropical fruits, pinipig (pounded dried rice), ube (a purple colored sweet yam), cream flan (leche flan), shreds of sweetened plantain, and jello cubes. Sometimes the whole thing is then topped off with a scoop of ice cream. Halo halo literally means mix mix and I think it accurately describes this dessert. I was a little skeptical about a dessert with beans, but they are actually not bad.

On another food related issue--while we were at the missions conference a couple weeks ago, Em went fishing with some girls. She has always loved to fish, but mostly just throws back what she catches. Here the fished were cleaned and cooked by the staff and served to her for dinner. She had caught quite a few and so we shared them with some friends. Em decided she really likes talapia. It's amazing how much better something tastes that you have caught yourself. The week before conference she had eaten part of a fish head (OK so we bribed her with cold hard cash to try the head). That night I talked her into trying the fish eye. She wasn't wowed by it and probably wouldn't eat it again anytime soon. In our ministry here, people always laugh about the Holmes twins fighting over the fish eyes. Em would gladly give them her share. I guess she is truly an MK now that she has eaten fish heads and eyes. By the way, I'm not sure I've ever seen a fish here served headless.

Sights along the way

2008-01-06T00:45:00.001-05:00

I took this picture when we stopped for gas on the way home today. This is a carabo plowing a rice paddy. I love getting out of the city and seeing some of the beauty of the Philippines.

Time to head home

2008-01-05T19:17:00.000-05:00

Well, it is time for us to head home. The kids have had a great time running around playing and swimming with all the other MKs. They have had a children's conference run by a church from Hemet, CA. Here is Em gettting into the van this morning with 3 shirts on. A t-shirt, a thin sweat shirt, and her conference t-shirt. When we get home, I am going to have to call my Mom and Sister-in-law and ask them to buy up some sweat shirts and sweaters on clearance for the kids or they will never survive furlough.

Em and Will sitting in the back of the van.