Maligayang Pasko!

Maligayang Pasko (Merry Christmas)! 

My last several weeks have been filled with Christmas Parties!  It has been so fun to celebrate Christmas with so many different groups of people…

At our Girls Group Christmas party we read the Christmas Story together.  Then, we decorated cupcakes with green and red frosting and sprinkles. We also used a toaster oven, markers, and small plastic cups to make ornaments! 

A few days later we travelled 4 hours out to the Quezon Province to the city of Lucena.  There,  we had 2 different parties.   

We left Lucena and drove a few more hours to the Batangas Port and boarded a Bonka Boat.

We road on the boat for a couple of hours and landed in White Beach which is on the island of Mindoro.  We the travelled about 15  more minutes to Tamaraw Beach Resort.  It was beautiful!  We spent 4 days right on the beach.  It was wonderful to be out of the city… away from the noise, traffic, and smog.  It was a very relaxing trip! 

My home for the 4 days we were there

My view from the front porch... yes, thats the ocean.

We travelled back to Manila and finished up planning for more parties.  Our kids group party was on Christmas Eve. 

Rudolph Relay Race

Christmas Sing-a-long with Pastor Greg

The Nativity is complete!

excited about getting their candy bag and a new 20 peso bill! (50 cents)

Later that night we had our Adult church party.

Washer Game

Hot Dogs on a stick and Spaghetti.

Christmas was much different for me this year.  It was my first Christmas away from my family.  It was hard in many ways, but I am thankful to have the experience of  being  removed from an “Amercanized Christmas” I didn’t buy a single present, but I did get to think about the ultimate gift that my Savior gave to me… and I got to be a part of a culture that doesn’t focus on having more and more stuff… a tradition I am happy to make a part of my future holiday plans.  

A few days after Christmas we had our last party.  It was a party for all of the employees of the subdivision I live in.  I had the privilege of being in charge of the decorations for the night.   I had so much fun making them.  It was a great night!

Photobooth fun!

Merry Christmas banner

A big fabric 3D Christmas tree!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your families!

Sara

Giving Thanks...

Thanksgiving had a much different feel to it this year. For one, it was sunny, hot, and humid.  For two, I was a half a world away from friends and family.  As different as it was, I was thankful all the same.
I'm thankful for this new journey that I am on.
I'm thankful for the new friends I have here in the Philippines.
I'm thankful for the Harvell family making me feel like one of their own. 
I'm thankful for my parents & family who support me, love me, pray for me and always hope for the best for me.
I'm thankful for my friends who laugh with me and cry with me... who know my heart.. the good and the bad, and always stand with me.
I'm thankful for skype and vonage phone calls.
I'm thankful that Christ came to save sinners.
I'm thankful that His grace is sufficient for those times when I don't feel thankful.
I'm thankful that when I am weak He is strong.
I'm thankful that Jesus is enough. 
AND.  I'm thankful for the obedient hearts of the 19 youth that were baptized on Saturday.
(check out my Facebook page for more pics from the day)

 

Giving thanks with a grateful heart, 

 Sara

Busy and Blessed Saturdays!

It's another Saturday in the Philippines and time for kids group!  I took some pictures to show you what a typical Saturday is like here for us here...

Marie, one of the teachers, prepares the activity before the kids arrive.  It's almost 4p.m. so we head to the back gate to meet the kids and bring them to the house.

The kids line up and show there passes to be let in... SO EXCITED!

Walking back to the house to start the lesson!

Taking attendance...

Playing with play dough...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

learning a new song

Bible Story time

After the lesson, song, life verse, and snack the kids head home.  We have 25 kids who come every week and are learning about the Bible!  What a joy it is to watch them hear new stories about God.  So much fun! 

After kids group the adults and youth come to the house for church service.  We worship and study the Word together.  A busy and blessed Saturday! 

Sara

Another blessed week...

Wow.  This has been another blessed week here in the Philippines.  My supervisors (Greg and Jill) are out of the country at a training and so I have been "holding down the fort" with their son Caleb.  I have had some challenging moments and have struggled through some days of feeling alone.  BUT.  I am not alone.  I think that the Lord has used this time to remind me that He is always with me and that He is constantly watching over me.   Several weeks ago I shared 1 Peter 5:7 with the girls group that I meet with and we shared things that we worry about.  This past week, the same verse was shared again at the Women's Bible Study that I attend.  This time from the Amplified Version of the Bible.

"Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully."

 How comforting to know that He is "watchfully caring" about us.  His mind isn't elsewhere for us to work to gain His attention.  He already knows our cares, anxieties, worries, concerns, etc. He is just affectionately waiting for us to cast them on Him.  WOW.  I don't know about you, but I can be consumed with worry.  Lord, help us to stand on Your promises today and always..."once and for all". 

Last Saturday at church I was blessed to share in The Lord's Supper with the M.H.C.C family.  It was a sweet time of focusing on the Lord and being thankful for His blood that was shed, and His body that was broken for us all. 

 

 I would like to pass along a few prayer requests...

1.  The sister of a family that attends the M.H.C.C. recently passed away.  Please pray for comfort and  peace as they grieve this great loss.

2.  Another family recently learned that their father is suffering with cancer.  Please pray for them as well. 

I was blessed to spend this past weekend with my new friend, Jessica.  Jess moved here 2 weeks after I did as a Journeymen and will be here for 2 years.  Jessica's ministry is focused on college students.  She lives near 3 major colleges in Manila.  We spent time sharing each others hearts and talking in English! It was great to get to know her and have her share in the ministry that is happening here in the Harvell home. 

The last thing I would like to share with you is this.... I HELD A BABY BIRD!  Here is proof. 

  Sara

Happy Halloween!

Here are some pictures from the subdivision Halloween Party last weekend!  I had fun helping with the decorations, and was asked to judge the costume contest...

                                                                 A giant scary spider

                                                                Giant pumpkins


                                          
Hot Dogs on a stick, BBQ sticks, sandwiches, and ice cream!


Here are some of my favorite "Trick or Treaters"

                                                
It was such a fun night!  The next day we had a halloween party with the Children's Group!

                               They made their own pumpkins

                              And had yummy snacks

This past weekend I also got to watch my dear friend Neoma get married.  I am so thankful for skype so that I could be a part of her big day.  It was amazing to celebrate with them from across the world.

I continue to be amazed at how the Lord sustains us for every moment of everyday.  Recently a friend commented on how I seem to have found my place here so quickly and asked what I thought about it... I feel blessed.  This journey has by no means been easy, but I feel the Lord's presence, peace, and grace surrounding me.   He is faithful, He is trustworthy, He is good.  As a stumble through this journey I continue to ask the Lord to light my path, to make me secure in His love, and to change me to be more like Jesus.
To God be the Glory,
Sara

1 month...

I can’t believe I’ve been here in the Philippines for a month!  Time is going quickly and I am having so many great experiences.   Here are some highlights from the last 3 weeks…

I travelled with the Harvell family about 3.5 hours away to the city of Lucena to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the establishment of the Talipan Community Church.  We worshipped together, played a game, and shared a meal.  I had the opportunity to meet many of the believers during my trip last January and it was a joy to fellowship with them again.

The Youth group at the Metro Heights Community Church (The Harvell's house church) has been working very hard to learn a hand miming routine as a way to share the gospel.  They have been spending time practicing and have performed for the rest of the M.H.C.C. group.  We are going to continue to practice and will hopefully have more opportunities to perform.

I have continued to meet with the Girl’s Group during the week, help with a children’s group on Saturday afternoons, and participate in M.H.C.C. group on Saturday evenings.  They are such a fun group of people and I feel lucky to get to spend time with them weekly.

On Wednesday mornings I have been attending a Bible Study with a group of Missionary ladies who are all living in the Manila Area.  It is a sweet time of fellowship and encouragement and I have met some wonderful new friends.

I have spent much of my time here in “sensory overload”.  There are so many people, insane traffic, strong smells, constant noise, and overwhelming heat…. It is much different and has been challenging to adjust to.  I have been surprised by the amount of time it takes to do simple tasks.   Even going to the grocery store takes several hours.   Here is an example day:
Wednesday:
Leave house by 6:30am for a Bible Study that begins at 8:30a
(It’s better to leave early and eat a quick breakfast out rather then sitting in traffic)
Arrive at Bible Study at 8:45a. 
(Tire was flat pushing back our leaving time which then forced us to sit in traffic.)
Leave Bible Study at 11:30 to travel to the store for a few shopping errands
Arrive at 12p Eat a quick lunch, shop, and leave by 2 for Caleb’s Volleyball game.
Arrive and watch game from 4-5p.
Arrive home at 7:30p.m.
Here is the summary for you:
Bible Study – 2hrs
Shopping- 2hrs
Caleb’s game 1hr
Quality Time with Jill in the car: 8 hrs. 

How ‘bout those Cardinals??!?!  I have been loving getting to watch the Cardinals in the playoffs and now the WORLD SERIES!  ESPN Asia is my new favorite channel.  Most of the games start around 7am so I get to watch while I eat breakfast.  A great way to start the day! 

We recently put up some new art in the Harvell’s living room.  We were discussing a Bible verse to put on it and the verse “Love your neighbor as yourself” was suggested and agreed upon.  I think it describes this family perfectly.  I am blessed to be welcomed into a family that truly displays a love for their neighbor.  I am honored to watch them and see this command displayed from their actions on a daily basis.  

Blessings,
  Sara