Greetings from the Philipppines! {Jen Mellor 4/23/11}

April 23, 2011

Greetings from the Philipppines! {Jen Mellor 4/23/11}

Leaving Manila

Camos te ka?...[kah-mos tay kah] How are you? All is good here. We will be celebrating Resurrection Sunday here before y'all get up :) The Philippines are 15 hours ahead of California. I got here safe and sound yesterday and so far have been really enjoying the *'s and their staff.


a little boy at Manila airport became an age progression sketch because at 2 yrs old he wasn't sitting still	enough

"Change we need. Change we must."...Yesterday I got to attend Calvary Chapel Davao's Good Friday service. See the video of a skit they did here. The message was on the Samaritan woman. I have noticed that people here speak in their native tongue mixed with a lot of English phrases where it is more expedient. I was able to understand a few phrases like"God is just an asking away." And speaking about repentance the pastor quoted a local saying "Change we need. Change we must." Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else (but Jesus) , for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."

The least of these...Today I joined *'s at their Cebaunu language lesson where their teacher was sweet enough to give me a list of phrases to learn. Afterward we stopped at Mc D's (that makes eating at a Mc D's in 6 countries now) for a chicken sandwich. While waiting for our food Mr * was approached by little boys selling strung flowers used as airfreshners. He didn't buy any but passed out packs of snacks that they carry around for such a purpose. Great idea! "Children should never have to go hungry." Mrs. * said. Reminded me of when Jesus will say to us "What you did to the least you did to me."

See you later...We just returned from a funeral/viewing. It was for a woman who Mrs * had served with in the local village clinic. She was a Christian nurse who had battled with cancer but eventually lost. There were many tears but no sorrowing "as those who have no hope". Being believers, the gathering of her friends and family, will miss her presence for now but have the hope of seeing her later in eternity where He will wipe away every tear and there will be no more goodbyes.

The training starts Monday. Please continue to pray for me as I acclimate to the extream heat and humidity as well as exist for a time in this culture so different from my own. Please also pray for the *'s to be sustained by God's grace in all they do here (which is A LOT). Pray that I would be a blessing and not a burden to them.
Thank you as always for all your support be it in prayer, financial and just plain friendship!
God bless!
Jen