Picture perfect

My camera was a window into a world many of you will never see first hand. I wish I could share every single picture I took with every single person I know. But we all know that won't happen. So I will share some here. Please know there are more where these came from! So if you catch me with my computer in hand then I insist you ask to see them all!!!!

As my trip has come to an end, my love for Christ has not. The people from the ministry tell me I helped soooo much. But to me, so much was gained. I grew in so many ways. I matured as a woman; stepping out and taking on new adventures, and I grew as a Christian. I feel as though God took me by the hand and led me to new heights. I believe this is just the beginning of my journey. I don't know where God will take me next, but I will go. And God, I wouldn't be upset in the least bit if you went me back to Boracay!

Hurom-Hurom Springs and Parasailing

When groups aren't here time may go by a little but more slow, but this only leaves more opportunity for exploration. Exploration of God's beauty that surrounds us everyday. Last week we got to visit Hurom-Hurom cold springs. The spring is located on Panay. So we had to take the boat over to Caticlan, then a jeepney to the turn off, then a trike up the dirt road to the springs. Completely worth the trek if you ask me!

Oh so different form the hot springs of Colorado. What a refreshing plunge into the ice cold water of the springs! It was nice to get away with some of the other ministry members. After many dips in the water, we got to enjoy grilled pork chops made by our chef, Pastor Rolando!

Amanda and I also got to enjoy a sunset parasail one evening. We took Pastora Teresa up with us.  God is great! What an amazing view of Boracay, surrounding islands, the ocean stretched far away and God's wondrous sunset. It is so quiet up there. You can barely make out the mutter of the boat motor. Other than that...... I kinda wish I went up by myself and had a quiet time with God. I felt so close to him at that moment;-)

Meet the Resurrecion Family

How happy do you think God is to hear his people take a stand for their home and family? "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15). This so happens to be a favorite verse of Mylene Resurrecion, wife to Jimer, mother to Jeremiah. They live, breath, drink and eat the Word of God everyday. The Lord is surely rejoicing in Heaven!

The Resurrecion family has a special place within the Church on the Rock family. Mylene was the first paid employee of the ministry. Since then, they have spread God's word and love to many people on the island of Boracay.

Jimer grew up in Capiz, a province on the local island Panay. Mylene grew up on Romblon, another small island located just north of Boracay. Later her family moved to Boracay. God brought them to the same place at a youth camp in Antique Panay. You know how the story goes....... they lived happily ever after! They eventually both moved to Boracay where they have been together for the last 10 years.

When Mylen's family moved to Boracay they searched for a church and found Church on the Rock. When Jimer and Mylene moved to Boracay together they continued to go to the church and they eventually  joined the worship band, which they are still apart of today. They have seen the ministry grow throughout the years. Now they have a 9 year old son named Jeremiah. He is a product of two people who love God and have a heart for serving others. It is so clear in his calm manner and his ability to recite many Bible verses.

Their biggest priority is with the feeding sites. They have 4 feeding sites of their own, reaching a very large sum of kids. While Mylene works with the kids, Jimer takes the parents and preaches to them. They love to use the feeding sites to reach more adults and further the ministry. Jeremiah attends many of these feeding sites too. So he is sometimes exposed to the Word three or four times a week. Maybe this is why he can spit out Bible verses like some kids spit out rap lyrics.

Jimer also enjoys getting together with his 4 cell groups and one small group. This gives him the opportunity to preach and expose others to God's wonders. While Mylene's passion is with the children, Jimer loves to open the hearts of adults. His biggest goal is to reach out to the people of Boracay and to teach them the way they should go. They want to get them to church and teach them about Jesus.

The family sees God's love most in the things he provides in their life on a daily basis. He has always provided financially for their family. They have been blessed with health and find joy that is unexplainable.

When I asked them what their favorite Bible verses were, they had troubles answering because they all three had so many! Mylene's favorite is Joshua 24:15. One of Jimer's favorites is Psalms 23:1, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." He also loves Romans 15:20, "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation." Jeremiah also has a favorite. Psalms 23:4 says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Outreach site

At one of the Resurrecion feeding sites they have started an outreach building. Currently the building only has a rooftop. The family is eager to finish the outreach site so they can further his kingdom in more ways. They started the building in November 2008. They are renting the land for 1,000 pesos a month. They would like to finish the building as soon as possible.

The site will be used as a sheltered feeding site for the rainy season. It will be a place of fellowship for the people in the area. It will also be a meeting place for mid-week services. This is the family's first step in expanding the Church on the Rock facilities. But they still need walls and flooring to finish the site. So funding is still needed.

In order to finish the walls they will need about 15,000 pesos (~300 dollars). The flooring will cost about 20,000 pesos (~400 dollars). They need help, and there are people out there that are willing. So if you are one of those people, can you help them finish this project? If so, please let me know.

Pictures of the feeding site located under the outreach building.

May God bless the Resurrecion family!

In the mean time...

I got a haircut for 50 pesos. For those of you that don't know..... that's 1 dollar! They didn't even get my hair wet. Then the hair dresser had the nerve to tell me that my hair was really unhealthy and dry and my roots were coming in really dark. I'm sorry that I don't have this beautiful, black, silky hair like the Filipino women!  Plus, I hadn't had a hair cut since right before Carly and Tim's wedding. That's 6 months my friends! So I got a trim that will get me by until I come home and can get a real hair cut!

This is how we get around Boracay. Watch where you're going!

This week God sent me a couple gifts.......

#1 He spoke to my heart about my future. I've been waiting for this for awhile! It's been hard for me to figure out what I am going to do with my future. I have a degree in Health and Exercise Science, but what am I going to do with that? I know that I want to teach, but I'm not ready for more school. So what? 

On March 16th God put conviction in my heart during my quiet time. It was so sudden and powerful I knew immediately that it was from God. During my trip he has took a VERY large part of my heart and dedicated it to children and teaching them the Word of God. I know that this trip was to show me that I need to be involved with building up God's kingdom. I don't think that I am the right person to live permanently on the mission field in another country, but I need to be working constantly to glorify His kingdom. I'm not sure if this is a career that will happen right when I get back..... but I know it is in my future! And this...... knowing this...... makes my heart leap in my chest! I love knowing where I am headed!

#2 God sent me Americans! Yeah! The 17th through the 19th there was a retreat here called "Frontline Shepherds." It was lead by Global Advance and Calvary Church. Global Advance is an organization based out of Dallas Texas. Their mission is to help fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ by empowering national church leaders and business leaders to evangelize and disciple their own surrounding nations. Let's just say that after finding what my future holds, this seminar just pounded it in my heart what my part in the Great Commission will be.

The American women who spoke at the conference saw my American face and immediately introduced themselves. They opened their arms, love, knowledge, and even some finances for Amanda and I. I have been blessed by what I learned the last few days. I feel like God sent these people just for me...... but in reality they were here to empower the Filipinos! Thank you Global Advance for leaving some special words in my heart!

Check out Global Advance https://www.globaladvance.org

Check out Brad Howard from Lake Shore Church in Texas http://www.lakeshorechurch.net

He was a very amazing speaker that brought a lot of conviction with his message!

God Bless!!!!!

HKIS is living in a barn! Oh, and my Amanda!!!!!!

(Back row: David, Scott, JT, Ethan, Rob, Ryan, Tech, Kristen, and Pat. Front row: Na Hyun, Erica, Flora,  Kristel, Carolyn, Andrew, Janine, Michelle, Jenifer, and Jonathan)

I'll start off by saying...... I hope Christ touched their hearts!

Hong Kong International School was the second group of my trip. What a fun-spirited group they were. At first they were a little standoffish, but it didn't take long for them to jump in and fully immerses themselves with the love of the ministry. They brought new insights to loving children. (I didn't know kids could love bubbles so much!)

Their work ethic at the construction site was of mere perfection. I don't think I heard a kid complain once. They worked hard and seemed to enjoy it.  HKIS students take one of these trips every year during their high school career. They get to write down their top five destination choices, and then they randomly draw for one of those five. They can chose between cultural, adventure or service trips. So the fact that these kids put down a service trip as one of their top choices says a lot about them and their desires to help others and enjoy themselves at the same time. 

There were 19 kids ranging from freshmen to seniors. Their principal, Pat Klekamp and their athletic director, Scott Johnson were the adult leaders. The control they had over the large number of kids was rather astonishing ;-) 

During their visit they got to visit Boracay Island Global Academy. We split into two groups and went into some high school classrooms. In one of the rooms there was a student that had a guitar. So one of the HKIS students played a song while his fellow classmates sang along with the Global students. It was great to see two cultures enjoy a common love; music. After that we went into the courtyard and played a few four-on-four basketball games and a soccer game against the Global students. I played in the first basketball game. Let's just say...... it's been awhile. But I enjoyed running around and working up a good sweat. Many of the HKIS students made friends while they were spectating. Some of the Global students met up with the group later on in the week.

The boys had a running joke about the "barn." On their first day one of the boys left the room without shutting the door. Mr. Johnson yelled, "What, do you live in a barn?" The boys didn't get the joke at first. So he had to explain. After that, anytime someone left the door open you would hear about five boys yell, "What, do you live in a barn?" On the last day of their trip some of the boys got henna tattoos with the phrase. The youngest boy, who really had troubles shutting the door, got "I live in a barn." Then Mr. Johnson got "I own the barn." Ha ha, I'm still laughing!

And the brightest news of all....... God brought me a mission companion for the remaining time I am here. Amanda Beck grew up in the Philippines at Faith Academy in Manila. Amanda played basketball for Dan Beaver. After graduating high school she took off to live in Chicago for about four years. She has been back in Manila since August. Before she heads back to Chicago for school in June, she wanted to explore the Philippines a little more and serve the Lord at the same time. The Beavers wanted to find a mission companion for me since I would be here by myself. So it worked out perfectly to have Amanda serve the same time as me!

(Me and Amanda with our new slippers from HKIS)

What a gift from God. We have a lot in common. We are both athletic and love to stay active. Also, out Christian walk has  a lot of similarities. I think we will enjoy our time together and use each other to grow more. And Amanda, I'm bringing you home to Colorado with me. Come on everyone, tell her how much better Colorado is then Chicago Illinois!

Brown out, Mount Luho, and more visitors......

I just chuckle a little whenever they refer to a power-outing as a "brown out." They asked me what we call it, and when I told them "black out" they laughed too. Just thought I would leave you all with this thought. He he! There has been a few brown outs while I am here. I guess it is pretty common and just something you live with. But it sure does stink when it's night, and hot, and your fan doesn't work! But boy is it great to wake up and your fan is on!

Jessica took me to Mount Luho a few days ago. Yes, just a mere hill when compared to Colorado, but amazing none the less. You can see in every direction with nothing obstructing your view. So I could see the other side of the island that I haven't got a chance to see much of. You could also see all the neighboring islands. 

By the way, I'm pretty sure I found the island from Lost. It moved right next to Boracay and some have mistaken it for Panay!!! haha, I'm silly today!

They have a little zoo at Mount Luho too. Very little. They have some monkeys that are tied up and out in the open, and hilarious. They ones that are caged up are what they call the "crazy" ones, and the ones tied up are the "loving" ones that like people....... and puppies! One monkey was holding a little puppy and getting all the fleas off it. The cutest thing I have ever seen! I guess he hangs out with the chicken too!

We had more visitors this week. They were visiting the Philippines from Chicago. Tracy was a missionary in Manila for 16 years and met her husband there. Her husband, Don was a missionary in Manila for 5 years. They brought their friend from Chicago, Rita. They visited old friends in Manila, then took a short getaway trip to Boracay. And while they were here they wanted to check out the ministry. God is just sending people to see this amazing ministry.

(Back row: ?, Mylene, Pastor Rolando, Visitor Rita, Teresa, Visitor Don, and Visitor Tracy.

Front row: Candy and Jimer)

Today the next group comes in from Hong Kong. New challenges face the ministry today. Some of the kids from the group aren't Christians. So it is our goal to expose them to God's love. We hope to make a change in their life this week. We hope they can be moved by this ministry and give their life to Jesus. So please pray for this group. Pray that they will come to the Lord while they are here. 

So what the heck do I do when the groups aren't here?

One of the things that I am concentrating on right now is getting lessons ready for Sunday school and for the kids at the feeding sites. It's nice because you can teach the same lesson everyday for one week. So it requires some creativity on my part. Ahhhhh! So I make one large visual aide and a large bible verse to go along with the lesson. I also make memory verse cards with every lesson. They can hand these out to the kids to take home and learn for the next week. I also make a coloring sheet for Sunday School. With all this I need some kind of organization so when I leave the teachers understand what exactly I was getting at when putting these together.

The first lesson I made was on the Fruit of the Spirit. I drew a big tree and cut out fruit with 

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control written on them. I had the kids stick the fruit on the tree. All the ministry staff were like, "oh Jess, you are such an amazing artist!" ha ha ha ha ha ha. Little do they know, it took me like 2 hours to make it because I am absolutely terrible at drawing! Just a perfectionists. 

So there lies my concentration when the groups aren't here. I hope to make lessons for 30 weeks out, but I will get done more if I can. For me to be able to do this, more time is opened up for the ministry staff to concentrate on other things.

Also, you see the post about the Atienzas? I will be doing these for all the people of the ministry staff and some other people on the island. These blogs will eventually go on the ministry website so people can get closer to the ministry and the people behind the scenes. Another project I am excited about taking on is getting pictures of the kids who aren't sponsored yet. I guess I am like the tech person. AGAIN ha ha ha ha ha ha HA! But I will use the knowledge I do have and use it for the ministry. Thanks God!

Everyday I get to go to the feeding sites and this is my absolute favorite part. I love getting to help the kids and bandage up their wounds. To the TCIS people reading this...... they LOVE the shark song, banana song, and Mercy is falling. Many of the kids are singing the songs when we arrive, and then they are begging us to sing them!!!!! Good job TCIS!

Thank you for reading..... may God bless you all!

Meet Pastor Rolando and Teresa Atienza

Open arms. That's how Pastor Rolando and Teresa will greet you when you come to their home on Boracay Island. They started On the Rock Ministries with nothing but the "grace, mercy and love of God," says Pastor. And those are the possessions that continue to carry the ministry throughout the years.

Rolando and Teresa both grew up on Capiz, a province located on the northeast portion of Panay. They met while going to Bible School on the island. They were both pastoring at different churches at the time. Their love for God was apparent, so they combined that love into one holy matrimony. After seventeen years of marriage they have three children of their own, and one adopted son who truly represents what their mission on Boracay is all about. 

Their eldest, Jedidiah, is seventeen years old and living in Manila. Dan and Tori Beaver sponsor Jedidiah so  he can go to Hope Academy and get a solid education. Their only daughter is Micah Joy who is fifteen years old, and Jethro is fourteen. They adopted their youngest, Jared, almost two years ago. The story of this little four year old will without a doubt make your heart melt. Jared lived with is mother and attended a feeding site led by On the Rock Ministries. Two years ago his mother passed away from cancer. Since there was no father present, Jared was without a home. The Atienzas have a heart for the kids of Boracay, so they welcomed Jared into their family without ever looking back.

Rolando and Teresa moved to Boracay and stared On the Rock Ministries in October of 1996. It started out as a church with four adults committed to God. They preached God's word under a mango tree to shelter them from the intense Boracay sun. From there they used a vacant space. Then for seven months they rented out a nightclub on Sunday mornings. Currently, the church meets at Faith Village where they rent an auditorium for 200 pesos an hour. This space will have to do for the time being; considering their new ministry center is in the process of being built. What started out as four people under a mango tree-is now a ministry reaching about 300 adults and nearly 800 children on the island. They have six full time workers for the ministry. And after partnership with First Love International, they also have many visitors who help build up the ministry center and spread God's love all over the island.

Right now their biggest focus is the ministry center, which will enable them to reach more people. They hope to have the first floor of the building done by September so they can open their school doors. The second and third floors of the building will be committed to a Bible School and a medical and dental clinic. The rooftop will be a full-size basketball court to allow for sports outreach, a place for fellowship, and it will serve as their church on Sunday mornings. Eventually, they would like to have a shelter for neglected children. In many ways this shelter will be like an orphanage. They would also like to offer livelihood-training classes for adults who are struggling in the workforce.

Although the ministry center is a big focus, their true love lies with the kids. When asked what their favorite part of the ministry is, Rolando answers with no hesitation what-so-ever, "children! Feeding children, reaching parents." Teresa spells it out, "we will not make people come to the church building, we will take the church to them." They now have fifteen sites spread out across the island. They have a small army feeding, singing, preaching, teaching, loving and mending wounds for the children. And right over those kids' shoulders are their patents. They believe that if they can reach these kids at a young age they will truly know God, and their parents can see the unconditional love that God and On the Rock can offer them. Parents can be moved by the joy in their child's heart.

What they still need?

Every mission needs support, and this is true when it comes to this mission. With the ministry center being built, they are still in need of funds. Supplies still need to be purchased in order to make this project possible. Come September their need will be focused on teachers. They hope to have missionaries come serve as teachers so their tuition costs for the kids can be next to nothing. Can you come serve for a semester, a year, or longer? They are also in need of transportation, like a motocab. A lot of church members can't afford the fare across the island, and many of the kids will need help getting to and from school. Medical supplies, doctors, nurses, teachers, vitamins, computers, printers, if you can provide it; the ministry can use it! What can you give?

Come to Boracay to see for yourself....

Both Rolando and Teresa want you to come join in on the fun! They would love for you to come and join the On the Rock family and get mission experience. Come and enjoy Boracay in two ways; serving God and a beautiful vacation! After all, have you seen the beach?

Favorite Bible verse? You all have one! So do the Atienzas. Rolando says his favorite verse is John 3:16 because it is the heart of the Bible. "For God loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Teresa also goes with a verse out of the book of John. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except thorugh me." -John 14:6. She says this verse is what their ministry is all about. After all, their ministry shirts say "Lahay Kay Christ," which mean "All for Jesus!"

TCIS visits Boracay

~I'm not sure why these photos turned out so large today. So please click on the photos so you can see the full image. I will try to fix this later when I have more time!!!!!

(Front right: Janey, Yultee, Tiffany, Rachel, Michelle, and Tommy. Back rock: Ed, Allison, Hynn Bin, Chris, Brian, Dan, Virginia, Ciel, and Meredith)

The first group that visited Boracay while I was here was Taejon Christian International School. They are from Daejean, South Korea. There were 9 students and 6 adult leaders. The leaders were teachers, dorm parents, a youth pastor and a visitor from their sister school in the U.S., St. George's School in Rhode Island. The school in Kindergarten through 12th grade, but most the students on the trip were juniors and one was a sophomore.

During their trip they worked at the construction site where they passed concrete buckets along a line. They complete many beams that will hold the structure together. They also visited the feeding sites where they had skits on Jesus and Peter walking on water, and Zaccheus the tax collector.  They also got to do an outreach at one of the schools on the island. Here they got really good interaction with the high scholars and got to share some things from the Korean culture.

As a special treat, one of the leaders left Jimer his guitar. I know this group really touched the people on the island and the people of the ministry. I just hope that the ministry has a special place in their hearts not that they have experienced it first-hand. 

Tommy is spent after a HOT day at the construction site.

Brian and Hynn Bin putting their muscles to work

Meredith, Allison, and Virginia watching over Jessica's shoulder to learn how to make a bird out of palm leaves.

Chris and Dan performing a skit for the kids. 

Yultee getting attacked by some boys at a site.

Allison holding Precious. 

Feeding sites and new friends!

My first week on Boracay has been a whirlwind. I have experienced so much in just a week's time. In some ways I feel like I have been here much longer that a week, and in other ways I feel like I have so much more to learn about this island. All the people from the ministry have made me feel so welcome and apart of the Church on the Rock family. They immediately took my hand and showed me this little island. Even though this island is small in size, it is FULL of people!

One of my favorite experiences is visiting the feeding sites. There are 16 different feeding sites spread out across the island. Everyday at about 4:30 at least two feeding sites are going. A few days a week there are three different sites going at once. The women who run these sites are absolutely amazing with the kids. They start off singing Bible songs with the kids. From there they have Bible stories and sometimes memory verses. I am always so amazed at how much the kids can remember. After they have been fed they get any scratches, cuts, or injuries tended to. They also receive a chewable vitamin while at the site.

When there are groups visiting, they prepare songs to teach the kids and then do Bible skits. The kids absolutely love having visitors. At one site we turned a corner to a group of kids running at us. Then they followed us all the way up a long hill to the feeding site. Once we were done and ready to leave, the kids actually followed us all the way back to the main road.

One site that remans at the focus of my thoughts was on the other side of the island from where I am living. The kids all greeted us with a "welcome" sign. Although Boracay is very poor, most people still wear shoes. And by shoes I mean flip-flops. They were flip-flops because they are cheap and because it is so HOT hear. But at this site many of the kids didn't have shoes on. They also had many wounds that needed to be taken care of. The flies and mosquitoes were extremely bad in this area. This is probably where a lot of the scabs are from. Some of the kids didn't have any parents present, but instead they were taken care of by older siblings. This site seemed to need sooooo much, and we could only provide a small amount compared to the size of their needs.

There is another site that is very close to where I live. This site brought tears to my eyes. To see how much these kids have learned made me so happy. Many of the kids at this site are apart of the Muslim community. Not only did they sing and dance with so much enthusiasm, they one-by-one got up and recited different memory-verses that they have learned. Some kids know more than one. They know more than me! I just pray that they can live through those verses that they have imprinted in their brains!

One thing that I will be concentrating on while I am here is getting lessons in advance for Sunday school and to share at these sites. I hope to take a lot of stress off of the ministry workers. So I make posters for visual aide and memory verse cards for the kids to take home and memorize.

On another note.....

God sent two Australian girls (Gemma and Tess) to visit Church on the Rock this Sunday. Teresa asked me to go speak with them because they spoke English. I invited them to come to the feeding site that night. I wasn't sure if they were interested so I wasn't going to pressure them into coming. But as they were leaving they asked Pastor Rolando  about the sites and said they would love to come see what it was all about. They met us later and went to a site where Jimer is putting together an outreach building that still needs walls and flooring. The girls had a heart for this sight and outreach, and decided to take pictures and videos back to their church in Australia.  They hope to raise some money to get it finished and would love to come back someday to help out the ministry. It's amazing how God sends people to the right place at just the right moment ;-)

(Gemma and Tess leading the group in a song)

Later that night I took my camera to the beach. A local family approached me and started talking to me. The young girl was there with some of here young extended family. She is 18 and is going to college in Calibo (a town on Panay that is about a 2 hour drive from Caticlan). She is studying to become a teacher. She comes home every weekend to be with her family. Her grandfather owns a resort not too far off the beach. She invited me over to meet her mother. So I went and chatted with them for awhile. They offered for me to come and stay with them for cheaper than I am paying now. So the next time I am here they insist I visit them and stay at their place. Novie Anne and I exchanged phone numbers and we will get in touch on the weekends so we can hang out. The whole family was so hospitable and made me feel very welcome. I hope to get to know this family more while I am here on the island!

Until next time.......

Picture this........

On the sunset sail!

Some of the kids from a feeding site. There are now 16 feeding sites located all over the island.

The amazing sunset!!!!! God has an amazing knack for art ;-)

With Jimer, waiting in Caticlan for the kids from South Korea to arrive. 

Let me take you on a tour of my room!!!!

Welcome to Boracay!

I made it!

It sure was a long day of flying, but I made it safe and sound. I slept a lot on the airplanes, so I didn't get too jet-lagged. I actually arrived in Manila at about 11pm on the 20th. By the time I got through customs and exchanged my money, it was nearly midnight. Tori (the missionary I have been in contact with) picked me up and we made the trek back to her home in Manila. Then we had to leave at 5 am to go to the airport to fly out to Caticlan. Caticlan is a town on Panay that is right across the channel from Boracay. Once there you have to take a boat to Boracay.

It turns out our flight was over-booked so they tried to put us on a flight to Calibo, which is a two hour drive to Caticlan. Luckily, Tori knew what she was doing and told them no. So we had to wait for a flight to Caticlan  at noon. Which turned out to be just fine because I had about 6 million questions for Tori. And they refunded our flight plus some. So I used the extra money to pay for my bag which was overweight for traveling in Asia. But they don't charge you a ridiculous amount like they do in the U.S.

Oh what a flight that was. It was a smaller plane, and we got to see the "old" way of instructing safety (no televisions)! The landing was pretty bumpy, ok very bumpy. Not only that, they had to slam on the brakes. You see, the Caticlan Airport runway is in the Guinness Book of World records for being the shortest runway to have passenger planes take off and land on. Er? Poop!(

(These are pictures from Caticlan to Boracay. You can see the types of boats we rode on to get here)

Once we got to Boracay, Pastor Rolando and Teresa greeted me with open arms. They are such loving people! From there they took me to my apartment which is right next to their home and on the the other side is where we will being doing construction on the ministry center. I have a pretty amazing room if you ask me. Way more than I expected. I have a HUGE bed with a little kitchen area. Tori got a burner for me, and a ridge is on the way. I have a bathroom with a shower. No

 hot water, but with how hot is it is right now, a cold shower is actually refreshing. I also have cable TV! I wonder if I can watch Lost? Haha. Best of all.... drum role please....... Aircon! So very nice!

Tori was so wonderful to take me around and show me places that I would enjoy to eat or may need to use. She answered far too many questions and made me feel like I actually knew what was going on. The first day we walked along the beach and I was in awe of God's creation. The sand is so fine and white and the beach lines up with the sunset. The view is so amazing!
The next day we had a group arrive from South Korea. They attend TCIS, which is an international school. They all speak english very well. The leaders are all fantastic and most are actually from the U.S. and are my age. There is one girl that even lived in Estes Park for a year!

When groups are here I will be very busy. The days are pretty jammed packed for them. They start with building in the morning, then lunch, then more building. Then off to the feeding sights
throughout the island. Then back for dinner. They have plenty of free time between activities.

Last night, before we went to dinner we went on a sunset sail. I can't believe how much the sky turns colors for the sunset. It is like God's canvas and he wants to use up all His colors before it is too dark!!!!
The food is amazing. I can't really explain traditional Filipino food because I have only had it once, but everything has been fantastic. Everything tastes a little different here, but in a good way. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnddddddddddddddddddd, every, I stress EVERY place along the beach has shakes, mango shakes. And they are to die for. Today we had a Filipino treat called Halo Halo (mix mix). It is made up of shaved ice, condensed milk, rice crispies, sweet corn, sweet potato, bananas, and red beans with sugar! So good! Oh, and the bakeries here are probably going to be the death of me. They use sweetened beans and roll it in with the bread. I have never tasted anything like it, and have never loved any food so much. Ahhhhh!

There really is so much more to tell, but I will tell as I go. I hope to introduce you to all the amazing people I will be working with. The people here are what make this place home. They all have a special place in my heart!

So look forward to more long long long entries like this. And pictures to follow soon.

Please pray for both physical and mental strength for me and the kids coming from other countries. And if any of you want to give financially to this ministry, please do. They are always in GREAT financial need. Whether it goes towards the building or feeding the kids. There are a lot of hands that touch this ministry, but we always need more. So if you read these blogs and feel that you have a heart for Boracay as I do, then visit their blog. You can give gifts on the blog and even sponsor a child here on Boracay. The blog link is just over here ----> Please check it out!

I love you all and hope to hear from all of you! God Bless!

I'm leaving on a Jet-plane......

Yup, you heard it right! I am sitting at Denver International Airport as we speak.... er..... type! My flight leaves in t-minus one hour.

The reality is finally sinking in and the nerves are going a little crazy. I am so nervous my tummy feels like it's turning on me. (At-least I hope it is nerves not anything else)! But I know that God has a plan for me and He will be watching over me on this journey. He is my traveling companion on this long long day of flying half way around the World!

As I am sitting here I think of something that I read recently that I would love to share with all of you. How is your prayer life? Did you know that above all else God wants you talk to him and thinks of you as His bride? Although I am going on a mission trip to spread His word, it is important that above all else I go to Him and tell Him all my deepest thoughts. So here's the analogy...... prayer is like gas, and mission work is like driving. You need gas to drive. Without out the gas your car will stall out. So in order for my mission work to truly be effective, I need to grow closer to God. Even more than I have ever been. All this in prayer! 

So, I think I am going to go talk to God before I head off. Catch you all on the flip side. What does that even mean anyway?

Thank You!

I would like to thank everyone for being apart of this trip. Even though you won't be in Boracay with me physically, you will be there in my thoughts and prayers!

First, thanks to those of you who contributed financially to this trip. I know a trip like this wouldn't be possible without all the generous people in my life. So many people were generous during the Holiday season when funds were tight. 

Thank you for your prayers. It is prayers from friends and family that brought in the funds, made things fall so perfectly into place, and took the fear out of traveling to a foreign place all by myself. And I ask that you all continue to pray for me and for the missionaries and people of Boracay Island. 

Finally, thanks for reading. It is nice to know that people actually read this so I don't feel like I am writing to no one! And I would love to hear from everyone while I am gone. So contact me here, or my email at jnething57@juno.com

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

So much to do, so little time!

20 days and counting......down!

I can't believe how fast time has gone by. Before you know it I will be on a plane, beginning my long journey to the Philippines.

I freaked out a little today as I thought about all the things I have to do before I go. I'm a list person.......

•  I found somebody to take over my rent, so I have to pack up all my things and move it into storage before I leave. Ahhhhhhhh I hate moving!
  
• I'm going to type out my testimonial to share with people while I'm on the island. There will actually be three high school youth groups visiting the island while I'm there. They are visiting from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Taejon, Korea. I've been asked to share my walk with Christ with these groups in a unique way! (Maybe when I'm done I will post it on here.)
• I need to prepare Bible lessons for kids (I already know what I want to teach, but I need to get more organized!)
• I need to find a really good Bible study book and pick out some studies to share with some of the adults on the island.
• I studied Health and Exercise Science, so I want to teach the kids some good games to keep them physically active. So I need to go through the rolodex in my head to bring up some games I learned while working with elementary kids here in Fort Collins!
• I want to buy a nice camera with my tax return so I can come home with amazing pictures of my trip. I will be able to blow up some high quality pictures and hopefully get many of you copies to display in your homes! So I will have to go camera shopping, oh, and learn how to use the dang thing too!
• Most importantly, pack for the trip. What to bring?

The sticky thing about there only being 20 days left is........ Valentine's week. We do 5 days of Valentine's at the Melting Pot. So, work work work until I leave! Hopefully my parents will be coming the last few days before I leave. If that is the case, both their birthdays' are the 17th and a little celebration is called for. My pa turns 50, that's a big one!!!!! Not too mention, there are soooo many people I would like to spend some time with before I am off. What if I decide not to come back ;-)

I pray I can use what little remaining time I have very wisely! My only hope is I won't get stressed out, because stress just takes up too much time!!!!!

Trip details....

I fly out of Denver on February 18th. I have layovers in San Francisco and Seoul, South Korea before I reach Manila. From Manila I will have to book another flight on a small airplane to Boracay Island. I arrive in Manila late February 19th, so I probably won't actually arrive on Boracay until the 20th!

I will leave from Boracay early April 15th to catch a flight from Manila, to Seoul, to LA, and finally back home to Colorado!

There are so many ways in which I will be serving while I am on the island. I will be involved in feeding hundreds of mal-nourished children, while sharing the Gospel and the love of Jesus with them. I will have a chance to lead Bible studies with the local people. English is spoken in the Philippines!!!

I will also help to build a three-level multi-functional ministry center. The ministry center will be used as a Bible school, Christian school, church and medical clinic. The missionaries and believers on Boracay say there is a great need for a ministry center like this.

Boracay is a tropical island paradise with white sand beaches, so I am also excited about the opportunity to spend some time in awe of God's creation, but more importantly, I will have a chance to serve God in unique ways that I have not experienced before. This will be a new and unusual culture for me.

En Gedi?

So, why is my blog called En Gedi? What is En Gedi? What does this have to do with my mission trip to Boracay? I hope I can answer all these questions without confusing a single person, including myself!

En Gedi is a major oasis with lush gardens and Israel's one and only naturally-occurring waterfall. It is on the west coast of the Dead Sea. But, there is more meaning to En Gedi than just a physical place. So read on......

The first time I heard of En Gedi I was listening to a sermon by Pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington. He mentions it in his sermon on Song of Songs.

 "My lover is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi." 1:14

In this context he is talking about his lover and how being with her is like being in a place of perfection, serenity, surrounded by walls of safety. 

After this sermon, I have heard it a few times throughout the Bible, and each time it reaches out and grabs me. To me, it is a place to escape to be in the Secret Place in prayer with the Lord sitting and enjoying His perfect scenery.

In 1Samual 23:29-24:1 En Gedi is mentioned when David sought refuge while being pursued by Saul. 

"And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi. After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, 'David is in the Desert of En Gedi.'"

It was a place where David felt safe and in the protection of God. That's what prayer time with God should be like for us. When we are spending time with God we are safe and protected from Satan's evil. Satan can't touch us when we are in prayer with God. 

Boracay will be the ultimate En Gedi for me. It will be a place of refuge, a place for me to get away from all the distractions in my life, and to grow closer to the Lord. It will be a place where I can spend many hours protected by His armor, knowing that nothing can knock me down. I don't have to travel half way across the World to reach my En Gedi, but what an amazing place to bask in God's glory! 

Friends and family...... I can't wait!