Consider It Pure Joy: To the big city ;)

Mimay's healthy baby boy is now named Mark Joseph! The whole entire family is adorable! I just had to take a few pictures of them to show the world what a handsome family they are! Because they have PhilHealth, the entire labor and delivery is free except for the additional cost of a private room (since she was about to deliver in the waiting room) and the birth certificate and newborn physical. Therefore, my supporters are now the supporters of these few fees :)

Joseph, Mimay, Nina, Venice & Mark Joseph

I am now onto the next adventure in the Philippines. Miss Patti brought me down to Cagayan de Oro yesterday to check in to the YWAM Nehemiah House to volunteer as a "house parent" for awhile. I just arrived yesterday but I can fill you in on what I do know so far. I do know that I will go through a period of adjusting to being in a new place again (I really need God's strength), I do know that this will be a more structured and regimented position than in Pandan (where I mostly just hung out with kids and did Bible studies). I am so nervous. I am scared that the communication barrier will be tougher when I am in a role where I am supposed to enforce rules. God is teaching me new lessons every day and they all seem to point to the fact that I need to rely on Him. For everything. For companionship, for communication, for peace, for comfort, for strength, for love to overflow, for patience, for the ability to feel familiarity.

So, what I do know about my new place and new role:

I am a house parent.
I need to learn these 18 girls' names and get to know their personalities.
I need to learn the 28 rules of the house and how to enforce them through broken English.
I need to wake up at 4am every morning to wake the girls up and have their GST (God's special time).
I am supposed to just be a big sister to these 18 girls.
I need to learn some new dance moves because they love to dance.
I do not have the energy of these 10 year olds but God will just have to provide it for me.
I will love these girls because they are God's children and God loves them so much.
I can be used as God's instrument to be a light to these girls.
I will need God for all of the above (esp the 4am wake up.. no roosters here ;))

I took a few pictures this morning around the house to give yall an idea of where I am. The girls are busy doing their morning chores in these pictures :)