Goodbyes

The last two days FLEW! On Friday we had our Mass Wedding. This was a wedding for 11 couples in our Bible studies. Weddings here cost a lot of money by themselves, not even including the paperwork and missing birth certificates of some people. So most are not really married here but just live together--BUT after a Bible study on the importance of marriage- many couples expressed a desire to get married before God. So Zoe Ministry's (the Kenney's organization) sponsored a Mass Wedding so all the couples could get married! Thanks to my sponsors and God's provision- I got to help two brides rent a wedding dress ($14) and one bride to get all new teeth ($100)! :) I was given a very filipino dress to wear at the wedding (my original dress wasn't colorful enough for their tastes ;)) so no laughing at my purple dress! :) I was also given the honor of lighting the candles at the wedding and laying the wedding cords on one of the couples (a traditional filipino thing). 

Ate Juning and Kuya Wilson  

The alter we decorated :)

Breakfast with the volleyballers

On my last day in the Philippines- I got to go play 3 hours of volleyball with my motorcycle volleyball gang and breakfast with them. Then helped with some more of the hut building, a farewell party thrown  by one of the filipino families who adopted me as "whitney binder-dagoldol" :), and have a bonfire with smores on the beach. I'd say it was a perfect ending! 

The farewell party: This was the sweetest thing ever. The Dagoldol's decided to have a going away party for me that was so well planned that it even had a program to organize it :) Many people gave testimonies as to how I affected their lives, some sang goodbye songs, the men even gave me a goodbye hula dance, and the Kenneys performed a skit. Somehow I was asked to dance by Mimay and she held me in a close, slow-dance grip and just cried, then Ivey stepped in and did the same thing, and then 5 more women. Of course I teared up then too- sheesh. :) What an incredible blessing to have known these brothers and sisters in Christ!!! 

On my way home: I am now on my way home and am at the third airport of six that I will visit on my way home. Traveling to the Philippines is no easy task! I took a four hour bus ride to Cagayan, then a flight to Manila (stayed the night), another 4 flights today for a total of 2.5 days of traveling! I definitely got some lovely lice while in the Philippines so I've treated that, and I am pretty sure I attained some parasites that I'll have to take care of when I get home, have a couple blisters, feet that need a serious pedicure, and several bug bites that I'm not sure what kind of bugs they are--- ALL IN ALL- God's grace covered me this whole trip and I am coming home healthy and more in love with my God and thankful for all I have and don't have! He is so good! 

I wish I could end this blog with some real wisdom-but I just can't. It's an odd feeling come home from such an experience. I want to be able to express all that it was and all that it did to me, but I can't find the words that are adequate enough. I guess all I can say is that if God calls you to missions, even for a short 3 monther like me, answer that call. Don't hesitate. It it the most edifying, rewarding, peaceful experience. 

View of our living room with all the kids! 

Hut Building Project

Now that I am on my way home, I have plenty of time to blog- so I wanted to take the time to do a beginning to end of the hut building project for ate juning and kuya wilson's family.

Quick Recap: I asked God to use me however He wanted to while in the Philippines. He directed me to a family living in the baraguay next to us. This is a family of 6 people who live in a house the size of our American walk-in closets. They are from the mountain (which means that is where all of their family is and they speak a tribal language different than Visaya) but had to move to Gingoog to be closer to the hospital. Their youngest son has a severe breathing problem. In the mountain, Kuya Wilson was a pastor, but now that they live in Gingoog- Wilson had to find work in a plywood company. Ate Juning also sells fish and their oldest son works as well. But their income is not enough to feed all six of them and afford their son's medical bills. They are also made fun of in Pandan because they are from the mountain (considered lower status). God provided the funds to build them a new hut- one they can all fit in! This was all God's doing and I take none of the credit but I do want to say thank you to my sponsors who helped make this possible! 

Current Home. Being held up with sticks and tarps. 

Mixing the cement to build a sturdy foundation. Filipino style- no shoes and tons of kids watching

Teamwork to get the framework done. 

Everything is done by hand and no power tools

Framework done and roof up! 

Putting up the bamboo walls! 

Putting down bamboo flooring and sawing it even

Shaving down the bamboo splits for the flooring (5 blisters from that machete!)

The Kitchen. On the left is where the dirty kitchen will be (where they cook with fire), on the left is the sink area. 

Bedrooms. One for the parents and one will be for the kids with bunkbeds

new house on left and old one on right (blue tarp)

Doors and shutters complete!

Ate Juning and Kuya Wilsun with two of their kids (the others are at work)

Front view of the house. Still have to build the porch and bridge leading to the house! 

Not Done Yet: We completed the house while I was there in 1.5 weeks! BUT we are not finished! I left funds to build a porch, build in the beds & shelves, and left money to stock them with food. We also built two sturdy tables for them and stocked them with clothes!! Imagine that- a complete bamboo hut to fit 6 people with a porch, furniture, clothes, and food with a total cost of just over $1100 (including labor of my wonderful filipino crew)! Praise the Lord! 

Letters from the family: 

"Dear Whitney,

We're so thankful to God that He used you, Whitney and the other people to help us. As for me and my family, our joy is overflowing because God give us a wonderful house. It is true in the Bible that He will not abandon His children, especially when we serve Him.Whitney, even though I can't understand your language, the Lord understands it. In Galatians 6:2, God will be happy when we obey His law. Whitney, when you're already in your home, we will never forget you. We pray that God gives you a man that can help your activities in Christ. Thank you. Thank you and your sponsors so much. 

Your brother in Christ, 

Wilsun-Juning Batonglinao"

(translated from Visaya to English- it doesn't translate exactly:))

"Dear Wiatney,

I would like to thanks to all that you can offer to the families of Batonglinao. I hope God is help and give the things that you like because you also give the important things to people like us. You careful in your trip and God is help to you, and God bless you! Thank you so much.. Happy trip. I hope it is not ending to our see! 

-Junel (oldest son of the family)"

(He wrote this himself in English from what he is learning in school! It's his first time in an English school and he is doing really well!!! :)) 

Thank you to all of my supporters for praying for this project and supporting it! I loved getting to see the body of Christ come together to care for one another. That is what we are supposed to do right? Even though you don't know these brothers and sisters in Christ (the Batonglinao's), you came to their aid. When one part of the body rejoices, we all rejoice! :) Thank you and let's rejoice!!!