Surprise, surprise!

First off, I want to share that this week we received the great news that donations made to the Second Tunic can now me made online! I added the link to the left side of this page, just under their address. In case you can't find it, it's found at http://www.secondtunic.org/donate.html and the page details three ways you can donate: check by mail, automatic transfer (with a printed application) and online through PayPal. For those who have never used PayPal, well we first used it about a month ago. I'm not sure that I really understand the whole process, but ultimately you pay with your credit card, it just get's processed by PayPal.

(Please click the link below to read the rest of this post)

Christmas 2010 in the Philippines

Christmas in the Philippines!!

The hot weather, constant 'damp' skin and palm trees cause me to stretch my imagination when trying to 'feel' like it's Christmas.


(For photos and more details about Christmas in the Philippines, click the link below)

Oh the insanity!

About an hour ago I got back from a quick trip to the local market. Insanity! Wow, was it ever filled with people. I thought, "Oh yeah, it's Christmas Eve!" Was at the grocery story yesterday and it reminded me of all those years working at Weaver's. It brought back many memories. I even chuckled knowingly at the guys trying to stock the shelves.

But back to the market today...

Maayong Pasko sa tanan!

That means "Merry Christmas to all" in Cebuano. I have been intentional about saying that this week, and now I share the same message with you.

First off, I have to apologize for not posting in such a long time...

Baby Catch #1 and #2

Second 'catch' as a midwife...12/09/10 @ 7:33 pm

Baby girl (name coming)

Her mom, nickname Liz, was a single woman who labored so great and pushed like a pro!

Did AROM while pushing and noted thick meconium, baby was suctioned, had a 'lil trouble with breathing and lots of secretions but with some TLC was able to get the baby to breast once stable.

Placenta out 5 min after baby, large amount of blood loss so Pitocin IM given to aid in contracting the uterus (keep it firm= control bleeding) and IV fluids to balance out her fluid loss. She also tore some, so had to be sutured later, but tolerated the pain and discomfort so well.

Where I'm at...

You know I don't regret going to nursing school and then working as a nurse, I feel the life experiences I gained have made me a more well-rounded person. But sometimes being here I feel still trapped in the “nursing school” mind-set of learning when I'm on shift. The process of how we learned a technique first during a “lab” and then got the opportunity to show our skills on a day when we had 'clinical' (an 8-hour shift at the hospital where I was attending nursing school). Always feeling slightly excited, excessively nervous and wanting to remember accurately all the steps in a procedure.

Today my soul-mate was born!!!

30 years and going strong...my Love

Enjoying rest and relaxation at Paradise...

On this special day I get to celebrate a wonderful blessing~ My Husband's birthday!

P. S. This is when I wish I had some cute baby photos of this charming man I married...but I think a nice recent photo will do...

When in the tropics...

What better way to celebrate another year of God's goodness and faithfulness? Go to a gorgeous beach...yes Thanksgiving and my birthday in the Philippines, where I'm celebrating by slathering sunscreen, sweating and snorkeling. Wow, lots of words with 's'.

This will be short 'n sweet because I'm burnin' daylight, but we will post some pictures of these beautiful surroundings later.

For those of you back home...

Happy Thanksgiving.

May you take time to eat heartily, fellowship with loved ones and reflect on God's unending faithfulness and love and delight in the ways He had blessed you.

P.S. the photo collage was 'googled'..but it's quite lovely

Autumn, Changes, Thankfulness

It seems like forever since we have updated. My days have been busy reading about Math, Nutrition and Statistics and then attempting to write about them as well. I have to say God is pretty amazing. To think He created foods that contain all the nutrients and vitamins our bodies need (all the necessary building blocks to support a growing baby in the womb)~that's awesome! What's sad is the ways we as humans have tried to "improve" this natural design only to fall short in the end.

So many new things...still a Faithful God who doesn't change

When I was deciding what sort of "life work" to pursue...I knew I wanted to help people. Being a nurse has let me do that, learning more in-depth about midwifery allows me to better serve women. Helping improve and educate women in their current situation with reliable information in a caring manner.

This is what helping out on prenatals day at the clinic in Davao has allowed me to do.

Newsletter Now Available!

The first edition of our Filipino Martins Newsletter is now available here. You can also find a list of all archived (once there are more than one!) newsletters on the right side of this page, just below our contact information. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

There is a small typo in the newsletter. The address for The Second Tunic should be 314 Clay Road. It should not say School anywhere. The address listed on this blog (upper right) is correct. Sorry for any confusion that I may have caused.

Food for thought...

To tie in with my last post, I've been thinking about church this week. And I want to relay some of the things the pastor spoke about. Now, I don't want to preach or anything, and I don't have anybody in mind as I relate this. I just thought some of his anecdotes were interesting and helped shed a new light on some things. And so I wanted to pass them on to you.

Transitions

So, where to start!?!

I know Josh has been posting a lot lately...and well he's more available to keep ya'll informed on our happenings. Well except when it relates to prenatal clinic and Birth-room shifts...because he's not there (nor does he want to be...seein' he's a guy and all I don't blame him).

IF YOU LIKE TALK ABOUT THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH...KEEP READING...if not turn back now!

Church

So I've been meaning to write about the church we have been going to since we've arrived here in Davao. On our first Sunday here, we went to church where the directors of Mercy go. It is called Christ's Commission Fellowship (CCF) and is located in the same plaza as Victoria Mall. So it's about a 15 minute walk for us. Their mission is to make Christ-committed followers who make Christ-committed followers. Simple. To the point. I kind of like it.

What a Week!

So we've had a very interesting week. I'll do my best to keep it somewhat brief, which is hard for me to do whenever I share a story. And this will be several stories. So I'll try to keep them short with just the necessary details. Anyway, here goes, in random order...

Life in Davao

Well, first of all, our internet connection seems to be rather unreliable at present. We've come to the conclusion that it works for about an hour a day. I just now got connected, so I want to type this quickly.

We've been kind of busy the last three weeks. That's right. Three weeks ago today we left Oregon. This Wednesday it will be three full weeks that we've been here in Davao. It actually feels like it's been longer. Christina has been busy with orientation and meetings. She is also spending lots of time in her books. I have been going shopping quite a bit, picking up all the little things we need around here. I've also been doing most of the cooking. I actually enjoy it. We bought a rice cooker, so cooking rice is such a breeze!

Filipino Day Outing~We definitely used all 5 senses!

Here's a couple of pics that don't really quantify how much stuff we got to try and experience on our Filipino Outing on Aug. 14th. but it does give a brief overview...ENJOY!

Josh trying Durian for the first time

Day 3

Today is our third day in Davao. We arrived early Wednesday morning, and it's now Friday morning. We've slept well the past two nights. It really does help to have small aircon unit to help us sleep. It cuts down the humidity and also the noises of the city. Hopefully we'll adjust to the heat and won't need the aircon every night, but for now in this adjustment period it's a great blessing.

Update

So yesterday we hiked up Mt. Neahkanie along the Oregon coast. The weather was less than ideal as it was cool and a bit rainy. There was no view from the top because of fog and a good mist blowing up the mountain. But it was interesting looking at some of the vegetation that is quite different from being on a damp coastline. But now I can say that I've seen the Pacific Ocean. We walked out to the beach but we didn't walk out to the water itself (it was cool and we had hiking boots on). Then we had supper and hung out at Gary and Lynn's house. We were all rather exhausted so we went to bed kind of early.

Clatskanie, Oregon

Well, we made it to Oregon. We got up around 3:00 a.m. EDT and my parents and two friends dropped us off at the Philadelphia airport. We got through security and everything with no problems and our flight was leaving at 7:10. I heard a flight attendant comment while we waited to take off that something must be wrong as they normally don't wait that long. Not a good thing to hear! But soon the pilot told us that a plane had experienced a "bird strike" while taking off and they had to check things out to make sure it was safe to take off. So, we soon were in the air. We couldn't sleep much, but we got to Salt Lake City about 10:00 CDT (about 12:00 at home). Our next flight left about an hour later and we arrived in Portland, OR about 12:00 PDT (about 3:00 at home).

Praise God!

Saturday morning we signed a lease to rent our house, effective August 1! The couple was ready to start moving this week already. And this is a tremendous answer to prayer.

Also, it looks like we should be receiving the go ahead from Second Tunic. We have not met the 80% required, but because of time constraints, it appears that we will be given special permission to let us go. We still need to hear official word, but it looks promising.

So we leave from Philadelphia on Friday morning at 7:30 and we arrive in Oregon (via Salt Lake City) around 12:00 p.m. (I think PDT). I'm not sure about the rest of the flight information; I'll have to post that later.

Thank you all for your interest and support and prayers. It is all very much appreciated.

Winding down to gear up!

Just a quick update:

We are leaving on Aug. 6th-right now that seems to be approaching way too fast compared to my laundry list of to-dos.

Please keep Joshua & I in your prayers as we pack-up and head-off to the Philippines so soon. We need prayer for safety, sanity (don't let stress & tense emotions get the best of us) and unity in forming friendships with these other wonderful ladies I will be training alongside.

Thanks for your interest in God's work in this corner of the vast globe-it's quite exciting to see how God can use us when we are willing to be open & vulnerable.

Below is a picture of our lovely home stateside that we need rented out. Hopefully we will soon find someone-we've had some people who were interested!

EUZ Fundraising Meal - July 11

So on July 11 we had our second fundraiser meal. The menu was basically the same as the first meal, but the location was at my parents' church. We got help from my parents and a few others for preparing the meal and clean up. My parents' Sunday School class provided a large and wide assortment of desserts for the meal. Thanks for that!

The beginning of some endings

So, this week as it's almost over marks the end of some activities for us. Josh is working his last week and we are packing up what housing possessions we have left to store them. It's an odd somewhat freeing activity. It's amazing to see what earthly "stuff" we have gotten and how much (despite what the mass media wants me to believe) we can go without.

Had our second fundraiser meal at Ephrata United Zion, this past Sunday. This one was also a great time of eating and mingling with others. The final tally is not in yet as to how much was raised....stay tuned!

P. S. about 3 weeks and counting down...still much to do

Couple of items:

Pack up our house

Find renters for our house

Pack suitcases...ugh

Eat an Achenbach's donut :)...this one will be easy

Thanks to everyone for your prayers, financial support, encouragement and interest in this crazy, amazing, can't-do-it-without God Journey!

Blainsport Fundraising Meal June 27th

The air was thick and warm, but the aroma of Hamburger BBQ wafted from the fellowship hall to the attentive churchgoers upstairs. After the service, a hearty buffet of Hamburger BBQ, gourmet potatoes [no really, that's what they're called :)], cold veggies, relish tray, chips and assorted desserts filled our hungry stomachs. Food, fellowship and a good cause-that's the way to spend a meal!

Time flies~July already!

Wow is it July already?!~Time flies when you’re having fun and keeping busy.

Let’s start with some good news, and some not-so-good news.

The GOOD part, last week we received our letters that will be needed to apply for long-term missionary visas once we’re in the Philippines!! Yeah!!! (loud clapping/cheer whoops)

On the other hand, (the NOT-SO-GOOD news) I failed to realize that our birth certificates and marriage certificate needed letters from the PA secretary of state as well, so Josh and I drove back to Harrisburg this Tues. to get them. See, it’s much quicker to drive there and they process it while you wait, than to snail mail them back and forth. Then on Wed. I remailed that information to the Philippine consulate in NY.

Quick Update...

So a lot has happened in the past month. And I mean A LOT! To make a long story short, God has provided a great need. Basically, we needed to find a sending agency, and within 24 hours we basically had one. We are now partnered with The Second Tunic, a local sending agency that fit our needs perfectly. And everything was just perfect. They are based in Lititz, just 10 minutes from our house. The directors, Daryl and Mary Martin, have been to the Philippines to visit missionaries they support. They have been to Davao City and have had interactions with midwives from Mercy Maternity Center. Wow! Like I said, it just seems like a perfect fit. I really don't think God could have provided a better solution for us. Well, of course not. He's God, He's perfect, so of course it is a perfect solution.

So now all of our funds are being processed through The Second Tunic. We have packets of information we can hand out or mail to people. We have shared at our home church and at my parents' church the past two Sundays. We also have fundraiser meals planned for each church. Now we are in the fundraising phase. We have to have a lot of money raised or pledged before we can leave. When I think about it, I really have no idea how this will work out. But, knowing how much God has provided for us already, and truly believing that God has called us to go to the Philippines, I am simply trusting in Him that He will provide the funding for us. Our task is to be obedient to His call and move forward into the call He has placed on us.

So that's about it. We are selling furniture, raising funds, finding renters and life is just moving along quite rapidly right now. Two months from now we will be in the Philippines. Wow! All I can say is "Praise God"!

The Stretching of Faith

Christina writes,
So as I sit here contemplating this adventure Josh and I are about to take, with details that still need to be worked out, I can't help but feel uncomfortable.

My wonderful "I can handle it" humaness has been stripped away layer by layer, I feel vulnerable and dependent on God like never before.  I don't consider myself trapped by materialism but when I see the bills and required expenses and I see our bank account...well I'm not a genius but the two don't add up.  And I know God can move mountains, but this mustard seed of faith, that's mine, has yet to sprout.

I don't doubt our mission to go, that God is working in the Philippines.  That he wants to use me, to train me to help women who are pregnant, to show His love in a tangible way.  But right now I don't feel so useful.

Faith is the evidence of things unseen.

There's a memory verse I'm working on retaining:
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."  -Psalm 20:7

May you be blessed and encouraged by these words of truth.

Time to Update:

So I figure it's time to update this thing. The plan was to head to the Philippines in June to find ourselves a place to live for the next two and a half years. While working on other plans, it turns out God had a surprise for us. It turns out there is a family in the Philippines who are returning home for six months and needed someone to watch their home in the Philippines. And God filled their need through another family in the Philippines who are looking to eventually return home for some rest. So they would watch the home for the six months and get a chance to save money for their trip home and their future. So God filled their need for an "exit strategy". But then they needed to do something with their own home and all their furniture. That's where we come in. We will be taking over their home and purchasing their furniture. So God provided for their need to get out of their home and also provided us with a furnished home before ever setting foot in the country. How awesome is that? I'm amazed at how God can provide for three distinct families by getting everything lined up like that.

So, now this means we do not need to arrive in the Philippines in June to find a home. So we will be flying out of PA in early August. We fly to Oregon for a few days of orientation with the others who were accepted into this program. From there we all fly to the Philippines together. It sounds like an incredible opportunity and I'm told that they have never had any of their married couples there. So I guess I'll be breaking into some new territory (or something like that).

Right now we are working on plans to raise funds and figure out just how to make that all happen. We also are working on paperwork for getting our missionary visas once we arrive in the Philippines. Then there's the house we live in right now. The plan is to rent it out while we are gone. That in itself is new territory for us and is a bit stressful. Not to mention the fact that in three months we will have started the actual physical journey. It excites me so much to think about it. And yes it does frighten me a bit, but I believe in a God who has already provided me a home away from home. And I believe that He will take care of things for us as long as we let Him do the work for us.

Grace and Peace to you all.

The Time Has Come (well, sort of...)

It's official. We have been accepted and approved to go to the Philippines! Now, the work of planning details has begun. It looks like we'll be leaving in early June. And there's just so much to figure out before then. Sometimes it seems overwhelming, but then I realize that if I trust God with the details and just give Him my life right now as it is, then He will get it all to work out in the end. Not that it will be a cake walk, but it will all work out. Three years from now I'm sure I'll look back and say this was the toughest time of my life, but also the best time of my life. Now to just go out there and live it! I had better buckle my seat belt. It's going to be quite a ride!

Update

Both Christina and I have been contacted about holding phone interviews with the leadership of Mercy Maternity. No times have been set up yet. We are both getting a little anxious to really get active in making plans to actually move. We are down to just over three months until we would need to be leaving and there are a lot of things that need to be done. The nerves are setting in.

The Waiting Continues...

February has arrived, and that means more waiting. Yesterday was the deadline for submission of materials to Mercy Maternity Center. So hopefully we will hear something from them very soon. Last week, Christina received an email asking me to answer a few questions about my feelings and expectations regarding the possibility of Christina volunteering a full-time at the clinic. I suppose it was so they know that I know just what we are getting ourselves into. I took the questions seriously, and I really am looking forward to this opportunity. They also asked when would be a good time to conduct a phone interview once they review Christina's application. So I know they are looking at things and it is just a matter of time until we get word from them. Once we hear anything, we'll be posting it on here.

I've been reading a book about the culture and customs of the Philippines. So far I've only read about the history, but that part was quite enlightening. I didn't realize that I'd actually studied a small part of their history in school (mostly pertaining to World War II and a little bit of the early 20th century). It is an interesting book and I'm looking forward to reading more.


Did You Know?... Ferdinand Magellan, the explorer credited with being the first to circumnavigate the globe (who technically did not, though part of his crew did), was killed on the island of Cebu, in the Philippines?