We've been spending lots of time with our language helpers. In the pictures below we are making maja blanca. It's a Filipino dessert that has coconut, condensed milk, and a few other ingredients.
This first picture is Alex squeezing out the coconut milk from the ground coconut. In the second picture, I'm making latik. Latik is the solids that separate from the oil after you boil coconut milk down. The last picture is the finished product.
These are our friends/co-workers that graduated from New Tribes School of Missions.
Elections just finished up here. This was a little polling place at a local bookstore. Be praying for the Philippines as they transition to a new set of leaders.
Added a new color/started a new phase of language study! We are doing evaluations this weekend so please be praying for us!
These are just some highlights from our daily life. Thank you for praying for us and keeping up with how we're doing. It means alot to us.
Since updates on language study are pretty boring most of the time we are happy that we have some exciting stuff to share. Taking the opportunity to visit a missionary team in the north of Luzon is part of our training. This last month, We spent time with two missionary families during the 12 days we were there. It was a great time talking with missionaries that are one step ahead of us in becoming a church planter in remote areas. The more experienced missionaries there are also a part of our Leadership. We enjoyed connecting with them and getting as much wisdom as we could from them.
Here are a few pictures from our experience
Even the kids are tougher than Alex...
Gabino came to help clear a spot for the missionaries new orchard
Roasted bananas anyone?
My first taste of sugar cane. It was WAY sweeter than I expected!
Break time
We saw the biggest fern hiking back home that afternoon.
We can understand two verses at least:)
This Bible is in the trade language of the area but right now the missionaries are working on a new translation in the people's heart language that will greatly help understanding.
This kid is a quick study.
Erin and I were able to help out with a few small tasks for the missionaries. The missionary and I replaced the top of the clinic roof.
Erin teaching the kinder class a song about a worm becoming a butterfly
The kids with their 'worms'
The Missionary did a little lesson about how caterpillars became butterflies, I guess I was more interesting:)
One last trip to plant some more of the trees for their orchard
We're so blessed to live here!
This trip was a great time to get away from language study for a bit and a chance to look toward our future ministry, wherever that may be. We had planned on staying for 1 week but because of an emergency down south the helicopter couldn't come and get us! We stayed an extra five days in the village. It was a great lesson about what to expect while living remotely. Simply, expect the unexpected. We had to rely on the missionaries a lot, which was another learning experience.
By the end of it all we were ready to head to our own home and get back into language study. The bugs were driving us crazy! We had over 1000 bites from gnats between the two of us - yes Erin counted...
