More Sisters....

So after the trip to the waterfalls, we made a motorized tour of the island. We stopped at the home of our drivers where we were served fresh coconut. So fresh was this coconut that a long, bamboo spire with a knife on the end was employed to relieve the tree of said fruit before our very eyes.












 Machetes were wielded to facilitate the disembowelment of the coconut, and they were laid on the table before us.













 Early next morning, we took a small fishing boat out for a cruise. We snorkeled, saw giant clams over 1.3 meters in length, and each got a nice bit of sunburn to show for it.

 On the way back to our resort the heavens showed their hospitality by opening the windows, as it were, and drenching us.(hence my sisters' malongs).








 Following our days in paradise, I introduced my sisters to the peach-mango pie at Jollibee....













 Roadside fruit stands......










And the open market which was described as being simultaneously "The most fascinating and disgusting thing I have ever seen".









I have spared the pictures of freshly butchered meat, the smell of dried fish, and the sounds of pigs being led to slaughter.

 I introduced them to my Indian friend, Tareen.











These identical twins showed up at the primary health care outreach we did.












While I listened to hearts and lungs and checked rashes and fevers, my sisters made their own set of friends.















They made their way into a lot of little hearts.











And left with a large number of admirers.

 

 We tasted the goodness of Davao's best Frappe,















And learned the joys of public transportation. To top it all off, we went to the nearby mall for the fountain show. These fountains are choreographed to music, as are the colorful lights that accompany their dance. What a finale to a whirlwind, wonderful visit from two of the most precious friends a girl could ever have.

About the Sister(s)...

So I told you my sister was coming to see me. Imagine, then, my surprise when not one but TWO sisters showed up at the airport! The dear, weary travelers caught me completely off-guard and I must admit, I shed a few tears in my happiness.






A newly-acquired friend from the airport took us out for breakfast. Nothing says 'Welcome to Davao' quite like porriage with pig intestines for breakfast!







The next few days were filled with babies as my sisters shadowed me on birth-room shifts. I have never known anything quite like the first cry of a newborn baby to steal hearts and bring tears to one's eyes. I believe it was love at first sight.










The shifts were full and busy, which made getting over jet-lag a bit of a challenge. Post-partum hemorrhage and jet lag apparently don't mix well.







They were naturals at newborn care, and got to hold not a few infants when other hands were too full.








After our busy days of work, we were off to paradise. We spent four nights in this  little hut, the ocean creeping right up to the wall in front of us each night.














Oh, good evening, Mt. Apo. The harbor lights winked at us from across the bay.










Every morning, delicious fresh fruits and coffee as we watched the fishermen row home after a long night's work.








Sister moments.......











And starfish......












Sunsets......















and some of the most beautiful and serene moments you could possibly imagine.









Each day we hopped motorcycles and toured the little villages nearby. We enjoyed local foods, scenery, and the admiring gazes of hundreds of people.

I introduced them to this little piece of heaven known as Haggimit Falls. It is a series of natural waterfalls with pools, natural slides, and natural diving boards.








There, too, we had many gazing admirers. Peachy was far bolder than I, and took many jumps off of these perilous heights. I managed one, only after many false alarms, and much effort to turn off the rational part of my brain that didn't think striking my head on a rock was a good way to die.












Here's an example of Peachy's unparalleled bravery. There is more to this story, but for now, I will desist from my attack of photos. To be continued.....

Now what?

I go to seek a great perhaps....

I really like that quote, because it is just what every missionary does. It is not the perhaps of God's sending, or of his ability to remain faithful to those He's sent, but the perhaps of just what, exactly, may come of that single act of obedience. GO.

Perhaps it will result in the saving of many souls, and perhaps it will primarily contribute to the saving of our own. Instead of the images of revivals and church planting that frequented my daydreams, I find myself pitifully pleading God for His continued grace and sustenance. I find a new relevance in the verse that talks about 'working out my salvation with fear and trembling". And I increasingly realize the degree of grace necessary to not only sustain mission workers, but also to produce fruit through them.


Perhaps it will be a clearly marked path, and perhaps we will feel as though we are following God with a blindfold on. "Marco"... "Polo"... "Marco" .... "Polo".... Wait, how did God end up way over there? I was so sure I was following Him when I headed in this direction. But perhaps, if God had made that path clear to me from the beginning, I would've dismissed it. Maybe I would have shrunk away in fear, or maybe I would confidently have stepped out, unaware of my human frailty. So I see His plan is perfect, even when our resultant paths look a little jagged.

These are not my feet

And then there are the times. The times we just have no clue which way our path will next veer. When we feel a bit lost, and excited, and afraid, and eager. It is hide and seek, but we've yet to find. Those crazy moments when we realize that all we have been working toward for weeks, months, or years has been accomplished and we do not yet know our next goal. That panic-y feel when we must recreate our normal.

I find myself in this position over the next few months. I'm seeking a great perhaps. As this season of my life begins to wind down, my heart is dreaming, my feelers are out, and I ask myself... "Now what?" It may be a bit premature, but my heart is seeking a new dream to chase. 5 months from now I will get onto an airplane back to the US, back to a great perhaps. I'm I am asking for the nations, but I'm not sure which one yet.

I am praying for direction. These feet want to go, these hands want to serve, and this heart wants to love. Perhaps God will act quickly in cultivating a new dream in my soul, or perhaps He will lead me into another period of waiting. Either way, I'm determined to be content. Now what? Now I am determined, by the grace of God, to live well no matter what the path before me may be.