This little miss was born into my hands at 3:01 pm on December 12...

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Jo, this beautiful mama, was a pure delight to watch interact with her baby... so many mothers here seem less than joyful at the time their babies are born, but not Jo. She cooed and cuddled her baby. Snuggled and sang. She laughed and laughed as she tried to soothe and comfort  her very emotional baby girl in the first hour after her birth. The little cutie-pie just couldn't get a handle on her emotions! 

But the joyful patience and peace of her mother prevailed and not another peep was heard throughout the clinic.

I look forward to six more weeks of interaction with these two -- seeking God and all that He has in store for this precious new relationship!

Pastor Edging said it today in church -- the direct answer to a question I've been asking lately.

"What kind of missionary am I if I'm not pursuantly sharing the Gospel at every opportunity?"

I have genuinely and earnestly prayed with nearly all the women I've cared for, but then, as the words try to form in my mind, my tongue is quicker to end the awkwardness - as if it should be so frightening to ask if they know how much they are loved by God himself.

 ...Oh, for many reasons. 

And I'm such a silly girl:

Ultimately talking myself into believing that it is enough to serve, and love on, and pray for these precious people of great Kingdom value; and that they will, somehow (through osmosis if it were possible), come to understand what all this means... what all these puti (white girls) are really here for...

Jesus.

"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." (- Francis of Assisi)  No doubt love, love, love is the essential tool to draw hearts to Him, but perhaps we should not be so faint of courage to put a Name to that love.

What's the point of saving a life today for it to end up in everlasting death tomorrow -
What good is love and compassion with out leading them to the Source of all things lovely and good, for that, too, will ultimately end in everlasting misery -

Jesus.

He said, "I have come that they may have life... and have it more abundantly." Not just here and now, but forever and ever...

So, after days (perhaps weeks) of internal discussion, God put an end to it all with a few simple words from our new pastor. 

No matter who is watching, no matter my inability to communicate, no matter the circumstance... I will speak His name.

Jesus.

Take a walk with us through the last two months in photographs:

These are not just pictures of the "bad part of town..."
 these are  town.
 The "decent" dwellings you or I would expect are the exception, not the rule.

Actually a very common sight

The streets are literally FLOODED three times a day with children of all ages (up to college age) in uniform. Arrival at school, lunch, and dismissal.

Our new church family

Pastor Edging (that's his first name) walkin' us through The Word

Ay na ko... (something like that! It means: *sigh*) this poor resolution picture makes this mama's heart sing

And this one does, too. When did my first born grow so big as to be able to actually  run a grill??

The vastness of all we have been taking in has somewhat paralyzed my ability to articulate any single experience... We do apologize! How would I pick something to write on when there was so much to choose from? I have actually gotten up from a restaurant table and left the restaurant from the inability to successfully wade through all the pages and choices of a menu. I have put back all the cds/bath towels/eyeshadows/you-name-its that I had out to choose between, and left the store empty-handed  because the task of narrowing down the options to one was too great. How silly... believe me, I know. And here it has reared it's ugly head again. I couldn't process through the extremeness of the new experiences thoroughly enough to, in any sort of timely manner, give you even the slightest glimpse into this great-big-new-world we are living in! So, incase the pictures didn't do it any justice, let me just say...

It is glorious.

So thank Rebecca Thompson if you see her for giving me a way out when she said, "Just post pictures! No words necessary!" 
Here you have it then... pictures worth at least a few words.

Twenty-six hours of travel. Three airplanes. The other side of the world.
And five unbelievably well behaved children...
We made it!

Hearts of inexpressible gratitude: eucharisteo.

So, the directors of our soon-to-be ministry... God bless them!

We have secured a house, already, because of the willingness of this sweet couple to go well beyond their duty -- and serve.
Generosity emanating from their very cores. To truly live to serve? It is not their sermon,

it is their feet to the dirt road.

We look forward to serving under them more and more... knowing as they direct us, they themselves are faithfully following God's direction.

And the other ministry director the Lord used to bless us this week...

We asked Facebook if anyone knew when/where I could get CPR certified and the Idaho Youth Ranch director responded with an invitation for me to participate in the First Aid/CPR certification classes they were holding this week.

God uses people to bless people.                 Abundant grace.                        It's a eucharisteo kind of day... 

Alicia has worked as a doula for the last 5 years, and has a love for pregnant and birthing women. And now we are moving to Davao Philippines for Alicia to train AND work as a missionary midwife at Mercy Maternity Center. We will be there for 2 – 2 1/2 ½ years. So naturally, this opportunity will be a wonderful use of her God given passion and skill.


The need for skilled midwives is so prevalent worldwide.
In the Philippines, specifically, only 60% of women give birth with the assistance of a trained and qualified birth attendant. The government run hospitals are over full and understaffed and more expensive than many can afford.


On average for every 100,000 births, 200 mothers die as a result – compared to only 20 in developed countries

For every 1000 infants and children under 5 yrs, 33 will die.

There is a 1 in 140 chance of dying as a result of childbirth complications compared to developed nations rating of 1 in 2,800.

 

These numbers are staggering themselves… but it gets worse.

It is a generous estimate that the percentage of born again Christians in all of the 7000+ islands of the Philippines is – less than 5%.

 

More than these people need good health care, they need JESUS!!!


A big part of our organization’s vision is to train and equip women to start their own birthing centers in other third-world countries. This midwifery program will provide each volunteer with the necessary skills and knowledge to practice and minister anywhere in the world.



Tell us about your journey up to this point? The journey of  being introduced to this organization and how God has brought you to the point where you are  today?
 
Sometimes God has to take away (and take away) to give something greater back – and that He has. Many of you know a little of our
history pertaining to the last few years. We left the Coast Guard six years ago so that we could put down roots and well, that just wouldn’t be so. Pregnancy losses, job losses, job changes, home losses, and move after move… there were
many times we cried out “WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING,  LORD???”
 
Whereas we see now that everything we have experienced along the way has definitely been in preparation for this, we can
distinctly say this process began in earnest just about three years ago. Ben was  working at the Youth Ranch. I am a birth doula and pregnancy/birth fanatic and I am usually researching something of the likes. I don’t remember what exactly I
was looking for that night, but the Lord used that opportunity to set His plan for us in motion!
 
As I began looking through the website, a stirring
grew and grew within me.  I knew
then that he Lord was calling us there… I just didn’t know
when.
 
I showed it to Ben and he was on board, even then,  but there wasn’t even a cracked window to break in with, so we concluded that
we’d just do it when our children were grown. Little did we  know.
 
Around that very same time, God also began with his provision of the means for to go in disguise. We bought a run-down piece of property at an unbelieveable price and with much work and sweat and sleepless nights, we made it into a home again. We just sold our sweet farm last month – and where it would have otherwise been impossible for our family of seven to do something of this
magnitude, it is now absolutely possible. You know our God!! He is able –  willing – to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could ever ask or
dream…
 
What about your kids? What is life going to look like for  them?
 
Our children are so precious to us. Such is what most parents would say! Nothing is more important to Ben and I than each other and our kids so even now as we are preparing to go, we are concerned with how our children are feeling about this move. We talk of little else anymore, and they are becoming more excited by the day. They know that they will get Daddy everyday
over there and I’m positive that is the one thing that is giving them confidence and even excitement for this new life. They have already been emailing the other midwives children and making friends that way, too. They will continue with
homeschooling as the majority of the other families homeschool. They are already learning some Cebuano phrases and even down to Eligh are speaking it well! Which is another exciting element for them. 
 
We know that no matter how we prepare ourselves and our children, it is going to be a shock when it sinks in that we are not coming home. When birthdays and holidays come and go and our traditions aren’t very traditional and we begin to realize that there is much more that is different than is the same. We have already been talking with them of this, too. That it’s okay to be sad and that when we feel like complaining or saying, “I want to go home…” to try with all we’ve got to find something good to say about our new life. And to
remember that it is just for a time.
 
It would be so great if any of you would speak to our children  about their going, too! that you would try to be as positive as possible. We are trying to build up a positive attitude and outlook on our new chapter so things like, “You are going to experience such wonderful things that most kids never get the chance to.” And, “Send me a picture of you with your new Filipino
friends.” Or “Tell me something in their language!” would be so helpful. You know how effective only hearing things from your parents alone are! So we would REALLY appreciate your help in this area!

How is this a mission?

Ephesians 6:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people…

The Lord has laid this heavily on our hearts – and what’s more, He has blown the way wide open. These women and babies are dying… (most of whom don’t know Jesus) and I can help. Right now. We are able to build  relationships with those mamas quickly and can share with them Jesus’ love for  them in real tangible ways. This is a significant need in the Philippines that we, as
Christian midwives, can help in. 

This is a beautiful mission that, year after year, continues to save lives, produce new believers and missionary midwives, and remain a
  self-sustaining organization. They have been doing this incredible work for 17 years now and are truly a Christ-centered mission. It was a highly selective application process and new missionaries are not chosen lightly. We are so honored that the Lord would call us to such a unique ministry --  We never dreamed…

Tell us, why you?
 
Why not us?  -- Why not you? 
 
God gave us this verse for Luke when he was born and it applies perfectly here.
 
For the Lord has commanded us saying, “I have set you as a light
to the Gentiles, that you would bring Salvation to the ends of the Earth.” Acts 13:47
Amen.
 
But to personally answer that question… I can’t even begin to explain to you my love for childbearing women. I know that’s hard to even grasp… who passionately loves pregnant women? And birth?!??!  There is only one possible explanation for such an uncommon passion…Jesus put it there. I just want to be willing to let Him use it for the purpose in which He  intended it..
 
So we will go where He leads. Some missionaries will never leave the town they were born in. Some will. 

I'll save your eyes from fatigue and your minds from overload at this point and save the rest for a Part II.
Bless you all for your encouragement and support. It is so very appreciated!

Nia was insistant on getting a picture of all our feet (with Papa and Grammey, sans Luke).
And now I wonder at the journeys of each...
I never thought my feet would touch the sands of a Philippine shore, but--
these are the feet that walk the road God has set before us.

The feet that carry our hearts full of love spilling over.

• dollar spent (dealing with government is expensive!)
  
• task accomplished
  
• load lifted
  
• step closer
  

So far we have:

• purchased our plane tickets
  
• sent off for passports (please pray for quick processing and mercy -- it is possible there could be an issue with Nia's)
  
• sent off our packet of documents for the Philippine Consulate the authorize/authenticate (he'll mail them back with his "stamp of approval" so when we get there, we should have a relatively smooth process for obtaining visas)
  
• shipped off 3 enormous boxes of household goods/food/things that remind us of "home"
• purchased nearly all the midwife items I will need (stethescopes, etc., scrubs, birth books ...
• learned a fair amount of words in Cebuano
• ordered some super great Christian tracts in Cebuano (here it is in English)
• signed up for the Samaritans Ministries health cost-share program
• jumped through some pretty hilarious governmental hoops
• drank more coffee than I have in years (Alicia only... Ben's been doing this for a few years now! ha!)
• finished one college course and are halfway through the second
• learned. a. lot.
• seen God do incredible feats!!!

We still have to:

• buy return tickets? (just for processing the visas then we can return them for a refund... gah.)
• sell almost every last thing we own
• speak to our church and different ministry groups
• gather donations for our birth center
• get typhoid immunizations
• figure out the older children's school curriculum for the next few years
• pack 14   50 pound totes/luggage (when ya put it like that... yikes!)
• get CPR certified and hopefully Neonatal Resuscitation Certified (Alicia)
• see lots of family 
• GO, already!

It all feels so hypothetical. But all these days... then the day we leave will be here.