4/24/16
We have had a great day thus far. It's Sunday, so you know what that means, church! Christine Sperry and I are staying at the Missionary house about a block away from the Pino's house and the church. We wake up, get ready, eat breakfast with our host, and then Pastor Bobbi comes and picks us up. There was a significant surprise about this morning, and today. That surprise was "Brown out". What's that you ask? Well, it is a scheduled power outage for maintenance, which no one seemed to know would happen. It lasts usually 8am-5pm. Therefore, no lights, no fans, and no window AC units. It is the hot season right now. Even those who have come to the Philippines before say it is far hotter than normal, when this is all I know of the Philippines. So, the wonderful relief we receive from fans and window AC units, we have not had today.
Pastor Thomas Buckley, from Yukon, OK, led worship along with the regular worship team. The Filipinos worship passionately. They jump and raise their hands. We sang familiar songs in English. We sang "Oceans", "Oh Happy Day", "You Make Me Brave", and "Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here". Our team was introduced, and Obi preached. He taught all about what it means to be the family of God. He did wonderfully! At the end, he gave an altar call and had the entire congregation come to the front as a way of responding and saying they want to be part of the family of God. It was a wonderful response from the church. Pastor Bobbi is really trying to teach the people how to live in family, but it is difficult, because the concept is so foreign. Having Tom and Rita present is so key to help build this new family culture.
We have had a great day thus far. It's Sunday, so you know what that means, church! Christine Sperry and I are staying at the Missionary house about a block away from the Pino's house and the church. We wake up, get ready, eat breakfast with our host, and then Pastor Bobbi comes and picks us up. There was a significant surprise about this morning, and today. That surprise was "Brown out". What's that you ask? Well, it is a scheduled power outage for maintenance, which no one seemed to know would happen. It lasts usually 8am-5pm. Therefore, no lights, no fans, and no window AC units. It is the hot season right now. Even those who have come to the Philippines before say it is far hotter than normal, when this is all I know of the Philippines. So, the wonderful relief we receive from fans and window AC units, we have not had today.
Pastor Thomas Buckley, from Yukon, OK, led worship along with the regular worship team. The Filipinos worship passionately. They jump and raise their hands. We sang familiar songs in English. We sang "Oceans", "Oh Happy Day", "You Make Me Brave", and "Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here". Our team was introduced, and Obi preached. He taught all about what it means to be the family of God. He did wonderfully! At the end, he gave an altar call and had the entire congregation come to the front as a way of responding and saying they want to be part of the family of God. It was a wonderful response from the church. Pastor Bobbi is really trying to teach the people how to live in family, but it is difficult, because the concept is so foreign. Having Tom and Rita present is so key to help build this new family culture.
We went to eat after church at "Joe's Chicken By the Sea". We ate chicken on a stick, rice, some noodles, shrimp, and several of us, including myself, ate a dessert called "Halo Halo". It is inside a coconut shell, and the inside lining of the coconut is called "young coconut"and it forms a gel-like substance, and it is filled with gelatin pieces, ice, ube ice cream, and milk. Ube is a root crop. Ube ice cream is purple. I can't think of how to describe the taste. It was quite refreshing considering the heat, and the fact that we had no real shelter from the heat without electricity.
I was talking with Noemi after we ate. It has just been blowing my mind, the contrast between the cultures, particularly financially. An average Filipino wage for a year is about the equivalent of $2550, and that's good. I am thinking about what my wage as a physician will be when I am done with residency. If I make $200,000 in a year, a Filipino could live 78 years on that! That is blowing my mind! I know I want to contribute financially to this wonderful ministry with the Pino family. What they are doing is amazing. It is the most selfless demonstration of living the word of God I have ever seen. I am learning a lot. I can't wait to see all God does! We have church tonight, and we start the youth conference tomorrow. Pray for all the youth coming, that they encounter God in a real way, and that God has His way!
This is Alicia Loch on the Philippine, April 2016 team, over and out.
This is Alicia Loch on the Philippine, April 2016 team, over and out.