Skills I Have Acquired

One thing about living in a cross-cultural environment like ours is that you pick up a variety of skills as you go through life. I have noticed that most Americans, Canadians and Filipinos (the three kinds of people I know best) drink from a bottle by putting the bottle to their lips. This means no one else can use your bottle. South Asians don't drink that way. They tilt their head back and pour the water (or whatever) into their mouth, and the bottle never touches their mouth. A very handy skill to have when there are more people than bottles. I have been practicing, usually ending up with water dribbling down my chin, and soaking the front of my shirt. But I am happy to report that I have finally perfected this skill, and I decided to teach it to Michelle on our way to Bangladesh last August. Here we are in a restaurant in the airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during one of our training sessions. Real life discipleship!

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Sparkling

Last week I went back again to the Correctional Institute for Women, the prison that I told you about in September.  We are continuing to go there as a team for ministry each month.  On Friday, the prison officials had an appreciation lunch for all the “Religious Volunteers” (that’s what they call us).  There are all kinds of Religious Volunteers – Catholic, Evangelical, Muslim, etc.  So it was very interesting to meet and talk with the other volunteers and the prison officials.

One fascinating lady I met is called “Nanay Sophie” by all the prisoners.  (“Nanay” means “Mama” in Tagalog).  She is an American missionary.  But before I tell you about Nanay Sophie, I have to explain a little about my own context.  At IGSL, I am considered “old”.  James and I (and one other colleague) have been in the Philippines for 31 years, so we are the longest-serving missionaries in the school.  Sometimes when our students hear that I came to the Philippines in 1979, they shake their heads in amazement and say, “I wasn’t even BORN yet then!”  I am truly certified as an elderly fossil.  I have reached the ripe old age of 55 and I think I have lots of experience.

But yesterday, when I was introduced to Nanay Sophie, I was told that she is 87 years old!  Can you imagine!?  She is still very healthy, strong, and active, both physically and mentally.  She told me that she has been a missionary in the Philippines since 1950.  So it was my turn to say, with wide eyes and open jaw, “I wasn’t even BORN yet then!”  Then I said, “That means you have been a missionary for sixty years already!” 

She answered, “Well, the Philippines was not our first assignment.  My husband and I went to China in 1948, but when the Communists took over we were forced to leave.  So we came to the Philippines.”  So this dear lady has been a missionary for 62 years, and is showing no signs of slowing down.  Her husband died 25 years ago, and she decided to just stay here and keep serving God.  She has five children, who are all in their sixties and retired already, and many more grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  They all live in the U.S.  They are happy about her decision to stay here and serve God, as long as she comes home every December and spends Christmas with them.  So that’s what she does.

Her passion for God just sparkles, and is absolutely contagious.  She works in the prison four days a week.  She loves to teach the Bible, and has a deep zeal for encouraging other missionaries.  When I had to say goodbye (reluctantly), she said, “Wait!  I need to hug you first!”   Wow.  I would love to be like her in my old age.  I’ve always said that I don’t believe in retirement, but it was sort of theoretical.  Now I can just say that my goal is to be like Nanay Sophie.

And so, as I was leaving, I said to her, “I want to be like you when I’m 87!”  

She said, “Oh, Honey, you won’t live to be 87.  The Lord will surely be back to get us before that!”  And she smiled that sparkly smile.  My heart sparkled for the rest of the day every time I remembered her.

When God Sighed

I really enjoy reading anything by Max Lucado. His way with words makes me think. I receive a weekly email from his ministry, and it always encourages me. If you would like to receive his mailings, visit his website. I hope this article will give you a glimpse into God's heart.

When God Sighed, by Max Lucado

Two days ago I read a word in the Bible that has since taken up residence in my heart.
To be honest, I didn't quite know what to do with it. It's only one word, and not a very big one at that. When I ran across the word, (which, by the way, is exactly what happened; I was running through the passage and this word came out of nowhere and bounced me like a speed bump) I didn't know what to do with it. I didn't have any hook to hang it on or category to file it under.
It was an enigmatic word in an enigmatic passage. But now, forty-eight hours later, I have found a place for it, a place all its own. My, what a word it is. Don't read it unless you don't mind changing your mind, because this little word might move your spiritual furniture around a bit.
Look at the passage with me.
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought a man to him who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.
After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him,"Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. (Mark 7:31-35)
Quite a passage, isn't it?
Jesus is presented with a man who is deaf and has a speech impediment. Perhaps he stammered. Maybe he spoke with a lisp. Perhaps, because of his deafness, he never learned to articulate words properly.
Jesus, refusing to exploit the situation, took the man aside. He looked him in the face. Knowing it would be useless to talk, he explained what he was about to do through gestures. He spat and touched the man's tongue, telling him that whatever restricted his speech was about to be removed. He touched his ears. They, for the first time, were about to hear.
But before the man said a word or heard a sound, Jesus did something I never would have anticipated.
He sighed.
I might have expected a clap or a song or a prayer. Even a "Hallelujah!" or a brief lesson might have been appropriate. But the Son of God did none of these. Instead, he paused, looked into heaven, and sighed. From the depths of his being came a rush of emotion that said more than words.
Sigh. The word seemed out of place.
I'd never thought of God as one who sighs. I'd thought of God as one who commands. I'd thought of God as one who weeps. I'd thought of God as one who called forth the dead with a command or created the universe with a word ... but a God who sighs?
Perhaps this phrase caught my eye because I do my share of sighing.
I sighed yesterday when I visited a lady whose invalid husband had deteriorated so much he didn't recognize me. He thought I was trying to sell him something.
I sighed when the dirty-faced, scantily dressed, six-year-old girl in the grocery store asked me for some change.
And I sighed today listening to a husband tell how his wife won't forgive him.
No doubt you've done your share of sighing.
If you have teenagers, you've probably sighed. If you've tried to resist temptation, you've probably sighed. If you've had your motives questioned or your best acts of love rejected, you have been forced to take a deep breath and let escape a painful sigh.
I realize there exists a sigh of relief, a sigh of expectancy, and even a sigh of joy. But that isn't the sigh described in Mark 7. The sigh described is a hybrid of frustration and sadness. It lies somewhere between a fit of anger and a burst of tears.
The apostle Paul spoke of this sighing. Twice he said that Christians will sigh as long as we are on earth and long for heaven. The creation sighs as if she were giving birth. Even the Spirit sighs as he interprets our prayers. (Romans 8:22-27)
All these sighs come from the same anxiety; a recognition of pain that was never intended, or of hope deferred.
Man was not created to be separated from his creator; hence he sighs, longing for home. The creation was never intended to be inhabited by evil; hence she sighs, yearning for the Garden. And conversations with God were never intended to depend on a translator; hence the Spirit groans on our behalf, looking to a day when humans will see God face to face.
And when Jesus looked into the eyes of Satan's victim, the only appropriate thing to do was sigh. "It was never intended to be this way," the sigh said. "Your ears weren't made to be deaf, your tongue wasn't made to stumble." The imbalance of it all caused the Master to languish.
So, I found a place for the word. You might think it strange, but I placed it beside the word comfort, for in an indirect way, God's pain is our comfort.
And in the agony of Jesus lies our hope. Had he not sighed, had he not felt the burden for what was not intended, we would be in a pitiful condition. Had he simply chalked it all up to the inevitable or washed his hands of the whole stinking mess, what hope would we have?
But he didn't. That holy sigh assures us that God still groans for his people. He groans for the day when all sighs will cease, when what was intended to be will be.
From God Came Near: Chronicles of the ChristCopyright (Thomas Nelson, 1999) Max Lucado

Inside the Walls

Last month the ladies in my discipleship group decided to visit a women's prison in Manila.  We had a week set aside for ministry outside the school, and we thought this would be a good experience.  Little did we know that we would get hooked!  We have decided to go back once a month.  This prison, Correctional Insitute for Women, has 1,800 inmates.  We are finding unique ways that we can help the inmates of CIW, both physically and spiritually.  Pray for us that we can make the most of our time there and serve in a way that will honor our God.  The above photo shows us doing a special dance during a worship service.  (On the far left you can see a few of the prisoners enjoying the show.) 

Better Late than Never?

Can you tell I have been busy since we got back from Bangladesh???  Last month I promised one last post about our alumni we visited . . . . then life got hectic here in Manila!

Anyway, I can't close my Bangladesh saga without mentioning our alumni Hirak and Metali (pictured here with Michelle, and their son Anik)  It was Hirak who arranged and hosted my trip a year ago.  This year's trip was sponsored by a different group, in a different city.  But Hirak and Metali are like family to me.  I wouldn't dream of going to Bangladesh and not visiting them!

I was caught between a rock and a hard place . . . Michelle is the mom of three young boys (ages 12, 9 and 7) and this was the first time she had left them.  The conference (described in earlier posts) took a week of our time.  Michelle needed to get home to Manila ASAP.  Hirak and Metali wanted us to spend a week with them.  Aaaaaaaaaauuuugh!  What to do?  Michelle herself was torn, because she wanted to meet them too.  In the end, we decided to fly to western Bangladesh on a small commuter plane, and spend one day with Hirak and Metali and family.  Then we flew back to Dhaka and caught our flight to Manila. 

We were so glad we did.  It was the icing on the cake of an already wonderful trip.  I got to meet many of the new believers I met last year.  It was so exciting to see how they have grown, in spite of some very severe persecution.  It was a joy to talk with their church leaders and see their enthusiasm about sharing the Gospel with others.  We sat up half the night talking with Hirak and Metali.  I am so encouraged by their hearts for God, and their willingness to do whatever it takes to make the name of Jesus known in Bangladesh.  I love them because I see in them a combination of wise and strategic thinking, and joyful abandon to God's plan.  They inspire me.  And I am honored to be counted as part of their family.

My Apprentice

Usually when I travel to other countries, I go with James, but this time I decided to bring another of the teachers in IGSL's Partners in Ministry program. My traveling companion was Michelle, who is from the Philippines and has been a precious sister and colleague for more than 15 years. She has a passion for training others to teach children about God, and that passion led to a special opportunity at this conference.

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Most of the believers who attended the conference do not come from organized churches. As I mentioned before, they are from small house fellowships, and they have never heard of Vacation Bible School or even Sunday school. The conference organizers recruited 11 young adults from the fellowships to be trained to handle the kids' track at the conference. Michelle worked closely with a Bangladeshi children's ministry to help train these 11 volunteers.

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It was fun for me to see Michelle help the volunteers blossom into teachers, and to see her pride in them as they did a great job caring for the kids.

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The kids had a wonderful experience and were eager to join their kids' program each day. Michelle fell in love with all of the kids. And she fell in love with the volunteers she trained. And she totally fell in love with her translator.

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And now she is more excited to train more workers at IGSL so the name of Jesus will be known all over Bangladesh. Which was my objective all along.

Seeing the desperate situation in the home countries of our students is one of the things that fuels my passion for training leaders who will train more leaders. The population of Bangladesh is less than 1/2 of one percent Christian. Or to put it another way, 99.5% of the people of Bangladesh don't know Jesus. I'm sure that what we did at the conference was a helpful drop in the big bucket. But we believe that the greatest impact will come when our IGSL students from Bangladesh do the work in their own country. More about that tomorrow.

Teaching in a Different Way

The reason we went to Bangladesh was to speak for a couples conference sponsored by Isai Fellowship Bangladesh. IFB is an organization that exists to encourage and assist fellowships of Muslim background believers (Mbbs). I taught in the women's track and my colleague Michelle trained the childcare workers. I will tell you about Michelle tomorrow.
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For me this trip was totally different from last year's Bangladesh trip. Last year we worked mostly with women from Christian backgrounds. In Bangladesh they are referred to as "traditional Christians". Most were living in cities and were were somewhat educated. I was able to teach in a style similar to our Partners in Ministry program at IGSL. It was not too difficult.
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As I learned more about the Mbb women attending this IFB conference, I found out that the situation here was totally different. The majority of the women are illiterate, most don't have bibles, and many of them are very young believers. So . . . I threw all my lesson plans out the window! As I prayed and thought about what to do, I felt I should simplify the lessons and focus on memorizing the related scripture passages. I taught one lesson on God's love for us, one on showing God's love to our kids, one on forgiveness, and one on discipling other women. It's hard to grow without God's Word, so I thought the best thing I could do is send them home with God's Word in their hearts. We had a great time together!
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The thing that touched my heart the most was that after each session, a few women would come and ask my translator to help them talk to me. They would tell me their stories and ask me to pray for them. I had been told the first day by the IFB director about a family that had been experiencing heavy persecution in their village after they became believers last year. The villagers would not let them use the well, and a few times they were stoned. But they believe God wants them to stay there and try to be a light in that community. The mother's heart aches to see her children endure the abusive language and insults hurled at them every day. I had already heard their story and had been praying for them. After my first message, this mother approached me and shared her story, and as I prayed for her, she put her head on my shoulder and sobbed. In God's eyes. . . maybe hugging her was the most significant thing I did all week.

We're Back!

Our week in Bangladesh was wonderful. Highlights included
*ministering to a community of believers who have endured much persecution
*meeting many of the key Christian leaders of Bangladesh
*getting to know this country better. Obviously I am not an expert after only two visits, but I learned a lot.
*seeing our former students. Beautiful glimpses of what God is doing.
I will share more photos and stories in the days to come. Just want to thank you for praying.

On the Road Again

I am packing my bags again! I am leaving tomorrow morning for a week in Bangladesh. I will be traveling with Michelle Agustin, one of my favorite colleagues at IGSL. We will be speaking to women at a family conference, and also visiting a few of our graduates. The conference is sponsored by a local organization called Isai Fellowship. This organization partners with our school to provide seminary training for Bangladeshi pastors and leaders. Pray that Michelle and I will be good teachers as well as good learners.

My Silly Husband

Neither James nor I are big gift givers. It's not our love language. So I was surprised yesterday morning, when I heard a voice from the back yard saying, "Theresa, I have something for you!" I started moving closer to the window to look, and he said, "I brought you a bouquet of flowers." This surprised me even more, since he never brings me flowers. I looked out the window and this is what I saw. (Note to reader: I do not have a pink flowering tree outside my window!)

. If you look closely you can see some pieces of blue and black, and a leg, in between the blossoms. That's my husband!
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He was trimming some trees in the back yard and decided this tree had to go because it was damaging the fence. So he chopped it down and carried it to my window. What a silly husband I have! Anyhow, he insisted that I should receive the gift and put it in a vase. So he hacked off some of the branches and I found a vase and put it on the dining table. We are both silly.

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The Scholarship Board

I've been the Student Services Coordinator of IGSL for more than ten years now. One of my responsibilities is finding scholarships for our students who need financial assistance. I'm a very visual person, so I need to be able to look at what I am working on. Each year there are about 150 students who need scholarships. At the beginning of the year I put their names and photos on the wall in my office. The red squares are for our newest students. I'm still working on their photos.

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Then when a potential donor calls and says, "I am interested in supporting a young couple from India or Myanmar," I go and look at the board and try to match them with someone.
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Once I was asked to bring ten students to a party to talk with some of our donors. I stood in front of the board with a note pad, looking at all the smiling faces.
.Some are shy, some don't speak English well. Others are very talkative and friendly -- good "party people". It was easy to select who to bring with me to the party.
. Because it is so visual, it is easy to remember. Sometimes when James and I visit our graduates in other countries, they will ask me, "Ate, do you still have the board in your office?" It used to have only about 20 faces . . . it keeps growing as our school grows. Sometimes, when our president has visitors, he brings them to my office to look at the board and give an overview of the people we work with, then zeroes in on one or two and tells their stories.
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Aside from the names and faces, I keep a running tally of how much money we have raised each year. A few weeks ago it was at 22%, and now it is already at 50%.
. That's exciting and encouraging. It reminds the students and me to keep praying, and we all get excited when we can change the number.
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So that's my scholarship board . . . a visual reminder of the way God provides as we equip laborers for the harvest.

A Trip to Turkey

Wait! Before you reach the wrong conclusion . . . I did not actually go to Turkey. It's a joke between me and my office staff. As International Student Coordinator at IGSL, I make frequent visits to our students' apartments on campus. So, as I head out of our office each time, they say, "Where are you going, Ate?" And I reply, "I am going to India." Or wherever.
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So, last week I left our office and went to Turkey. I didn't bring my camera, so you will have to use your imagination. We have had two Turkish students in previous years, but they were single guys, so visiting them was like any visit to the single guys' dormitory -- same old, same old. All guys' dorms look alike!
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This year we have a family: a dad, a mom, and a baby. A Turkish wife makes all the difference! First, Mrs. Turkish offered me coffee. She laid out the tiniest, loveliest flowered china cups and saucers you could imagine. I felt like I was sitting in a cafe beside the Mediterranean Sea. She asked me a question, and I didn't catch even a single word. I looked to Mr. Turkish for help. His English is not great, but hers is non-existent, so he became the translator. "Turkish coffee, you like, yes?"

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I answered, "This is my first time, today!" Mr. Turkish relayed my answer to his wife, and her eyes widened in surprise. I guess I am the first person they have met who never tasted Turkish coffee. She poured my coffee into the tiny cup from an exquisite copper coffee pot. I tried to imagine how she decided what to bring to Manila in her 20-kilo luggage allotment. The delicate china and beautiful copper pot must be viewed as necessities.

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Another burst of words, sounding like a question, from Mrs. Turkish had me turning again to her husband for help. "Turkish Delight, you like?" Honestly, I can't remember ever tasting Turkish Delight. I don't know if I like it or not.
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But I wanted the full cultural experience, so I said, "I would like to try it. I have never tasted it, but I have heard of it!"
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Another quick translation for his wife, and then a big smile for me from Mr. Turkish. "You heard from Narnia, yes?" I started to laugh. He was right. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was my only acquaintance with this delicacy.
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And so, slowly and laboriously, using simple English and frequent translations, we talked while I sipped my coffee and ate my Turkish Delights. There are very few believers in Turkey, and converts from the majority religion are rarer still. They have been through some very tough times. They are in need of healing. They came to IGSL on the recommendation of our first Turkish graduate, who had apparently described our school as heaven on earth! The reality of life in a cramped dorm in a third world country, in the middle of the hot season, has been very hard. Most new international students go through culture shock. It's normal. And those who come from the greatest distance go through the greatest shock. I assured them they would learn to love this place, and that they would cry when it's time to go home. Mr. Turkish, with much hesitation, translated for his wife. She muttered something under her breath. Again, I did not understand a word, but her face said it all. I asked, "Did she say she doesn't believe me?"
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And they both burst into laughter! "How do you understand? She does not say in English!" I assured them that they were totally normal and that there is hope. It was a precious time of fellowship together, and I look forward to more visits to Turkey.

Silliness

One of my cultural adjustments, when I came to the Philippine many eons ago, was party games. I was not used to adults playing games at every gathering! But here in the Philippines, party games are part of life, and I have gotten used to it.

. Last weekend we celebrated "Family Day" at IGSL, and it involved some silly games. One game involved four groups of about 20 people each, passing a kalamansi from one person to the next.

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A kalamansi is a small Philippine fruit, something like a dark green lemon, about the size of a cherry tomato.

. The participants could not use their hands, just a spoon held in their mouth. It was hilarious! The great thing was that everyone could play.

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In one team I saw our school president, the guy who runs the xerox machine, the 10-year-old child of one of our professors, and the wife of a new student who can't speak English yet. Such silliness levels the playing field for everyone! I loved it.

Long Time No Blog

It's true, I haven't blogged in almost three weeks. I am finding it hard to manage my time, without my office assistant, Shelby. Classes started two weeks ago, and the first few weeks of the year are always the most hectic. We have hired a wonderful new assistant, someone from our church that Shelby has discipled for several years. I think she will be great -- but the only problem is that she can't start for about six more weeks! About the time that life slows down at IGSL, Cherry will start working in our office. But actually, things are already slowing down a bit, and I am figuring out a system. I think we will be able to manage this. I hope you won't have to wait 3 weeks for the next post.

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Meanwhile, my handsome grandson keeps getting cuter. He turned 6 months old last week. I still miss him sooooooooooooo much. During a party game last week I had to say what gift I would most like to receive if money were no object -- I said unlimited plane tickets to Texas! Here is the smiling boy:

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I am enjoying all the new students (as well as the old ones) and am seeing God's faithfulness in little things and big things, day after day. He is good.

Cooking Contest

I've told you many times that I live a life of endless variety. Some of the things I do are very serious, with eternal consequences. And sometimes I do things that are, well, a little lighter. Recently I had the honor of being a judge in a cooking contest. Our PIM students conducted a 6-week program called Summer Fun 2010, and during the grand finale at the end of the summer they had a cooking contest. Each group of cooks was an international team, which added to the complexity of it all. This photo sums it up: "Padthai -- a Thai food cooked by a Nepali and a Filipino"

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I pretended to be a food photographer and took pictures of all their lovely presentations. Definitely a fun day!

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