This posting may have some duplication but will send it on anyway. We are back in Manila and will have our last day with the children tomorrow and be off for Minnesota early Sunday morning.-Mack,

MT MORIAH , MALABALY, Mindanao DAYS 9-12

Mack We are into our fourth day on Mindanao working at the developing Mt Moriah children’s home and camp. The heat and humidity has been tough but not nearly as oppressive as in Manila. Daily rains have cooled us and given us respite from our primitive labors. We have labored at less than exciting jobs such as screening sand, digging water channels, pulling nails, hauling wood for scaffolding, moving a pile of huge boulders and today Kevin, Dave and Mack worked down in a wet, muddy, pit to dig a big footing for a rock retaining wall which will be formed from the boulders we moved earlier. We were a sight to behold. Mud, mud, mud. This afternoon we took a brief ride to a pineapple plantation on the way to a VBS which the team put on at a civic center in Malaybalay. Mack had to stay back from this session as a result of a back strain incurred yesterday and aggravated by today’s digging. We also did a VBS yesterday for 26 children at the Children’s Home and some neighborhood children . They were very attentive and cooperative. Mack had an adventure as he was left behind at our dorm by the van and had to catch a ride on the back of a small motorcycle through the bumpy mud roads , out to the main road for a wild ride into Malaybalay thence on another rutted mud road to the home. After the VBS it was back to Moriah for a great barbecue followed by a wonderfully inspiring worship service with the Racers. Kelly, a young girl, played the guitar and led the praise, sharing and prayer service. This was followed by a less reverent but still fun session of Karaoke.

As I write this I sit on a balcony looking at mountains, fields being worked by oxen pulled plow and a primitive road down which an ox drawn cart just passed. A curious mix as behind me more modern construction methods are proceeding though they are primitive by our standards.

Thursday, Day 12
Mack-Arising at 2 am we prepared to leave Moriah to make the long sojourn to Camiguin , an island off the coast of Mindanao. It was a long and arduous journey with 12 persons and much luggage packed into a truck like van. At Cagayan de Oro we met with another van to continue the 7 hour trek through the early morning hours on the primitive Philippine roads. Along the way we questioned the wisdom of this segment of our sojourn but after our arrival at the ferry port, a long wait and an hour and a half boat ride followed by yet another van ride around the island we arrived at the Golden Sunset Resort for a 24 hour respite. Not a fancy place by some standards it is still a place of beauty and rest for us. A huge free form pool overlooking the Philippine sea provided a much appreciated recovery experience. At 10:30 this morning we leave again for a two hour ride to the airport and a flight back to Manilla where we will spend our last couple of days with the children at the home. Many of us will be saying our last farewell to the children until we meet again at the feet of Jesus.

Brigitte, Good morning, today is Friday and I can’t believe that we only have 2 days left before we come home. One of the hardest things to do was leaving the camp in Malaybaly. The vision that Grace and Glen have for the children’s camp is sooooooooooooooo amazing. They have amazing stories about what the Lord has done for them and the work that they are doing for him. I feel privileged to have been there and be just a little part of it. I know that we will be sharing with you all that we heard. I pray that many of you will be able to experience the mission trip with us in 2 years. Lots of times we say you just have to have been here and we truly mean that, words just can’t describe the experience.
Today we will be on our way back to Manila after having an R&R day at an Ocean retreat where some of us enjoyed a very drenching ride to the only sandy beach that we can see. The best thing was the ride.
Tonight we will be back to the children’s home. We will be saying our goodbyes on Saturday night to all and will be on our journey back home. We will be looking forward to that as well as we will be leaving here with a heavy heart praying to be back here in 2 years.

Annette - I have not been feeling well the past couple of days, so would appreciate your prayers. It seems to be a heavy cold with severe coughing, but I have started some antibiotics in case it is something more than just a cold. I have been able to enjoy some of the R&R.