We're down to the last few days and in
the process of saying goodbyes and wrapping up ministry.  On Friday we
started getting our taste of the rainy season, and since then we have
encountered a few downpours.  In the Philippines people believe that if
you go out in the rain, you will get sick, almost immediately.  That
idea, paired with the fact that Basak becomes a mudslide when it rains,
kept us from making it out to Basak on Saturday and Sunday.  It gave
our team some time to rest and sort through some of the supplies we
will be leaving behind with the church.

 

Yesterday the church gave us a Farewell celebration.  We went out
to a beach resort on one of the other islands and spent the day
swimming in the ocean, and in a few swimming pools around the place. 
The weather stayed pretty clear most of the day.

 

We're hoping for the same weather today!  At noon we are headed
out to Basak to visit with the kids and to say some of our goodbyes in
Basak.

 

Tonight we will be visiting one of our friends Rick, an American
who lives in Cebu and tutors local children from his home in the
evenings.  We have met Rick and we have heard incredible things about
the work he does with the children, so we can't wait to spend some time
with him.

 

We are a lot of time this week debriefing our time here - trying
to process what we've seen and done, and reflecting on what God has
done in us during our time here.

 

Pray that our time here would end well.  That our goodbyes will be
sweet and smooth, and that we will be able to serve and bless our hosts
even more in our last few days.  Also pray that God starts to seal some
of the work he's been doing in our lives, and that he would keep
preparing us for life after the Philippines.

 

Thanks for all of your prayers.  We have seen so many of them answered, and we couldn't be more grateful.