Hello! from YEG

Adele, When We Were Young

SO ANIMALS. SUCH CUTE. MUCH DANCE. 

finding drug paraphenalia while undressing patient 

Tonight, part of our mission team met to do a team sharing at Beulah. It was wonderful to see familiar faces again and greet everyone like old friends. Hearing people speak about different parts of the trip helped to put everything into perspective - acknowledging the challenges, celebrating the successes, and appreciating God’s providence through it all. I made little notes during the trip of moments that I didn’t want to forget, and I’ve been trying to process everything I’ve learned since I got back. I’m glad someone at church cautioned me about transitioning back to “normal life”. It’s funny how quickly my memories of the Philippines have taken on that fuzzy, dream-like quality that you have of those defining moments in your life. 

Things I now appreciate at home:

drinkable tap water, toothbrushes, toilet paper, A/C, and the overall excessiveness of North American lifestyle

Things I loved about Kalinga:

The coffee! Riding on top of the Jeepneys on the way home every day was such a thrill…seriously, driving in a car at home now seems so restrictive. And safe. Poo on safety ;)

Also, the comment that struck me the most was what a (Canadian) midwife said about how her husband felt when he came to visit Canada. He always felt lonely and isolated, because no one is ever outside and people within a community don’t seem to spend time together. It is the opposite in the villages of the But-But tribe that we visited - everyone is outside and together and it really takes a village to raise the children. 

Things I learned about God:

His omniscience and His control. People have such a narrow-minded focus, but God truly sees all. Almost every day, our team faced challenges. The transformer overheated. The dental unit wasn’t working. We ran out of certain medications. We didn’t know if we’d make it home as scheduled. Yet, looking back, I can see God up in heaven having a good chuckle at all our little worries and thinking, “wait til they see what I have planned.” 

Things I learned about myself:

That I love missions. I have said to a few people now that I’m glad to have the comforts of home, to see my family/friends, and to be familiar with my surroundings, but I could go back in a heartbeat if it weren’t for the commitments I have here. Now the challenge becomes putting that desire to serve to good use at home.

One always worry with short-term missions that a team ends up doing more harm than good. But I left knowing that God was there long before us, and that the local missionaries and villages will be there continuing His work when we’ve become a distant memory. When I read these verses now, I will always be reminded of the Philippines.

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps [Proverbs 16:9]