Musings from Deb

Our January, 2010 trip to the Philippines is only a memory now….but what an experience it was! Thanks to our great God. Denny & Ellen, Roy & Cheryl, Jay, Jane, Jeane, Justin, Josh & Mery, John, Marv, Randell, and Tom—I appreciate each one of you very much. Only the good Lord can create such a bond between us in such a short time.

Our time went so fast. I believe the projects were important and deserved our best efforts. Being able to finish several of them was like icing on the cake. We left with a glimpse of children reading their new books, teachers giggling and sitting at their computer stations, lines of children waiting to swing and ride the new zipline, a house in the process of being renovated for a family in the barrio, major steps taken in the business progression of the Production Center, memories of the Health Clinic where the donated eyeglasses caused quite a stir and an abundance of professional photographs for future use. Now our job is to pray that the people in Calunasan Sur will benefit from these projects, as it is no small task living day to day like most of them do.

Thanks again to our prayer and financial supporters. I believe with all my heart that God honors that. You are just as much a part of this trip even though you couldn’t go in person.

I choose to align myself with how Max Lucado explains the book of James in the Bible. “It’s not that works “save” the Christian, but that works “mark” the Christian. It only makes sense that we who have been given much should give much. Not just with words- but with our lives. Or as St. Francis of Assisi is noted as saying, “Preach without ceasing……if you must, use words”.

I truly am blessed and will never be the same.

Deb Lutke