Preparations for January Trip

It’s January 5th and Denny and I have been in the Philippines for most of the month of December. The Filipinos really love to celebrate Christmas and New Years – they love it so much that Christmas is celebrated here on this island of Bohol until sometime in early February! In this barrio of Calunasan Sur we will be having our big barrio Christmas on January 18th! I don’t know what all will happen but I think (I know) a lot of eating will be taking place, and oh, we can’t forget the firecrackers all day and all night! The thing I liked best about Christmas (Dec. 24th and 25th) is that the celebrations really were about the birth of Jesus and enjoying family and food together. When you don’t have a lot of money to be buying, buying, buying, you find other ways to celebrate that are really more important. What is more important that the true meaning of Christmas and family! I love it!

Just before New Years and right after the holiday we swung into full motion and hired teams of men to start getting the learning center physically ready for the team. We don’t want anyone to be waiting around for buildings to be finished or supplies to arrive. Our plan is for the team to hit the ground running. We think they’ll be pleased. We also are preparing a new bedroom area so one of the couples arriving with the team can be together. Two small bedrooms are being prepared and coming together nicely. The other part of the building will be two small Sunday School rooms and one large Sunday School meeting area complete with a mural of Noah’s Arc hand painted by the Glasgow team this past August.

We’re looking forward to the team’s arrival so please pray with us that all will go smoothly and that the time and efforts put in by everyone will accomplish what The Lord intends and that He will be pleased. Blessings, Ellen