T-Dot

I've been in Calgary since last Friday, mostly just hanging out with Steph, and mostly waiting for a meeting I had yesterday morning. I met with a couple guys from MoveIn, which is a movement/organization/idea all about mobilizing teams of Christians to move into poor and unreached neighbourhoods in our cities. Which is what I'm interested in doing. Incarnational living in the context of community.

The meeting was great, I'm excited about what they're doing, and I'm excited that we could get something started here in Calgary. As a result of the meeting it seems that I am going to head east to Toronto for 2 weeks to see just how this is working out there, to meet folks who have MovedIn, and to help with some current admin-type projects. Breakfast meeting yesterday, and bham - I'm going to Toronto! I'm crazily excited, this is a great opportunity being handed to me, to learn and for fun and to make sure that this is what I want to get into!

Cathartic Exercise

I was encouraged the other night by my friend Jen to consider using my blog as a cathartic exercise, even when I don't feel I have any great thoughts to write. I'll admit I had to look up the word cathartic before I could even use it above, and I discovered it is usually related to laxatives. Nice. Well, here I am...

It's not as though nothing has been happening in my life that would be worthy of blogging, it's just not a main release anymore. I think being on home soil, where I tell my stories and my thoughts with most people face-to-face, has made this spot less of a priority. But I'm going to attempt to regain some regularity (regularity and cathartic - great!) just blogging from my thoughts, my musings, my day-to-day.

I guess I should mention that since my last blog I have traveled to Calgary, Victoria and California. Not too shabby for a 4 week absence. I led a group of students down to Calgary to spend 4 days serving and learning at the Mustard Seed, which is an inner-city mission. Our time there was really exciting to be a part of, we were so welcomed and God was doing good things in the hearts of our students. So I was thrilled! Victoria was our annual Staff retreat, where we are so blessed and looked after in an incredible spot on the sea for four great days! That included time on a yacht, sea kayaking, lounging in the outdoor pool, non-stop food and I guess a bit of work in there too - vision casting and prayer. And finally I spent the last week in California - Disneyland! The whole family went, that's 8 of us for 8 days in 2 hotel rooms and we didn't kill each other! I don't think Disney and the crowds are quite my style, but it was an incredible experience and we had loads of fun. I love my family!

And now it's today. Less than 2 months remain in this job of mine, and I'm starting to get excited about what's next, what with all the possibilities! I have had plans, and then they've fallen through a zillion times now. And I'm frustrated, and sad and excited. I think the next step is going to require some big changes and for the first time ever that is a somewhat nerve-wracking prospect. But it's not as though I really want to stay here in Grande Prairie either. My inner feelings are complicated, they contradict.

Amidst that complication it is becoming more and more likely that the second half of my summer is going to be spent with small travels, friends and adventures. I am cooking up a hiking roadtrip down the West coast all the way to northern California. Stopping for some of the best day hikes along the way and seeing mountains, ocean, redwood forests! I am hoping to take sometime at a retreat or with a spiritual director trying to make sense of some of my directional confusion and the emotions wrapped up in it. I've just discovered that my friends Jen and Andrey might be in Alberta at some point and I'd love to see them! And there may be an opportunity to continue my involvement in fundraising and speaking out against sex trafficking in a summer tour. And all of those sound either very fun or at least deeply meaningful.

I finish work mid-July and then I'm free. Free to do these things. Free to figure out where I am in the midst of what I have pursued and what might be next. Free to be unemployed...gulp. But definitely free.

May Days

May has come, and with it many busy days. I moved across town into a basement suite with a girl from church. I'm moving right along in work, and camp season is on the horizon, I can't wait for time in the mountains!! I'm playing mom. I'm looking forward to my brother's wedding in three weeks. And a couple friend's return visits, it's been a long time.
Life is good and sometimes overwhelming. Who knows what is happening with my midwifery, nothing for now, it's been postponed. But I'm trusting Jesus, or at least trying to, always coming back to it. It seems like unanswered prayers, and dreams are a theme I'm encountering amongst many people these days. Hmmm.
But life is good.

I Am IYMD!

Well, I'm in! I started the new job on Wednesday, and I've day-by-day been trying to figure out what it means to be Interim Youth Ministries Director. My big question has been, How do I take these lists of what I'm supposed to accomplish, and make them happen? How does what task I choose right now, lead to Youth Groups, Conferences, and Camps? And that which is even harder to nail down - to discipleship? (Insert proverbial "Duhn-Duhn-Duhn!")
So I'm spending lots of time in the Prayer Chapel. And making my rounds through everyone's offices, gleaning wisdom, and details and old paperwork; to sort through and integrate. And come Friday, we'll get down to business and do Youth Group.
Here goes! If you're the praying kind; please be lifting these kids, this ministry and this me up to the Father.

Cat's Out - My New Job

Well, the Official Cat is out of the bag, so I thought I would finally write on here and share with all of you my news about "The Next Step." And what I'll be doing after I head home in a couple weeks.
What I'll be doing is actually surprising to me, because I never saw it coming. I received an email a couple months ago and sat in the internet cafe with my mouth gaping, at the strange idea it presented to me! The suggestion that I consider serving the GP Church of Christ as youth pastor, or at least pray about it! In that moment I thought it was just craziness, why would anyone ask me that question? I assumed I would write back the next day and tell him, "nope, that's not for me." But I did pray about it, and in fact the idea itself grew and grew in my mind until both the praying and thinking began to push me towards the opposite answer. I began to really want to do it.
So now it is official. Starting in January I will be on staff in my home church, working full time as the Interim Youth Ministry Director. Yikes! And Yay! I'm pretty excited for this, there are just so many amazing Jr. and Sr. High-ers in our congregation! As I have been in and out of GP in the last few years I have had a lot of fun with them, leading in youth group, sunday school and conferences. And now my job is to plan those things and keep having fun, and point them all to Jesus! That's pretty exciting to me.
So the Cats out of the Bag. I figured I should finally blog this, as even my own poor brother found out by accident the other day. So now between the Chronicle and church and this blog, you all should know! I'd appreciate your prayers as I head into big responsibility, and lots of learning!

Rain

It appears that it is storm season here in Asia. I was beginning to think that "rainy" season here in the mid-Visayas actually meant "not-really-really-dry" season. But the last 2 days have proved me wrong as the rain has poured down outside. Cutting power, and dripping through my roof to land in strategically placed buckets. I love rain, have always loved it, I even love those gray days that look like rain and don't deliver. And these days I am learning that it is because I have never had to deal with the violence of nature, or with the lives of ones I love being snuffed out in a storm.
As far as I know rainy season has not disappointed inhabitants of Luzon, with the usual typhoons, and floods hitting them for the last few months. And as I read in the news today it appears that storms have been claiming quite a toll in Bangladesh with estimates of some 10,000 dead in the wake of a cyclone last week! My God! It's unimaginable, and perhaps you've been watching it all on the news, perhaps you don't have to imagine it now. But this is the first I've heard, and my heart is heavy with the weight of all those lives lost so violently. So meaninglessly.
I will NEVER understand the meaning of all the world's suffering. I will never have answers to my questions about disparity or brokeness. And as a storm rages outside, and I am safe right here, I wonder how it's fair that I have the privilege of safety. The privilege of loving rain storms.

Manila Bombing

On Friday afternoon a bomb went off in a busy Manila mall and killed 8 people, injuring over a 100. Its pretty sad, and a bit scary. (Especially as I write this to you from the main mall of the entire Visayas region.)
This comes in the midst of impeachments bids against GMA the country's president and continuing conflict between the government and muslim extremist groups.
Read more HERE and please keep the peace of this country in your prayers!

Let Me Introduce You To...

Welcome to Glory Reborn Clinic!

This is where I'm working now, and it's such a great clinic. The labour room is the one just above the sign (gotta love the fire escape!), and I can see straight in from my kitchen window (it's a good thing that us midwives live next door). That means I can go over any time there's a birth to help and to learn.

This is my new little apartment that feels so much like home. It is full of sunshine all day and has such a cozy warm feel. And this is my little kitty, she came with the apartment and her name's Cheerio. Now I'm not a cat person, but this one's pretty cute, she entertains us and steals and then loses my pens. She's also pretty ferocious or friendly, depending on your take!

Right Where God Has Me

So here I am, on the island of Cebu, and living in the city of Cebu, and feeling right smack in the middle of where God wants me to be! That's a pretty great feeling!
Even though Cebu is only a 45min flight from Manila I decided to take more adventurous route and got on board the SuperFerry instead. Which gave me 24hrs at sea to watch the water and the clouds, to wax poetic, to watch the water and the clouds some more and to get into an indepth religious discussion with a local pastor. I also ended up with a most fantastic farmer's burn, (on a cloudy dark day), and a good sense of transition, moving out of Manila and some of the difficult moments I faced there, and moving on to something different and new. I needed those 24hrs to reflect and make goals and watch the water and the clouds.
After arriving I had 2 beach days with some new friends and now I'm beginning to burrow into the clinic, my apartment and a new city. So far I've done 2 prenatal days, been at 2 births and completed my first night shift! What could be better than knowing you are in the place God has prepared for you?

The whole population of Manila on one fishing boat!

All just shades of grey: the incredible city skyline.

This storm formed over the island next to us, dark, amazing, looming clouds, pouring out their fury on everything below.

Mushroom Cloud: the storm moved off the land and passed right over our ship, somehow we survived!
The next day 360 degrees of this view entertained my eyes for hours.
At the beach my favourite flowers were there to greet us!
And at low tide we could walk out forever on this undersea sidewalk, with starfish and crabs and sea centipedes (of death), to watch on either side.

And look at the show God gave us at night!

NOT my ferry!
The sky was glorious

Onward!

Life seems to be characterized by change! It really is the only constant. This weekend I moved, packed my things up one morning, stocked up a taxi, drove across town, and unpacked into my new room at the World Team Guesthouse. I will be living here for the next 3 months (so the plan is), and it is a wonderful spot - a little sanctuary at the end of the day! The house welcomes missionaries and other travellers during their stay in Manila, so new people are always coming through, it should be very interesting to meet so many different people.
I am beginning to volunteer with an organization, The Philippine Christian Foundation, that works to address the root causes of poverty in a couple of the poorest communities in Manila. One of these communities is based on the foot of Smokey Mountain, an infamous garbage dump site, lived on and worked through by whole families. Everyone from the children on up, work there, looking for recyclables and junk that can be sold. Another community is a squatter village located in a public cemetery. PCF is involved in education, health services, livelihood projects, literacy and skills training, social welfare and advocacy.
I really look forward to my time here with PCF, they are in the midst of great need and are doing excellent work on behalf of these communities. The heart is transformation and moving from charity to self-sustaining community life.
In the midst of all the "where" and the "what" changes are the emotional changes. My outlook on the year and on life is different now then when I came out here. I'm adjusting, I'm praying. I so appreciate your prayers. I look forward to entering a new rhythm, and to keeping you up-to-date with more pictures and stories.

Child - Sex - Slaves

"The boss is introduced to me by my local contact as "the chairman" - and half-jokingly "the underworld king". At this, the chairman smiles tightly - and it is hard to tell if he is flattered or angry...
He is disarmingly open about all this - explaining how he lies to the families, buys the girls, and then forces them into brothels....
He agrees to show me round his patch. A maze of dark crowded alleys, throbbing with karaoke music. Young girls hover inside the bars - some smiling, some not....
I met one girl who was 11. And another 14-year-old who believed she had been hired as a waitress, but ended up being raped by a Korean tourist who had paid for sex with a virgin."

Last week I was writing about our local brothel street, but as sad as that is, this story opens up a deeper and sadder reality. This is human trafficking, this is sexual slavery and we are talking about children! Read this article from BBC about sex slavery in the Philippines, but be ready, because it isn't for a moment vague about the world it is describing.
You may not have wanted to know, but I'm sorry I don't think not knowing is any ones' right. Please people - ask God, or examine your conscience, and decide what you can do, what you will do. And then determine to makes steps toward that goal TODAY! To read the article, click HERE.

Manila Bus Seige

A busload of pre-school children and their teachers were freed after being held at gunpoint for nearly 10 hours in the Philippine capital, Manila.

The 32 children and two teachers were taken hostage by their day care centre owner, Jun Ducat, who said he wanted better conditions for the children.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Address & Cellular

I now have a mailing address and a cell number! And I would LOVE to receive letters, packages, texts or phone calls - basically I'm saying, "LOVE ME"!! He, he. So if you are interested in getting that info, please email me or comment here and I will pass my digits right along.

Tsunami Dollars and You

The Tsunami tragedy of 2004 has always been particularally heart-wrenching for me, I feel rather connected to it and the work being done in it's wake.
There's news out yesterday from the BBC that is quite distressing - only about half the money donated to the relief/rebuild effort, has actually been spent. The rest is sitting pretty in bank accounts, some 3 billion US dollars! And about 10% of all the money that was promised to the effort by foreign governments has never been given! (China, Spain and France promised 301, 60 and 79 million respectively and have each given only 1 million!)
This is a problem, a big problem! Of the millions of people left displaced only 1/3 of their homes have been replaced - that means 2/3 are still living in temporary shelters - like tents! And that isn't acceptable.
The Red Cross in particular was given 2.2 billion for its efforts and has only used half of that total, and built (to completion) 8000 of their promised 50,000 homes. In response to criticism and questioning the Red Cross has made some valid points:

1. They knew and reported from the very beginning that their efforts would be long-term and rebuilding was a 4-5 year process, not an instant deal.
2. They talk about the efforts necessary in figuring out land claims and proper ownership before homes can be built.

Obviously they are right - this is a long-term response. The question is how long is appropriate - how long can we wait to give people back their homes when the money is in the bank? What do you think?? Check here for an article on the BBC report and a movie clip of the BBC news itself. Check em out and see. Do we have a responsibility to say something about this??

Rosie-Around-The-World

So I was at work today - did I tell you that I'm working? I have a job at a cute shop called Valhalla Pure, its like a mini-MEC or REI, we sell outdoor sports equipment and clothing, and it looks like it will be fun!

Anyway I was at work when this women came in and it turns out that she's the woman who is running around the world to raise awareness and funds for Cancer research and some childrens charities. I'm serious she's actually running around-the-world! Her name's Rosie Swale-Pope, she's a rale-thin 60-year-old and she has been runnning now for 3 years and is expecting for it to take about one more. She's made it from Wales, across Europe, Russia, the Himalayas, Siberia, down through Alaska and today she's in Grande Prairie!! This woman is hard core! (if you see on the map - you can see her route, she's moving to the east, wrap around the edge..., but obviously she's made it further then even the map shows, cause she's currently at the little yellow dot.)

So she was a lot of fun, and we got to outfit her with a few essentials, like a Thermarest for the cart/tent that she carries behind as she runs, she sleeps in this thing, and keeps warm with big animal hides! She decided she needed to replace her Thermarest. Anyway it was one very neat experience to meet this courageous, and determined woman. Her personal motivation is that she lost her own husband to prostate cancer, and she wants people to get regular check-ups and not wait too long. (So she's running AROUND THE WORLD!). Okay, as you can see I'm in complete shock over this enormous feat. She said she went through times in Siberia where she would go 6 weeks without seeing other human beings!

Wow, wow, wow! So check out her website by clicking on her name or on her picture. Go, Rosie, Go!!

Hidden Tragedy - Fistulas

I just finished reading The Hospital by the River - by Dr. Catherine Hamlin, which is one of many books I'm reading for school. And this book is just amazing, I mean it isn't going to win great literary awards, but the story, the facts, the truth that it unveils are all just enormously important. And to most people probably just shocking!
Dr. Catherine Hamlin and her husband Reg are two Ob/Gyn doctors who moved to Ethiopia in 1959 to start a midwifery school. And soon after arriving begin to see an enormous tragedy going almost completely unnoticed - the lives of women with fistulas.
For thousands of women every year a fistula is the result of a prolonged labour and birth without medical care. The woman (or girl) may come away from 4-7 days of labour with a stillborn child and and hole from her bladder and sometimes from her rectum, into her birth canal. This makes the women completely incontinent and means that she is always wet, dirty and smelly. Her husband leaves her and her community ostracizes her. She is alone.
This is the horrible truth for some 2 million women around the world - mostly in Africa. In North America, medical care is such that fistulas are virtually unheard of, and if one did arise it would be quickly cured by surgery. But for these poor and forgotten women it becomes their reality, defining their lives, or lack there of. And most of them are never cured.
I realize that this might be shocking or even uncomfortable for some of you, but I won't apologize. I've tried to be as discrete and polite as I could given the subject matter. But I want you to know that this is real, its a modern day tragedy, and it is vastly ignored! If you are shocked - let that emotion quide you to prayer and to action!
Fistulas are 100% curable in more than 90% of all cases. That means that almost all women who have this conditon can be given back their lives, if only they could get treatment. Dr. Hamlin and her husband started a Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa which today treats some 1400 women a year, serving them out of Christ's deep love. And for the sad few that can not be cured, they still receive as much care as possible and are welcomed in to help within the hospital or become a part of a new village full of similar women, where they can learn agriculture, farming and handcrafts.
But there are thousands of women who can not afford or manage the trip the Addis Ababa, there are women in other countries, all of them are in need and the fact is that they can be cured! And they deserve to be cured, and loved and accepted! Then there is the Hamlin's fistula hospital that offers care completely free, and needs to fundraise all fo its expenses every year. Could you get involved and begin to help meet these needs?
Alan was speaking on Sunday about getting the info and then praying. Well folks I hope that you will apply that lesson to this news as well. What you've just read is a start - hopefully enough to make you aware, or give you a kick in the pants if you needed it! But I hope that you take the time to become fully educated - there is the book I mentioned above, there are many websites. There is lots more you can know, there is lots that you can do. Please - DO SOMETHING!

• Fistula Hospital - Addia Ababa, Ethiopia
• Fistula Foundation
• Amazon - Buy the Book!