Update on Tim!

Maayong Buntag! As Tim shared last post, he is currently traveling into northern Mindanao with people he just met yesterday! This picture just reminded me of the empty seat he's left here in our home....I miss him.

He left Saturday morning after meeting his contacts' cousin who took him to lunch and then boarded a bus to take him towards their final destination of Dipolog.

While he was boarding the bus, I had the pleasure of attending our last portion of orientation with Newlife at Outland Adventure. Yes, I had to go through the ropes course like everyone else...only I have been suffering from a bad urinary tract infection! So between trips to the CR (aka comfort room) to pee, I was climbing 40 feet towers, falling aimlessly into the arms of my peers and sliding down a giant zip line. We learned a ton about teamwork and I learned that I am way stronger than I originally thought! With the help of the other midwives-to-be, I climbed a wall and had team mates STANDING on my shoulders to get the tasks accomplished. I came home exhausted and with MAJOR bruises ALL over my body! Some in places I had no idea you could bruise! But the sad part was that I came home to an empty house. Tim was gone.

BUT, we have been texting via cell phones while he still gets phone service. He said that when he arrived at the first church last night, it appeared as though he was going to sleep in the church's rough kitchen on a bench....but then someone found him a bed in the room next to the kitchen (what a blessing!). But then people began to wake up around 3 am, rustling about in the kitchen, followed by the roosters crowing at 5 am as well as the cats whining.....not much sleep, but he was grateful for the bed.

Breakfast was fish and rice..... his favorite....I think his words were, "NOW I am a missionary!"

Then he headed into church to preach. He said he shared all that he felt he was supposed to, but the response was pretty lifeless. Then for lunch.....fish and rice....and they just kept feeding it to him, so I had to text him the cebuano word for "full". :)

Then this afternoon he preached again, but changed his sermon plans. He says that a text I had sent him earlier in the day changed his mind. I had said that His heavenly Daddy was proud of him and he felt like the Lord wanted him to share that with the next church. He shared about what an incredible privilege it is to be in the Father's House and with that comes the fact that we are His sons and daughters....and with THAT comes a whole host of blessing....the Kingdom of God. Good word. He said that the response was really good. That blessed me to hear.

As of now, he is waiting to board another bus at 3 am set to arrive in Dipolog at 4 pm Monday! That's a LONG time on a bus! While he is tired and still a bit nervous, he is doing well and listening intently to his Father's voice....He is so desiring to be a blessing to whomever he bumps into.

I am so grateful for Tim. He is a man seeking the heart and voice of his Father. While I have no right to be proud, I have to say that I am overwhelmingly proud of him. What a bittersweet joy to see him step out in faith.....to do things he's never done with people he's never met in a country he knows very little about in a language he doesn't speak...I miss him ooodles. Please continue to pray for him and for all the people he comes into contact with.....

Please also pray for me as I know that satan is trying desperately to disable us any way he can...my health has been poor and I know Tim has been worried about that. Thank you for uplifting us with your prayers. We so appreciate it!

Be blessed.