Food for thought

I just peeled a banana (potassium) and broke it in half to reveal a hollowed-out little igloo.  Inside this igloo was a half-inch grub, wiggling around.  Gross!  Glad I didn't bite into it!  Please send Chipotle.

It's a boy!!!

Today Michele had another ultrasound, and the Dr is 100% sure we have a boy!  Last time she told us she was 80% sure it was a girl, so we've been debating between Hannah or Megan.  I guess that debate is over.  Here's the proof of manhood...

Ok, pray for little Megan!  Pray that he doesn't get beat up for having a girls name!

Baby Suzane

Last week a baby girl was born at Tanza to a single girl named Edna.  The baby is named Suzane.  An hour after she was born, Michele and I got a call that things were not right with Suzane.  The ladies with Edna told us that the baby's head was abnormal and that she had a big red thing on it.  We drove out lat that night and saw Suzane, and felt that everything was ok with her.  Her breathing was good, she didn't seem distressed, and her appearance had improved according to the women.  So, we said goodnight.  Two days later Suzane got a high fever, so we decided it was time to get her to the doctor.  We took her to a clinic, where they told us to get her to a hospital because she likely had a blood infection.  I came home to watch our girls, and Michele took Edna and baby to the hospital.  She's been in the hospital for 3 days now, and it seems she has pneumonia, a blood infection, and possibly meningitis.  She is in the pediatric icu, and we can't see her until she gets out.  At this hospital, someone has to be present 24 hours to run out for things the baby might need.  Rubber gloves, medicine, lab results...  It's our responsibilty to round all of these things up for the icu!!!  This is becoming quite an experience for us.  I spent the night on the floor of the icu waiting room last Sunday night.  Lots of fun!  Since then, Edna and a friend are staying there.  Unfortunately I can't post a picture yet because we can't get in to see the baby in her incubator.  While spending several hours sitting in the waiting room, Michele met a couple with an adopted baby girl in the icu.  She had serious heart troubles, and they had been hanging out in the waiting room for 4 weeks!  Monday their money ran out, so the hospital transferred the baby to their charity ward, where she died within 8 hours.  I can't imagine the pain these folks are facing this week.  To adopt a little girl, a month later she becomes seriously ill, and then dies after a month in the hospital.  I got sick to my stomach when I heard the news.  I can't imagine how the hospital could allow that to happen, and it's all about money.  That's something we probably won't get used to, living over here.  Anyway, keep baby Suzane in your prayers, and also Larry and Melissa who are surely grieving this week.  Thanks!

More camp and stuff

I'm all done with summer camp, and I'm exhausted.  I spent the last week with 52 high school and jr high students.  I was the speaker each night, and a cabin leader for the sophmore boys.  We had a great week.  3 kids accepted Jesus into their hearts!

  

I'm feeling old now...  Lots of aches and pains from capture the flag and whatnot.  I tried unsuccessfully to teach the boys in my cabin about good music.  The kids these days are listening to pretty sappy electronic dance stuff- no guitars.  They think anything that's 3 years old is classic rock.  Anyway, they're good kids.  They just need a whoopin.

Many days I get homesick for the USA.  There are so many things I miss from home, like beef.  And my family and friends.  However, living in the Philippines offers it's own unique experiences.  I've never done anything like this in Illinois...  It's a little hard to make out, but that flying object is me.  The photo makes this waterfall look pretty small, but it's 50 feet higher when your toes are wrapped around the edge of the rock...  I landed a triple axel...

Speaking of good music, Michele and I enjoyed a date night when I got back into town.  We went to Eastwood, an outdoor shopping/dining place and had good mexican food.  Then we enjoyed a free concert by Moonstar88, one of my favorite Filipino bands.  They're pretty good, and I've been using some of their songs to help me learn Tagalog.  After their show we went and said hello for a few minutes.  The national music scene is funny here.  Moonstar88 is all over the radio and MTV right now (in Asia) and yet there were probably 300 people at the show.  Other than me, Michele, and a few adolescent kids, they didn't get mobbed by screaming fans.  I screamed a little.

Other than that, Abby and I went shopping this weekend and were surprised by what we saw in the department store.  We had to return with mommy and Olivia to show off the poster girl.  Abby did this photo shoot last year and suddenly she appeared in the store this week.  The sales ladies were in awe that the girl from the picture was gracing them with her presence.  

Summer camp

This past week and next, I have a fun ministry 'extra' that I'm a part of.  I have been asked to speak to missionary kids at summer camp.  This past week was elementary, and next week I'll be speaking to high school students.  The camp is a beautiful property about 3 hours from our home.  

The girls joined me for a couple of nights, but got tired of bunk beds and noisy 3rd graders...  I had a great week though, teaching the kids about 'transformers' and the changes that take place in us when we become followers of Jesus.  I look forward to talking to the older group next week, as I will be able to dig a little deeper with them.

In Illinois we have raccoons, squirrels, and possums.  Here we have these...

This guy (or girl) is 9 feet long, and tricky to keep a hold on.

In other news, we just finished putting a drainage canal around the church at Tanza.  Sound exciting?  Well, it is because now the church won't flood every time there's a rainstorm!  God has blessed us by providing the funds to weatherproof the church.  Now the people can worship rain or shine!  

Have a happy 4th of July!!!