Chapter Three

    If you have talked to me much since my big move, you have probably heard me go on a rant about efficiency- more specifically the lack there of. Very little of what is done here could be labeled as “efficient.”, and even though I’m from Alabama, a place not known for its quick moving or talking people, it has still been a big change of pace for me. On multiple occasions I have caught myself blowing my breath, tapping my toes, and looking around for someone to roll my eyes with, when everyone else looks quite content.  Am I the only one who has somewhere else to be? When talking to a local about it he enlightened me with my first culture lesson. “In the Philippines we value relationships over efficiency,” he said. This took a long time to set in and an even longer time to wrap my head around.I thought, why not both?  It actually wasn’t until a couple nights ago that I really fully understood the extent of his statement. In America we value honesty. If you say you are going to be somewhere at 10 o’clock we expect you be there at 10 o’clock, else you’ve lied and disappointed. That’s understandable because honesty and being a person of your word holds value. Here, in the Philippines, relationships hold value. So as long as you are investing your time into someONE, the time that revolves around it is drastically less important. Being late is very common here because whoever you are looking eye to eye with is the most important person to you at that time, and the person you interact with next will understand because they will then be the person you are fully invested in. I know this concept is very different; it has its challenges and probably doesn’t make sense to a lot of us, but let’s try to take something away from this value they hold so dear.

 
    As I mentioned earlier, it wasn’t until a couple of nights ago that I really started to understand and take to heart this new culture experience. My roommate and I were out shopping for some necessities- silverware, trashcans, cleaning supplies, etc. It was getting pretty late, partially due to the inefficient restaurant service and inefficient grocery store lines we had previously experienced, but also because we had worked all day are were just able to get out. It was about 15 minutes until closing when we decided that we needed a fan. An associate was quick to our service and took his time helping us decide which one we wanted. He plugged in each of the displays, and allowed us to test them all at the different speeds. When we finally picked a fan we were satisfied with, it was about 5 minutes until closing. The associate insisted he get a new one down from the back and put it together for us to ensure that it worked properly. During the 20 minutes it took to put it together we had about 10 employees cutting up, telling stories, and enjoying each other’s company.  Mind you this was well after closing, not a single one of seemed irritated in the least bit. I learned a few names, talked to a few about church and home life, and even talked to the manager about getting a job there ;) Everyone was incredibly nice, generous, and patient. 

    Now, I know this is outside our culture and I know how much I value being on time, but I am vowing to make an effort to integrate this value as a new habit. I promise to value people over time and I challenge you to consider the same. A scripture comes to mind that isn’t typically related to this topic, but it fits pretty well to me. Hebrews 10:25 states, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” I know that getting to an appointment on time is important and I know that sometimes we are tired and just want to get home, but I challenge you to value people. Next time you are waiting and waiting and it just seems to be taking longer than you think it should, see it as your chance to be different. Talk to someone, encourage them, pray for them- value them. Be a light, let every opportunity to shine be taken full advantage of. It’s tough, I am still struggling with it, but I’m trying and that is all I encourage you to do. Let it be on your mind, act on it, and see what the Lord does with it. You mission field is right where your feet are planted, so until all have heard- value people. 

Chapter Two

  Since I first started pursuing this new adventure, my main anxiety has spawned from one issue--fundraising. It’s common to see advertisements that emphasize the “FUN” in FUNdraising, but I’ve never paralleled with that. Since childhood I have always been extremely independent. I hear stories from my parents about how I would refuse help at all cost. Even if it meant having a lower quality product, I found pride in doing it by. my. self. I can remember playing games with my older brother growing up when from time to time he would offer to give me a head start or some extra points here and there. I would rather get ten run ruled, skunked, and down right humiliated than to take any of those offers. {I’m sure I replied with a sweet  “No, thanks”} A head start, a little help, or an extra hand was hardly ever appealing to me. I got my first job when I was 16 and thoroughly enjoyed bringing in that tiny paycheck every week. More recently I worked my way through college and paid for my Master’s Degree, by myself. Not because I had to necessarily, but I wanted to. None of this is being said to brag or be prideful {partially because most of this said independence often led to failure and is nothing to brag about} But I say it, hoping you can understand my anxiety surrounding this fundraising.
  “If I could do it myself, I totally would,” I remember telling my dad a few months ago. If I could figure out a way to earn $36,000 in 6 months I would, but that is simply not possible. I’ll never forget his response to my statement. He said, “You can’t be selfish and try to do this all by yourself.” Selfish? I thought to myself.  I’m being the opposite of selfish. I’m saying that I don’t want to burden anyone with something I’m wanting to do. How is that selfish?  He went on to explain that not everyone is physically able to do what I can. But if I allow others to help, I can offer them the opportunity to still be a part of the mission, just in a different way. I began to take on his perspective and somewhat understand what he was saying, and I agreed. A lot of people are not able to pick up and move across the globe, but I can. I can do the footwork and others can team with me to make it possible. We can work together to promote the kingdom!
  The Bible has a lot to say about teamwork. In 1 Corinthians 12:14-20 Paul writes, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts yet one body. In Ephesians 4:15&16 Paul goes on to say “speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  In Ecclesiastes 4:9 Solomon tell us “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.” Again in Proverbs 27:17 he says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” 
  The body of Christ is a team. The body is not supported by one person, but by all of us. We are one, and we are strongest working together in unity. Teamwork is the key to living life in harmony, so that we can do God's will. Now, God has called us all to be a part of His squad. He is the head, the captain and has given us the privilege of being a part of his team. {The winning team I might add} What role do you think he has chosen you to play?
  In less than a month I will step onto a plane for a 26-hour journey to the other side of the world. This is not something I can be independent and do alone. Although it is not easy, I am asking for your help. I need a team. I need prayer warriors, I need lots of encouragement, I need visitors, and I need financial support. I want you to prayerfully consider contributing to this team in the way in which you are called. No role is too small. One prayer. One letter. One gift. Let’s work together. Teamwork makes the dream work 

Fundraising Board- Dothan, Alabama, United States of America

Almost Halfway to 1,500- Dothan, Alabama, United States of America

http://www.rce-international.org/support-a-missionary/

Chapter One

About a year ago I started really thinking about what I wanted to do with my teaching certificate once I finished school. I fantasized about my dream classroom: color coordinated bins, bubbly fonted posters, a completely categorized classroom library, and some sort of live animal, the whole nine yards. Then I started dreaming about location: Florida, California, somewhere on the beach, somewhere it’s warm. Lastly it came down to what type of school, do I want to be in a public school or a private school. As I pondered about the challenges that both settings presented I was confronted with the idea to change my standards. What if I didn’t focus on what would be optimal for me, but optimal for my students? What if I stopped focusing on my wants and started thinking about their needs? As I let my mind wonder a little I thought about the sacrifices I would be willing to make to offer my best to students who need it the most. This is when my heart changed.

At the beginning of January I started chasing these thoughts. My Dad and I, along with our church, prayed and fasted for 21 days. I had originally thought that through this fast I would be overwhelmed with answers and solutions. That was foolish. It was foolish to think this would be an easy decision or a quick process. It was a long battle that Satan fought hard at to win; I was confronted with doubt, insecurities, temptations, and what seemed like silence. Even though I was whole-heartedly seeking God’s direction, I felt like He wasn’t communicating with me. I didn’t hear any audible answers or have a vivid dream with any clear directions. And I never got that.  What I received was light, like a breeze. It was calm, like an emerald gulf wave. That peace I received wasn’t what I was looking for, but it was exactly what I needed. First Corinthians 3:16 says “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” And that’s completely how I felt, I felt like the answer came from within me and it had been there the whole time. There was never anything foreign, confusing, or even new about it. I was going overseas to be a missionary, and that was that.

Soon after the 21 days, a small Christian school in the Philippines found me. Faith International Academy educates the children of missionaries on the island and were in need of teachers for the upcoming school year. As it turns out, they were on the look out for me and I was on the look out for them. This school is in Davao City, located on the southern most island of the Philippines and I will be their primary kindergarten teacher next year. I look forward to treading on this new path God has laid out for me, and I’m excited that y’all will be embarking on that journey with me as well!

                                  Davao City, Davao Region, Philippines