Vietnam is out. Philippines are in.

“Vietnam is out. Philippines are
in,” we’re told a week before we leave Africa.

“Be free” is a
common term in Africa. It means either “yes” or “no”
or “maybe” or is used in response to any direct
question.

“What
time should we come?”

Be free.

“Okay…
so in the morning or noon.

Be
free.

“Um…
yes but… when?”

Be free.

Sigh.
“See you at 8.”

For us, “Be free”,
while frustrating at times, is not the best way to live; it is the
only way.

With this in mind, I was excited about
the Philippines. My excitement grew after reading an email from our
contact: “You will have beds. On those beds will be a sheet. On
that sheet will be a top sheet. On that top sheet will be a pillow.
On that pillow will be a pillowcase. We have running water,
electricity and much more. Welcome to your favorite month of the
race.” We all cheer . It’s amazing how excited I become when I
hear words like “bed, sheet, electricity.”

We land in the Philippines and are
greeted with blueberry muffins, juice, water, chips and fruit. “Are
you kidding me?” “No,” Jake assures us. “I don’t want to take
any food, so you better eat it all. Now, who wants to drive?” I
think I’m going to like this Jake guy.

Jake flies with us to Cagayan de Oro,
Mindanao,the capital of the island where we will be spending the
month. We learn that we’ll be working at an orphanage that he helped
found. We get to the airport, meet another contact: Jeremy and his
wife Sarah, and then drive the two hours to the orphanage. On the
way, we stop at a bridge where they filmed a scene from Jurassic
Park. If you thought Jurassic Park was filmed in Costa Rica, you were
right. If you thought missionaries never lied, you were wrong.

On the way there, we tell Jeremy where
we’re from. I say, “Texas” and he begins to criticize my beloved
state. I immediately assume he’s from a small state. “Oregon” he
says. “Sounds about right, “I say, and we continue our
good-matured rivalry for the rest of the drive. “I think I’m going
to like this Jeremy guy,” I think to myself.

We arrive at our ministry site, which
is a couple of home-like structures, nestled in the small mountains.
It is significantly cooler here than anywhere I’ve been in a long
time. We have a delicious meal, with real coffee to follow it. Our
ministry this month: loving the kids. We have other things to do too,
but that’s our main focus. I think I’m going to like it here, I think
to myself.

I like the Philippines more and more
each day.

Every day is full. Our mornings
consist of hanging out with babies and kids while the guys do
construction. Our afternoons consist of traveling to feed hungry kids
bible stories and soy-meat balls. Our evenings consist of dinner and
crawling into bed, exhausted.

It’s been great, but man am I tired.

Highlights of my time here:

—-visiting a monastery.

—–Taking pictures at a banana
plantation

——-Defending the Alamo and Canada
in one discussion.

——–The Moody Family (our
contacts), despite, or maybe because of the sarcasm.

——— and Donald, who was
introduced as our bodyguard, but ended up just being a cool guy who
drove us around.

Also, I have fallen in love with a boy.
His name is Ian. He’s so happy all the time, and a great listener.
And he’s adorable. I would love to take him home with me, but
apparently that’s called kid-napping and the race might be a little
difficult with a seven-month old in tow.

Next month: Cambodia- not sure where,
what, or really even when, but here’s to another adventure.

Until we meet again, my friends, “Be
Free.”