I am writing this blog on a bus en route to Malaysia. That means ya’ll have missed out on a month of my life, and I am sorry about that. For the month of February, my squad was scattered throughout Thailand, with my team being in Phang Nga. Before arriving, we heard of our ministry and did a little research. We would be at Eagle’s Rest, a ministry which provides a place of respite for Asian missionaries and
pastors, as well as their families, who just need a break. A trend in our past
ministries has been relationship building. Each of my teammates, including
myself, are talkers and tend to build relationships fairly easy. Therefore, we
were excited about what this month would encompass.
We
arrived in the middle of the night, so after some much needed sleep we began
the morning over breakfast with our contacts Rommel
and Janene. They have
been married for six years, and God birthed the vision of Eagle’s Rest ministry
soon after. We started off our time of introduction with heartfelt prayer, and
I instantly felt something different about this place and these people. No
previous contact had begun our month with them in this way. Before they knew
anything about us, they began thanking God for the month we would have together
and how we were a blessing to their lives.
Both
Rommel and Janene had previously been married, with Rommel’s first wife passing
away due to cancer. From his first marriage he had four children, who were
raised in the Philippines, his home country. Janene is from Australia and has
children living there, each raising families of their own. Rommel’s children
live with he and Janene, and you would never know the things they went through
with their “first mother”, as they refer to her. This illustrates the
unconditional love these children have, as well as their indescribable faith in
God. The children illuminate Christ and are so special. They are each musically
gifted, as well as very intelligent. How driven each of them is, truly inspired
me all month long.
One of our nightly after-dinner hangout times with the family.
Colleen (16) plays the piano and sings like an
angel. She can hear a song and immediately teach it to herself on the keys. She
has such a servant’s heart and truly is an awesome older sister to her
siblings. She is wise way beyond her years and desires to know the hearts of
others. She is considering mission work in the future. Stephanie (14) is also musically gifted in a way I
have never seen. She plays the violin in a way that makes you sit in awe, and
again by teaching herself. She also has a voice that is so angelic. She aspires
to be a mother some day, because she loves taking care of people. Jeff (12) is the only boy in the family, bless
his heart. We were warned at the beginning of the month that Jeff would take a
while to warm up to us, but that after that, he won’t hush. Well, they were
right. Jeff is your typical twelve year old boy . . whether it’s America,
Philippines, or Thailand, they seem to be about all the same. Jeff adds to the
musicality of the family with his guitar skills, which are awesome! Nicole/Nikki (10) is such a special
girl. She has a unique voice, as do her sisters. However, she is also
interested in other forms of art and is a great drawer. She is so mature for
her age and so considerate and aware of other people at all times. It was a
blessing to have the opportunity to celebrate her 10th birthday with her our
last night with the family.
Our brother and sisters for the month.
Janene unfortunately began experiencing
symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) a few years ago, which takes all
energy from her. CFS leaves her feeling very tired at the least bit of physical
activity or at the end of a busy day. Despite this, she never let us do
without, always putting us first. The children, Rommel and Janene team up in a
way that is amazing to see. Their love, respect, and high honor they have for
one another is truly special. It was an honor to live alongside the family this
month, learning from just watching them communicate with one another. We came
to Thailand to bless this family and their ministry, and were in turn more
blessed than we could have ever dreamt. We learned what it looked like to be
true servants of the Lord, to love the body of believers without questions, and
to have a faith in God that can accomplish anything. In the midst of running all over
creation with Rommel, the best tour guide in Thailand, we had awesome
experiences where we totally saw God move. He worked through us as well as in
us in huge ways this month.
Rommel, our tour guide and father for the month.
