Settling in

Still no internet at our place so we must go to an internet cafe which is why we haven't updated much. Here's some highlights of our last several days, maybe later we'll get around to posting some photos...
On Thursday, we watched the Independence Day parade. Ironic to be standing there as it celebrates their independence from the U.S. Who knows what they said about us ...

Thursday evening I joined in the meeting with the Student Sponsorship Ministry (SSM) students. I am looking forward to my role in discipling four of the young ladies. The five of us will gather each week and I will be meeting one-on-one with each of the girls. Two of the girls I already knew from last year and are favorites with our girls.

Friday we finally made it to the park. The rain had kept us away before. The rainy season has begun. It rains most afternoons. Unfortunately the gate was locked and a sign posted says it will be closed for a month because they planted grass.

Saturday was home improvement project day. Thomas helped Frank, our landlord, and two of his students build kitchen cabinets for our kitchen. No power tools, just hand tools with Filipino muscle. They did most of the work, Thomas was ready to help but wasn't permitted to do much. They are still needing painted before they can be hung. We don't want any unfinished wood as they had to remove our kitchen table as it was infested with termites.

Later Thomas helped/watched Frank install a shower head water heater. It is nice to have warm showers again.

Sunday we attended our first (entire) church service since arriving in the Philippines. The pastor is one of our fellow YWAMers. It was a gathering of about 25 young people and then there was Thomas and me. Of course everyone here thinks I'm much younger than I am but don't seem to make the same mistake with him. We enjoyed the service and the fellowship that followed as we ate lunch together. They eat together every Sunday. We were told it is the only service in English in Bontoc. We are hoping to start our language studies soon.

Experienced our first brown-out, as yesterday Bontoc was without power for about 8 hours. No power, no water for us as we need a pump to bring water from the ground level to our place on the second floor.

Yesterday, Rufina helped me make my first successful pot of rice!

Lisa