GPG

International Justice Mission (IJM) has graciously offered to feature MRH at their annual conference called the "Global Prayer Gathering" (GPG) To represent us on this day, Bethany Williams (Communications Fellow at IJM) assisted our MRH staff with the ideas and materials necessary to make a miniature landscape of what our new property will look like after construction is completed.

It's pretty amazing what plaster of paris and some creativity can produce. Can you see the miniature cars in the parking lot? We had a great time putting this together... although, I'll be honest, as the least creative person on the team I mostly just painted things that other people made. Thanks again Bethany and IJM!

If you have a chance to go to the GPG in Washington D.C. at the end of April, pay a visit to the MRH booth and say a prayer for us.

Good Morning

Language is the heart of a culture, any culture. As my awareness and understanding of Cebuano culture grows, I have the privilege of observing behaviors that, at times, delight me. Other times the things I observe astound me, but whichever reaction is elicited I'm consistently learning.

I began to observe that if I greeted someone without wishing them a Good Morning (or afternoon, or evening, depending on the time of day) they would find a way to stick the phrase into the conversation, either at the end or beginning. No matter how short the conversation or how trivial the topic, there was usually a Good Morning it is somewhere-- even over text message! At first I thought this was funny. Then I began to realize I was offending people by not starting off the conversation that way.

From what I can tell, Good Morning or "Maayong Buntag" is almost like a wish or a prayer for someone's day and life. And if you don't say it, it is almost disrespectful. If you don't like someone, you talk to them without letting them hear that you wish well for them. It's the same when you leave someone. You say Take Care or "Ayow Ayow" as you are leaving, as a genuine wish and prayer for them as they leave.

But my favorite part of this tradition is when people pray. Many times, they will begin the prayer by saying "Lord... Good Morning Lord." And it has such an intimate quality about it that I often smile when I hear someone pray that way. It's like saying "Lord, I love you and respect you and want you to know that I would never come to you or ask anything from you if you didn't already know that."

It makes me think I should tell God "Good Morning" more often.

Early Morning in Pasil, Cebu
Photo Credit: Amy Collins

Week 10

Week 10 and counting... our house is almost a home!

Week 8

Our construction is continuing to forge along at a steady pace. The wheels are in motion for completion, and if all continues according to plan, we will open our doors by the first week of May!

Week 6

Our construction team has just started their sixth week of construction! The building is beginning to look as if it will actually become a functional building and my hopes are started to get high for the time when we will see girls living there!

My increasingly large list of jobs I never thought I would have has "Project Manager" at the top. But I am learning from it, and the people I've found to work for the project are an incredible asset. They each believe in our ministry and understand the time crunch we are under to get the building completed. As a result, we might actually finish BEFORE the deadline. (If any of you know Philippine culture, you can appreciate how truly astounding that thought is!!)

Anyway, I wanted to show all of our faithful supporters what the progress looks like thus far, I know it's been awhile since I updated.

This first building (and phase one of our construction project) is our "Transition House." Eventually, when  the rest of our facility is built, it will be used as a home for older girls and women who don't have a safe or appropriate home to reintegrate into. Girls can use this home as a base while they finish their education or get a job to save money for when they move out on their own.

At first, this building will be used as the center of our entire program. It will give us space to set up two "families" of 5-6 girls each. Each "Family" will have it's own house mothers so that when the lower campus is finished, they can transfer directly into the small bungalows that will be built for that purpose.

If you want to learn more about our program, you can view this interview I did for our partner organization "Conspiracy of Hope."

Thanks for all your prayers and support!

Oh the habits...

I've recently begun to realize that some of my habits scream loudly that I don't live in the US anymore. If you care to learn more about them, here goes...

1. When I drive, my hand is constantly resting on my horn, at all times, just in case a goat or a child or another car decide to jump out in front of me.

2. Sometimes, when I throw things away (like a pen that doesn't work, or a shampoo bottle) I find myself wondering how the scavenger that digs it out will use it. Sometimes I even throw things away that aren't QUITE garbage yet and say to myself "that's going to make somebody's day."

3. I usually only eat about 1/2 cup rice at a meal. I can never eat less than 1 cup without receiving comments about being on a diet though.

4. When I'm in the states, I have to stop myself from throwing my toilet paper in the garbage. I am usually perplexed when there is no trash can next to the toilet.

5. Today I wore a scarf because it was "cold." It might have gotten down to 70 degrees (f). Probably not though.

6. In the mornings before my alarm goes off, I will usually turn off the fan and wrap myself in a blanket for 30min-1 hour in order to get warm enough  to stand the cold shower I have to get in before I leave for work.

7. I've become a fan of 3-in-1 (coffee), and I actually call it "coffee."

8. I no longer am surprised when pets eat rice.

9. I will postpone life events if it rains.

10. I will take every opportunity I can to eat with my hands (it's only really fun if it's Filipino food though).

I'm sure there are more, but that's all I can come up with off the top of my head.

So Many Thanks

This Christmas has been a whirlwind of seeing delightful people and being shocked by generosity; over and over and over again. I have a lot to be thankful for this year.

It would be too time consuming to list everyone here who has amazed me, so instead I'm going to tell a story.

I work really closely with a Pastor named Noel, and his wife, Lois. Pastor Noel has been a God-sent, over and over again, especially as I've tried to wade through construction and legal decisions concerning My Refuge House and our new property. In Mid-November, they called me and informed me that Lois's niece, Rejoice, was in the hospital. They asked if I could donate blood, and if I knew of anyone else who could donate blood to off-set some of the hospital bill. So I started asking friends if they could also donate blood.

Rejoice after her Surgery

Let me just preface this to say, I've been in the Philippines long enough to know that there are a never ending amount of needs that come up, and I rarely ask people for help, especially financial assistance. But Pastor Noel has been such an amazing help to the ministry of MRH, that I had to help, even if it was just donating blood. Pastor Noel's niece, Rejoice, has a condition called "Arteriovenous Malformation." It's a condition that certain people are born with, and usually go through their entire life without having any complications. In Rejoice's case, the condition had caused her nerves to sever in her jaw, and she would bleed, literally liters of blood. Without Surgery, Rejoice risked bleeding to death. Her family had given all the money they had, and even sold property to pay for the bills, but the bills were just too high, and they couldn't do anything more to help. They were faced with having to send Rejoice home, without the surgery, to eventually bleed to death. 

My friends, my little family in Cebu, saw the situation, and jumped up to help. In fact, when I left for the states, they continued to make sure that everything was in place and even fronted the cost for this very expensive medical procedure. That, along with the generous donations I received from other people who've been touched by Pastor Noel, literally saved the life of Rejoice. You can read all about the rest of the details on my friend's blogs:

Lindsey: http://www.lindsayincebu.blogspot.com
Bethany:http://failingtofindsuccess.blogspot.com/
Amy:http://amylouiseco.blogspot.com

Merry Christmas Everyone. I hope you are thankful for you health, for your life, and for the people that surround you. Most importantly, I hope you were able to make a difference in someone's life this year.

Here's a Christmas "Family Photo" of my Little Cebu Family (minus me, I was already on my way to the states).
Left to Right: Bethany, Francis, Lindsay, Ali and Amy

The anatomy of a fence

So, I don't know much about construction, on any continent.  But from what I've observed, the process in the Philippines is a bit different than in the US. Here's pictorial documentation of the process of our fence being constructed. Enjoy!

Chatter Mag

I recently wrote an article for Chatter Magazine (A publication of Irving Bible Church)

Thanks Chatter Mag and IBC for being so faithful in partnering with us in our fight against human trafficking! Read the article here: http://www.chattermag.com/trafficking-in-the-philippines/

or here:

The facts are staggering. But the reality is much worse. The reality is there are individuals in the Philippines — women, girls, even men and boys at times — whose lives have been given so little regard that they now consider themselves worth nothing more than for what they are bought or sold. Individuals with dreams like finishing school and being happily married now believe they never have the hope of attaining their dreams.

So what about this conglomeration of more than 7,000 islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean makes it susceptible to human trafficking? Although some of the most beautiful island destinations in the world can be found here, so can extreme amounts of abject poverty. With 26 percent of families (many of which have more than five children) living on less than $300 a year, desperation is bound to exist.

However, not all impoverished nations have such high numbers of trafficking victims. Trafficking exists where it is not prosecuted, and the Philippines have historically turned a blind eye to this atrocity. However, new efforts are arising, including a three year partnership signed on August 19, 2010, between the Philippine government and U.S. government for better investigation, prosecution and conviction of human traffickers.

However, even with the renewed efforts of the government, there is a shortage of places victims, once rescued, can go to find protection or support to start a new life. According to the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2010, “The government’s capacity to provide shelter and protection is severely limited due to inadequate budgets, and there are regular instances where victims are unable to access government protection services.”

My Refuge House (MRH) started in 2008 to help meet the need for victims to experience safety in the midst of turmoil. Since that time, more than 20 young women have found hope and healing through its short term rehabilitation program. Hope for achieving their dreams again. And healing to believe they are worth more than what some person decided they should be worth.

One former victim said she liked MRH because the staff taught her how to read and she knew she would never go hungry while she was there. Another said she appreciated the staff for being so caring and understanding of her situation. Both girls have moved on, pursuing those dreams that seemed so far out of reach last year.

My Refuge House has begun construction on a new facility but is still in the process of raising money for the completion of that facility. The rental facility previously used, can no longer meet the needs of the program. Please consider partnering with this ministry and helping others, like the girls mentioned in this story, find hope and healing in their lives.

Salamat (Thank you)

I wanted to share a letter one of the girls made for all the staff at My Refuge House right before she left. It is a thank you poster. In summary, it says "Thank you for teaching me how to read and write, and thank you for loving me even when I had a very bad attitude."

One life at a time.