Woodfest

from the heart of a friend who aches with the loss of a friend

2007-01-21T23:18:00.000-05:00

This is from my friend Bobby Jo. I want to see beyond what is so commonly first seen.Let me tell you about Gerry. Gerry has spent half of his life (literally) in jail. He went in to juvy at a young teen, and basically never came out. Ok, three months here or there, but basically locked up. Why? Because Gerry was a very violent person. He almost killed a person, he beat someone else so bad they

visioning

2006-12-14T21:59:00.000-05:00

a wonderful flow of thoughts that inspired me as it came across my email from a midwife in Quebec... Jennie Stonier"I actually love that the notion of exploring visions...my only objection to the word "vision" is that it is static....it is like the difference between knowing and knowledge. When we write things down and articulate them, knowing becomes knowledge. Not that this is by any means bad

READ the BLOG BELOW

2006-12-14T01:20:00.000-05:00

Even though the blog below is long, the story is INCREDIBLE!!This story will speak to you to your core and about the incredible resolve to align one's life and actions to the example of Jesus, to lay down her own life to give other's the chance to live. My dear friend and mentor, Vicki Penwell.

Vicki Penwell Survives Ferry Sinking in Philippine Seas

2006-12-14T01:12:00.000-05:00

Latest Update from the Penwells: Yes, you read right. Here is what happened. I left White Beach alone to go to Manila and meet the Medic team coming back from outreach the day after our island was pounded by the second big typhoon since December 1st. Scott put me on the boat, and we both wondered aloud to each other about how many people were

Special Olympics

2006-12-05T21:42:00.000-05:00

Did you know that Elijah is a Special Olympic athlete!! He trains every Thursday night at Sargent Park pool! You should see the kid swim (but only if his goggles fit right!) I got this in the inbox.Please join us on Saturday, December 9th, from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (EST) for Special Olympics Day on TSN. Special Olympics Day on TSN is a 2 hour live show honouring the inspirational

About this blog

2006-12-05T21:30:00.000-05:00

So obviously I am not a consistent blog writer since re-joining the Canadian rat race of work, church, social commitments, and driving around in a van trying to stay on schedule. I am trying to reflect, look outside myself, align myself with teachings of Jesus, recognize the presence of God in others, in the physical and the spiritual. I am trying not to get obsessed with things, buying things,

Fragile What?

2006-07-04T00:50:00.000-04:00

By Mary Beth Langan and Sally Nantais Although Fragile X Syndrome is the most common known cause of inherited cognitive impairment, the up-to-date name for mental retardation, the average person has not heard of Fragile X Syndrome. The average health professional has very little knowledge, or dated knowledge, of Fragile X Syndrome. Until our children were diagnosed, we were average people

Rik Leaf

2006-06-23T02:08:00.000-04:00

I have been intending to write a review of Rik's latest album "Now is the winter of my discontent". The lyrics are inspiring, dream provoking, quotable. Rik sent us a CD while we were in Manila and it gave us vision on days we felt lost. There is Rik Leaf concert this Saturday night at the Park Theatre. Doors open at 8pm. COME! I am really looking forward to a night of dancing, friends and

Spirited Energy: God moves

2006-06-19T00:10:00.000-04:00

Manitoba has a new slogan: Spirited EnergyDid you know that Manitoba means : The Creator moves(Manitou Ba)We were thinking about making a little sticker for our new license plates covering the "spirited" with the word "spiritual".What ideas does the phrase "spiritual energy" bring?Both words are full of life.Not physical nor touchable things.Holyexcitinglife givingnot boring or exhaustedon the

451 Alfred

2006-06-10T01:07:00.000-04:00

For any one out there who was a part of our School of Justice community in 2001-02 and spent time in 451 Alfred, the big house we rented for our girls, I just happened to go in there yesterday. One of the families I am working with just moved in. It has been re-done and very beautiful. I walked around this freshly painted, totally clean house with reno-d bathrooms. I kept thinking about the

only in Canada...

2006-06-10T00:47:00.000-04:00

Judy Wasylicia-Leis, my local member of parliament, our representative in the government of Canada, is putting forth a private members bill called the "Tampon Tax". To propose that we no longer pay a tax on tampons and menstrual products.This sounds fair. But I have to slightly snicker as I think about a large formal room in Ottawa, full of mostly older men in suits, some women, taking a moment

everyone always wants to know...

2006-06-08T23:24:00.000-04:00

... so how's the culture shock?I don't know if we've had a real experience of any sort of shock really. The kids adapted so fast, it was definately Andy and I who had more adjustments to make but I don't really think we were shocked by the culture so much. Sometimes we feel slightly disgusted by the general culture (the wealth, the things we make a big deal about here, the news, the over

2006-06-01T00:38:00.000-04:00

Oh yeah another weird thing about blogging from Winnipeg is that now I might have to talk with people about what I've written about, in person with people. Usually this is great, but suddenly it feels like it could potentially be slightly awkward... oh exposing the self....

RE-defining

2006-06-01T00:13:00.000-04:00

I have to redefine my blog writing. Look for the stories in life in the peg. (I love calling Winnipeg "the peg"). Andy's mom said she was feeling loss from not living vicariously through our blog. Hmmm, I will have to dig a little for the exotic parts of my day and put them up on the screen. Like today for example, I was at the office reading a book about charting in medical records. "

Mother's Day: Praying for Women Around the World

2006-05-14T02:10:00.000-04:00

I'm sharing this morning at my parent's church here in Plattsville. Here's what I'm going to say. I always get worried that I'll be schmaltzy or something like that, but really all I want to do is build awareness, call people to pray, and send their friends, maybe themselves to get trained and serve the global poor.I’m Beckie Wood. I’m a midwife. My family and I have just returned from a year

Waxy Nipples

2006-05-11T12:17:00.000-04:00

I am feeling very ready to be back in Winnipeg now. I have been in between for about 10 days now, and I am feeling antsy.Keeping my interest here is Bess, my brother's Clydesdale horse pacing in the back field. She should give birth anytime now. Her nipples are waxy. Apparently the "sign" for horses. She seems slightly agitated. We are hoping all to be awake tonight to see the birth!

not forgetting

2006-05-09T07:29:00.000-04:00

Asher is playing in the dirt. Elijah is riding his bike all around. Grace is on a horse, trotting around in the back field. The sun is shining. The air is clear. Grace has been eating her food with a spoon and fork. She's holding on to little things from the Philippines.I keep thinking about little cement alley ways, crowded with people, laundry hanging everywhere, water dripping on my head

My Life as a Folk Festival

2006-05-04T17:42:00.000-04:00

I've been trying to get a feel for living in Canada again. I was listenting to the CBC today as I drove around doing errands, buying 2 winter coats from value village, stopping at Tim Horton's and looking out at the farm fields and the encroaching suburbia of southern Ontario. How's that for trying assimilate?I heard some Canadian folk-ish music. It reminded me of being at a folk festival,

Sausages and Perogies

2006-05-01T22:04:00.000-04:00

We made it from Manila to Tai Pei. Stayed in a day rest room for 6 hours before getting kicked out just as the kids were falling asleep at 9 pm. At midnight we boarded the plane to Canada. We slept most of the way and watched a few movies. After 12 hours of flying we landed in Vancouver. We gathered our baggage, went through customs and put it in storage for the night. Our friend Mike Davies

Last Philippine Post

2006-04-29T19:21:00.000-04:00

Well here it is... my how a year flies by. Beckie and the kids leave in 2 hours and Nathan and I leave in 24 hours. We will miss everyone we have met and grown to love here. We have made many dear friends and gained quite a few heros too! You guys truly are amazing and it has been an honour to know and work with you. For those of you in Winnipeg... we'll see you soon (mid May)!

Moving On

2006-04-27T22:08:00.000-04:00

Only two more sleeps til we're on the plane!! I can't believe it. We went to the beach yesterday- to say "good bye". Nathan came the other night. We've been talking a lot about Winnipeg and it is making us feel more connected there. It makes it seem like we are going through a transition, rather than an abrupt change. Today we'll be meeting with Vicki and start laying down some plans

Saying Good bye

2006-04-24T07:44:00.001-04:00

I am feeling much more ready to come back to Canada. We are saying good bye these days; doing all our favorite things one last time; seeing all of our friends for one more gathering of friendship and fun. A big old cockroach climbed into one of our suitcases that was almost packed up. I was going to try to find it, but Andy said it would die in the cold of the airplane cargo area. I thought

Bittersweet

2006-04-14T21:27:00.000-04:00

In exactly 2 weeks Beckie and the kids will be leaving these beautiful islands. In 2 weeks and 2 days I will be doing the same. It is hard to believe that it will have been 364 days since we first landed here. It is very hard to explain and begin to process much of what has happened here for us and in us. Much of what we held dear before we came, we still hold dear... being with the poor,

TIny baby stories

2006-04-09T08:59:00.000-04:00

I really have to write a better description of this story, but for now here is the free-write version...I had another one of those totally surreal days while I was working at the clinic yesterday. The bell rang loud and long at about 11am, we could the low drone of a tricycle (the motorcycle with the sidecar). One of the midwives ran out to the gate, a woman was crying, and she wouldn't move.

40 laps

2006-04-02T12:45:00.000-04:00

I swam 40 laps (2 kms) in 50 minuts today! I started off in my own lane. After about 2 laps I suddenly was inundated by 8 other swimmers in my lane. They churned the water all around me as their sleek bodies whizzed by. Eventually they asked me to move to the slow lane. Well... at least they pulled out the competetive side of me (not too hard to do) and enabled me to beat my record! Maybe

What's in a home?

2006-04-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

When Grace was little and there was a time where we moving around or visiting or camping, being vagabonds of one sort or another, she asked me where we were going to sleep that night. I said, at home. "Where's home tonight?" was her inquiry. "Home is where you put your pillow down". I think I said. I have been reflecting on the idea of "home". It isn't just where you put your pillow down.

March Newsletter

2006-03-27T11:34:00.000-04:00

Just sent our a March Update. If you didn't recieve it, and want to, send us your email address and we'll be happy to add you to our list.

New Pictures

2006-03-26T03:15:00.000-04:00

I just uploaded 27 new pictures to our photo album... click on the link to the right to see all of them. Here are a few appetizers though...This is most of the Mercy In Action Staff and Students in Manila. Some of our Filipina midwives and helpers are missing from this picture because it was taken in the evening.Asher enjoying being with his friends during Mandaluyong day parade a few weeks

I'm It

2006-03-24T04:58:00.000-04:00

Ok, Ok, I'm it.4 Jobs I've Had1. Mental Health Crisis Worker2. Greyhound Station Attendant3. Newspaper Boy4. Tree planter & Tree salesman4 Shows/ Movies I've been addicted to1. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (via internet)2. Corner Gas3. The National (via internet... a boring addiction, i admit)4. American Idol (I don't like much of what this show stands for, but hey, it's fun to pretend that I

Yeah, Beckie wants to play

2006-03-21T06:32:00.000-04:00

Cheryl informed me that I should get on it and respond to the blog tagging rather than sitting on the swing in my own little world.4 Jobs I've Had1. Midwife2. Lifeguard3. Residential Care worker4. Tree planter4 Shows/ Movies I've been addicted to1. Corner Gas2. American and Canadian Idol (under the influence of Grace)3. Friends4. Whose line is it anyway? (10 pm reruns on CTV)4 Countries I'd Like

rolling down the hill

2006-03-21T06:20:00.000-04:00

Sorry it's been so long.I am feeling sad about leaving here. EXCITED about coming home, but feeling like I am already saying good bye to this place and I am not quite ready. I am sure we'll be back, but it is sad to say good bye. If you read some of the comments on our posts and notice many "I miss Manila" notes from Beth, you can tell that this place certainly stays in your bones. Yesterday

Staying Cool Tip #2

2006-03-15T10:38:00.000-04:00

Take water. Freeze it. Put it in pants.

Staying Cool Tip

2006-03-09T11:08:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered a great strategy for staying cool in an increasingly hot climate. I put my deodorant in the fridge. Granted, it only really cools for about 30 seconds after it is applied, but it is a glorious 30 seconds, fully refreshing the pits. It also keeps the stick from melting... very useful.

Poems By Us

2006-03-07T23:00:00.001-04:00

Limericks Flash Saves the Day By Elijah There once was a dog named Flash,To the rescue he would dash When a house fell down,He saved a clownHe was rewarded tons of

Google Earth

2006-03-06T20:38:00.000-04:00

If you have Google Earth (free online satelite imagery of the entire world with astonishing clarity) you can find us at the following coordinates:14 35'26.21" N121 01'59.34" EA little to the West and North is a huge golf course... very fancy and expensive.A little to the West and South are two nondescript brown sections beside some other green. The brown is welfareville. Alot smaller than the

Free Culture

2006-03-05T22:54:00.000-04:00

There is something about free cultural events that always attract us. It doesn't matter where we are living, we always seem to find them. I'm not sure if it is a great desire to feel cultured, a quest for entertainment or the word "free".Last night the Ballet in the Park found us willing and happy patrons. Normally one would not expect to have to deal with little children plying the crowd

Tighties

2006-03-04T21:00:00.000-04:00

Ok... here's a deep one for you (my specialty). This morning I decided to go swimming at a pool we recently found. It is a 50m long lap pool. Lots of racers and professional work-out sorts. No fun stuff... just heart pounding lengths. I figured that I need to get my heart pumping strong since in May I will be going from sea level to 12,000 feet above sea level to trek to 11 churches in Nepal

Ever more conscious

2006-03-03T04:42:00.000-04:00

Here is one of those wrestles that is difficult to come to terms with and find a peacable answer. I like to have a clean bathroom. In fact, there were a few weeks, when we first arrived here, when my emotions were in quite a tizzy and the bathroom with its dirty, uncleanable tiles and endless supply of cockroach holes were pushing me way over the edge. So Andy retiled the bathroom. I bought a

Fragility

2006-03-03T04:17:00.000-04:00

I just finished writing out some questions for Grace to answer from Philippians 4. What does Paul instruct us to be in this chapter?Be joyful. Be gentle. Don't worry. Fix your eyes on what is true, right and lovely.I needed this reminder. Yesterday I was worried, I wasn't that nice and joy wasn't near me. So today, I resolve to fix my eyes on what is true, right and lovely.My heart was broken

State of Emergency Continued

2006-03-01T23:03:00.000-04:00

The country continues to be a state of emergency although the visible protests and rallies have all but disappeared. This state of emergency makes provisions for the president (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo or GMA) to take control of or limit media outlets and arrest people without warrants. She said there were real threats to her presidency and that there were some junior members of her military

Protesting

2006-02-25T02:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of People Power in the Philippines. The only peaceful overthrow of a government in the history of the world!!!, when hundreds of thousands of people protested down a major highway, as the Marcos dictatorship crumbled and the chief of the police changed sides, to be on the side of the people. (My poor interpretion of history in that last sentence will

A joust I have resisted until now

2006-02-23T04:00:00.000-04:00

I have resisted... all this time I have not rubbed our weather in the faces of those from colder climates... until now. I'm slowly melting as we climb out of "winter" and straight into the boiling tropical pot of summer. Winter was chilly when it dipped down to 19 degrees one night... but now... oh my gosh... and with the humidity. All I can say is I'm glad we are going back to Winnipeg in May

Another Tradgedy... This time in Mud

2006-02-19T09:09:00.000-04:00

Please pray. A mountain colapsed on a town of about 2000 people on Friday morning. 1,800 are missing and feared dead. Heavy rains, and illegal logging combined with a small tremor caused a side of the mountian to literally slide down, spilling mud and large boulders onto the town below. There was a school with 250 children in it. Rescuers cannot get to the school because the mud is so deep

Sunday morning

2006-02-18T21:30:00.000-04:00

It's Sunday morning. Grace just came down the stairs, and said "you can tell when a book is getting old when the front and back cover fall off", as she held Prince Caspian up and is lounging on the couch. She usually has about 3 books on the go, one of which has been a Narnian book. She said three good novels keep things interesting, no chance of boredome. She is also into a series called the

We're Back

2006-02-16T11:19:00.000-04:00

We just got back from Davao this afternoon. Although it is only a short flight it really is a world away. There are approximately 1.5 million people in Davao (800,000 of them under 18) but it felt like a town. Things were cheaper, cleaner, greener, friendlier and generally slower. Crazy what Manila can do to one's perspective. It was great to reconnect with some old friends (YWAM days in

Off to Davao

2006-02-09T19:38:00.000-04:00

We are off to Davao for a few days. Davao would be like Manila if you replace the people with fruit. We lived there the last time we were here in the Philippines in 1998. It is in the far south. We are going to visit friends and have a day or two at the beach.

Flat Stanley

2006-02-07T11:02:00.000-04:00

We had a visitor recently. Flat Stanley is a friend of our Cousin Ethan from Fort St. John, BC. He was alot of fun... we toured him around.Enjoying a Cola-riffic refreshment.Interesting. Flat Stanley had never seen a sqatter settlement before. He was amazed at the conditions many people in the world live in!Stanley insisted on taking this picture... what a ham!This is Stanley in a downpour

Tragedy in Manila

2006-02-05T09:13:00.000-04:00

On Saturday morning close to 100 people were trampled to death in a line up to get into a game show and another 300 people were injured. What I have heard is that there is show called Wowowee, it is on everyday for 2 hours over the lunch hour and EVERYBODY watches it. Grace and I watched it once, while getting Asher's haircut. The audience if full of average filipino people, they randomly call

Preach it, Bono

2006-02-03T21:57:00.000-04:00

Sections of an address Bono (fron U2) gave at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington....A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life. In countless ways, large and small, I was always seeking the Lord's blessing. I was saying, you know, I have a new song, look after it. I have a family, please look after them. I have this crazy idea...And this wise man said: stop.He said, stop

40.5 pesos

2006-02-01T12:47:00.000-04:00

I was waiting for Beckie in a four-car parking lot outside a drug store. There I met a wonderful little boy and his brother. Reginald was, I would guess, about 5 years old and his brother a not more than 8. They were giggling and laughing and playing hopscotch on the tiles in the sidwalk outside the store. The guards didn't seem to mind (often they sho homeless kids away). I thought that the

Fighting for Life

2006-01-31T11:01:00.000-04:00

Our emotions have been stretched over the last week. Fighting for life on all fronts.On one front a 14 month old little girl, Cassandra, lay on a hospital bed, intubated with a ventilator into her lungs, with pneumonia, asthma and primary complex TB for the last 5 days. Poverty and malnutrition were the real cause. If a group of us had not been there, to ensure that meds were bought and a bed

Happy Birthday Beckie!!!

2006-01-31T08:54:00.000-04:00

A sunny and very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the best mom and most wonderful babe in the whold wide world!!!

A Woody Sacrifice

2006-01-27T21:26:00.000-04:00

When we were packing up our house on Machray Ave. we had to get rid of alot of stuff. You know how space + time = space filled with stuff. Well, that was our house. I felt attatched to much of it and quite attatched to some of it. My plants were part of what I felt quite attatched to. I had nutured them and tended many of them since we first moved to Winnipeg in 1998. I am a slight closet

Forgiveness... again

2006-01-25T09:37:00.000-04:00

I talked myself out of yet another traffic violation last night. The clincher... I asked for forgiveness!It was genuine! And my mistake was honest. Incredible.See original post.

New Students

2006-01-24T04:11:00.000-04:00

New students are joining our community here. Seven midwife students and a family with three kids (ages 7, 4, 2), and about 8 medic students who come to Manila from time to time over the next few months as they work around Luzon. It is a time of great emotion. The stress of the heat, adjusting to the smells, close living quarters, intensity of the community and the work, trying to figure out

Ragamuffin Revisited

2006-01-24T03:28:00.000-04:00

So I went back to that Ragamuffin Gospel book and skimmed through it.Living in community sure has made me come face to face with myself and the things I portray, my attitudes, the harshness I can have, the lack of character at times... you know all that stuff we have to face that I could continue confessing for a long time... but the point is:I was overwhelmed by love an grace. Over and over

St. Patrick's Prayer

2006-01-22T10:15:00.000-04:00

I've been reading "How the Irish Saved Civilization". It is a strange read, living in Asia, and despite the apparent arrogance of the title (perhaps a better one would read "How the Irish Saved Wetern Civilization") I am enjoying it quite thoroughly. I especially enjoyed being reaquainted with the following prayer of Patrick (of St. Patrick's day fame).I arise todayThrough a mighty strength,

Streets and People

2006-01-21T09:10:00.000-04:00

Today I sat outside on the street for a quite a few hours. Asher was chasing kids in the alley and making water balloons. Elijah was playing basketball by himself and occassionally with another boy. Grace was playing badminton with Sonny, a neighbour. She was laughing, making jokes. It made me feel so much peace, a part of the neighbourhood.Common space is crucial for community. I remember

crash into grace, reading new people

2006-01-18T11:02:00.000-04:00

Our computer kept crashing on us. We were really worried the fixing process would take a month and nobody would call us. But amazingly enough it took only 24 hours and apparently we got all new insides on it. warranty. We have faith in Manila again.I finished a book called the Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat Up and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning. It was a chugger for me

Stopping to Smile

2006-01-14T05:19:00.000-04:00

I find that my Canadian sensibilities are continually being violated... sometimes to humourous effect.One day I was driving down a major road on my motorcycle. It helps to know that my motorcycle is a little 110cc Honda... i.e. small and insignificant. I bought it with a friend because it is a great way to get around. I can zoom in and out of traffic and usually get to my destination much

Happy 9th Birthday Elijah!

2006-01-12T22:50:00.000-04:00

My "Americanisms"

2006-01-10T19:52:00.000-04:00

Andy started a blog last night on starting to "get the culture here". He didn't finish the post and I hope he does today. But here is my contrasting blog. I used to sort of pride myself in thinking that I was good at being culturally sensitive, understanding other cultures, fitting in etc. Lately, right in my face I have been faced with all my "Americanisms". I guess I could say "North

A Very Special Birthday

2006-01-07T08:41:00.000-04:00

This is a great little movie by our cousin (my wife's cousin on her dad's side's husband) Mike. He is working on his doctorate of film studies at U of M. It's fun to have a cousin on on your wife's dad's side's husband to brag about because he won't!Good job, Mike, I like it!Watch it here.

Sonia Lavictoire

2006-01-04T19:33:00.000-04:00

A wonderful woman, Sonia Lavictoire, died in a tragic car accident on Jan 1. Sonia lived outside Selkirk and was very involved in childbirth in Winnipeg. She was one of Deanna Momtchilov's doula partners at Birthroots. She was one of the most encouraging women I know. Always with a smile, considering possibilities, making everyone in the room feel loved and cared for. I always wanted to know

They're not used to people who are different

2006-01-03T19:20:00.000-04:00

Grace, Ash and I were walking down the street yesterday, on the way to visit a new mom and baby and family. One group of young people said something to us in Tagalog, we didn't understand and they laughed. I said to Grace, "Sometimes I am relieved I don't know the language that well". A few more people called out "hey Jo" to us. A few blocks down, a bunch of kids and their dad all pointed at

New Years Eve

2006-01-02T19:01:00.000-04:00

If our Christmas was relaxed and quiet here, our New Years Eve was another story. There were more fire crackers and fire works and boom boom contraptions than I thought possible in one area and apparently our street was "mild" in comparison to other areas. It was quite amazing. We had a bbq in the evening. Andy was then invited to all the groups of neighbourhood men who were sitting

Our Christmas

2005-12-29T04:59:00.000-04:00

I just read Lanney's blog and she did a great job telling of our Christmas together. Go to her blog and she'll tell you everything!!! www.lanney.blogspot.com

Fun with Lanney

2005-12-28T21:46:00.000-04:00

Lanney, a friend from Winnipeg who used to live with us and who now lives in South Korea, came and visited us for 10 days over Christmas. It was great! Thanks for coming Lanney!I just posted more pics. Click here to see them.

Peace on Earth? Increasingly, Yes.

2005-12-28T20:36:00.000-04:00

This in an excerpt from an article in the Washington Post yesterday by Andrew Mack:"It is not surprising that most people believe global violence is increasing. However, most people, including many leading policymakers and scholars, are wrong. The reality is that, since the end of the Cold War, armed conflict and nearly all other forms of political violence have decreased. The world is far more

So how then shall we live?

2005-12-27T11:32:00.000-04:00

Lanney took us out to supper tonight. We went out to this grossly poshe mall in Makati- Greenbelt. The kids chose the restaurant- We ate at "Bubba Gump's". A restaurant based on the Forrest Gump movie. The kids loved the french fries, the shrimp was really yummy. Elijah said it reminded him of Perkins, the french fries anyway. (and Perkins reminded me of my Gramma who died one year ago

Home

2005-12-27T11:25:00.000-04:00

This morning I felt a real sense of missing home, deep inside me. Not home in the locational sense, but family and friends. I woke at 6 and just realized where I am and what's around and whose not. So family and friends, I really miss you. Of course I love it here too and then later today, I realized that we have been here almost 8 months and I feel like we are just skimming the surface in our

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T09:12:00.000-04:00

The Macaque Attack!

2005-12-23T09:37:00.000-04:00

Watch out for those monkeys...

TIme to Get out for a Few Days

2005-12-18T18:41:00.000-04:00

We cleaned the house two days ago. There was an inch of soot on all the walls. Okay, that's a bit of an exageration but it was SO BLACK. I wonder how our lungs are coping from all this pollution.Lanney arrived yesterday. It is so fun to be with someone with a shared history. We are off to relax in a nepa hut by the beach for the next few days. Yesterday we went to Mega Mall and then Welfareville

Sitting on our Stoop

2005-12-15T20:08:00.000-04:00

Andy and I were sitting on our front step last night around midnight. Talking, dreaming, enjoying a bit of cooler air. We have a little area about 5 feet by 10 feet surrounded in a metal gate. There is usually a truck or something parked in front of our gate on street.In the course of half an hour, four passerbyers, took the opportunity to void (urinate, pee, relieve themselves, whatever you

Such Polite Boys

2005-12-12T22:01:00.000-04:00

Ash and Elijah discovered last night, while we were at a friends place for a Blue Marlin & Tuna belly BBQ, some new cultural etiquette. They learned, with great glee, that burping can be a sign of pleasure taken in what one has just consumed.All of a sudden we have two extremely polite boys!

Gingerbread houses, Christmas Decor and Rodents

2005-12-07T19:39:00.000-04:00

Last night we were making gingerbread houses at the clinic with our missionary community here. I started pulling out christmas decorations from the closet and in the process, unsettled something's home. A huge rat started running around the sala. It thought it had found a place of refuge in a plastic bag. Midwives were screaming, standing on chairs, little boys were saying "cool". Andy, had

the season

2005-12-05T00:43:00.000-04:00

It has been hard for me to identify changes in seasons here. There are subtle differences but it still all feels hot for me. Christmas music started in September. They say the "bers" (Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec) are traffic months because everyone is getting ready for Christmas. The traffic is bad.The Christmas season is here in full force. We put up some Christmas lights outside last night. Nice sublte

Two Forgivers and a Forgivee

2005-11-28T21:31:00.000-04:00

I have had two intriguing encounters with forgiveness in the past few weeks. Both of the forgivers were traffic officers, and both times the forgivee was me!Subic Bay is a total anomaly when it comes to Philippine traffic laws and enforcement. It is a special economic zone designed to attract both tourists and big business. It has been quite successful at both. One of the ways they attract

Produce

2005-11-26T01:57:00.000-04:00

So my latest thought about productivity. It feels good to be productive. A sense of accomplishment. Yet what about when I am not productive or busy and nothing in the immediate that feels like I have accomplished much? Is productivity my goal? What do I want to accomplish? What are my dreams and the energy that makes my heart beat? Or perhaps, how can I take up my cross today? (The kids

THIRTY THREE!

2005-11-26T01:56:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Andy! Thirty three. Hokey Dinah!

Annual Neologism Contest

2005-11-24T22:46:00.000-04:00

Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. The winners are1. Coffee (n.) the person upon whom one coughs.2. Flabbergasted (adj.) appalled over how much weight you havegained.3. Abdicate (v.) to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.4. Esplanade (v.) to attempt an

Happy 11th!!!

2005-11-23T01:40:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Grace!

Typical Missionary Shots!

2005-11-21T20:31:00.000-04:00

There are two kinds of missionary pictures. One kind are the carefully manipulated and manicured variety designed to create a maximum emotional effect on the people back home so that they will give more money. The other kind of missionary pictures are the holiday ones... the ones when you remember to take out your camera when you have had a weekend out somewhere. They always look like you're

Oh, the things 4 year olds say

2005-11-18T10:40:00.000-04:00

"In Canada red lights mean stop, but in the Philippines they mean go, right dad?""Don't flush it... I want to see my amazing poo!""I think you need a hug today!"

Twitch

2005-11-18T10:33:00.000-04:00

No one wants to have a sore spot touched, and likewise a society with many sores will twitch when someone has the courage to touch one and say: "You have to treat that. You have to get rid of that." ~ Oscar Romero

Out of the Smog headed for the BATS

2005-11-12T11:46:00.000-04:00

We are off to a place called Subic Bay for a few days. We rented a car. So weird to think about driving by ourselves down the road. Usually we take public transit or a taxi around Manila or a bus when we have had the chance to get out. It will be good to get out of the smog. I went for a walk today. When I came home I took a shower. Had a white cloth and after scrubbing my arms, it was

Feeling & Addiction

2005-11-11T01:24:00.000-04:00

Hey folks. I'm back from Thailand... it was good... I'll post some pics and maybe a movie if I can figure it out.I've been reading a book by Dallas Willard entitled "Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ". An excellent and thouroughly meaty read. The last chapter that I read is called "Transforming the Mind: Sensation and Emotion". In part of this chapter he discusses the

WCV's Tenth

2005-11-11T01:09:00.000-04:00

If anyone has pictures or video, or audio of any part of the 10 anniversary celebrations of WCV, we would love to see, hear, etc! Pretty bummed that we couldn't be there. ;-(

Eating Together at Mercy In Action

2005-11-04T10:00:00.000-04:00

There are meals at the clinic every week day. All students and staff are encouraged to come for supper. Last night we invited people over to our house and I cooked (lentils and apples dish with chappattis, mmm). Andy noticed that the big difference about eating at our home is that we talk more, we work together to finish preparing, we sit around after and ask each other questions. When eating

Eating Together in Winnipeg

2005-11-04T09:31:00.000-04:00

In 2000, we sat down one night with Wil and Mercy, Joy and Derek and dreamed up this community house that would be huge, would meet all our needs, have shared and private space, and the list went on. Somehow the dream sort of stopped there, we didn't go house hunting together and the Au's bought a house on Anderson Ave that had an upstairs apt. for Derek and Joy. Then by God's intervention, we

Synopis Continued...6 Months In

2005-11-02T13:04:00.000-04:00

What's My Growing Edge?I have been forced into self reflection and self awareness beyond what I could have wanted (but what I SO needed!!!) Relationships are intense, new and with no shared history. So, my typical Beckie-self of being too bold, talking more than I should and plowing right through so I get my issues and ideas heard, have not always been the most graceful. Once last year, I had a

SIx Months In; A Synopsis of My Life Here

2005-11-02T12:03:00.000-04:00

How do I spend my days here? Wake up. Clean up, email, walk down the street to the sari sari for some fruit for breakfast, maybe buy a newspaper from the guy on the corner. Breakfast with the kids at home. Start reading and lessons between 9 and 930 after cleaning and laundry. Homeschool with the kids, reading, doing math together, games, art, google research, stuff like that. At 12 noon we go to

Tidbits from Beckie

2005-10-30T00:25:00.000-04:00

Life in our Home...I took the kids down to the Barangay Hall, where there is a basketball court the other day, just down the street from our place. One of our new filipina midwives brought her daughters, so Grace played badminton and got over her discomfort of everyone staring at her. Elijah played basketball and was oblivious to the crowd. Asher, however was surrounded by kids standing about

Off to Bangkok

2005-10-24T07:43:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I leave for Bangkok for the annual Vineyard Asia Leader's Summit (That is the church organization we are a part of in Winnipeg and with Mercy In Action). I am totally looking forward to a change of scenery and seeing some old friends and making bunch of new ones. For those of you who know Noel and the Kathmandu gang will be there as well as Dave... who will, of course, be doing some

A Weekend Out!

2005-10-23T10:27:00.000-04:00

This last weekend we decided to get out for a bit, Filipino style. We went and rented bikes while we waited for "Star City" to open. Star City is a large amusement park... Asher went on his first roller coaster and Elijah went on his first (and definetely last) swinging ship ride. In the end, however, it was a tonne of fun. We then went to try to find a free ballet in the park, but ended up

Unless You Become a Child...

2005-10-20T04:29:00.000-04:00

by Dorothy Day One thing children certainly accomplish and that is that they love and wonder at the people and the universe around them. They live in the midst of squalor and confusion and see it now. They see people at the moment and love them and admire them. They forgive and they go on loving. They may look at the most vicious person, and if he is at that moment, good and kind, and doing

Chocolate Soup & Bubba Gump

2005-10-14T21:04:00.000-04:00

The last few days (and the next few too) have been all about bashing down concrete walls, cementing, painting, installing electrical, etc. We are expanding the birth room area of the clinic to go along with the prenatal expansion that we just completed about a week ago. Lots of babies and lots of pregger women to go with them!One nice thing about living in Manila is that there are no shortage of

Thanksgiving!

2005-10-10T09:33:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving on Sunday. It was a blast... with turkey, and Settlers of Catan, and everything!This is Asher with Liza, a fellow Canadian, from Ontario. The kids have so many big sisters!We try to get out as much as possible with anyone who will get out with us. One of our favourite spots is at the University of the Philippines. There is grass there!Grace with one of our

The First Practice

2005-10-08T09:30:00.000-04:00

Grace and Elijah are both the tallest players on their respective teams. Elijah came away and immediately said, "my coach has played soccer all his life... he's the best coach ever!" Music to our ears. He played goal. In classic Elijah form he hopped and flailed his arms for the whole time... until he had to catch a shot... then he got down to business. Grace had a good time too. Playing