February

So.  It's been forever since I have blogged, and wish it hadn't been so long.  Lots has happened!  The big thing being, of course, the month of January.

The rest of December was okay, not my favorite month of my time here.  Being away from home for the holidays isn't known for being fun, and it's not.  Manila isn't the same as my warm house and bright Christmas tree.  But being with the girls was fun; we travelled around to different touristy spots and did lots of mall-hopping.  (Manila is basically one giant mall.)  We got to visit AIIAS, the seminary/graduate school in the Phils, and meet some of the people who worked there.

Then is was January.  Ryan Wilson, a former SM in the Phils, came to visit us and give us advice about living here.  The visit was helpful and not helpful, everyone's SM year is different and it was hard to compare our years together.  After that we had a week of meetings in Panciun and did kids meetings, health talks, and regular lectures.

The week after that, my mom came to visit for a couple weeks!  We went to Vigan, Laoag, and then Pagudpud.  We lazed around at the beach and went touring to waterfalls and more beaches.  We visited the people around and ended the time by going to Manila, during which I got sick and my mom ended up changing her flight to stay with me.  We had a great time and I was sad to see her go.  

Nowadays...we just had a big medical group from the States come and visit.  They did clinics all over Pagudpud, and we got to help out with them and be doctors.  We road on top of the jeepney today to get to Panciun.  I felt so...alive, in the early morning light, it was a clear, beautiful day...it felt like a spring morning.  The wind in my hair, the sun on my face.  Feels good.

Lots of drama in Pagudpud these days...seems like everyone in the church has got a problem with someone else.  Everyone wants to get in good with the Americans, and it's hard on us and it's especially hard on the church family.  I wish the people here could just get along with each other and realize that it's not so much about what you have....it's about the relationships you form.  I hope that us SMs have been good examples of that.

Every evening the seven of us have prayer together.  We talk about the day and the random prayer requests we might have, and then whoever wants to say a prayer can do so.  It has been a big blessing and has brought our group together, I think.  I love my fellow SMs.  We drive each other crazy, but somehow it all works out.

Anyway, more later.  It's time for me to go to sleep!