Our team left San Fransisco(our home city) on thursday for a little barangai called San Jose. It was crazy far up a mountain and pretty secluded. The road up, on a jeepney, was ridiculous. I think everyone almost puked by the time we reached the destination. We stayed in a barangai hall, which is pretty much just a giant room and a bathroom. As soon as we got there we realized we were the main attraction..the hall had "windows" all around that were just rails that let air in. The kids from the neighborhood, sometimes sixty at a time, would hold onto the bars and just stare at us all day and some of the night. Awkward, maybe? Nope, thats the Philippines.

We met the neighborhood for the first couple days. Oneday me and a Matt and Leah trekked up a path leading farther up the mountain. Once we reached a little village, we had a bible study for about 15 people.There was a older lady with her five-month old grandbaby in her arms, rocking back and forth on her feet. I smiled and turned around to listen to what was going on in the study. A few minutes later, I turned around again and the lady was still on her feet as the baby randomly criedout and fussed. It suddenly occured to me that I was passing up an opportunity to love..I motioned to hold her precious grandson. She placed him in my arms willingly and sat down to attentively listen. I realized so far, over the past month, that love is not just a spoken word. It's not a tract. It's not a sermon. It's not a bible study. Love is sacrifice in any form. Sacrifice your time, desires, energy and love someone else. Jetter told me that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Corny and I have heard that before but its relevant now.

The seminar was all day Saturday for juniors and seniours in the local highschool. Nerves got to me, especially at first, but I made it through the lesson. I was intimadated by the group of students looking at me, some older than me... I knew I was unqualified, but I was the one in front and I had to teach this thing no matter what. I taught about what real purity is and how you can regain it even if you've lost it. I told them about the forgiveness of God and His love. Looking back, I can't believe I actually did it. I haven't ever taught something like that before, especially not to my peers. In a foreighn country. Up a mountain. God carried me through it though.

So, its been a month. I want to think of all the things I have done now that I couldn't say I had done a month ago...
1.Woke up to roosters crowing incessantly

2.Bathed by bucket

3.Ridden a motorcycle

4.Ridden a motorcycle without a helmet

5.Helped teach true Love Waits

6.Watched a kid relieve himself right in front of me while I taught a bible study

7.Sang at a karoake bar

8. Looked up while bathing to stare into the face of an iguana

9.Eaten peanut butter for breakfast and lunch pretty much everyday

10.Seen a huge roasted pig being carried through a market

11.Washed my clothes my bucket(I'm not so good at it, they still smell a little after they're dry)

12.Seen a beetle kite(these gianormous beetles that fly were in the barangai where we stayed and kids would tie strings to them and fly them-no joke)

13. Ridden in a jeepney

14.Carried around my own toilet paper in my purse

15.Sang a Cebuano song

16.Seen a spider as big as my hand

17.Eaten fresh coconut

18.Had diarhea and constipation in the same day (...how does that happen?)

19. Been so tired of my hair(if its chopped off when I get back, don't be surprised!)

20.Looked out a window and found sixty plus kids staring back

Alright, peace. I'm out.

Surviving a typhoon...

Hey, guys. Internets been dwon for a few days due to a typhoon that swept across the island. I have never been in a storm so crazy. There were times, laying with my head against Sally's back in the parsonage, and hearing the winds blow outside, that I wondered if it would stop. Trees dropped onto the house and all around us outside. The roof leaked. We just tried to sleep. We were stuck inside for around three days straight. The rain poured and winds blew and trees fell..like Katrina. Geez. I was so terrified. But, the typhoon passed and now I can say that the rain has stopped. I hear there may be another one coming. We are right next to the coast so it was intense...please just pray for us. Your prayers kept me safe through my first typhoon in another country. I was so afraid mom had watched the weather channel and was worried, but all the electricity was off throughout the island, so I couldn't tell the family I was safe. I don't have time for details, but the roads now look like huge salads, covered with trees and debris. God has sent us a way to practically help, I guess. Wow.
Our team is all well now, which is a praise. Our seminar got canceled sat., but we are trying for this sat. again. Still hiking and talking and now we are planning to travel out of camotes quite a bit until we have to go back to debrief in Davao. I don't know how much I will be able to update. We are spending weekends away and some weeks in another island. Alright, going to say happy birthday to my brother. (13,dogg!!) Love you all and thanks. Mom told me how you have been praying. I love you all. Will update when I can again.

Sweatin it out

Hello from the Philippines. Things have been crazy and I haven't been able to blog. I have to be quick, but here goes..
Okay, the man Paul who I told you about is reading a book I gave him called the Ragamuffin Gospel. He says he believes it and even though he is not "religious" he thinks the book is a good read. Keep praying. I see God moving with his life.
Pray for Poro. We have walked there twice or three times(it is about a forty minute hike in the heat..sweating my brains out). We are doing bible studies everywhere possible and openair stuff-giving away tracks and the Jesus film. But, we may travel to Poro for a week or so to minister there some more than we already have.
Last night our team had a talk about the way our first week in Camotes has gone. We all shared the conviction that we as a group had been trying to sell the gospel like a Hoover vaccum...meaning that instead of just telling the good news we feel we need to show it in practical ways. There are may ways, especially rurally, to show God's love. We know a lady who plows her giant filed alone while her husbands gone.... and we offer to do a bible study..see what I mean? So now our approach is going to be more practical. Our team expeirenced a huge moment of unity through that.
Carly is very sick with on and off fevers and is having to stay at the parsonage everyday and try to get well. Please pray for her.
The people are responsive to the Gospel and some have, just in the last week, come to know Christ through our bible studies. Pray for the islands new believers as we try and disciple them for the next seven weeks.
We visited the Mayor of Camotes on Monday to tell him what we were doing with the people and schools and make sure it was ok-he gave us his blessing. I was scared when we went into his office, but was reminded of Nehemiah chapter 2( I think it is) where Nehemiah gets favor from the king. Thanks, God. The Mayor said tell him if we need help with anything. Pray for the government here that the heads of the schools we teach at and the officials will be just like the Mayor.
I am learning missions is exhausting!!! By nighttime, after hikes in the heat all day and peanut butter sandwiches all the time, that I am ready to hit the mat!!! The climate is so hot!
Oh, quick story. I was in the bathhouse doing what I could to scrub up with the bucket and scoop and I look down at my arm and there is a spider the size of my palm climbing up my body!!!!! yeah, I was freaked out.
Heres some things to look for at a Camotes bible study:

1.Naked babies
2.Women openly feeding the naked babies
3.Chickens sqawking incessantly
4. Little kids without pants sqatting and peeing
5.Random farm animals mooing, bleating, yelping,etc.

I am loving being here, but I am scared of who I will be when I get back. I have seen so much already in a week that is disturbing, enlightening, challenging...I am changing to someone who is scarily aware of the worlds poverty, both spiritually and physically. I cannot go unmoved anymore. I must help the world. I am dealing with missions as a longterm goal lately. I just don't know yet. I am so different. My mind is completely turned upside down. America and Camotes Island are complete opposites. There is no way that you could see what I see and do what I do and not be moved and touched. Who will I be when I return? God knows the answer and I am just along for the ride.
I want to thank y'all who have been praying for me..I miss y'all. The prayers are working.
Oh, please pray for True Love Waits Saturday. I am teaching about keeping and regaining your purity and also presenting the Gospel afterwards. True Loves Wait is a great tool to teach the Gospel in these highschools. I am excited but nervous. Thanks everyone. I read your notes all the time. I love yall. I will write soon.

Di basta basta

I made it to Camotes!! I have so much to tell I don't know where to start.
We are staying in a church parsonage with a few local believers on our mats on the floor. But it is pretty nice-better than tents for sure. We are washing clothes and ourselves with buckets still but I am getting used to it...okay, my hair is always dirty but other than that...

The culture is so fascinating. They live in straw huts, but drive mainly motorcycles around everywhere. It is strange to see a hut and a motorcylce together for sure. The island is absolutley paradise. But, it is so hot and humid all the time here.

The first day Leah and Matt(my team leader) boated back to Cebu and talked to the head of the school system about True Love Waits. We are able to have seminars with the highschools every Saturday all day and teach them.

The team left behind on the first day had a two hour prayer walk around the island and claimed the land for Jesus through our prayers. Carly asked God to give us a sighn that he was here. Towards the end of the walk we were along the coast and ran into a British man. He is staying in Camotes and as he said,'trying to find the meaning of life'. We shared Christ with Him. He is Catholic by birth but he is doubting his religion. Please pray for Paul. There was the sighn.

Yesterday and today we have been trying to make contacts and build relationships throughout the island. The people are friendly and treat the Americans like celebrities. Oh, quick story(my time is limited in this cafe). Today we split in groups of three and hiked to different areas for evangelism. I hiked with Bobby and our wonderful translator Sally all the way to a town called Poro. It was about a thirty minute jaunt, but it was worth it. We introduced ourselves to a family living in the rural area. One man, Julius, could speak a little English. I handed him a tract. I explained the tract as best I could. His eyes were sad and he said,"I have made many mistakes' I told him about grace. Before we left me and Bobby prayed over him and his neighbors. We are going back to visit Sunday night. God is working in Julius's life and heart. Pray for him, please.
We had to meet the group after that so we started to trek back. Sally prayed someone would offer us a ride as the heat was so bad. Just then a motorcycle drove by and stopped. Turns out the dudes a christian pastor from Cebu on visitation. he offered us a ride. So..we said yes. My first ride on a motorcycle. Sorry, Mom. It was just so hot I couldn't say no. Me and Sally flew through the hot air and thanked God for the ride. It was awesome!!! I was terrified, but we arrived back in town safe. Oh, we have alot of services and home visits set up for the weeks ahead at various places all over the island. Sunday we will have church in the am at the local church we sleep behind. I am gonna sing a special with Sally, possibley in Cebauno. Hopefully I can learn it and they can understand. Matt is preaching Sunday so pray for him. Then we are going to do a house church or two. Oh, tommorro we are gicing testimonies to the highschoolers at lunch.

We are submerging ourselves in this new culture- praying to be accepted by the people. Today was Independence day for the Philippines and we attended their parade. It was super fun. I love this place! They put on these skits and dances and waved flags and sang. I was able to tell the head teacher of the elmentary what we were doing on the island. God is opening doors for ministry there as well (at the elementary school. )He is filling up our schedule rapidly!!

So, pray for the house churches we have started and the local church. Sofia is a sick lady next door who won't let us pray for her. Please pray for her. I know this alot of rambling but I have no time to think right now.

This is di basta basta. Not easy. But, rewarding. I love this island and the people and the culture even if I don't understnad it all yet. We have met an American named Bruce who wants to start a bar on this island. He wants us to come visit him too.

You should feel the breeze at night. You should see the stars from where I stand. You should see the faces of the village people on the outskirts of town. You should see the motorcycles whiz by. You should hear the roosters crow all night. You should meet Sally and Jetter(our translators). They are so on fire for God.

We have about four or five bible studies and things like that throuout the day. We are reading through some bios on missionaries which have challenged me so much. Yesterday, Pastor Mercado taught us from Matthew. I cried because he kept using phrases my dad uses when he preaches. I do miss my parents and all the family so much. That is the hardest I think. I also miss my friends. I have compiled a list of things you can send me when you get the chance.

1.Clean feet
2.A shaved head
3.Milk(there is no milk here at all anywhere)

God is moving so much already. The group is crazy pumped for the rest of the summer. I have been altered so much already. God is preparing me for something, you guys. I have learned nothing matters except the Gospel. I am being prepared to give up all I have for the sake of it. This is scary, but worthy is the Lamb. Your prayers are being answered. I appreciate them so much I just cry!! I love you so much for doing this for me and Camotes. People are searching for truth here. Most are Catholic and don't know the real Jesus.
Rewind real quick back to right before our boat to Camotes. Our team got to go to the Santo Nino where Magellans cross still stands. I watched people go in and out praying. They clutched the hand of the statue of Mother Mary. They prayed to her and held the ceramic hand for dear life. I felt sick in there. Next to the crowds gathered around Mary, there was a statue of Jesus hanging bloody on the cross with compassion in his eyes. Yet, we watched as the droves of Filipinos walked right past him to get to Mary. I could almost hear Jesus crying out for them. i did this for you. I did all this for you. I cannot explain what that moment meant to me. Okay, I am gonna go now. Everyone is waiting on me. Love you guys.

Maayong Buntag!!! Orientation and deployment

Hi, its Kaylee. Finally. I am in Cebu City in an internet cafe. We had four gruesome days of training.They put us physically mentally and spiritually to the test. After one night in a hotel(one star) we were driven out to the jungle in a jeep. And I mean the jungle. The boonies. From there we got a bag and a partner. A bag with a little tent in it. The first night in a makeshift tent out by a river in the middle of the Phillippines jungle was probably the worst of my stay so far. Me and my Camotes teammate Leah found ourselves at 2 am flooded by the heavy monsoon rains of the Philippines. Our bedding and pillows were saturated. I have never felt so dirty and wet and gross. We brought our lanterns out and looked around the tent to find our luggage all the way down to our backpack completely emerged in water. Wettest wet. I won't lie, I wanted to leave this place. It flooded so much for about 9 hrs I would say. All night. I probably slept two or three.I am still drying out my luggage.
Orientation included learning some Cebauno langauge and how to share with your people group. There were fifty two of us missionaries out there. We bathed and washed our clothes by buckets. Also, on the last day(yesterday) we climbed a huge vertical playground and I had a panic attack in the air. No joke. It was very high and I was in a harness but it was scary. Then I ziplined over the river from a station across the water. I loved that and did it twice. The games were meant to push us to the limits. They did me at least. We were trained also by a team who volunteers in schools and plays games with the kids and then in turn uses them to evangelize. Also, we went through True Love Waits Training with a counselor. The highlight had to be the five o clock morning wake up time. Nope. Overall, the training was awesome though. I met my team who I am with right now. We are boating over to Camotes in about six hrs. Right now we are just sightseeing.

I have never been so in awe of culture. The people treat us americans like celebrities. The children love us especially. Outside of a Mcdonalds in Davao the homeless would stand outside and do dances for us to see if we'd give them money. It was eyeopening. They sleep in huts and the villages are very poor. the land is beautiful. Mountains and beaches.

Oh, I will hopefully write in a few days from Camotes. Can't wait to see it. I am gonna peace out now. By the way, I am having the time of my life even though this is the hardest thing I have ever done before.

Day of

Well, the day is finally here. I am gonna have to sleep for a couple hours before I leave, so this will be short. I am packed. I am excited. I am nervous. Can't believe this is happening actually. It's good to be here. I could probably properly enjoy it if I wasn't in a fog of sleep-deprivation.

Tonight Amy and Emily showed up from Graceville as a surprise. Glad I will get to say goodbye in person. I spoke on the phone with Ashley,a good friend from Graceville, and we cried and said goodbye. Had a long powwow with Aaron, Micah, and Kaley and the family left awake in the house-which was pretty much everyone except Mom and Dad. I am gonna miss everybody a heck of alot.Today is gonna be hard. I can't think of anything profound to say right now. I just wanna rest. So, maybe I will. Later on I will get my last shower until August. I am gonna enjoy it too. I am going to write when I can at an internet cafe over in Camotes. Most likely once a week. Just pray for me through the everlasting plane ride over the Pacific! And that God would go ahead and be at work in hearts of the Filipinos so they'd be ready to hear the greatest message of their lives.

Wanted to post some lyrics of the song playing on my blog...I want this to happen to Camotes Island.

Did you feel the mountains tremble?
Did you hear the oceans roar?
When the people rose to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one
Did you feel the people tremble?
Did you hear the singers roar?
When the lost began to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one
And we can see that God you're moving
A mighty river through the nations
And young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide your heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord
Open up the doors and let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring your hope
Songs that bring your joy
Dancers who dance upon injustice
Did you feel the darkness tremble?When all the saints join in one song
And all the streams flow as one river
To wash away our brokeness
And here we see that God you're moving
A time of Jubilee is coming
When young and old return to Jesus
Fling wide your heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

12 am Monday- ready to journey across the earth

I have one more night after I (finially) turn in tonite- or this morning. I am tired but I wanted to get out a quick blog. Today was an interesting day all around. I found out that my dufflebag was so heavy I could barely lift it-unpacked and repacked three times. Downsizing stinks. But, loading a heavy bag around in hot island weather doesn't tickle my fancy either

Earlier tonight, at church, I spent my last service taking communion and getting things straight with God. I basically just told Him I was gonna try to trust Him completely this summer. And also that I wanted this summer to be special, different. Not just an emotional high, but a real life altering expierence. My eyes got wet as I drank from the cup and bit the bread. If He can die the way He did, I wanna live because of Him and for Him. I poured out my heart to Him. Just got real before Him. This is it, God. Me and You traveling across the world together. Help me tell boldy of the love I have come to know.
After church, I was in the parking lot of Sports Authority, getting sprinkled on and headed to the car. Bailey said,"Kaylee, look quick!" Above us was one faint rainbow and one that lit up the cloudy sky. I am normally not the type who looks at something and compares it to something spiritual. Alot of bloggers have a natural talent for this skill(anybody remember pluthpastor's 'weavils in my raisins' blog?) I don't consider myself very observant in that way. However, tonight, as I looked up at that rainbow, I thought about how the sky was so dark and cloudy but God shined through with a rainbow. Corny, I know. But, it was beautiful. I felt filled with wonder at God. He will never leave me or forsake me. That was a special moment. Luckily I had my camera and snapped a picture before it faded out. I am trying to say what I felt like God was saying through that rainbow to me, but I can't explain it. I was just so comforted.
Rainbows aside, I leave tomorro..which sounds weird because I haven't gone to bed on Sunday night yet and it is monday morning now...hmm..tommorro. whoa.
Oh, I am hopefully going to post some specific prayer requests on the blog before I head out for the summer. Maybe anyways. Tommorro is gonna be busy. Hope I get to blog, if not, talk to ya in the Philippines! Peace.