News From Manila

We just finished putting up the siding to the Peace Center we are building in Baseco! Next, we will install the interior walling and start painting later this week. Working in this extremely poor community in Manila has been an enriching experience for all. We not only get to make a tangible addition to their community, but we also get to have an intangible impact on the hearts of the adults and children we encounter.

Recently, a member of Union Church of Manila (UCM), Barry Marshall, has blessed our team by opening his house for us! After a long, hot day working on the church in Baseco, we get the privilege to come home to his house and unwind in his pool and enjoy his companionship over dinner. Barry also hosts a bible study on Saturdays sponsored by UCM called Interface, which invites international students and young adults to join together in fellowship as we learn more about Jesus Christ. Barry is truly a stand up guy!

Another highlight of this trip was when we went to Pastor Steve Ruetschle’s house for dinner. We had so much fun with him and his wife, Michelle, swimming in their pool with their two boys. They served us spaghetti and salad, which was a wonderful slice of home cooking. UCM loves him and I get the impression that some of the parishioners are worried we are here to steal him back to Seattle :) He and Michelle send their love to everyone back in Seattle.

The team is doing very well also. Holly got a stomach bug for a day and Jenn had a cold for a little while, but overall we all are healthy and happy. Surprisingly, the stomach bug has been very dormant, but I think we all are going to peer pressure each other to eat balut (an aborted chicken embryo)—a delicacy in the Philippines—and maybe we’ll be seeing him after that :)

Our caretakers and friends keep us very busy over here, so we will have more adventures to talk about soon! Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts!

Sincerely,

Paul

P.S. The picture is of the Peace Center, before we started to put up siding.