Strangers

Sometimes it is hard to remember that we do not live here and we are just passing through. Sometimes we forget all that God did on the cross and only think of colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, and peeps. But do you remember everything that you ate on Easter? Probably not. But most likely you do remember everything that Jesus did for us. The things of this world, sweets, will pass away but what Jesus did on the cross will remain.

Happy Late Easter,

Alayna

Our Perspective

News By Annalise

Hi, I'm Annalise Joy.
I'm 8 years old now.
I'm in 3rd grade.
I like playing with my pet shop toys.

An Easter Story

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken away from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” The stillness of the Mount of Olives was broken by the urgency of the Man, who was so much more than just a man, in prayer. What was this cup? A cup of betrayal and death for the son of God. Why? Was it because of love?

The Man continues to pray with urgency. Sweat like drops of blood from his brow fell staining his cloak. To add to his sorrow of the Man, He sees friends asleep. He wakes them. He urges them to pray.

Soon the clash of armor breaks the peace of the Mount. Judas Iscariot walks forward. The sorrowful man turns to him saying, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

His friend betrays him. Why would God let that happen?

The Man turns to the crowd, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth.”

“I am He.”

No one steps forward.

“Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth.”

The Man says, “I told you that I am He.”

Peter struck off the ear of the servant of the high priest. The Man rebukes him and heals the servant.

The Man was bound and led to Pilate. Pilate finds him righteous. He sends him to Herod, who also finds him guiltless.

Those who praised Him as king just a week before, sentenced Him to death. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. Why could this happen? Was it for love?

The Man is led to Golgotha and is nailed to the cross. He is to die the most shameful death. Why? Was it for love?

“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” The cry came from the lips of a Man, forsaken, scourged, jeered at, and betrayed.

He calls for wine. Yet turned away, refusing the pain relieving liquid.

He promises the thief on His left a place in paradise. Why? A thief in paradise? Did the Man love even a thief?

“Into Thy hands I commit my spirit!”

In the unusual darkness of the morning, the Man says, “It is finished.” The Man collapses, dead. The ground quakes and rocks split. People rush away. The curtain in the Holy of Holies is ripped from top to bottom. The Man is dead.

Joseph of Arimathea buries the Man. Then in three days women with spices come to the tomb. The tomb is empty. They spread the news. Two disciples confirm the discovery.

The Man is risen! He has conquered death; all for love.

Myth Busting

The Myth Busting Of the Common Theory That You Can Use Roosters as an Alarm Clock

Procedure: live in a country that has a lot of roosters

Results: After living in the Philippines for 3 years, I can now call my hypothesis a theory. Roosters in Samoki, Bontoc, Mountain Province can be heard crowing at all hours of both night and day.
If any of you have any arguments, I accept after you have visited for awhile.

Alexie

Leaving Home

It was a very sad day when we slowly drove away from the white house in Michigan where I had lived almost all of my thirteen years of life to go to the airport. We were going to be missionaries in the Philippines for two years. (In case you don’t know what the Philippines is, it is an Asian country made of 7,107 islands. It is north of Australia.) Not visiting, not vacationing, moving! This was frightening to me since I had never moved before. I had planned on living in our house all my life. Visit other places? Yes! Move? NO! I had decided that I would visit lots of different countries especially Korea, Kenya, and Brazil (the countries that have always interested me but I haven’t gone to yet). Then I would always return to Michigan, United States of America. Besides, two years is a very long time. I wouldn’t have minded two days or two weeks or two months; in fact, I had already spent two months in the Philippines. But two years? That was too long as far as I was concerned.

I was frightened and sad about the move. I loved the Philippines, but I loved Michigan, U.S.A. too. I loved the seasons, especially winter. I loved our home and our yard. I loved my room which my daddy had transformed into a butterfly garden by painting it yellow with butterflies and wildflowers on the walls. I liked my garden which was somewhat a miracle the way it survived with very little help and how mysterious but beautiful plants appeared in it from nowhere. There was even a nest of cheerful robins in the tree near our driveway. I was sad I would miss seeing the baby robins grow up. The worst thing was that our family who at most had been a half-hour away would now be half-way around the world. I think though that the biggest reasons I disliked the move were that I hated change and I disliked not knowing what was going to happen. Moving to a third world country is a big change and we did not know what we would do next after the two years were over.

It was a beautiful sunny day despite how sad it was. There were some flowers in my garden and the two maple trees were holding tightly to their green seeds. The sky was as blue as I was.

In the Philippines, when someone is leaving for a long time or for good, they give and are given small gifts called “remembrances”. I had nothing to give to the U.S. but I wanted something to remember her by. Then I thought that I had never seen maple trees in the Philippines. Soon I had a pocketful of the helicopter seeds. The maple trees in our front yard were rather stingy since it was only late May so I had to tug a little. I decided I would keep those seeds as my remembrance.

We piled into our silver Honda van. We kids were singing all the patriotic songs we knew and saying good-bye to everything. Once I said, “I am going to write down everything you say.” By then we had run out of songs and nobody really said anything. I guess they all wanted quiet to think and sort out their feelings. I was glad and sad about that. I wanted to sort out my feelings but I didn’t want to think about leaving anymore.

When we arrived at the airport, we saw that most of our friends and family were there. The airport looked like a black and white photograph. It was dim, quiet, and rather empty because it is a small airport. We were basically all the people in sight there. We hugged and cried and waited. We were given different remembrances: a yellow lock, coloring and puzzle books. We were also given letters and envelopes to open when we got on the airplane.

Then I had to go through security, where my friends and relatives couldn’t go. I was crying so hard I couldn’t see. I almost turned around and ran back. I don’t know why I didn’t but I kept on. When I got on the airplane, a feeling of peace and excitement settled over me. This was going to be an adventure!

I settled into my seat. I read the letters and opened the envelopes. I was still a little sad about leaving but now I was excited about going. I think one of the saddest things in the world is a good-bye. The good thing about it, though, is that a good-bye is always followed by a hello.

I have since settled into our small, isolated city of Bontoc, Mountain Province. I love it here. I can’t imagine how I could ever leave. I now say “This is my home. Here is where I belong.” That is what I believe is true, at least for now. I have some good friends here who make me laugh. We talk to our family on Skype almost every week. I love the rice paddies and the mountains. I love the food: rice, papayas, mangos, bananas and chicken adobo (chicken and potatoes cooked in a yummy sauce). I love that our landlady has chickens and ducks that we can watch. I like the ducks the best even though they are afraid of water. We weren’t allowed to have farm animals in the U.S.A. because we lived in a subdivision. Bontoc isn’t a lot like the U.S.A. The nearest mall is eight hours away and we don’t always have water. I don’t care; I have never liked going shopping anyway. It is not the mountains around Bontoc that look like they have been cut out of green construction paper and glued to the sky that make it beautiful, it is the people. It is how friendly and kind the people generally are that made me love the Philippines in the first place and they are the reason I will continue to love it.

Adriana

My First and Last 12th Birthday

For my birthday, I had a lot of new experiences.

• I made my own birthday cake. It was the first cake I made with minimal help.
• I was almost done with school for the year because in the Philippines the school year is June - March.
• I also enjoyed a Skype call,which gave me my favorite present that my grandparents and cousin [my best friend] are coming :)!
• It was my first birthday in a foreign country.

On my birthday, I enjoyed opening my presents and making mac &cheese. I had a lot of fun watching a movie, eating pizza, and drinking pop on Saturday after my birthday with some friends.

Alexie