HELP International Ministries, Inc.

English lessons for Help Staff

2011-08-29T15:50:00.006+08:00

Thanks to a U.S embassy volunteer Megan our staff are now enjoying the opportunity to improve their English skills.

One a month Megan comes on a Saturday for 2 hours. We have two groups from 9 am to 10 am and 10 am to 11 am.

The time is full of self introductions.

Stories.

And of course laughter.

Song.

A special boy meets Mama and Papa

2011-08-27T17:39:00.022+08:00

Lots of love to go around. Our tlc family has just grown.

The first special moments when child meets mama and papa.

The special glow of a new mama.

Mama signing the release papers which say that child is their respons- ibility and no longer the little children's home.

Mama showing Kuya Aubrey and Bernadette a magic trick.

Brother Luis and Jollibee personal lift a big box full of Jollibee spagetti, chicken joy, and mango / peach pie to celebrate Fiesta. A family is born.

Mama feeds Jollibee to her new son.

Everyone enjoys the tasty Jollibee spagettii.

Here is a child's view into the little children's home play area where we have all gathered for the Despidida of this very special boy. Tagalog songs are song by tlc staff. Special moments are shared. Tears are cried. We had a lovely time together.

A gift of a new washing machine for the little children's home

2011-06-10T21:46:00.003+08:00

At the little children's home more than 200 diapers are washed every day plus clothing. Lucy has faithfully washed diapers for tlc for 20 years.

So when our washing machine of 9 years broke beyond repair it was tragic moment.

Darren posted pictures right away on Facebook and than I shared them to my Facebook page. The response was incredible. I will forever remember someone asking to how to give and two friends of mine and tlc's shared the donation material for how to give through MEANS.

Here is Lucy emptying and refilling the NEW washing machine.

Thank you to everyone's quick response to give.

A new look for Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan

2011-06-06T14:35:00.004+08:00

The new roof on Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan is beautiful. After two typhoons blew through the Philippines we are happy to say that the all the birthing rooms were dry.

NO LEAKS!!!!!

Hip! Hip! Hooray!

Thank you Ken and Francoises Butts for your incredible gift.

Two Bathrooms got new tiles and toilets. A nice new look.

Our First Knitting Session

2010-11-13T16:58:00.000+08:00

Our first gathering of hopeful knitters began with Darlene checking out "offices" to each of us. The shoulder-bag offices contain yarn, knitting needles, a tape measure, crochet hook, scissors, and the like. With the distribution of the "offices", each gal was then duly registered. We were all beginners. Only one or two had ever held a knitting needle.

We were an eclectic mixture. Midwives, missionaries, single moms from Shepherd's Home ministry across the street from Shiphrah Birthing Home. The beauty was that we were all on a level playing field. None of us had a clue as to what we were doing. There can be something helpful in corporate, if admitted, ignorance.

Needles in hand with Darlene leading us through the beginning steps of casting on stitches, we were off and running! Well, off anyway. The running will come later. Darlene assures us that it will.

Sounds of "Grrrr" were heard along with lots and lots of laughter as stitches were ripped out again and again. As Darlene patiently coached every one of us, some measure of confidence began to rise...and then plunge as new steps were added to the knitting process. Did anyone think that this was going to be easy?

Perhaps one of the more lovely things to see as we worked, struggled together with our needles and yarn, was the

willingness of everyone to help everyone else. Advanced university degrees

mean nothing here.

We were off to a great start. Not only were stitches knit, it seemed that hearts were knit, too in ways that only a time together, each of us beginning from a place of zero expertise, all at the same place, could produce.

If you would enjoy more pictures from that day, please visit our HELP International Ministries, Inc. Facebook page.

2010-11-09T21:25:00.014+08:00

The roof at Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan has been in need of a serious overhaul for quite some time. The leaks have been repaired in many different ways, but nothing worked for long.

Thanks to friends Ken and Francoise Butt from UCM the old roof has been ripped off and the workmen are working hard to replace it with a new roof.

An the work goes on.

The sky window is gone: )

Thank you Ken and Francoise.

2010-11-08T22:37:00.005+08:00

Jude teaching the children at the little children's home how to dance. Aubrey and Auden joining in.

Berndatte and Jude's daughter Polly moving to the beat.

Ate Rosemarie joins in with Jude to learn the moves. We are all having fun together.

Auden and Ate Susan paying close attention and following Jude closely.

Marching to the beat. Thank you Jude for a very fun time. We all look forward to your next visit.

2010-11-05T21:13:00.006+08:00

Union Church of Manila Thursday for Others Group visiting Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan.

Heidi cuddles newborn baby boy. Candace is proud to have given birth to all three of her children at Shiphrah.

Jeri Gunderson explains the style of Adult Education used at Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan. We use skits, stories and active interaction with the pregnant moms that attend. The most important is the the questions of the moms are what we base our teaching on.

UCM team enjoy learning from Bhel Shiphrah Midwife during the childbirth seminar. They even got to watch a birthing skit.

UCM visitors smile at the little children home babies in the nursery. We are they lucky ones who get to see the three cute babies.

Baby Kate the youngest member of Thursday For Others team together with Mom Lindsey.

Jeri Gunderson says goodbye to the Union Church of Manila Thursday For Others team.

Thank you UCM!!!!

2010-10-18T12:20:00.012+08:00

Healthy Emotions for Children Seminar Hosted by the little children's home and conducted at Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan seminar area.

Our welcome team. Aubrey was so happy to hand out bullitins to the new arrivals with the help of his friend Alex Bucher.

Everyone getting to know one another

Helen serving coffee,tea, and bread to the early morning attendants. Serving with a smile. Thank you to those who donated the morning merienda.

Leny leading praise and worship.

Latecomers getting registered.

Our social worker Joy welcoming everyone to a day of fun learning.

Darren sharing the heart of the little children's home and Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan. He told the story of the midwives Shiphrah and Puah in the book of Exodus. He said it is no mistake that the room he was standing in now is full of women and few men. Women bring about change.

Helen stirring a big pot of pancit for our second snack of the day. I just love her beautiful smile. It never turns off.

Volunteers Bible School students serve with a joyful heart. Washing all the dishes.

Everyone is helping. Jorge the mission driver is making the punch.

Sharing a story about a first memory of her mother.

Our guest speaker Jessica Friedman introduces a ice breaker called the spiderweb.

A spiderweb is formed through the telling of where one works, struggles, and joys.

Feedback time. What have I learned about children who have experienced crisis.

Jessica continues to share about the emotional needs of children in crisis.

Shiphrah midwife Lornie, Home manager Helen and husband of a midwife Matt get the dessert plates ready for lunch. Thank you for the donations of sweets and fruit.

Midwife Lydia carefully prepares the lunch plates for 68 participants. Thank you Las Brisas for loaning plates to us for the day.

Look at all that yummy food. Belen makes the best banana heart coconut milk topping for rice ever. Thank you Belen.

Aubrey with a servants heart. I am so proud of him.

Look at that lovely smile.

Lornie Shiphrah Midwife serves the little children's home staff lunch. It is great seeing God's servant heart through our midwifes at Shiphrah.

Want more rice???

Look at all of those clean plates. Thank you for all the hard work and teamwork that was put into the seminar day to make is successful.

Teachers Jessica Friedman and Deborah Gustafson. We had a great time.

A very happy group of people. We learned a lot today and everyone said " When can we do this again?"

The Joy of Knitting

2010-10-08T20:34:00.012+08:00

One never knows what a simple skill, developed into an art, might do in the hands of a woman who not only loves beauty, but cares passionately for others and desires to walk in obedience to God. Taking knitting needles in hand when she was only 8, Darlene Pridmore has since used this simple ability to draw forth creativity in women whose daily struggle to survive has buried their amazing giftings while at the same time using that creative skill to help them fully live rather than just survive.

She is now in Manila doing her work among the women in this country. We welcome her at HELP as she works first with the midwives teaching them not only the art of knitting but also leadership skills to manage this as a livelihood program. Along with the midwives as the program begins here will be tlc caregivers and women from Creekside Liwayway.

The midwives had a wonderful afternoon with Darlene and the high fashion scarves and shawls she and soon they will create.

In the process of discovering hidden creativity and using it to help sustain the family, Darlene has found that there is often healing that emerges as women gather to knit and share their stories. Nelle Morton wrote, years ago that we must "hear one another into speech". Perhaps that hearing will happen as women gather to create beauty.

2010-10-04T23:51:00.000+08:00

tlc's littlest one is now safely home. Thank you for your prayers and financial gifts to help with hospital costs.

We also say thank you to Marrisa, Sonia, Shirly, and Antonette tlc staff who lovingly cared for him in the hospital.

Hip Hip Hooray for healing.

2010-09-29T20:35:00.003+08:00

Our youngest in the little children's home is now in hospital with respiratory distress. He is only 2 months old and a tiny baby's lungs are very fragile. A tlc nurse volunteer visited him today and feels he might need to stay in hospital for another week. He is still working very hard to breath. Please pray for his quick recovery.
We also request your help with the cost of the hospital, and medication. Thank you.

Rebuilding Creekside Liwayway

2010-09-24T15:22:00.010+08:00

It will be one year on Sept. 26 that tropical storm Ondoy ripped through the Philippines leaving massive death and destruction in it's wake. Among the many, many communities devastated was Creekside Liwayway, clinging to the steep walls of a gorge a few blocks from the Shiphrah Birthing Home. Several of our staff live there and many babies from Liwayway have entered the world at the Birthing Home so ties are close.

The Birthing Home quickly became first a refuge and then a staging center for relief efforts. When that phase of things wrapped up we turned to rebuilding.

We hosted a community meeting during which the community prioritized the order of the rebuilding march. It was quickly agreed that the most urgent need was to rebuild the retaining wall (rip-rap) that would protect the community during the sure-to-come high water of any rainy season.

When funding came in, the building commenced. The community was splendid! Providing masons, laborers, and cooks, the whole community became involved at one time or another during the two months of the project. When they were finished, a strong, safe wall stood where a few months before only remnants of the former wall had been. And, along the top of the new wall ran a real sidewalk. The first time the community had had one. Tatay Insong, shoveling sand in the picture above, was our oldest worker. He is 76. His comment? "I'm so happy. I feel useful again!"

The section shown above is the the first one finished...just a part of the long span of the whole project.

USEC Bazaar

2009-10-26T21:06:00.007+08:00

Two times a year we have the entirely delightful opportunity to not only make a little money through the sale of Carmencita Cards and the items we've developed, but importantly, to share our passion for what we do with a whole host of people. Saturday was the bazaar.

This year, we added stick horses! We'd talked of doing them for a long time, remembering the fun the kids had with their stick horses when they were younger. Sara drew the pattern, we all shopped for fabric, and the horses were made for us by Norma and Carding, an older couple who live in the First Avenue Barrio. Norma sews the bags and aprons as well. While Norma does the horse heads, Carding peels, sands, and varnishes the bamboo used for the stick.

We had an outstanding day!

Moving Forward

2009-10-17T13:26:00.012+08:00

Once the immediate emergency of the floodwaters had subsided, the next question was, "Where do we go from here?" The "where we went", was back into the community with whole new sets of questions. The faster families can regain some sense of normalcy, some sense of being together as a family, the better. So the question was, "Ok", what does that take. What it took was providing things to cook with (rice being already provided by World Vision). The happy fellow you see is holding a kalan a small charcoal cooker, and a bag of uling (charcoal). It also took providing woven sleeping mats called banigs and temporary beds of marine plywood and five hollow blocks. We'd given out blankets sheets and towels earlier just so people could keep warm.

Next was getting kids back to school. School uniforms and shoes, book bags and notebooks had been either washed away or ruined beyond redemption. It is just this sort of interruption that can curtail a child's education forever. The need was urgent. A number of incredible donor volunteers rose to the task. Back into the community. What school needs did you lose?" "What do you need so your kids can go back to school?" The result was more than 70 new uniforms, book bags and pairs of shoes along with countless notebooks. Each child needs at least 8 notebooks starting from pre-school on up. We're not done yet, but well on the way to getting everyone back into school.

Yesterday was witness to the fruit of a five -year partnership between Shiphrah Birthing Home and Family Planning of the Philippines (FPOP). Partnering with the UN FPOP brought out more than 200 buckets filled with very smart supplies for our pregnant moms. Each bucket contained a towel, a flashlight, personal hygiene and laundry supplies, flip-flops, several pairs of new underwear, a duster (our moms most often wear a loose garment like this when giving birth), and a tabo (dipper). We had taken names during our classes so knew exactly who needed the supplies. Yesterday was the great giveaway. It turned into an all-day event lasting into the late afternoon.

2009-10-02T07:50:00.015+08:00

The motto for Shiphrah Birthing Home is from the story of Moses. The heroic midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who defied the edict of the Pharaoh, 'saved the children alive' (Exodus 1:18).

Our situation is different, of course; but we've thought a lot about the story of Moses in the floodwater this week. Saving children and whole families from the river is not the typical job of a midwife, but our staff have shown a hebrewesque resilience in the face of disaster.

When the river just down the road from our birthing home

This is raw, but we'll try to get it edited throughout the day as we have time and internet.

Here's the video of a woman describing their improbable escape:

2009-09-21T12:03:00.009+08:00

Tuesdays mornings at the birthing home are busy. We start the morning with loud music coming from the back patio where 35 pregnant women are doing exercises. These exercises strengthen and stretch their bodies for labor.

Laughter and singing join the sound of the rain falling outside. Next the midwives prepare for a
skit on child labor. On a previous Tuesday the women met in groups and dialogued about questions they had about this season of their lives.

Each class addresses the questions on topics like nutrition, breastfeeding, and childbirth. I play the role of the father in the skit. The women watch as their fears and questions are addressed. One midwife plays the role of the 'mother in law' who has a strong opinion and holds strongly to her traditional beliefs about labor. It is a fun time where walls are broken down and the women are strengthened in their role.

Next the women wait to be called for their pre-natal check ups. I was invited right away to take measure- ments and help the mom listen to the baby's heart beat. The midwives take time with each woman to talk about what they have been eating and if they have been doing their exercises.

I really appreciate the emphasis on the activities and eating habits of the mom in the belief that they directly affect the health and position of the baby. The women leave the clinic with a sense of dignity and responsibility. They know that they play a huge role in this process and the choices they make affect themselves and their baby. They know that if they do these, they will have a great labor. So awesome! Wednesday and Thursday are the same schedule. 30 to 40 women in the mornings for class and check ups. The afternoons are open for baby check ups and women in labor.

I helped with three labors just last week! The first labor I played the role as the 'husband' because the husband was occupied with another child. The most popular position at the birthing home is to sit on a birthing stool just a half foot off the ground. Then the woman leans back between the legs of her husband or friend, in this case it was me. I was so honored to be the encourager, to wipe the sweat from her brow, and keep her hair back. I was the one who got to feel the strength of her contractions and feel her body relax after each one. I got to be the one to remind her to breathe. I got to be the one to see her baby enter the world from the same view that she did, and to see the tears come down her face. I got to be the one to wipe her tears of joy and exhaustion. It was so amazing.

The two other births were just as inspiring. The women are graceful and strong. The midwives
believe in women and believe in birth. They believe that God made the woman's body to do what it needs to do. The midwives believe that if they walk along side the woman in labor, her body will naturally do what it needs to do.

To see a woman give birth in freedom is one of the greatest joys to see. One woman chose a different position then the others. The midwives regroup and do what they need to do to be in a position to catch. The position that the mother chose facilitated an easier birth for her 8 pound baby. She just listened to her body! In all three births there were no episiotomies and no tares! Amazing! In between contractions we encourage the moms to stand up and dance: move their hips in a circle. It is always helps the labor proceed.

Two Australian doctors (students in their 5th year) came and stayed at the birthing home the other night because they had never seen a natural birth and they were amazed. Can you imagine that? They had never seen the female human body give birth without intervention. I am learning a lot by observation and hands on practice. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. The nights at the birthing home have been good. The facility is very simple with no flushing toilets, no closed doors or lights in the bathroom, and no shower. But it is great community with the families of 4 midwives and a lady from Myanmar all residing together. Quite the experience! Holly Tonnesen

2009-09-06T21:15:00.007+08:00

On Friday morning we got a call from the Department of Social Welfare in Angono. They had rescued a little girl and asked, ‘Can we admit her to the little children’s home?’

‘Yes, of course.’ But we were not prepared for what we saw when they brought little Cindy to the home. She is three months old, and when she arrived she was caked in filth. Three baths later we were still loosening the grime around her tender eye sockets.

She is malnourished to the point that she feels like a premature baby in your arms—only 4# 9 oz. Her eyes stare blankly, but she is responsive and feeding well.

Her mom is a minor who is mentally challenged. She was just not able to care for an infant. Cindy’s Lolo (grandpa) cradled her in his arms and was in shock with all that had changed in his world that day. He obviously cared for her and seemed happy that someone was going to provide for his precious bundle.

We are now contacting all the breast- feeding mothers we know because Cindy needs the best milk in the world — Mom’s milk.

We don’t know what health challenges she will face, but she needs our prayers as she is by no means clear of danger.

We have found that the best way to support the children in our home is to establish a fund in their name for the expenses during their stay at the little children’s home. If you would like to contribute to Cindy’s care, please contact us at afterthales@yahoo.ca

2009-06-11T12:09:00.003+08:00

Senon is a miracle baby. Four years ago he was born extremely premature. When he was brought to the little children's home he spent the first two months with us snuggled kangaroo-style, skin to skin, one-on-one, with a careworker.

He has Cerebral Palsy and some develop- mental diffi- culties, but today he is a very bright and happy little boy.

The twins, Dennis and Jay, will turn four soon as well. The three of them together started kinder- garten this year, generously donated by a volunteer who has been involved with the home for years.

Join us in prayer for the right forever family for Senon. The Lord takes orphaned and abandoned children for his own, placing them in families, and caring for them with his own hands.

2009-03-17T11:42:00.009+08:00

These two moms have a lot to celebrate today. They brought their newborns to the graduation ceremony for all the women who have gone through the prenatal seminar at Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan (Birthing Home).

They are proudly hoisting the gift we give to each graduating mom, this time provided by DiAnn.

For all of us--moms (and dads), midwives, and volun- teers--this is a great day.

I count 36 in the picture today, and there will be similar groups graduating tomorrow and Thursday as well.

2009-02-14T20:29:00.003+08:00

We have Keith and Carolyn here, pastors from our home church in Milk River and Sunburst. They joined us today for a half-day Valentine`s Day Retreat for our staff at Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan (Birthing Home) and the little children`s home.

We had a beautiful time together--thinking, praying, talking, eating, singing, walking through the lovely grounds at Mary Hill, and--most importantly--growing in love.

Volunteers were able to spell us at the two ministry homes so we were free to enjoy the day together. People brought out so much food that we are still eating it now.

Keith and Carolyn prayed for each one, and we all felt very special and cared for. Belen said, ``It is good that we had a heart-cleansing day on Heart Day.``

The community we serve in and with is a such a tremendous gift.

2009-02-11T14:34:00.006+08:00

Simon was at risk when he was admitted to the little children's home. In fact, he only whisked through our entry way on route to respite care from the hospital.

Simon was born by cesearean and was in hospital for two weeks. He went straight from the hospital into respite care with a volunteer family. Both Nancy and Chris are with the US Embassy Club, which is so very supportive of our work at tlc. Their two families shared Simon's care until he came back into the home...today.

Chris has not just taken him into her home but, very evidently, into her heart. Today was not a casual goodbye.

Rice is Life

2009-01-17T12:42:00.004+08:00

This Christmas we were able to get enough donations to give a sack of rice
to each of the staff at Shiphrah Bahay Paankan (Birthing Home) and the little children`s home. Rice is more than food here; it is the guardian of good time for a family or community. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making Christmas special in this way.

Beverly Hills Philippines Merry Christmas 2008

2008-12-29T20:55:00.023+08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS IN BEVERLY HILLS, PHILIPPINES !

Merry Christmas for the poor in the Philippines means "Pamasko", going from house-to-house asking for a "Merry Christmas" on Christmas morning, a practice going back to Spanish times. This is our 21st Merry Christmas, partnering with many other missionaries, most of whom also live in the Beverly Hills Subdivision, to give as nice a Merry Christmas to as many as we can. This year the missionary community contributed over $1,000 to give out more than 1 ton of rice as well as sardines, corned beef, and noodles. Other donors gave in kind; toys, candy canes, clothes, and balloons! The problem was....easily more than 1,000 people showed up! We had hoped to be able to prepare for 1,000 this year, but...next year, for sure!

On the 23rd we sacked up the food bags.

Blew up balloons

Ready for Christmas Morning! This year we had many, many of our neighbors and friends helping us with the crowd control and "bibigay" the giving out. You'll see the red-shirted, Santa-hatted "elves" everywhere (all their own idea).

In an hour, it was all over. More than 600 bags of food, toys, and balloons were given away.

What great fun!

HELP Staff Christmas Celebration 2008

2008-12-27T15:35:00.016+08:00

December 20th. An exuberant staff gathered for our Annual Staff Christmas Party; an event eagerly anticipated for weeks in advance. Responsibility for the organizing and the hosting of the party rotates between the little children's home and Shiphrah Birthing Home. This year was Shiphrah's turn. This was another event that could not have happened if it had not been for wonderful help from many friends of the ministry. Our deep thank you to everyone who was part of this.

An amazing gift was a 50 kg. sack of rice for each of our staff. There is nothing so appreciated by our people, outside of their well-earned salaries, than rice! Truly!

We began at 1 and celebrated until after 6. There is nothing that folk here like to do more than celebrate, and celebrate we did. There was plenty of food, an incredible gift basket of juices, spaghetti, and other goodies, and games, games, games; most of them relay races.

A Sunday School class in Australia had sent up beautiful decorations for the party. They were turned into a creative game, the construction of a Christmas wreath. Tables competed with one another for the most beautiful as well as individually for the best wreath. Darren performed the unfortunate task of having to judge the winners.They were all so good!

Good food and plenty of it is essential to the success of any party anywhere. By anyone's measure, this party was a success! A number of the staff had done the cooking, delicious chicken, hot and spicy Bicol

Express, superb sinagang, and ice cream.

And then there were the raffles and gifts.

It was after dark when all the gifts were given, all the food eaten, and everyone ready to start the well-laden journey home. Thank you, everyone who gave so generously so that our staff could have such a wonderful celebration! May God bless you all!

Kid's Christmas 2008

2008-12-27T11:47:00.035+08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The children of HELP ministry staff and their extended families were the center of the action on December 6 at the annual HELP International Children's Christmas Party. As has been the case the last several years, the U.S. Embassy Club members were a huge part of the party. A local friend was behind the gifts and food, and another local friend sponsored the ice cream. This wonderful party could not have happened without many friends generously pitching in.

There's something special about tops and bubbles!

And Ice Cream!

And presents and Santa!

Thank you, Everyone!

It was a wonderful day!

Catching Up: Forever Families

2008-12-26T11:31:00.008+08:00

It has been a woefully long absence from the Firesides Blog, an absence it will take several entries to rectify. Since the last entry, we've said "Hello-Goodbye" several times, each time a "high-five", YES! This is why the little children's home exists. It's about being a link to fulfill the longing for a child and the longing for a mom and dad. The longing goes both ways.

October was Goodbye to Nicala as she joined her forever family. Nicala is the curly-haired live wire sitting next to her mum.
December was the best early Christmas ever for Liezel and her new mum and dad.

And, in a serendipitous moment, two forever families meet one another. Janrey's and Liezel Joy's papers were both at Region IV at the same time. And now, they meet again, this time both with their forever families.

A Dog Named Apocalypse

2008-10-22T16:43:00.006+08:00

Many children here in the Philippines are afraid of dogs, and the children at the little children's home are no exception. And for some odd reason that lies beyond my capacity to explain, it seems like most of our forever families have dogs. I swear, we don't make dog ownership a criteria for choosing families, it just seems to work out that way.

It is our practice to have adoptive families over for supper at our house in Beverly with their new child. And we happen to be the proud pack of a beagle name Apocalypse (Paco to his friends and family). Fortunately, he happens to be a fairly calm dog who does not get overly excited by the presence of children. He does love to give kisses, however, so we put him on a leash when we have adoptive families over. We want the children to have a positive experience with a dog before they go home with their new family.

Last week, Nica's forever family came and we had two wonderful suppers with them. Going into it, though, Deborah and I had some concern about Nica and Paco. Nica wasn't merely frightened by dogs, she was terrified of them. She would start screaming if she saw a dog. Deborah wasn't sure that it would be enough to have Paco on a leash; it was possible he would have to be banished to the bedroom for the duration of the supper. But I wanted to give it a try, especially seeing as Nica was going to be going home to two dogs. Paco could be like sticking a toe in the water.

So Thursday night, Nica and her family are downstairs. Moment of truth. I leashed up Paco and we headed downstairs.

I took him into the lanai where everybody was sitting around talking. I sat down on the floor with him in Nika's line of sight, but not too close. Deborah encouraged Aubrey to come and pet Paco and Nica's kuya (big brother)followed suit. Nica watched the two boys pet Paco, and not a tear was seen nor whimper heard. A doggy miracle!

By the time Nica and her family left after supper on Friday night, Nica was running around without a glance at Paco. She even patted his tail. I must say, I was so proud of our beagle. He was the perfect dog to help Nica begin to overcome her fear.

Updating HELP's Website

2008-10-01T20:57:00.005+08:00

A shameless plug for our website:

My older brother, Daniel, got me up and running this summer on the mission website. For any of you who might not have yet visited our website, please check it out. HELP International Ministries

I have been slaving away since we returned from our U.S. trip updating and creating new content for the website. I have added an Amazon store, or astore, to the site. We choose the books and stuff that are displayed in the store, as well and the colors and layout. It's been fun playing with it.

My main effort lately has been creating an international adoption page that provides information on the foreign adoption agencies and government departments that have been approved by the Philippines InterCountry Adoption Board. This has consisted in hours spent searching out the websites for these agencies, a trickier job than I anticipated.

Please, check out the efforts of my labor.

Sara

Rice Line

2008-09-18T16:43:00.013+08:00

This is the scene every Wednesday morning at the bottom of the hill that leads to the little children's home and Shiphrah Birthing home. Early on Wednesday mornings hundreds of impoverished residents of Taytay, Rizal, Philippines grab the U.S. equivalent of 2.50 and line up for at least four city blocks, waiting patiently for the government rice distribution truck to appear. For their P100, they get 5.25 kilos of rice. That will last a family of five, two parents and three children, about 2 1/2 days. The quality of the rice varies, some being fairly decent, some being old and moldy. Word on the street has it that how good the rice is depends on which distribution point you go to. Folk at this particular one say the rice is acceptable. Better than none at all.

People are discouraged. One lady, referring to Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who had just made her State of the Nation address the day before these pictures were taken, and had told the people to "just work harder.." said, "She doesn't care about us. She only cares about herself. I don't pay any attention to her anymore."

We watch the U.S. stock market writhe and gasp, massive, powerful firms frantically scouring the terrain for bailouts and deals, scrabbling to stay alive. Welcome to the world of the poor. They do that every single day. The rice lines exist because of the corrupt greed of others. Financial well-being is not a sin. The amassing of wealth is.

The sign on the truck reads "From President Gloria. Rice of/for the town. Fighting Poverty". To bring this home...our careworker, Generosa...those of you who have adopted tlc children know her....is in the righthand corner of the picture, waiting to buy her rice. Even those who, like Generosa, have steady work, can no longer afford to buy all their rice in the markets anymore. She is but one of hundreds in the Wednesday rice line.

Some Teapot Teaching

2008-08-18T10:02:00.005+08:00

Been awhile since we've posted. We said goodbye to our Camiguin Island midwife students about a month ago now, but would like to share with you some of the final teaching time we had. Years ago, we started calling our learning times together with all of us at Shiphrah, midwives and students "Teapot Teaching" because we always gather around the teapot. Or teapots.

This time, the Camiguin gals learned how to do infant resuscitation. We hope that they never need to use this new knowledge, but, just in case.....

They loved their time with us and really jumped into life at Shiphrah Birthing Home. Most of our teaching on nutrition was new to them, how to recognize and deal with excess bleeding, using prenatal exams to catch problems way before they become dangerous, our use of the birthing stool so the women can give birth sitting up if they choose and many other things.

They felt as though they had just begun to get a handle on so many of the new things they learned, when, suddenly their three months was over and it was time for them to return to their island home.They hope to return next year and learn more. We hope so, too!

2008-07-01T07:52:00.005+08:00

One of the ways we care for our children at the little children's home is by providing an opportunity for caregiving students to do their practicum with us before they go overseas to work. This provides our children with extra love and attention. (This is Senon checking out the water from the walk way.)

One of these students, Alan, invited us to their family resort this week in Binangonan. All of the older children went, as well as a few of the neighborhood children and some of our staff's family.

It's so very important for our children to have these kinds of outings, exploring the larger world and learning to be comfortable in different kinds of surroundings. (Here Nika's just getting used to being in the water.)

2008-04-26T15:40:00.008+08:00

Camiguin Island is five hours off the far, northern coast of Luzon (the main island of the Philippines, where we live), on a little banca--a dugout boat with outriggers. From September through February you watch the skies carefully for maybe one day in a week when it's safe enough to make the crossing. And it's from there that three courageous community healthcare workers have come to learn midwifery at Shiphrah (Exodus 1) Birthing Home.

At six o'clock this morning, Jing (seen above), Helen, and Carol attended a birth with Lornie, who was their midwife instructor. Alathea is the first girl in a family of four boys. Her parents had promised their good friends, who have been married for 15 years and have no children, that if they gave birth to another boy they would gift him to them.

Jovina was divided during the birth: truly, she wanted to bless her friends with a child, but she did not want to give up her child either. She had come think they wouldn't have another girl because their second child had been a girl, and then died after three months.

When Alathea was born, it was sheer wonder. They had not even prepared a name, and had only a few clothes on hand -- because in their minds, this was not their child. Amazingly to me, along with being delighted to receive the gift of a daughter, Jovina was also sad for her friends. We had the wonderful opportunity to talk to them about the possibility of adoption for their friends. The Philippine government is developing an excellent program to help local families adopt.

What Carol, Jing and Helen will learn about midwifery here will only be written on the margins a textbook. But they will go back to their island much better equipped to serve the surprising needs of the families there.

2008-04-26T15:32:00.002+08:00

Brian Zimmerman is well on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout. He contacted us a while ago asking if there was a project he could undertake to help Shiphrah (Exodus 1) Birthing Home.

One of the things we do a lot of is receiving donations and supplies that will be distributed to people in need. But we often struggle to store them safely and in an orderly manner. We suggested he could build a shelving space that would help us better meet the needs of the families we serve.

He headed it up, coordinating cooperation by other scouts, and his dad, Daryl, came out with him today to finish the assembly at the home. It looks great, and it's going to be a really big help. Good job, Brian.

Rey

2008-04-19T00:54:00.009+08:00

Rey Cunanan served as HELP Mission Driver for 11 years. He died from liver cancer on Thursday, April 17. He would have still been our driver had
he not lost a foot to diabetes.

He began his driving career driving the
family jeepney in Manila when fares were measured in centavos rather than pesos. There was not an inch of the city he didn't know. When on an emergency transport, facing blocked traffic, he found open side streets and alleys that boggled the mind. The midwives trusted him implicitly and
knew when Rey was at the wheel, everything was going to be OK.

Rey was well-known to our tlc families. Speaking excellent English and comfortable with foreigners, he helped squire many a family to InterCountry Adoption Board, various Embassies, and on sightseeing trips around Antipolo and Manila. He had a wonderful way of welcoming people and making them feel at home. If he wasn't helping new families, driving birthing home transports, Rey was taking tlc kids to schools, to doctor appointments, to embassies for visas, to immunizations, and a whole host of other day-to-day
things that one does in the day of a life of a mission.

He loved both people and animals. He was the life of any party; screamingly funny, outrageously ribald on occasion. He graced one of the mission Christmas parties dolled up as a hip-swinging, belly undulating exotic dancer. Dennis introduced him as Miss Rizalia, or something crazy like that. Brought the house down. Give him a karaoke and he was set for the duration.

Rey's home was a veritable zoo. In the entrance was a huge fish tank,
sporting several varieties of very big fish. Hanging from the
trees were a number cages of birds. He had the usual
compliment of dogs and cats, but, also a couple
of most interesting chickens that were more dog than
chicken. They would toddle after Rey, waiting at the door
patiently until he came out of the house.

He had a special friendship with tlc washlady, Lucy. And, it was particularly Lucy that he asked to see in, what turned out to be his final moments. The photo of he and Lucy was the occasion of Lucy's 20th anniversary as a HELP mission worker. She is weeping as she has just looked at the artificial foot that Rey had as a result of the amputation. They were dear friends.

Rey is survived by his wife of many, many years, Gennie, three daughters, two sons, and several grandchildren as well as siblings.

Even after he retired, Rey stayed in touch with the mission. We were always guests at his birthday parties, his children's and grandchildren's birthdays and baptisms.

We will miss you, Rey. Neither heaven nor earth will be quite the same.

Orienting to Serve at Shiphrah

2008-03-13T17:28:00.012+08:00

For the past two years Shiphrah Birthing Home has joined with
St. Paul University's School of Nursing to provide a place where
their students could gain real, hands-on maternal care experience.
It has been and continues to be a thoroughly delightful relationship.

St. Paul's students come from a far higher social strata than
do the women we serve at Shiphrah. To orient them to
consider how they will need to relate to the women we serve,
to accord the women the dignity and respect of real
personhood in an environment of sheer hospitality, we've
created a learning session that is not unlike our learning
sessions with our "buntis"(expectant moms).

Learning needs to be fun and so we begin to build relationships with a game called "Fruit Salad", a variation of Musical Chairs. Students were scrambling fast to not be done out of a chair.

Next, we move into a more serious vein, working with an image we call "The Paanakan Woman". We ask the students to simply describe what they see, reflect on what her struggles might be, the meaning of what they have described, and most importantly, what they have in common with her. It is always a revealing discussion, both for the students and for us.

We wrap up the orientation with the students creating and then sharing a skit in which they are to show us how they will welcome a woman who comes to the Birthing Home. It's a lot of laughter interlaced with just a wee bit of seriousness and often an amazing amount of speedily developed creativity.

Full Circle

2008-02-28T21:10:00.012+08:00

As a parent of grown children, there is nothing better than the sense of satisfied wholeness that floods the heart when your children return home to visit. A similar sense of completion ensues when tlc families return home after many years to visit the birth country of their
children, to visit their roots at the little children's home.

These past two weeks we welcomed two wonderful returning families; from Norway the Fossey-Sandbakks with Jonas, Jostein and Maria Ellaine, all tlc kids, and son Daniel. They brought beautiful pictures of their lives in Norway, sports, friends,
mountains, family, and snow!

And from the Netherlands, the Bettink family bringing their son Samuel who had been with us at tlc nine years ago. Also with them was son Bryan from another home in the Philippines. They are on their way to Leyte to pick up their new daughter.

On both of these happy occasions we shared lunch in our home as we had so many years ago when all of our kids were younger and some, grandsons Aubrey and Auden
weren't yet born.

A Shiphrah Morning

2008-02-22T21:37:00.005+08:00

Welcome to a typical morning at Shiphrah Birthing Home. Women begin to arrive for
the Childbirth and Motherhood classes sometimes as early as 7 am.

Shiphrah Home Manager, Helen leads her "Cheeky Girls" exercise session. It wakes us all up...gets the blood flowing and best of all, brings smiles.

Each class is a response to questions the women have asked at the beginning of the course. In these pictures, you're seeing our class on Childbirth. In the skit, we're answering the questions that the women have asked earlier. I play the mother-in-law who is full of superstitious beliefs which reflect many of the women's questions. Helen is the pregnant mom, and midwives Lornie and Bhel play the parts of the midwife and the husband respectively.

Following the class we move inside. New women are interviewed, a practical welcome to Shiphrah during which we can begin our care and friendship.

For ladies who have prenatals scheduled, it's weights and measures time.

Natalie is a missionary studying to become a midwife. All of our midwives serve as instructors.
Dina is the teacher on this day.

Meriendas (snacks) are sold by some of our former "buntis" (pregnants)and friends. The fishball vendor pushes his "meals on wheels" up the hill every prenatal day. He does a brisk business.

Morning at Shiphrah. Mothers, babies, families.

X-Tra Special Kids

2008-02-01T21:17:00.001+08:00

Francis is our first X-tra Special Kid.
He has glomerulonephritis - kidney
disease. We met Francis when he was 2
and in a charity hospital with a huge foot
wound that would not heal. With the help
of the U.S. Embassy Club, American Women's
Club and many others, we were able to get
needed surgery and, in the early days, help
with frequent hospitalizations for Francis. His kidneys are fairly stable
and now, 11years later, he leads a pretty normal life with
minimal help. Without huge help in those early two
or three years, Francis would not have survived. In the picture,
he's with his mom, Annie, and his baby sister, Pauline. His
Dad, Roger, works as a taxi driver. Francis
loves to draw and hopes to be an engineer someday.

Twins Grace and Mercy have been our X-tra Special Kids
for the past 5 years. Now 14, they were diagnosed with
lupus....Systemic lupus erythmatosus...SLE when they were
only 9. Many around the world have helped us stand with
their family to help with the impossible costs of care. Their
father works as a janitor for less than $100 a month. Their
mom sells vegetables door-to-door for $2 a day. These are
good people.
Recently Grace was admitted to a medical study program
that will pay for her medical costs.We are waiting for news
of Mercy's acceptance. We will continue to help with the transportation to get the girls' to their treatments. I'm including two photos, one, when we first met the twins, and the most recent, with their mom, Letty. Grace is always on the left and Mercy is always on the right.

Carmina (Carmi) Macaventa is our neighbor. She is 16 and
will be graduating from high school this year with honors. A
wonderful girl, Carmi has dreams of going on to college and
becoming a businesswoman. She spends hours at our kitchen
table working on her homework with her best friend, Jhing,
our cook, Belen's daughter. All those dreams are now in question.
Carmi was diagnosed with retinal pigmentosa right after Christmas.
She will be blind before she is 25. We are determined to walk
with Carmi and her family, finding ways for her to go on to
college, fulfilling her dreams. Her dad is a tiler and her mom
a homemaker. They have very little income, but are, again,
great people. We celebrate New Year's together every year as we
gather in the street that runs in front of our homes and welcome
in the New Year with all sorts of rockets, firecrackers, and sparklers.
She is our newest X-tra Special Kid.

Edith

2008-01-31T20:43:00.000+08:00

Edith retired early this month. Besides
being a careworker, Edith is a pastor. As a pastor, she
has held her share of sick children while they slept in her arms,
changed endless diapers, helped with the mountains of
laundry and painstakingly mended,sometimes late into
the night, well-worn baby clothes to make sure
our tlc little ones always looked their best.

She saw the care of the children as her pastoral calling for 17 years she has worked at the little
children's home. Just after the first of the year
we bade Edith a very fond farewell. God speed, Edith.
Well done, good and faithful servant.

A Ton of Rice: Beverly Hills Philippines Merry Christmas 2007

2007-12-26T13:15:00.000+08:00

"Feels like we must have bagged a ton of rice!" Well, we did! 1250 kilos to be exact into 520 bags along with a can of sardines and some noodles all thanks
to the generous giving of missionaries living in Beverly and some coming from other places. We gathered in the Gunderson
home once again to sack up food and blow up 500 balloons all to give out on Christmas morning.

Deborah and her team created a winter wonderland replete
with Frosty the Snowman and companions in our garage for the children.
Missionary volunteers along with our Filipino
neighbors gave away 500 beautifully wrapped coloring books and color crayons donated by MADS, a group of international
moms along with a balloon for each child.

The event has grown over the past 20 years to become the huge experience it is now. Within an hour everything had been given away. What we can accomplish when we work together is truly beautiful! Thank you to everyone who gave of their time, finances, and love to make this possible. What a gift to so many!

A Forest of Christmas Trees: 2007 Staff Christmas Party

2007-12-19T22:59:00.000+08:00

Nowhere in the world do they love to
celebrate like the Philippines. Our HELP
staff only proves the rule. Our annual
mission Christmas Party is a must and
has been the instrument for extra blessing
for our hard-working staff. The mission
would be at a total loss without them. Some
of our staff have been with us for 20 years
and a great many for 10 or more.

Deborah has outdone herself gathering
gifts that will make
Christmas special.
Chief among them are
Christmas trees
for each one. She
learned awhile ago that
none of our people had
their own Christmas
trees. She swung into
action and raised the money to buy little
trees for all 32 staff. A Sunday School in
Australia provided the decorations for each tree.

Games and food are fundamental to a
good party. There was no shortage of
either.

Finally, through another generous donor,
each staff member took home a basket of
food so their Noche Buena Christmas Eve
meals will be full and merry.

This party is an important part of life
at HELP. We celebrate the gift of one
another, the gift of being able to do
the work each of us does , and finally,
the gift of Jesus Christ to bring
redemption to a broken world.

100 Happy Kids

2007-12-13T00:06:00.000+08:00

100 Christmas stockings lined the sides of
the Shiphrah Birthing Home Learning Area
as Christmas came in a big, big way for the 100 something
children of HELP International Ministries staff this past
Saturday afternoon.

The U.S. Embassy Club outdid themselves this year as
they brought Christmas to our HELP children. Santa
ho-ho-ho'd and the Embassy crew delighted the children
with face painting, musical chairs, a ball toss, and a host
of other games.

Santa handed out personally selected gifts donated by a generous local donor and the tables groaned under the weight of fried chicken
and more spaghetti than one would care to imagine.

It was a glorious, Merry Christmas day.

A Philippine Beverly Hills Christmas

2007-11-30T14:01:00.000+08:00

Every Christmas Day we participate in a Christmas custom as old as the colonial Spanish times here. It's called simply, "Merry Christmas". The poor go house-to-house asking for a "Merry Christmas"; hoping for a small something to make their Christmas happy. The missionary community who live in Beverly Hills Subdivision have joined with us for the past 20 years, combining our efforts to give those who will surely come a merrier Christmas than we could provide individually.

The event has grown to massive proportions. This year we anticipate at least 500 children and 500 adults. Toys for the children and a food gift for the adults. Our food bags this year will be rice, sardines, and milk powder. The children will receive coloring books and crayons (donated by a local
international women's group) and balloons. There must be balloons. The pictures on this post are all from last year. It's a wild and woolly event. Our garage is where the children gather, and our neighbor has constructed a very clever bamboo runway in front of our house for the adults.

Missionary families come to our house on the 23rd to pack up the food bags and prepare the toys. By 7 am on Christmas morning, the crowds are gathering and we begin to give out our "Merry Christmas". Hours and hours of preparation are gone in a flash.

But, you know what....it has made our Christmas Merrier as well!

Merry, Merry Christmas to all!

A Letter From Deborah: HELPing Christmas to Come to Our Staff

2007-11-30T13:24:00.000+08:00

HELP INTERNATIONAL

Staff Christmas Party

Time again for our Help International

Christmas party; a wonderful time
of riotous games, Christmas songs
and yummy food.

Celebrating together is an important
way to bond your hearts to one
another. Everyone looks forward
to this special time to gather
together.

The cost of the food and games prizes comes to $250.

Christmas Eve is a very important time in

Filipino homes. It is very difficult for our
staff to save much for their Christmas
meal, so every year we
try to give them an extra
blessing of a food basket.
This year we would like to
be able to share with each of our
staff’s family a Christmas food
basket each worth $22 (P1,000).
Your family can share some
Christmas Eve spirit with
a HELP staff family by sponsoring a basket.
We will need forty baskets this year.

The main items that we need for the forty baskets

are:P12,000($266) for hams, P7,152 ($158) for cheese

balls, P6,000 ($133) for the 40 bags to put items in.

My hope for this year is to also purchase a bag of rice

for each worker as a way to help our staff this

Christmas. The cost of a bag of rice is $35.

A special treat I would like to surprise our workers

with at our Christmas party is a small 20 inch Christmas

tree per worker. None of our staff have a Christmas

tree in their home. The cost per tree is  P300($7). I have

someone who is willing to sponsor ten trees so I am in

need of 26 more trees which will cost P7,800 ($181).

The way we are going to decorate them is Sunday School

children in Australia will be preparing the ornaments

per tree and mailing them to Manila.

Christmas bonuses are important tradition in the

Philippines. At Christmas and New Year often

relatives in the provinces will visit their family in the

city of Manila. All of the food expenses and sometimes

even the travel money for the relatives to return to their

homes fall on the host in Manila. That Manila host is

often one of our workers. It is common to perceive the

city people as having lots of money. The Christmas bonus

helps our staff not to go in debt when sharing hospitality

with their families.

Part 2 A Letter from Deborah: HELPing Christmas to Come to Our Staff

2007-11-30T11:56:00.000+08:00

Staff Children’s Christmas
Party: Partnering with
U.S. Embassy Club

(all pictures that follow are from
Christmas last year)

Every year we give gifts to our
staff's children as a way to
bring joy to their families
at a time when we remember Christ's birth. Our workers
are fortunate to receive a regular salary of min-
imum wage, but they have a lot of pressing needs.
Every year it is a challenge for them to enroll their
children in school, to pay for unexpected medical
expenses and, sometimes, even to put food on the
table. We help out as much as we can, but people
who know poverty know what it is to live under
constant stress. Christmas is a big celebration here,
and a lot of people give presents to the children
in the home. It can be very hard for our workers
to see everything that is given to the children in
their care, who they know will each go to a wonderful
“forever family” somewhere in the world,  when they
are looking at a bleak Christmas at home. What we
want to do is to inject some joy (and relieve
some of the pressure) into this time of year.


What we are asking of you
is to join us this year by
sponsoring a child for $10
(P500). We have 100 children
to buy presents for. The parents
will give us their wish lists
and then a volunteer shops for
each child personally.
The presents are then
wrapped and given to the children
by Santa Claus at a Christmas
party held a Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan.

It is a most joyous event.

This year we only have 6 children who still need a sponsor.

Thank you for your interest in our HELP Christmas
giving program.You will touch the hearts of many
children with the knowledge that Christ cares 
for their needs. As a parent you can understand the
joy you will bring to our staff member’s hearts as
they see their children receive a beautiful Christmas
package.


A special Thank You to the U.S. Embassy Club and another
anonymous donor, without whose help we could not even
attempt this. 

Please make your checks payable to:

Trinity United Methodist Church
220 W. Martin St.Martinsburg,WV 25401
U.S.A. 

On the memo write: Missions Fund-Philippines 

Please make a note with the check that the money is
for Help Christmas Gifts. You will receive a receipt..

 love,deborah gustafson

Midwife and Executive Director of the little children's home

Sheila Mae - a letter from Deborah

2007-11-13T23:06:00.000+08:00

Dear Friends,

This Monday morning, Nov 12, 2007 a miracle happened.
Sheila Mae met her mom and dad for the first time.
A family was born. For the Gustafson family there was an
added part of the miracle. This is the first time that such
a miracle has happened in our own home.

Sheila Mae was in foster care for the last 3 months due
to a security reason.These last three weeks she was with
our family. Aubrey our six yr old was so happy because now
we had another girl in the family. He told me that now we
just need one more girl to make it even 3 boys 3 girls. He
did understand that Sheila Mae was not to stay with us but
it still was an exciting time. So Monday morning Sheila Mae
took her last nap in our home and woke to see her mom and
dad on the bed gazing at their beautiful daughter the best
gift life can ever give.

Please keep them in your prayers as they are getting to know
one another.

love,
deborah

2007-10-22T20:26:00.000+08:00

Normally the wait is 9 months. But an adoptive family often waits for years. And that without knowing what the outcome will be.

Christian has been matched to a family in Australia. His family is friends with the family who adopted Mary from us earlier this year. They found out about Christian a couple of weeks ago, and are just waiting for the phone call saying they can come get him.

Today we received a package from them containing a photo album of Christian's new family and their home. This footage is literally Christian's first encounter with his new Mummy and Daddy, sister and other relatives.

Each birth is special

2007-10-20T16:55:00.000+08:00

What a joy it is to assist a couple in the birth of their child. This morning two midwives, Grace and Lornie, were with Alice and Romeo as their fourth child was born.

Jade Hansen is a little guy at 6#4 oz but a cute, healthy baby. Alice's labor and birth was very quick, going from 4cm to birth in 45 minutes--making both mom and midwives very happy. Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan is glad to say that we have been there for Alice and Romeo as all four of their children were born. We thank the Lord for blessing the midwives yet again.

2007-10-18T18:26:00.000+08:00

We've known Norma for years. She's a well-known seamstress in the area and has sewn things for us on all sorts of occasions. Sara's dress for Joel and Jena's wedding. But now we have her and her husband (and his brother) making bags for the little children's home.

2007-10-18T18:17:00.000+08:00

This blog is long over-due. But little Amber's new family is from right here in the Philippines. Many of you will have heard us talk about Amber. She came into the home two months premature, six months ago. She was extremely vulnerable and spent her first two months with us in isolation. (Do a search in this blog for other stories on Amber.)

Mike and Winnie live in Cavite, just a bit south of Manila. We had them over for lunch and hope that we will get to see them again as they don't live as far away as most of you do.

An adoptive family is a big family. We feel, when a family comes here to take one of our children to their home, as if they are joining the team at the little children's home. Here are Marisa and Merlinda, Mamarlyn and Antonia, four of the caregivers who have been there for Amber since she was newborn. They are flanking Mike and Winnie who hold Amber now. (On the far right is Tara, the social worker with the Department of Social Welfare and Development who facilitated the match.) Welcome to the tlc family.

2007-10-18T18:07:00.000+08:00

Kholberg's term for it is 'genera-tivity.' When I met with Edith today to discuss her plans for retirement she said, "If it comes time for me to leave the little children's home, you don't need to have a party for me. Instead, let's help those who really need it." And she told me about the dire situation of one of our workers' sister. Edna is Marivic's sister. Her husband died some years ago from an accident doing dynamite fishing off the shore of Cavite. This is hardly an honorific way to die, but Edith's concern was all for Edna and the children she is trying to support without a regular income. "She works very hard and has a good attitude," she said; "If you need to hire another employee, you should hire her."

When Edith was a young woman, she attended Bible School out of obedience to her eldest brother. "For Filipinos, the kuya is like a second father; I didn't want to disobey him." Gradually, she began to learn the Bible and to discern God's call on her life.

She spent nine years working in the remote, mountainous regions of Camarines Norte, pioneering house churches where there were only very few established churches, far apart.

Then she describes a transitional experience in her life. She took care of a young girl who had an ovarian cyst and then died of cancer two years later. She is trained as a pastor and was closest to the girl who died, so the pastor in charge asked her to preach at the funeral. But she said, "I felt as if someone was choking me; I could not preach because I love her."

After going through a number of employment and ministry situations, she came to work with us in January of 1994 as a careworker. She will be obligated to retire in January this next year, after 13 years of service, because she is turning 65. I asked her what she feels God is calling her to now and she said, "God is not finished with me yet." She hopes to work again in church support. Many of her former students and associates are working in church leadership.

She described a dream she had while she was pioneering house churches in the Bicol mountains. It was kaingin, when people chop down the tall grass in preparation for planting crops. This has been the image of her life, preparing the soil for the work that God will do in the lives of others. How many children have first-experienced God's love for them in Edith's arms?

More Pari

2007-10-18T17:17:00.000+08:00

Here, as promised, are more Pari pictures as well as clips from her recent emails. Pari trained as a midwife with us several years ago while her husband was getting his Master's of Divinity at the Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary just down the road from the Birthing Home. If any readers feel you would like to get some financial help to Pari, you can send it to us and we will see that she gets it. We wish to stand with this lady any way we can. Again, "Nay" is the Tagalog word for "mom". This picture is of the twins she speaks of in her email that follows. Pari is on the right.

Dear Nay, How are you? Nay God bless my paanakan
and last July7 Ideliver twins, which is doctor said
they need in operation, but God is so good for the poor
people. They don't have any money. Nay my husband stop
teaching in his Bible school because our family lack of
finance,we sale our rice field and he plan to go to work
Malaysia. He love teaching but we don't know what to do.
Nay our world is very hard only we can feel the peace,
when we are in the heaven, but we will try our best in here.
Nay here is my favorite verse for you Deuteronomy 10:18
said He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow.
Nay we pray for you many times.I have more patients more
than before. I hope I can do it.

God bless you, Sister in Christ Pari

Pari: Myanmar Midwife

2007-10-17T21:13:00.000+08:00

We, along with the rest of the world, have been following recent events in Myanmar with grief at the unrestrained violence the ruling junta used against their own people; people seeking to express their frustration at fuel prices gone arbitrarily mad and a legally elected government held hostage by military power. As events in Yangon were unfolding, our thoughts turned to a courageous midwife in the northern part of the nation who, day in and day out, serves the poor, of whom she is one, with commitment and skill. We've written about Pari before. In a country that is bleeding, she brings hope to her small corner. Subsequent posts will be pictures we've received from Pari along with excerpts from her emails. Yes, she can email occasionally. It's expensive, each email costing her money, but she is hungry for contact with the world outside. Of her room that you see in her photo, she says:

Dear Nay (the Filipino word for Mom) this is my patients picture,
and she gave me. My room is length 15' and wide 5'. It is very good
to work in my house. God is soo good.

Love. Pari

2007-09-25T20:25:00.000+08:00

This year's 'Global' Inter-national Adoption Conference was held at Tagaytay, the beautiful provincial town overlooking Taal volcano.

It is a very important conference for the meeting of local child-caring agencies with inter-national adoption agencies. We work together all the time, but usually from opposite sides of the ocean; so it's good to get together and discuss our objectives and how things are going.

Sara and Deborah tag-teamed, and had an excellent time of learning and spending time together.

Reading at ICAB

2007-08-28T16:00:00.000+08:00

On August 22 & 23, I joined Deborah and Jhett, our social worker, to read case studies of prospective adoptive families at ICAB (Intercountry Adoption Board). This was the first time that I helped with the reading. Before this, Dad would have been reading with them.

Jhett and I got to ICAB early Wednesday afternoon. She set us up at a table and brought over the roster of families. She showed me what we needed to look for, and then we started looking for families that fit our child.

Deborah showed up after a while, and soon each of us were reading a case study. And then came the difficult part; how to choose between good families? Dad would come home from reading case studies and agonize over the choices in front of him. Now I understood. After taking the personality of the child and the various families into account, we were still faced with difficult choices. How do you choose between good families? As I read the case studies I could hear the cry of their heart for a child. If only we could give them all a child! Instead, we have one. Argh! So you go with your gut, and trust that God is guiding your hand to the right family for your child. So we made our choice. And now we wait to see if they choose our child in return.

Sara

Reflections on Services and Scattering

2007-08-01T16:14:00.000+08:00

July 14, 2007

Our final “road trip” with Dennis came to a wonderful conclusion on the prairies of northern Montana where it all began over 30 years ago. It was a full circle that embraced a good share of the globe before it was over. Who would have known, all those years ago, that this farm kid would touch lives and hearts in countries as far away as Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Thailand and ultimately give his final twenty years to the infants of the Philippines?

But, when you come to think of it, kids were always his thing. When he was principal of the Christian school in our home church in Sunburst, MT, who was being a very un-principal-like lion with the younger kids up on the second floor? Noon hours usually ended amid shrieks and squeals as Mr. Gunderson, down on all fours, chased delighted kindergarteners, roaring with a fierce “Ra-a-ar!” as the rest of the staff stood below and just smiled and shook their heads.

In the Philippines, as he walked along village streets and beaches, went into the markets, rode in the jeepneys, enjoyed a burger in McDonalds, wherever he was, if there were kids there, he and they were attracted to each other. And, sure enough, here would come the “gagumba” (spider), or “lamok” (mosquito) that always ended up in a tickle and a yelp from a delighted child and elicit a smile from an amused parent.

As we have listened intently to others speak of his life during the four services for him, the two in Manila, and the two in Montana, there were numerous themes that emerged again and again; his unshakeable commitment to the work that God had called him, his dogged if not always elegant perseverance, his passion for children, his love for the lost, his delight in all sorts of music, his love for and belief in family, and his determination to trust God thoroughly. Once he put his hand to the plow, he never looked back. And, he went to be with his Lord still hitched to the plow.

The services have all been joy-filled, fun, if one dares call a memorial fun; filled with “Dennis” stories, tears, laughter (of course, this is Dennis we’re talking about), and lots and lots and lots of singing. They were what we had hoped for; reunions, and all the joy that goes with such an event. In that, Dennis was honored.

We scattered his ashes in a beautiful patch of green Montana prairie that rests up against our beloved Sweetgrass Hills. The land had been part of the first land purchased for Dennis and his brothers by their dad. It was late in the afternoon by the time we arrived, a dusty caravan of friends and family coursing our way there over miles of graveled farm roads. Shadows were beginning to form in the folds of the Hills, making them feel more breathtaking and present than ever. The heat of the day was waning and a slight breeze came down off the Hills just barely stirring the grass every now and again.

None of us were quite sure how to go about this and for a moment we looked at one another rather awkwardly. Finally, someone led out with a couple of Scripture choruses from the “early” days, “This is the day that the Lord has made” and “Thy Loving Kindness is better than life”. Slowly, we reached into the urn and took small handfuls of ashes, letting them trail into the grass as we walked or casting them into the small breeze. Montana twilights are long and there was no rush….not with this precious time. Some of us returned time and again to fill our hands with ashes and scatter, pray, weep, hug one another, laugh, or just visit together. Our three grandsons, who had also joined in the scattering, soon took to romping in the prairie like lions, often almost disappearing in the tall grass. It seemed that no one really wanted to leave. It was too lovely, too peaceful. However, finally we drew the journey to a close, singing the first verse of “How Great Thou Art”, a reading of Ps 121, and prayer.

I would like to share what some farm neighbors wrote on their condolence card. How suitable their words:

There is no easy way to say this:
The pain, sorrow, the grief is real.
Speaking of real, Dennis was real.
When he talked about those kid and
Started to cry; that was real.
When he talked about the fathers
That weren’t fathers, he was angry;
That was real.
When he worshipped; he really worshipped;
That was real.
We will miss the real father, brother, husband,
Grandfather and friend; he was real.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, whence cometh my help.
My help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth
Psalm 121.1-2

Dennis Gunderson

2007-07-12T07:13:00.001+08:00

Dennis Jay Gunderson, 62, of Chester, MT, passed away May 16, 2007 in Manila, Philippines. Born January 15, 1945, in Great Falls, MT, he was the son of the late Douglas Gunderson and Josephine Plank Gunderson. He attended elementary school at Bear’s Den, graduated Valedictorian from Joplin High School (1962) and graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in History from Montana State University (1967).

Raised on the family farm north of Chester, he was a son of the soil.
Following University he taught history, economics, and typing at Monroe Senior High School, Monroe, WA. He returned to the family farm in 1969. He was called to full time ministry in 1974 which led him throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Thailand and finally to the Philippines in 1987. He founded “the little children’s home” in Manila in 1991 and continued to serve the children until his death. He was a man of humor, love of music and passion for the children. He was a cool man.

He is survived by his wife Jeri Keye Huffman Gunderson, son Daniel Gunderson and wife, Teresa, grandson Gabriel; daughter Sara Gunderson; daughter Deborah Gunderson Gustafson and husband, Darren, grandsons Aubrey and Auden; son Joel Gray Gunderson and wife, Jena, grandchild to be; daughter Mary Gunderson; son Paul Gunderson. Brother Dale Gunderson and wife, Lanea; sister Judy Gunderson; brother Leonard Gunderson and wife, Katheryn; brother-in-law Kevin O’Neil. He is also survived by nieces Vicki Gunderson Weimer, Whitney Gunderson Wright and Stacie Gunderson Mason, nephews Randy Gunderson, Darryn Gunderson, Chad Gunderson, Ryan Gunderson, Scott Gunderson and Joshua O’Neil, uncle and aunt, Fred and Ruth Plank Barrett; aunt Mary Plank Mattson, and cousins Carolyn Barrett Dolderer, Don Gunderson, Gail McClellan Kaiakamanu, Gloria McClellan Thorson, Carl Mattson, Jodi Mattson

He was preceded in death by his sister Robin Gunderson O'Neil, niece Valerie Gunderson, cousin Monte Barrett, aunt and uncle Esther Gunderson McClellan and Ed McClellan, and uncles Eddie Gunderson and George Mattson.

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 30th, 2007, at the Church On the Rock in Sunburst, MT and 1:30 p.m., Monday, July 2nd, 2007 at the Assembly of God Church in Chester, MT.

Thursday Memorial Service

2007-06-16T06:15:00.000+08:00

It is still hard for me to really realize that Dad is no longer with us on earth. One thing that I do know is that through this time of pain and sorrow we have also felt great joy and love.

During the Thursday night memorial service and cremation we felt God's presence as we laughed, sang, reflected, worshipped, hugged, cried, and lifted our hearts to the Lord. As we said "Goodbye" to Dad here on earth, we felt the Doors of Heaven open up to receive a faithful servant. Dad, we love you and miss you already.

Dad

2007-06-16T06:10:00.000+08:00

Transition is never easy, especially when it is thrust upon you unexpectedly. For us, it came upon us this May. On May 16, Dad passed away. His death left us all stunned, but still having to keep going.

While we miss the work he put into this ministry, what is most keenly felt is the absence of his presence. Others will do the work, but no one else can be Dad.

Please keep the family and the ministry in your prayers.

2007-03-21T07:16:00.000+08:00

At Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan (Birthing Home), we see education as a key element of care that we provide for the pregnant women in our community. We offer a seminar from 9 to 10 A.M on each of our prenatal days (Tuesday,Wednesday, and Thursday). Usually between 30-60 women attend each day. To graduate, one has to attend all 9 of the classes. It is a lot of time and money for the ladies to come. Traveling to the birthing home could cost as much as $1 for a round trip and that is a lot for most of the expentant mothers who come to Shiphrah.

We celebrate the women's faithfullness and sacrifices with a party at the end...Graduation Day. Great fun is had by all in playing games, sharing special numbers and testimonies, and of course food. No party, especially a Filipino party, would be complete without food.

Thank you to those who have donated baby clothes and blankets. We give a gift of a baby layette to each graduating mom.

love,
deborah

Check out our blog:http://www.gustafson-family.blogspot.com

A Note from Pari

2007-03-14T17:14:00.000+08:00

Following is an excerpt from an email I just received from Pari two days ago. The word "Nay" is what she calls me (Jeri). It means Mom.

"Yesterday my pastorand I are open my house room with prayer, and now Ihave one student, she is our relative and she comingfrom Tiau ( which is near India)and some girls fromour place also going to learn.Nay now I have ready for all the women who want tocome and give birth inmy house, my husband want togive a name for Mercy birthing home, but for me eventhere is no name that is ok. Nay it look so nice, onebad, one long bench, small desk and beautifulcurtains. I have enough gloves andmedicine,instruments, now only i need is your prayerwhich is nobody will not dead in my house (room).Maybeone day I will take a picture and I will sent you. Ithink it is better rent a house than doing in myhouse, now I feel very happy.Thanks for all the things.God bless you.Love Pari"

The Vikings Have Landed

2007-03-10T14:27:00.000+08:00

When we received the email that the Wehus family from Norway would be visiting the Philippines with their three children....all from the little children's home, we were more than thrilled. The eldest, Isak, is a teenager....impossible we thought....it couldn't have been that many years ago.... then Elias almost a teen, and the youngest, Hanna Joy. They are an amazing family, venturing with great gusto up north to Baguio and down south to Bohol, wanting the children to see what a beautiful place the land of their birth is. We've so enjoyed their company these past few weeks as they've popped in and out of Manila on their way through to yet another part of the country.

As Gundersons we have a special bonding to Norway, the land of Dennis' grandparent's birth. Turns out that Terjes' and Dennis' families both come from the same remote mountain valley and we are the most distant of cousins, sharing a common ancestor on Dennis' grandfather's side in the 1500s. Doesn't that beat all?

They are truly special people and very dear to us. What a wonderful blessing to see them again.

In the posted picuture is Deborah, Grandson Auden, and the Wehus family, Asa, Hanna, Isak, Elias, and Terje standing in front of the little children's home. Hanna said, on her first or second visit, she would like to come back and work a tlc home. Wouldn't that be something?

For some great reading and pics check out the blog that Darren and Deborah have created:

(http://www.tlctours.blogspot.com/).

Amber Update

2007-03-02T21:53:00.000+08:00

A quick update on Amber. She is gaining weight steadily. From a sorry 0.97 kg when we first got her almost 6 weeks ago, she now weighs in at 1.89 kg. Leny, tlc home Supervisor says the little mite is going through a whole can of Pre-Nan a week! Yea!

Here she is in a familiar pose with Careworker Bing. Eating, always eating. Well, when you start life behind the 8-Ball......

Pari

2007-02-25T09:12:00.001+08:00

Pari is a midwife. Her ministry is among her people in Myanmar. She has a great love for the women in her place and so, while her husband was studying theology at the Nazarene Seminary just down the hill from Shiphrah, Pari determined that she would learn to be a midwife. Throughout the three years of her time with us, Pari showed the tremendous compassion, courage, and skill that it takes to be a midwife. When the midwives called, no matter what time of day or night, Pari would come running up the hill, beaming eagerly as she ran into the birthing home to help attend a birth. Everyone she attended fell in love with her. We all did. The whole world should love this woman.

Now she runs through the sun, the rain and the night in her place to attend the births of the women she cares for so lovingly and skillfully.

Recently, Pari was among us again. She was a special speaker at a Women's Conference at the Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary. What a joy! What a surprise! We had been certain we would never see her again when she and her family returned to Myanmar.

She has now returned to Myanmar once again, kitted out with upgraded suturing skills, new books, a new stethoscope, and other tools of her trade that are difficult to get where she lives and works.

God Bless you, Pari.

Amber's Story

2007-02-17T14:22:00.000+08:00

My name is Amber. My mother is very young, only 18. She is a college student who is being supported in her education by relatives. When she became pregnant with me, she tried to hide me. She didn’t eat very well and tied a binder over her tummy so her mother wouldn’t notice that I was growing in her tummy.

I didn’t grow very well. I was supposed to be born about Feb. 23 but on Jan. 10 I knew I needed to be born. She and her mother went from hospital to hospital trying to get in to give birth but no one would take her because the hospitals didn’t have good facilities. I was coming very early and would need an incubator.

My mother was desperate, and finally she went to a private hospital where I was born on Jan. 10, 2007, 7 weeks premature. The doctors weren’t sure I would live. I only weighed 1.25 kilograms when I was born.

I stayed in ICU for the first two weeks of my life. I only gained .05 kilo in two weeks. It was very hard for me to suck on a bottle. I still sometimes get so tired when I nurse.

My mother and grandmother decided to give me up for adoption. The hospital was very expensive and they had to borrow to pay the bill. My mother was really too young to be a mommy and both she and my grandmother wanted her to continue her studies.

They heard about the little children’s home. My grandmother went to them and asked if they would accept me. They knew that to take good care of me would be very expensive, but they took me anyway. They knew I had nowhere else to go.

I came to live at the little children’s home on January 28 when I was only 18 days old. I was very tiny when I arrived. They weighed me at the home when I first arrived. I only weighed 0. 97 kilo. Maybe I hadn’t been doing very well in the hospital.

The people at the little children’s home children’s home decided to make me like a “kangaroo baby”. They have me wear just a diaper and tie me underneath the careworker’s shirt so her skin and my skin are together. That helps me stay nice and warm and feel safe. I have many very kind ladies who take wonderful care of me. Their names are Murissa, Rosemarie, Len-Len, Vicky, and Antoinette. I am always tied right next to one of them underneath her shirt. It is almost like being back inside my mommy’s tummy again. But not quite.

At the home, my caregivers and I stay in a special room called “Isolation” far away from all the other people. They are worried that because I am so tiny and still very weak, that I might get sick easily.

I am still very tiny. After almost a week at the home I weighed 1.36 kilo. Everyone is encouraged because I am gaining weight. And, I can really cry. I let everyone know that I am here. I have to drink special milk called Pre-Nan. It is made especially for babies like me who are born too soon.

I know I have a long ways to go before I can go to be in the nursery with the other babies. In the meantime, I love snuggling up against my caregivers. They sing to me and read to me, and play music. I know I am safe and loved.

In this picture, I am being “kangarooed” by my very special caregiver, Len-Len.

2007-02-08T09:35:00.000+08:00

A month ago when Darren told me that Lucy will have worked for 20yrs washing diapers on Feb. 1st I thought, we need to have a celebration. Can you imagine 20 years washing poopy diapers?? What commitment one would have to have! Lucy first worked for the Allens who started Home of Joy and then worked for us when the Allens closed Home of Joy and we opened the little children’s home.

It was so exciting to plan a surprise parties. I think that surprises are fun. When I was describing to Aubrey that we could not tell Nanay Lucy about it I told Aubrey that His Aunt Sara and Ate Joy (his friend Hosanna’s mommy) had planned a surprise party for me when I was buntis (pregnant) with him.

The moment that Lucy realized that everyone was gathered together to surprise and honor her, the look on her face was something to remember. Everyone was almost in tears when she saw that Kuya Rey (our previous mission driver who lost his leg to diabetes) had made the journey to come for her party. She ran over to Kuya Rey and gave him a big hug and a shoulder punch.

Thank you to the adoptive families who wrote in letters to give to Nanay Lucy.

Love,
Deborah

Check out our blog:
http://www.gustafson-family.blogspot.com/

2007-02-07T09:02:00.000+08:00

There are some things that are worth noting in the life of and individual or an organization. Every now and then there is a convergence. The two came together for all of us last Thursday, Feb, 1. For 20 years Luzviminda (Lucy)Simbulan has served children through a task that doubtless few in this world would find particularly commendable. Her dedication was applauded when a shocked and tearful Nanay (Mom) Lucy was escorted into a party in her honor, a festive luncheon and program created to recognize her years of service. She has, through the years, washed countless diapers, sheets, bibs, and blankets....but mostly diapers. Her work swaddles the bottoms of infants and toddlers who will live their lives in homes far more comfortable than Lucy will ever know. The fruit of her labor, clean, fresh diapers, dozens of them hanging from clotheslines strung across the baby home yard serve as a landmark to visitors who come our way. Think about it. 20 years of washing diapers for children who will never know how hard and faithfully she reported for work day in and day out. Some would feel cheated by being dealt such a life. But not Lucy! She takes tremendous pride in the care and thoroughness with which she performs her work. She shows up like the sun six mornings a week. Lucy, you have made a lowly task noble.