Video Test

This video was in the middle of the night so you can kind of hear it raining really hard. It is of the entrance of the clinic. The red doors is the entrance. The desk is where the pt come and wait to be seen.

Picture Test

Here are a few pictures. I want to see if they will down load.

This is one of the amazing meals I have been able to eat. It was clam and rice. Rice with almost every meal...depending on who is cooking (me or the cook) : )

My room before I had completely unpacked. I moved my bed to the upper bunk sense that I where I will be sleeping when all the visitors come. I also was getting really cold sleeping under the a/c. It is really nice. This is a few from the door.

This is the view from the window.

What is up?

So for some reason no computer will allow me to get into my blog to update. I went ahead and used face book for the first post so this post will be a little more direct and to the point. Lol!

So I arrived Friday at 12am and was greeted by the heat and aroma of Cebu. I for got just how humid it is. I was excited to hear that they are in their hot months and it doesn't get much hotter than this. Yippy!! Any hotter and I think I would melt away.

The clinic is so cute and cozy. They have done a great job on the decorating. From the sheets to the wall hangings, the it has an inviting feeling.

The staff have been a real encouragement. They have a real heart for Jesus and to know Him more. Hearing their stories has open my eyes to see that people deal with similar problems I do and that Jesus is present across the world. It is easy for me to be inner focused and forget this.

No deliveries yet, but I have been able to help with some postpartum and visit the local hospital. Wow! We have it good in America. I will complain. There are 2-3 people to a bed in a room filled with rows after row of beds. There is so many patients to one nurse that it is like impossible to give good care.

One thing that really stood out at the hospital is that they do not have ventilator machines so the family has to sit there and bag. No kidding!! Young and old. Just think of those preemie babies. There is no guarantee that you are giving enough air and at the right at the right speed.

I went to Hilary and David's church called City church. Wow!! Can they worship. I felt I was in youth camp. Jumping, shouting, raising hands, shouting amen, responding to the preacher's questions and loud. It was really cool to be able to worship like that. I guess that most Christian churches in the Philippines are like that.

The best comment the pastor gave was "being single means that you get to spend more to with Jesus." Amen!!

Thank you for following my journey.i could use prayer for:

To keep Jesus Center of all
To not get Dingy Fever
To have boldness
For Hilary and David to find rest
To see a labor and delivery.


Praise
BM are getting back to normal
Getting more of a restful night of sleep
No dingy fever, enough though I have 6 bites on right leg and 2 on left. I guess the right leg tastes better
The social worker had safe travels to family

Let me know how I can pray for you. Have an amazing day!!

Chapter 2: traveling to Philippines

I am leaving!!! I was praying that they would not fuss over a few pounds over. Well they only had me pull one thing out and allowed it to still be over! Praise God!

I am sitting waiting for my flight which leaves at 2pm and thinking "the day has arrived! The adventure begins"

I can't tell you how lived, supported, and prayed up than what you guys have given me!! Thank you!

Ok signing off for now. Will keep you posted.

Humility in a World of Narcissism

Humility

Have you ever thought about the word humility? It is interesting to think of a life filled with an attitude that is not  proud or arrogant, but having a spirit of submission or deferences. I find this hard when I live in a world that preaches narcissism (focused on one self). 


Did you know that there is actually a disease called Narcissistic Personality Disorder? According to Wikipedia, it is "is a personality disorder in which the individual is described as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power, prestige and vanity."

I didn't think that this could possibly be me, but when I really thought about it, it became evident that even a drop of narcissism and pride, is not a humble personality. The Bible says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6). God desires us to have a humble spirit.


Moses was considered a humble person by his faithful actions. He was able to have a face to face relationship with God where the other prophets were given dreams and visions. God desires to use people that are humble.


So the question, "What does this look like?" 


I am not sure yet, but when God answers, I will be sure to let you know.

Counting Our Blessings

Blessings

I have to share with you some of the blessings God has sent my way.

One is that I am learning in church about the importance of tithing on the gross income. I realized that I have not been hitting the mark these last couple of years so I began a 90 day challenge of tithing plus giving an offering. This was a stretch sense I don't work more than 15 hrs a week and the nanny job is a set amount, but I felt that God was asking me to trust him.

So this last week, Nicholas got moved from day shift to evening which opened my mornings. I quickly let work know incase they had any extra hours available. They called the very next day to see if I wanted to work at another one of their facilities. Several of their teachers had called out sick. I was like, for sure!!! It turned into working an extra 55hrs over the next two weeks. Praise God!! He blessed me right back!!

The second things is that I went shopping last Sunday (March 10) for supplies at Good Will. I found not only clothes, but a carry on suitcase (a very girlly one, I should add). Now I am all about deals and I noticed that they were going to have a 50% off sale this Saturday (March 17). I had this idea of seeing if I could return everything I just bought and re-buy it at the discounted price. Ya I know. Kind of cheating the system, but I figured, what would it hurt if I try. I was telling this story to my Bible study group and they got a kick out so much so that one of the guys asked, "How much would you be saving?" I was like $25. Now for me that is a lot. I can buy a lot with that money. LOL. The guy pulled out his wallet and handed me the $25. What a blessing!! I got talking to my sister-in-law and she says he probably was just kidding about me keeping the money. Oh well, I kept it!! He shouldn't have offered it to me in the first place if he didn't mean for me to keep it.

The last blessing it that this last week my service engine light came on. Thinking it may be in need of an oil change, I asked a friend of she know of any mechanic in the area. She said her husband would love to do it. I told him that I didn't want him to feel like he had to do it for free. I was more than willing to pay for his time.

I want to his house today (March 17). He found that it was not the oil, but a plug had come off (don't ask me what it was for) and he did a something else (which I am not sure exactly). During that time, I was able to hear stories of his life, talk with his son and daughter, and drink some really good coffee. By the end, he fixed it and said, I didn't owe him anything sense I was going to the Philippines, giving of myself to them, he was giving of himself to me by fixing my car. What a blessing!! I felt loved by his family.

I hope that you were blessed reading these. I want to hear how God is blessing you these days.

Have an amazing day,
Natasha

Ps. It has been like 75F here these last couple of day!! Loving it!!

Visa Update

Guess What!!!!!

My visa has arrived!!! God has answered my prayer. It is amazing how He works. 


I submitted it about the first part of March. Someone told me that it was going to take 6-8 weeks. 6-8 weeks!!! I did not have that much time. I only had 4-5 weeks. This started to make me worried. The Philippines 4:4-8 kept coming to mind to not worry, but to pray and ask God. So I prayed. I had my small group pray. I payed the extra to rush it. I prayed so more (just to remind God....not that He needed reminding). 


Well the visa company contacted me a few days later to tell me that I did not have the paperwork certified.  What!! I rushed to the bank to certified it (thank the Lord it was free). Then rushed back to Fed-ex to send it priority overnight (another $35). And then I prayed!!


God kept reminding me that if I was to go, He would come through with the visa. It is a hard thing to trust when it is out of my hands. And then today, March 12, 2012, I was informed that my visa has ARRIVED!!!!!!!! 


God truly answers prayer!!


Have you any answer prayers? I would love to hear.