Wontok Children - School Supplies

Wontok Children Summer 2008 Supply List
We will be delivering supplies both with and without backpacks this season. Cases of supplies welcome.

1. Crayons
2. Pens
3. Pencils
4. Spiral Notebooks
5. Glue Sticks
6. Scissors
7. Pencil Sharpeners
8. Soft Toothbrushes
9. Dental Floss
10. Washcloths
11. Stickers
12. Small toys (no liquid or chemical filled toys) Think longevity, able to get dirty and still be usable
ie: small balls, matchbox cars, marbles,

Backpacks

Shipping
$80 (cash donations will go to shipping costs unless otherwise requested)

Children’s bibles
(There are many ‘creative’ children’s bible’s, listed are biblically accurate, great children’s bible story books)

1. Egermeier's Bible Story Book - by Elsie E. Egermeier
2. The Child's Story Bible – by Catherine Voss
3. Children's Illustrated Bible - by Selina Hastings
4. The Picture Bible – by Iva Hoth

Questions? Suggestions?

Leave a comment in the blog.

Who is this for? Children in Mapandan, Pangasinan Province in the Philippines

Rapha House

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

"Rapha House is committed to rescuing young girls who are victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and prostitution by providing them with a safe home where they can heal and receive an education, which will allow them to make good choices for their futures." http://www.freedomforgirls.com/

Yesterday I was sharing with my mom how I've long been drawn to learning about the plight of women in prostitution, forced and otherwise. Lately, slave trading, exploitation of especially children, has been in my heart, to what end, I don't know, but God always has a purpose in bringing things to our attention. Turns out, the preacher from the church I grew up in, Kerry Decker, has been sending her emails about a non profit he's involved with, working with victims of exploitation and human trafficking. He has an incredible blog, terrible, heart wrenching, and incredibly moving.

Read it, pray. We are so blessed and protected. To whom much is given, much is required. What is it God might have for you? What kind of a world do you want to live in?

If you have ever wondered how a good God can allow such evil, read his blog entry on Sunday, May 11, 2008, The Type of God He is. http://freedomforgirls.blogspot.com/

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” --Edmund Burke

Unbelievable generosity. Check out his blog entry Sunday, May 6, 2007. Kerry Decker was in Africa, where he is/was working with AIDS orphans. He shared about the girls in Cambodia, and what they have been through. The outpouring of love and care, and selfless generosity by these impoverished orphans. Wow! As Kerry says, "Most people I know give out of their surplus. But that night, I witnessed people giving out of their poverty."

I agree, it is too awesome, too much to save the world, but how about this, the next coffee or fast food you were going to do, or actually do, match a donation to Rapha House. Just help where you can. Skip it if you can't afford both. To give go to: https://www.donation-net.net/transaction/transaction1.cfm?dn=1132&source=8&CFID=5507048&CFTOKEN=53938029

Real Estate and God

Reporting on the house in Fremont we bid on months ago........

A few weeks ago, we were told the bank didn't like any of 7 the offers, so put the house back on the market. No bites... The bank seems to be working through several offers quite a bit higher than ours, and one by one they are backing out. Now, the only offer above ours is only 10k higher! Now, the real miracles.....Our home value has dropped 220k! We will not be able to sell and pay commission from the sale. Miracles would have to abound here. If this house is for us, we'll get just the right miracles, and not before we need them.

Lawrence and I have decided to go ahead and pull our credit reports, work on our credit to make it as high as possible. We'd been avoiding this to not make our credit go lower, you get a small hit with each time you check your credit. The lenders are getting so strict, great credit is not enough anymore. Just doing our part..... It's so hard not to get excited. Seeing the 'strong' offers falling away. The Realtor said the property is very possibly going to foreclose, in that event, it may take a year. Never know the plans God has for us. All I do know about His plans is this: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". Jeremiah 29:11

Gardening

Inspired by Paula, photos of some of our flowers.This sunflower came to us from God. Planted itself. As the stalk kept growing, it became nicknamed 'The Beanstalk". We can look out our bedroom window, 2nd floor, and see it!

Sunflower larvae.

'And now you know..... the rest of the story'.

Mysterious bump

Malachi cooking pancakes!! The audience.
Yesterday was the first day of VBS for Malachi and Caleb. They had fun, and Malachi brought something extra home, a mysterious bump on his temple. He doesn't remember being hit, falling, bumping it.... If a brother pokes him wrong at home, there are blood curdling yells, and cries going and going, and going.... When an injury happens to his legs, he has been know to come down the stairs not using his legs. He actually looks like a paraplegic when he does this. He has even climbed up onto the couch to sit with me, all without using his legs. This can go on for 1/2 hour!

Back to the issue at hand. He has the largest egg on the side of his head . No bruising that I can see, no puncture marks from a bug. I'm trying to remain cool as a cucumber, but, I am slathering arnica gel on it, hoping it will just go away. It has changed since yesterday. It was hard, now it covers more area, but is soft and squishy. The doctor, yes, you experienced moms, I called the doc, said to watch it and if I still don't like it by Thursday she'll take a look at it then.

The ham is happy even now as he sees himself. "Me, Malachi, me, Malachi.....".

The bump as it looks this morning. Dispersed, covering more area, less red. The shining is the arnica.

Fun Fun Fun

La piece de resistance.

May I present the completed work bench in it's new home. Already has some interesting paraphernalia on it. The straight lines you see are where Lawrence drew so the kids could nail to their hearts content, and they did, as you can see below. Malachi straightening that nail. Caleb watching Papa in the shed. My friend Amber has a diaper business. What is unusual, is you can purchase pre-cut, pre-washed fabric and sew yourself and save a bundle over most diapers out there and have great all in one diapers. She's spoiled me by giving me prototypes and misc along the way. One of the features I like, among many, they are so adjustable, allowing you to skip sizes. I'm so thrilled to have these diapers! Here's the link to check it out. http://www.diaperkit.com/ This is what the 'kit' looks like. I never made the plunge and bought a whole luxurious set, until now! We've been using, Indian unbleached, I know, I just started talking a foreign language. Bottom line, I don't sew, Lawrence was going to the Philippines, so we had him bring the kits with him and find a seamstress there. They weren't ready when he left, so his Auntie Berna graciously brought them back with her. We just got them today, and needless to say, we're all excited about them, just look at the Aquino men folk. Lawrence is wearing 3 I think. Silas enjoying his new diapers!

Lawrence, leading the fun. He is so able to not take himself too seriously. I love that about him.
While the following was taking place, Silas was in Spotland. What's the deal with that Spot? And on to the wall climbing....... Glad I painted this hallway!

How about this way?

Ninja Jr here. Missing is the door-jam photo. If you look at the series, you'll notice he's climbed down the hallway. This is truly the 'Jumping Spider'.

Kickin' back And done!

Labeling, Grammie Style

In the quest for a cleaner home, consolidating... I've come to the realization, with a tiny kitchen, assigning colors for cups, giving little people ownership of said cup, will seriously cut down on our dish load. So mom, you were onto a good idea there. Hope this gives you that sense of credit and appreciation due you. In my defense, I must add: "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man (in my case, a woman), I put childish ways behind me." 1 Corinthians 13:11

I may have made mention of her seemingly neurotic need to label and color code us a time or twenty growing up. Well, I didn't know anyone else who did it, and so thoroughly too! Classic childhood reasoning.

I have remained unimpressed in spite my children's awe of Grammies wielding of The Engraver, permanently marking their toothbrushes, the requests for labeling from the kids themselves. Resistance is futile. I have been assimilated! I had to slowly arrive here, seeing loads of cups going through the washing cycle, and never having enough. Not at the engraver level, but color coding, labeling your Tupperware when you bring it to church....

It bears mentioning that I was returned once by an adult using my bracelet, the evidence of my uncoolness. My first day of kindergarten I went home with a new friend, Veronica. Call first? No one ever told me to call if I stopped at a friends house to play.

On a side note, leave comments, don't be shy. I enjoy hearing from you guys. I hear occasionally, not usually in print, but love to know someone is reading my ramblings.

Pictures from Lawrence's trip to the Philippines.

Get ready for lots of posing, but I want you to see the family, the beauty of the greenery, the different world, and all without having to experience the humidity and heat. Yeah, I know, some like it hot... I can't relate. Family conference room.
In front of conference room.

I'd rather take a meeting here too.
Lawrence, Sherwin and Mom, Cecilia.
In the family conference room, sharing cheese(since only 2 of you got that.... say cheeeese). Lawrence stayed with Jake and his wife while in Manila(far left two). More posing.


Did you notice the change?

Dining Hall at Sherwin's facility. All the conference rooms were in use,
so they got the dining room.Fruit stand, bet you wish you could grab a pineapple.
If Jack fell off this one he'd definitely break his crown.

The lot where Lawrence grew up the first 6-7 years.

House is gone, the bush has moved in. Another roadside fruit stand. Next picture is their home. No matter how long your commute is, how little you think you have, your home is bigger than this. Think of that and be greatful. Really, take a moment and really think about it. Why did God give you America, and to others so little. Until now, you may not have thought you had much, but you do. What are you going to do with it? From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

Lawrence and mom and cousins in Manila at a restaurant Cecilia went to in the past.
Lawrence and his mom with the Aunties, and Kuya in Philippines. 1/2 of them live in Hayward!

Jake, Lawrence and Cecilia.

Lawrence standing in front of?? A store....What, you couldn't guess?