July Prayer Update
It has been a while since you have heard from us and we apologize for that. The last two months have been hard ones for us, hardly an excuse, we probably needed your prayers more than anything. This is why we want to thank you for your continued prayers and support even when we don’t have the time, or energy to send you an update.
I (Julie) have been having a lot harder time with this pregnancy than the other two. (If you are surprised that I am pregnant you maybe didn’t read the last update!) Since we found out that we were going to have another baby, I have been in bed much of the time. After an initial one week of bed rest, then back and fourth to the doctor, and back in bed… some more, I still continue to have problems. That currently has me, as I write, back in bed yet again. As you can guess this has been hard on all of us. Gilmer has had to do so much more above and beyond (which he is doing a great job of, I might add!) and the kids keep wondering why Mommy has to rest yet again in her room. Our house also has stairs which makes it even more difficult because I can’t go down once I come up and am stuck up here so to speak. Good thing the kid’s legs don’t mind going up and down those stairs all day long to come and visit me. Please just pray with us that this cramping will stop and I can continue with everyday life, and the baby will be safe.
Language school- I still go most of the time, (I did miss a lot of days at first) if I am careful, I can make it and just need to rest in the afternoons. The classes continue to get harder as we work on verbs but even just today in church I was encouraged that I understood almost all of the sermon (of course it helped that the speaker was American and I can understand his accent easier). As long as people speak slowly I really can pick up most of what they are saying. Now as to me speaking fluently, well… there I still need a lot of work.
Julie and one of her language teachers
Gilmer’s Ministry with church planting- That has been a lot harder these last weeks as it is hard for him to leave me alone with the two kids. They did have a VBS for the area that went really well. I think they said that at least 8 kids asked Jesus into their heart for the first time! He also helps many Sundays in the worship team for our church and really enjoys that.
Kids at VBS. Nhaya is there in her pink dress, Caleb is next to her in the second row.
A class at their VBS graduation. Nhaya was able to be a part of the VBS so she is in the back but hard to see.
The Kids- Nhaya has started school. The summer break here is April to June (as those are the hot months) and she started Kinder 2 at the beginning of June. She loves it and is doing really well. This is I think her 4th week and she is getting in trouble a lot less than the first 2 weeks. For those of you that don’t know, Nhaya is our “strongwilled” child and has a harder time than most trying to obey. The teacher is very nice though and willing to work with her, and it seems to be accomplishing its purpose, which is for her to feel more comfortable in Tagalog. Everyday I pick her up she is speaking more and more Tagalog. As she is the only “Americana” in the school, you can imagine how interested the other kids are. We usually have at least a trail of 7 to 8 kids following us everyday after class, and of course everyone in the school seems to know her name (which she loves by the way!) The schools here are very different and need your prayer too. Nhaya’s teacher has 4 classes a day of Kinder 2’s with about 25 kids in each class. She only has about a 40 minute lunch break and classes go until 5pm. This, by the way, is way better than most schools who can have up to 70 kids in one class. That is in Manila though and they have even had to spilt the days up there so some kids go to school in the mornings and some in the afternoons. There just is not enough room to let them stay for the whole day.
SEND is involved in teaching Bible classes at the public schools in Manila and could also use your prayers for further help and training for more people to be involved in this. It’s called VOICE Values Orientation In Classroom Education. Praise God that there can be a light for Him even in the public schools.
Caleb at first did not do well with his sister being gone but has now gotten use to the idea and enjoys his time with Daddy while Nhaya and I are at school. (we have classes at the same time) He is also so excited that “there’s a baby in Mommy’s tummy” that he is telling everyone he meets.
Caleb playing at our house
Nhaya in her uniform on her first day of school
Nhaya's class
Look at her working so hard! She loves the school work.
Praises
-Safety so far with the pregnancy.
-Nhaya starting school and making some friends.
-Caleb’s adjustments to her and Mommy being gone.
-Successfully VBS in the church planting area.
-Good visit with Gilmer’s parents. They came 2 weeks ago and have been a big help to him with the cooking and the kids. It’s nice that they can get to know their grandkids, “apo” in Tagalog, better. They hadn’t ever been to our house as it is a two day boat ride to get here from where they live.
-My sister Shawna had a healthy baby girl in May
Prayer
-Healing for whatever is wrong with this pregnancy. For a return to normal activities and for Gilmer as he takes on so much more with me not being able to help as much.
-Continued understanding and progress in the language and Gilmer in his ministry with the church here.
-We still need to visit one more area and then be deciding what team to join in December after my language school. Pray for wisdom for us to choose the right place that fits what God has gifted us with.
-The heat has not been as bad as it is now rainy season but with that comes humidity, humidity, and more humidity. It still is hard for me at least to get use to living here in this very hot country so please continue to keep our adjustments to life in the Philippines in your prayers. We sure miss home sometimes too but know that God has called us and are grateful that you are joining us in making it possible to be here.
This is one of the teams we could join in December.
We thank God for each of you and pray for you as well. Please let us know if there is anything that we can pray with you or for you about.
Blessings,
The Paden Family
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