Quick Update

Just a quick update to let everyone know how things are going.

I've been in and out of the mountains several times in the last month to take care of various patients that had to go to the hospital while the George's where in the states. This last Monday I returned to Emrang to call an end to the long vacation that the children had enjoyed. It took several days for them all to hear that I was back and come trickling back to school because many of them had gone down to the lowlands to work for money and food. There are lots of pigs that come down from the forests and finish off these people's gardens.

I've gotten to know one of the fathers of the patients that was in the hospital. His name is Backing. When him and his wife returned from the hospital with their infant baby they learned that the pigs had eaten most of the roots that they had planted and all of the corn, not even on ear left. Right now their rice is fruiting and they must watch it all day so that the birds don't get it. But the baby is sick again and Baking is here in Kemantian with the wife and child. He is very frustrated that he cannot guard his rice but he knows that it is better to have his baby alive than to have a rice crop.

Baking is a very progressive thinker. He is planning ways that he can provide for his family and thwart the pigs. I hope that someday he becomes a strong influence for good here in these mountains. He has been through grade three speaks some Tagalog and wants to learn English so that he can communicate with more people. He does not smoke or drink because he says it is bad for your body and bad for your mind. It has just been very encouraging to someone like this here as most people are only thinking of the present hence they are always poor and don't even think of getting out of poverty. Accompanied with the poverty are all the frustrations and unhealthfulness that a lack of resources, or resourcefullness brings. So it is good to see someone being resourcefull and using their mind!

I will be honest that my time here is not all Coconut trees and blue skies. There is nothing like living alone in a remote mountain village with people who do not even speak ones own language to make one think about one's calling in life. I have been thinking very deeply of what God is calling me to do and asking the question of where do my desires fit in. Which ones are God-given and which ones are selfishness. Please pray for me as I grow personally through this experience.

Through all of the hard times I am encouraged to know that I have helped a few kids and adults with their malaria, runny noses, cuts, scrapes and sores and hopefully someone has seen God for who he really is.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support which are very needed.

Stay faithful until He comes agian,

Brian.