Quick Recap

No, we did not fall off the face of the Earth! It sure seems like it though. Wow! It has been almost a year since the last post. Unbelievable! To be fair though, we did not have much internet connection since leaving the Philippines in July of 2013. Before we get too far ahead, here is a quick recap of (just about) everything that has happened since we left Malaybalay:

1. We had a family retreat and felt God calling us back to the States. A couple of things led to this decision but the reality of our house in Kansas set to close at the end of July was the most pressing. It would've been kind of hard to sign papers from the other side of the world :) 
2. Most of you know that we have had many offers on our home and ALL of them have been cancelled, rejected (by the bank), or "who knows why?". Well, this offer was no different except that it was the most promising of all previous ones. Still, Bank of America decided it wanted to squeeze $10,000 more from the buyer...with only a few days left to close!!! NOOOO!!! Needless to say, there were no papers to sign after all. Well, now what?!
3. We spent a few days at Big Woods in Louisiana recovering from jet lag and the sadness of leaving our Filipino family so quickly. We were totally surprised by this latest event and didn't have any idea what to do.
   
   August was coming up and we knew that the Midwest Catholic Family Conference in our hometown diocese of Wichita was around the corner. We wanted to see family and friends anyways...so we decided to go and set up a table for FMC! What a success! We had many visitors and we were able to pray with a lot of them for different things. The most memorable was when the Bailey Family stopped and inquired about mission life. We prayed for their discernment and a few weeks later (after they also went to a Come and See in Louisiana) they decided to join FMC! Praise the Lord! Please pray for them as they are now serving in Malaybalay and Blair is pregnant!
4. I missed one step before leaving Big Woods. We were thinking that if we were going to be back in Kansas and maybe moving back into our vacant home...I might have to get a job. I applied online and within literally just a few seconds I was already offered a job interview at the airport. Went and got the job to start late August. God moves really fast sometimes!
5.  So, after fighting the thought of having to go back into aircraft, I did anyways. After all, God knows what He is doing. My schedule was working nights on a 4day- 10hr shift. Not too bad having a 3-day weekend every week! Still, it was pretty rough getting back into paint-mode after never thinking about it for 3 years... and house painting doesn't count. This is waaay different. 
6. We moved back into our empty home in Rose Hill. Our very empty home... except for the fridge and stove that stayed.

   

   Girls trying out their room

   We were preparing to sleep on the floor for a few weeks or months until we would save enough to buy used furniture. Well, that didn't take long. Did you know "God is in the miracle business"? <---as Mr. Frank says. It wasn't even a whole day that passed when our entire 7 bedroom house was fully furnished with hotel bedroom, living room, and kitchen furniture! The Stolz Family had mentioned our need to a friend in the hotel business and they donated it all from the Mariott franchise. The Stewart Family also let us use their 12 passenger van for a few

   

   STORYTIME!...in the brand new chair

   months and the Stolz again helped us with a loaner car that I could drive for work. The Rohr Family that helped with groceries, gas, and other necessities. So many to thank for their generosity. Thank God for amazing friends! 

   

   Boys loving their room

7. By early December, we had decided to move out of the house after again Bank of America's games were too much to bear. They wouldn't let us refinance and wouldn't let us enroll in a repayment program. They said our house was still ours but at any time they could foreclose. Yes, we could have stayed there "rent" free this whole time but something didn't seem right. We are now back in Wichita and within minutes from the airport. ***Update*** We do have a buyer and expect to close in mid-May so please continue praying for that to come to a close! Pardon the pun.
8. January 2014 was a good beginning. The Romero Family whom we served with in Malaybalay came for a visit. They stayed with us for a few days and kept our mission life burning with updates from the field. We all were invited to speak at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita including the Baileys before they were sent out to the Philippines. It was during the question and answer segment that something special happened. A question that was directed specifically to us: Will the Alvarez Family be going out in mission again soon? I answered that we weren't sure yet as God had not told us exactly yet. We were happy to be home for the time being and were very happy to be helping Fr. Jarrod Lies who is now in charge of missions for the Diocese.

   

   Romeros at the Spiritual Life Center

   We had been in talks about setting up some short-term trips in the near future. Immediately, the crowd started whispering and smiling when they heard this. Most were surprised that short-term trips were an option, a possibility. It was not long (that very night) before a group was already starting to form for a possible trip to Mexico! Led by Tony Habashy and family, the group was calling and emails were being sent. I think by the end of the week we were already discussing the size of the group and possible dates to travel. Don't know if I've said it before but God moves fast sometimes!

That's about where we are right now. The next post will be about the Mexico short-term trip that we led and just returned from. LOTS to write about that mission so please return and check it out. God is good. All the time!!!

The Stewart's "Gus" mobile

1st Birthday Party at Grandma's

"You can eat any of the fruit except from...oh, well go ahead!"

Getting a squeeze from the birthday boy!

Back To School

Dear Friends and Benefactors,

      Many of you have followed our mission in the Philippines closely and faithfully visited this blog to stay in touch. I have tried to keep a current blog but many times have been too busy to sit and write a colorful one with many details. This post is actually a last minute idea that got put on the back burner for way too long.   

      Back in April, a few of our friends from the community at Isla Bonita that we have been working closely with since arriving last year, came to us and asked for help for their children's school supplies. We had the idea of taking their picture and pairing them up with a benefactor to donate for their needs. April was a very busy month of travelling for us and here we are at the end of May preparing for the SSME trip that is coming to consume all of our month of June! June is the beginning of the school year here and many of the families at Isla Bonita do what they can to live on about $4 a day. The fathers try hard to provide by doing odd jobs as available. The mothers add their share by lending themselves out as wash ladies or making rugs out of old clothes. Going to school is considered a luxury for some of them as their income is just enough to buy their daily rice.

      We humbly come before you all and ask you to help these children with whatever you can. All we ask is for a one-time, $30 donation which we will put to immediate use. We will shop for the following items and post in our next blog with a Thank You note and a picture as they get ready to go Back to School! Please pray for these children and their education. You can click the link to be directed to our donation page on FMC's website to beat the JUNE 3rd deadline! Thank you and God bless and reward you all.

(Click below to donate)

Back to School List:

Pencils 

Backpack

Ballpens

Notebooks

Paper

Shoes

Jhony Lou Gumonay

Cristyl Phobe Marcelino

Barbie Zulita Matildo

Bherdelme Diego

Alexa Angela Basco

Jessie Cris Gumonay

Qine Qine Torres

Jade Mowell Gumonay

Margarette Nallos

Maria Christel Nallos

Ryan Dave Diego

Ian Rey Gayon

Manilyn Simbo

Nellfa Cris Beltran

Gebrandon Beltran

Mark Anjorey Torres

Julian Salinday

Ashley Monding

Aiza Monding

Kerry Shane Monding

Ruby Jhean Into

Aljohn Monding

Jomarie Carias

Jovie Rose Carias

Beboy Torres

AndyBoy Namata

Kylle Namata

Christsan Anthony Salinday

MJ Tahom

Arbil Tahom

Aldrich Neil Namata

Sid's Visit

This post is actually a letter to our penpals in Canada. I felt that it was a good summary of Sid's visit to be Abram's Confirmation sponsor and a little hint of what we've been doing lately. There is so much to write about and so little time to do it. I can't believe that it's been two months since the last post! YIKES!

     We are very sorry for the late reply. We have been EXTREMELY busy these last few weeks. As you know, Sidney came from Louisiana, USA to be our oldest boy, Abram, Confirmation sponsor. It was very difficult keeping it a secret from Abe and Odilio even blurted something about going to the airport to pick him up...twice! Good thing Abe didn't pay close enough attention! He was totally shocked to see Sid standing a few feet away from him. Sid entered the training at the mission base in Louisiana at the same time we did in 2010. Here are some highlights of his trip:

• After the airport, we drove straight to Camiguin Island, our first mission post. Hopped on a ferry and ate lunch with Father Joe Villamil at the convento.



Swimming with the Archbishop of CdO and Heiko from Germany

• The next day we went to the Santo Nino Cold Spring. It is so beautiful there and it only costs about $2 for all of us to enter and get a private hut. The water is SO cold but very pure and crystal clear. We got used to it once we swam for a while. One bonus at the Cold Spring was a visit from the Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro with his friend form Germany! They swam with us and we all shared a chocolate cake as we dried off and headed back to our town.

• Saturday was the town's 3rd Annual Alumni Reunion. It was nice to see signs from the Class of  '66, '95, and many others all at one time. There was a Mass for them at 6am that we did not attend as we were very tired from the travelling and swimming.
• Later that day was the BIG day for our 3 oldest. Maddie, Meredith, and Abram chose St. Maria Goretti, St. Therese, and St. John Bosco respectively as their patron saints. Can you believe that there was 1,000 Confirmandi?! The church was standing room only. There was well over 3,000 people in attendance if you add in 1,000 sponsors and family members also. Five priests including the Archbishop concelebrated the Mass that day. It was a memorable occasion!

Maddie chose St. Maria Goretti

Abram chose St. John Bosco

Meredith chose St. Therese

• Sunday we were able to celebrate two Masses. One at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and the other in the evening at a "barrio" chapel on the outskirts of town. We love the barrio Masses because people come down from the mountain to gather in a simple chapel made out of concrete blocks and worship our Lord with us. Also, something that is very touching to see is that many of the poor people cannot offer money during the offering. They wrap up their gifts of pineapple, crackers, rice, bananas, etc. in some kind of shiny wrapper and lay it at the foot of the altar. They give what they have.
• That very night we had a very powerful storm hit. In all of our 9 months that we spent there in 2011 we had never seen lightning or heard thunder that strongly. It would just rain and rain. This was different. Thunder was loud enough to shake our bamboo house and lightning lit up the dark sky as if it were day almost. We found out that we had a few leaks in our roof made out of palm branches. Thankful we were safe thru the morning.
• Monday we headed out EARLY...4am from the port. We traveled by ferry and car about 5-6 hours and into the mountains until we reached Malaybalay, Bukidnon, our new post since October '12. Needless to say we spent that day resting and catching our breath.
• Tuesday we picked up our regular ministry schedule with a visit to the City Jail. Sid and Odilio finished up a sacrament talk about Holy Communion that he had started the week before. Odilio loves visiting the jail and he loves when others come with him. A lot of times he take friends from our community at Isla Bonita who help with singing, playing guitar, translating, and giving testimonies. Sid was able to share his conversion through the power of the Eucharist. It was a great day!

At the City Jail

• 
  

• Wednesday we took advantage of the extra manpower and took Sid back to Isla Bonita to make a concrete floor. We sacked and carried many bags of sand and materials to a home not too far from the main road. As we waited to catch our breath, the others mixed and spread the concrete into a smooth finish. The family was very thankful. We were very thankful for all the benefactors that have contributed to this program called "Floors for the Poor". It was started by the Romero Family who was here before us and entrusted it to us and the Leano Family. It is a very successful project that will last a long time.

Floors for the Poor- with Sid and Ramon

• Thursday we went to St. Josephine Bakhita Chapel in Tag-Ilanao. It is very deep into the mountains that surround Malaybalay. St. Bakhita is one of Odilio's favorite saints. It made him sad one day to learn that there was another chapel named after her that was replaced by St. Francis Xavier because the people did not know who she was. Odilio and Sid shared Romans 12 with the group. A lot of it seemed to describe her life and her example of forgiveness of her captors. Hers is a touching story that is a better read than watching the movie by Ignatius Press. It has a lot of errors. Later that day we were able to visit Bishop Emeritus Pacana. He served as bishop of Malaybalay during the time that FMC's founders were serving here. He is so kind and asked us to come visit him more.

With Bishop Pacana

• Friday we went back to the jail in the morning to watch a dance presentation by the detainees in thanksgiving for Sidney's visit. The bamboo drums and the native chants filled us with energy. We wanted to join in! So touching for them to say "Thank you" in their own way. Later that day we were saddened to hear about the news of one of our friends from Isla Bonita who lost their first baby at 7 months in the womb. This makes the 3rd one from that community in the last month. Stacie is going to start a nutrition awareness class for expectant mothers there and we hope to provide food with enough protein for their growing babies. Their diets consist largely of white rice only. Please join us in praying for the healing of Nelson and Jona and their baby, NikApril.
• Saturday's big highlight was getting Father Oliver to bless the sari-sari of one of our home visits. The family's health had declined and were forced to shut their store down leaving them no income. We received a donation for them to reopen their business and get them back on their feet. We ended the week with a Lord's Day evening meal with Sid, the Leano's and us. It was a good way to sit back and remember in thanks the grace-filled, service-filled week.

Father Oliver at the blessing of the sari-sari

• Sunday was Sid's last day. We took him to the Benedictine Monastery for Mass and he was able to meet some of the priests afterwards. We also visited the gift shop which sells their homegrown and handmade products of the monks. Coffee, peanut brittle, peanut butter, rosaries, etc are a few things that can be found there. Got back home for lunch and Odilio, Maddie, and Meredith headed out to take Sid to Cagayan de Oro for his flight in the evening.

We are now back into our "normal" schedule. We only have a few weeks before we start to prepare for another group coming. Summer School of Missionary Evangelism (SSME) begins June 5th and ends June 27th. We only have a little time to catch our breath and start all over again with the holy craziness! :)

Prayer intentions for our mission:

1. The sale of our home in Kansas
2. The end of our visa fees
3. For our pregnant friends and their babies health
4. Better job opportunities for the men to provide for their families
5. A successful SSME

"So then, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless." 1 Corinthians 15:58