Post Mission Update (June 2023).
Our first month back from the Philippine mission trip has been eventful. We had symptoms of either a bacterial infection or parasites that trace back to fresh vegetables in the Philippines. We are seasoned travelers and generally take care of ourselves, but we were in several places where we could have gotten, as it turned out, cyclospora. It is a rare parasite in the US but more common in Central America and parts of Asia. While symptoms began several weeks before we left PI, we passed it off as getting acquainted with new foods and water sources. Once in the US, the symptoms rapidly worsened.
So, we spent the last month talking to doctors, getting tests, and finally getting the right test to determine the condition. The pills, however, have side effects, and Faylene had every one of them, forcing her to abandon the treatment 3 days early. Nevertheless, both of us are finally feeling better. If you are one the friends that was praying for us, thank you very much.
In the meantime, we have had continued contact with our Philippine loved ones. Several of them are graduating this week and heading to college later this year. Others are entering junior staff or teaching positions at IFL.
We expect to return in early 2024, but we are not thinking of that right now. Since we never finished moving in our NC home before we left on the mission trip, there is a ‘boatload’ of work to finish on the property and in the new home. We have been working at half speed due to the parasite or the treatment for it, but we are finally feeling much better.
We have several writing tasks ahead of us that we hope to start in July. We will be reporting on some of those efforts in the summer months. July will also mark the month we will begin observing the heavens again for groups of people. It is still an excellent way to introduce the Creator and His purpose for the heavens. We should have two observing stations and a couple scopes ready to roll by the end of July. If you are interested in joining us for any of those events, let us know. We will also be starting a small home group in July that will meet on the 2nd and 4th Saturday evenings.
We have both been thankful for His guidance and presence with us during all this time. A special thanks is in order for our friends at Manna Church, Sanford, who have kept us in prayer during the mission trip and the recent illness.
Don’t forget, if you do not have the new book on biblical creation in App form on your phone, it is available through a link on most the pages of this site. Apple and Android versions can be obtained free. If you just want to use the application online, this site has the application. Look for the top right side of the dropdown menu on our cwm4him.org site for the online version. A couple of clicks later, it is all there, including the extra resources, many of which are downloadable. The application and the online use of it made a difference in the Philippines as many people downloaded the application.
Have a blessed week,
Roland
