A Virtual Journey

We invite you to take a journey with us today up into a few of the villages where we have Bible studies with the Agta. While Matt and Erin were here, we got to visit several of the villages, and Erin took some great pictures that I want to share with you.

First, we drive about 45 minutes to the small town of Buhi on the back side of Mt. Iriga, "our" volcano. 1st we need to buy some fresh (aka: still flopping around) fish and vegies to contribute to lunch, then we board a rickety little boat (Erin calls it "quaint"; Jen asks if she means in the "not-sure-it's-sea-worthy way") and head out across Lake Buhi. The views of the clouds reflecting in the still water are spectacular.

Matt discovers that Filipino men definitely open up more when they are under the influence. This sweet old man is a little sloshed, but that just makes him a whole lot friendlier. He even confides in Steve and Matt that he has some gold buried at his house. He was very secretive about the whole thing, but his cover is blown when Steve hollers over the roar of the engine to me "What does ginto mean?", and I holler back "Gold!" Thankfully, there are no other passengers and the man is too inebriated to realize his secret is out.

After we arrive at the chieftain's house in the little village of Ipil, we visit for a while then head up to climb the mountain behind the village. It is pretty steep, but it is so beautiful that we don't mind.A little ways up, we come across a large group of guys trying to get a large rock out of a hole so they can build a house on that spot. The guys jump in to help but to no avail.

The chieftain leads the way with his staff. You wonder what he will think of the stories of Moses when we get to them in the Bible stories. Will he believe when we get to the story of Jesus?

As we hike through the mountains, you see countless little huts like this one set on the side of the mountain. Several thoughts cross your mind. One, how can they possibly survive the typhoons to come in that little shack???

Second, if we don't come to tell these people the good news, who will? Who else will hike up into these mountains on the back side of the lake to give them a chance to hear if we don't? Suddenly the trail does not seem so steep anymore, and you are not as hot or thirsty. This is why we have come here - to give them a chance at life.

When we get back down the mountain, the kids run and play with all the village kids. You are proud of them for being so friendly even when they get mobbed, poked, and prodded. We talked to them before we came about how God can use their friendliness to open doors. God is using them today.

It's lunch time now at the chieftain's house. His wife has graciously cooked for us, and you are thankful but a little hesitant once you see what's on the menu. You are not so sure about eating something that is looking back at you.

But then you see Erin and even little Chloe digging in - even though they have not been here any longer than you have. If they can do it, so can you. So you dig in and discover that the grilled fish is delicious!

After lunch you decide you need to use the bathroom real quick. But when you peek behind the flimsy 1/2 curtain, you decided that maybe you can wait a while if you need to - or all day for that matter. Chloe agrees with you.

We all get a good laugh when Ben takes the "be friendly with the kids" to a whole new level. But his new girlfriend is the chieftain's granddaughter so it is a good alliance. :)

Everywhere you look there are adorable little ones like this looking back at you. Who is going to be there to tell her the good news when she gets old enough? What will happen to her if her parents never hear so are never able to give her a chance?

After lunch we have the Bible study, the story of Cain and Abel. You are afraid to take pictures because you don't want to distract from the lesson. I translate for you as Steve uses discussion questions to draw out 2 main points from the story - 1) that Cain offered his very best, but God did not accept it. God only accepts what is right in HIS eyes, not what we think He should accept - even if we work hard to give it to Him and 2) that God still loved Cain even after he killed his brother - which He showed by protecting him with a mark. Your eyes tear up as you see the group of 15 men and women really grasp these truths. Will they continue to believe this way as we go through the rest of the stories? Will this become a church that reaches out into the neighboring areas and beyond to plant new churches? Will God use these very men to start a God-sized movement amongst the Agta? You cry out in prayer for this throughout the lesson as you look from face to face.

After the study, we get in a boat to head home again. It was a long day, but how wonderful. God is doing amazing things in the village of Ipil. It makes you want to come back every week and just watch Him at work.

On the way back across the lake, you see this man in a tiny boat. It occurs to you that he was not at the study. Who will tell him the stories? Will one of those men who is hearing them now believe and then share them with this man? You find yourself praying as the boat passes him by that the Good News will not do the same.

We get home late, but it was a good day. A few days later, we take off for another village. You are tired out, but the views and your reason for going once again energize you. Where on earth do these kids get all their energy???

We arrive to the home of the family where we will have the study today. Their home makes you feel somehow guilty for the many times lately you have complained about life and its amenities. You resolve to be more thankful.

We all sit around and visit. You begin to realize that things don't happen at American warp speed here in rural Philippines. The only way to connect with these dear people is by slowing down and just being with them. Sometimes not even talking. Just sitting with them and showing that they are important enough to you to just come and be there - without some fast agenda. At first the lack of doing anything profitable grates on you, but then you hear a small voice telling you to just rest. You realize that you can worship in the quiet of your heart as you rest in the stillness of the moment.

When Steve finally starts the Bible study several hours later, you become discouraged by the lack of response from the group. In the village of Ipil, the people were all answering the questions and discussing the issues. Here, they won't even look at you. You feel for Steve as he tries to lead a discussion, tries to help them understand when they will only look at the ground. You begin to pray for these people. They are not as fun to teach, but they need to hear as well. They say before and after the study that they truly want to study, but they sure don't act like it during. And who knows what God will do with this little group? You resolve to pray for them - and for Steve as he tries to find the patience and motivation to keep teaching the truth despite their lack of involvement.
We leave that home, hike back out to the road, and Steve says that we need to stop and get some rice for them before we go on. Erin asks if that is customary, and Steve replies that it isn't, but they asked him for a loan to buy some rice because it has been a long time since they have had anything to eat. Steve did not give them a loan, but we definitely need to find them some food before we go on. You suddenly feel guilty for your feelings of frustration toward them during the lesson when they refused to be involved. Maybe they were just so weak and hungry... Steve and Matt walk down the road to find a little sari-sari store where they can buy some rice. The ladies and kids find a little inn and pay to use their bathroom - thank goodness it was there - you had gotten pretty desperate after that coffee earlier, and the only other option was out in the grass. After giving them the rice, we pile back in the truck to drive a couple miles down the road to the next study.

When we pull up, we discover that a log bridge is the only way across the creek. You are a little nervous and wonder if you will fall in and make a fool of yourself. You are saved for now - they tell you that the study will be a little further up the creek this time, and you should use the bridge up there.

Your relief is short-lived. When you see the other bridge, it doesn't look much better but at least it has a rail. If the little kids can do it, you can too so you just dive in (NOT literally). No problem. If getting wet and making a fool out of yourself hadn't motivated you enough, falling on a momma water buffalo and her baby certainly did the trick.

Once safely across the bridge, you follow the winding path to the hut down the way.

The kids scoop up a rooster - they always seem to find some animal to play with. Your brain jumps to all the diseases that animal could have. Even though it has never been found in the Philippines - bird flu??? You quiet the questions with a quiet prayer and conscious choice to just trust God.

You are excited by the group that has gathered. These people seem much more excited. You are especially impressed with 2 young guys, Joven and Boknoy. They seem very eager to learn. The study had started out with just them, but several others have now joined. God is truly at work here. You are excited - and try to ignore the ants biting your feet, the smell of the pig next to you, and the sound of the rooster behind you.

Boknoy reads the story out of the Word before Steve re-tells it. You wonder if God will one day send this young man into the mountains to share the Good News of Christ with his tribesmen. You say a silent prayer while he reads - you can't understand the reading in Tagalog anyway.

As we finish up and go to leave, Steve squats to talk with this old woman washing clothes. Maybe she will join the study next week. You find yourself praying for her as well. This whole journey has sure made you pray more often. Your heart sings as it rejoices in what God is doing in your own life as He makes you more aware of HIS perspective on the people around you. You pray that you will not easily forget as you return to the hustle and bustle of life in the States. The people there need your prayer as well.

As we pile in the car to drive away, you look into the eyes of the group gathered to watch you drive away. To go back to your comfortable house and your abundance of food. You pray that God will never allow you to forget what you have learned today. That you will be thankful for all that He has blessed you with - not only a comfortable life but easy access to the Gospel. That you will never forget to pray for those who are not as fortunate. For those who have never had the chance to hear the Good News that Christ died for them. You pray that God will not allow you to become so focused on your life that you forget those for whom He died. You pray that He will show you how you can be a part of giving them a chance to hear.

If at some point you would like to make this a real journey instead of a virtual one, pray about it, then contact us - we would love to help if we can!

Beach Blast

Matt and Erin just left after an wonderful whirlwind 2-week visit so I am finally getting around to posting some pics from our time together. Erin is an amazing photographer, and she took more than 3,000 pics while she was here! As you will see, she got some spectacular shots. A few of the ones you will see are pics I took, but the vast majority are hers. Enjoy!

Here are Matt and Steve in front of Mt. Mayon on the day they arrived here in Bicol. It was cool for us to watch how their gifts complement one another; they will work really well together. Our 2 families will make a great team! While they were here, we took 2 days of vacation time and headed to a little rental house on an island off the coast of Bicol. It is a gorgeous place with an ocean view on 3 sides, and a view of Mt. Mayon as well. Beautiful. The only problem was the lack of electricity that made it like a glorified camp out. Before we go back we want to try to get some battery-powered fans so we can actually get some sleep at nights - and have them remove the rooster that crows through the night outside the window. We had a great time though.
The views made up for lack of sleep.
The kids all had a blast together. Mikayla and Chloe got on as 7-year-old girls do -- best friends one moment and in tears the next. :)
Much of our time at the beach was spent collecting these amazing shells. While it got a little too competitive at times, they had a good time with it; and now we have some great shells to put in a basket to remember our time together at the beach.

During our shell searching, we also found these tiny hermit crabs. Aren't they amazing? The 2nd pic shows one in the palm of my hand. With intricacies like this in nature, it is unbelievable to me that many people believe it was all created by chance.
One of the highlights of our time at the beach was the snorkeling exhibition. This pic is of Mikayla and Zach on the outrigger of our little boat.
Zach amazed all of us with his ability and confidence with snorkeling. He just took off and had a blast!
Ben still spent most of his time in the boat, but he didn't mind at all because of all the starfish that Steve kept bringing back to him.

Chloe went out snorkeling as well, but she seemed to enjoy playing the starfish in the boat just as much. They were pretty cool.

One morning, Steve and Matt were invited to go out early fishing with the local guys. They left before the sun was up, and Steve decided to take Zach along for the adventure. They had an amazing time and came back with some great stories - and 3 fish (I think they were blue fin tuna, but the guys may correct me on that).

Zach was very proud of his catch, and we fried it up for breakfast. Yum!

There were some adorable little kids who lived in huts just down the beach. A beach and playmates - what more could kids ask for?
They even let Steve borrow their little boat to take the kids out for rides. I love the 2nd picture of all the kids playing in the boat together.
The families on the beach gave us a couple of cool shells - one is a conch shell with a hole in it. Steve discovered that the hole is in the perfect place to turn the conch into a trumpet. He looks pretty funny playing a shell, but it sounds cool. This pic is of the guys showing Steve how to clean the shell with another shell.
Isn't this a cool pic?
Here are some sunset pics to remind you of our God Who loves beauty.

Please remember to pray for Matt and Erin Price and their 3 kids, Chloe, Emma and Laney. They have completed all their paperwork for the application process with our company, and now they are just waiting for the committee to evaluate it and approve them for this position. Please pray with us that it would all go smoothly if this is God's will; the vote will be held the week of August 13th. Here is a picture of their family so you can continue to pray for them. They do send out updates from time to time and have a blog spot as well with some great pics of their time here (http://www.pricefamilyupdates.blogspot.com/). If you would like to be included on their list so you can partner more closely with our team as we partner to reach the Agta, let us know and we will you in touch with them.

Look for pics in the days to come of some more of our Bible studies in the village. Erin got some great pics of those as well.

A Joyful Reunion

Matt, Erin, & Chloe Price arrived safely last week for a 2-week visit. We were all thrilled to see them again, and we have had a wonderful time reconnecting. Right after we picked them up at the airport, we did some sight-seeing around Mt. Mayon, our spectacular volcano. Isn't it amazing?

The 4 kids are having a lot of fun together, and Chloe is doing great getting acquainted with the different world here.

Erin is a great photographer so I anticipate having some pics on the blog while she is here that include me. :) Here is a family picture in front of Mt. Mayon that I thought you may enjoy.

We had to cross a little log bridge to get to the Cagsawa ruins, a popular place for tourists at the foot of the volcano. Mikayla and Chloe were best of friends in the States before we came over, and they have loved being reunited.
And another family picture - I think you are going to get tired of having me in the pics. :)
Isn't this an amazing place? I also love the pictures that Erin takes.

We are excited to introduce all of you to Matt and Erin Price and their daughter Chloe. They also have 2 other daughters, Emma and Laney, who are staying with grandparents during this time. If you want to see some more pics of them (as well as some more pics that Erin has taken on this trip so far - she is posting a lot more than I am), please check out their blog at http://pricefamilyupdates.blogspot.com/ . The reason that we are even more excited than normal about the Prices' visit is because God has recently led them to prayerfully consider partnering with us to reach the Agta here in Bicol. They have been praying about it for several weeks now and have even completed the extensive paperwork of the application process with our company. After they had been here a few days (and their brains had cleared a little from jet lag!), we spent nearly a full day discussing what the position would entail, how we see that fitting into the big picture of church planting amongst the Agta, and how we think they would be a great fit for the position and on our team. After that time, Matt and Erin said that they feel that God is definitely leading them this direction! So at this point they are on their way to join us here in Bicol for at least 3 years, unless God closes the door. We are so incredibly excited about their decision and can't wait to see how God is going to use this team (the Hagens and Prices) to plant reproducing churches amongst the Agta for His glory.

Please be in prayer with us that the rest of the application process for them goes smoothly and as they make the necessary preparations to move across the ocean, hopefully by April 2008. Between now and then, they would like to attend the fall semester of intensive Bible training in Wisconsin while they finish the application process with our company. Please pray that God would provide the finances needed for this and give them an extra measure of grace as they have a very busy year, full of transitions, ahead of them.

Rodents, lizards, and ants - Oh my!

Ok, so the lizards are normal for around here (we always have little ones climbing the wall - which is ok with us because they eat the mosquitos), but I thought I would let you know about our recent adventures with rodents and ants. When we got home from our travels, our house was infested with ants. Every counter was covered with them. We had secured a tenuous victory over them before we left by practicing fastidious cleanliness. However, it seems our helper was not as fastidious while we were gone because the ants definitely overran us. After several "Raid" battles, we went to the city an hour away and got some heavy duty ant poison. Today the ant infestation seems much better.

As for the rodents, it seems that our giant monitor lizard (see the post about "Monty" below for details) was waging that war on our behalf. However, we have not seen or heard from Monty since before we left in June, and it seems that the local rodents have heard the news that our home is open for business once again. Our dogs have been doing a great job of killing any of the ones that try to make the mad dash across the yard (they have killed 9 large rats in the 2 weeks since Steve has been home!). However, a few have managed to make it into our house. We noticed the evidence of a few mice and began hearing rats in the attic (where Monty used to live). So we bought some weapons to fight this war as well, and we have killed 5 rats or mice in the last 2 days! All this rodent action has us wondering if it is possible to buy a monitor lizard to put in your attic to live. A thought I would never have considered until recently. I debated, but I decided to spare you the photos of the effects of our rodent war - they wouldn't be pretty, believe me! :)

Our friends Matt and Erin and their daughter Chloe are enroute to see us! We are unbelievably excited. Mikayla and Chloe became best of friends when they were 3 years old in Sparks in AWANA at our home church in Missouri. I can't wait to see their reunion. We adults are pretty excited as well to see some of our very best friends. :) In case some of you are wondering, no, the fact that I waited to publish this post about our rodent infestation until AFTER they left the USA was NOT intentional...but it sure doesn't hurt anything! :)

Here are some pics of the Price kids and Hagen kids before we came to the Philippines. They have had one more daughter since this pic was taken.

Best Friends Forever!

Across the Lake

Yesterday our whole family and our 2 visitors were able to travel to one of the new Bible studies that Steve has been doing. Let me give you a little background for this group - there was a very large group in the village of Ipil (EE-peel) that was interested in being taught. So Steve asked them if they would select the leaders in the group and their wives; then he would teach the leaders and train them how to teach the others. They were excited about that, and the study has been going well so far. Yesterday there were about 15 adults in attendance, mostly men. There are 2 parts to the lessons that Steve is teaching - agricultural training and a story from the Word. It was so exciting to see the men and women eager to learn about the Bible. They are also interested in starting a "test plot" to try some of the agricultural techniques he is teaching.

Here a few pics so you can join us on our adventure. The last one we shared pics of was a hike up into the mountains. This village is located on the other side of Lake Buhi so we drive about 20 minutes then take a little boat to the other side.

This was our boat captain. He looks mean, but he broke into a massive smile when the kids joined him out on the front of the little boat.

Unfortunately, he kept hiding from the camera at the last second so you will just have to imagine his smile. :)

We arrived several hours before the Bible study so that we could visit with the people. The kids had a ball running wild with the other kids, and we had a nice time visiting with their parents and grandparents.
We brought some fish with us, and they grilled it up for lunch. It was delicious!

Steve and Mikayla ran out to the local grocery store for a snack.
This the boat we rode home. The kids had fun climbing all over it before it was time to leave. Notice the mountain in the background. It is a volcano that blew 400 years ago. The town of Iriga (where we live) is just on the other side so don't normally see this one. You can see here where a massive chunk of the mountain is missing, leaving only a gigantic crater. It must have been quite the day when that blew!
The kids are getting really good at balancing on these ramps and on other log bridges. We have been so proud of them in how they have adjusted to life here.
Please pray with us for the group that is meeting in the village of Ipil. Pray that the people would continue to come and be eager to learn more from the Word (especially the men since it is normally so difficult to get men to be interested in spiritual things). Pray that many would be saved in this village and a church would be established that will spread the Good News to the surrounding areas.

Mr. Clips

Here is a post that Mikayla wrote and wanted me to put on the blog -

This is how Mr. Clips was made. Fist we(Zach and Ben and I (Mikayla) made a circle a and I thout about making a smiley face and so we made one. Then we decided to make him a king and that went well. So we made a castle to go with it.
He even has a crown and a airplane and so that’s the story of Mr. clips. THE END!

Back Home Again

Hello once again from the Philippines! I (Jen) arrived home yesterday from an amazing week in Thailand and a few days in Singapore. Let me get you up to speed on how all our various trips went. Our annual meeting with our company went very well, and Mikayla had an absolute blast the following week at summer camp. Steve and the boys had a safe trip up into the mountains, and we are encouraged by the excitement the Ilongot people are showing about the possibility of sending some of their own to partner with us to reach the Agta. We had hoped to do some training in their midst in October, but that falls right in the middle of harvest time so we will probably schedule the training for January instead. My time in Thailand went amazingly well; we had a great group of students, and we were able to connect with them in real ways. Thanks for praying for all of us during our various travels.
While I was in Thailand, Steve had his hands full with sick kids - including several doctor visits and an ER visit! I am happy to say that the boys are doing much better now. However, please be in prayer for Mikayla as she is running some high fevers and having symptoms that make us suspicious of dengue fever. Please pray that whatever it is will run its course without any complications.
I went straight from Thailand to Singapore to see the specialist about my wrist. The doctor there seemed to have a lot more experience with this condition, and she said she wants to try several different things before jumping into major surgery. I got several more xrays and an MRI. The xrays showed that the gap between the bones has narrowed significantly (PTL!), and the MRI showed that the tendon is not "severed" like the doctor in Manila assumed. The doctor gave me a steroid shot in my wrist, and she is optimistic that it will heal on its own within a month! Honestly, as painful as it is, I have a hard time seeing this happen; but it is worth a shot (no pun intended :) ). So right now we are in "wait and see" mode. The next step will be a splint that completely immobilizes my entire right arm, palm facing up. Please pray with us for God's will in all this and that He will be glorified in whatever happens.
Tomorrow, our supervisor and his wife will be coming to our home for a visit. We are so looking forward to having them in our home for a few days and showing them how God is at work down here amongst the Agta. Then we have some dear friends from the from our home church, Matt and Erin Price along with their eldest daughter Chloe (Mikayla's best friend!), who will be arriving for a visit on July 26. Please pray for safe travels and health for them and also for God's direction in their lives. They had orginally planned this just as a trip to visit us and see what life on the field is like with a family; however, God recently opened up the possibility of them moving here for 2-3 years to partner with us to reach the Agta! So what was just a trip to visit friends has become a vision trip for them. Please pray for God's clear direction in their lives while they are here.
Thank you for your faithful prayers over the last few weeks. It has been a very busy time for our family, and we have been encouraged by your intercession on our behalf and your sweet notes as well. May God bless you richly as you seek to glorify Him in all you do.

Please Pray!

Hello from Thailand! I (Jen) just arrived here yesterday to help with a conference for TCKs (Third Culture Kids) that are about to graduate high school, to help prepare them for the upcoming transition. Thanks for praying this week that we are able to connect with the students in a real way. Please pray as well for Mikayla at summer camp and Steve and the boys as they travel into the mountains to visit the village where I grew up; we want to see if they are interested in partnering with us to reach the Agta. And please be in prayer for our family as we are apart this month. Steve and the kids will travel home on the 7th, and I will be home on the 15th.

We also have another big prayer request to share with you. On the way to our meetings last week, we stopped in Manila to see a hand specialist about my wrist. I injured it in April and have been wearing an immobilizing wrist brace for 3 1/2 months now, but it has not improved. The specialist is the top one in Manila, and he said that the tendon that holds my 2 wrist bones together was severed, causing the bones to separate. He described a surgery to repair it that involves harvesting a tendon from my arm, drilling holes in both bones, then threading the tendon through and around the bones to reconnect them. However, this hand specialist has only done this extensive procedure once, so that made us a little nervous. We emailed our medical department in the States, and they agreed that I need to have it looked at by somene else. So I will be traveling to Singapore after my conference here in Thailand to see a doctor there. Please pray that the details for this last-minute trip come together and that the doctor would have some experience with this very rare injury. Also, if this doctor recommends the same procedure, pray for wisdom to know where and when to have it done and what to do with the kids during that time. The recovery that the Manila doctor described involved a cast up to my shoulder with a wire through the bones that keeps my palm facing up and immobile for 6 weeks, followed by 6 weeks of physical therapy. We appreciate your prayers during this uncertain time. We are staying encouraged and resting in the fact that God is in control, but there are a lot of unknowns out there right now. We are praying that this medical situation will not take us away from our location for any longer than is necessary. Please pray with us.

We're Off!

Thought you may enjoy this pic of Ben that a friend took. His smile is priceless. We just wanted to let you all know that we leave early in the morning for the airport to head north. We have a few appts at the doctor (for Jen's wrist and Ben to see the speech therapist) before heading to some meetings. After the meetings, we all head in different directions. Jen leaves for Thailand to help out at a conference for TCKs there, and Mikayla goes to summer camp for a week. Steve and the boys will head into the mountains in northern Luzon to talk with the church in the tribe where Jen grew up about possibly partnering with us to reach the Agta. Steve and the kids will come home on July 7, and I will return on the 13th. Please pray for safety and health as we travel and for guidance for each of us as we go our separate ways. We would love to have an email from you waiting for us when we get home! :)