Zakk and Kim Do Asia!

Hello from the Philippines!

Hope all is well with you folks back at home. We are currently in Surigao city (hopefully for the last time) updating our visa information. It is currently pretty rainy in the city, but luckily the boat ride was much less intense than the last time we took it. It actually only took three and a half hours compared to the anticpated four. To avoid having to speak in the third person, I'll let you know right away that this is Zakk typing, and so I can now refer to myself as "I"

What have we been up to? Well, for one thing, I got baptized in the Pacific on Sunday. All the Hope staff and us went to a local "tide pool" and had a small service and my baptism. I gave a very short testimony, as the waves were crashing and people could hardly hear, and then I got dunked by Derek and his father in law Edson. Edson was the pastor at Mount Zion church in Winnipeg. It was a great experience and nice to be surrounded by my Filipino family and friends, though I would have loved to have been with many of you as well. Luckily, we got it "on tape" and will share it with family when we get home.

Otherwise life has continued on as usual at Hope. Our typical week is most busy on the weekend. Mondays and Tuesdays are times of rest for Kim and I and we usually make the most of it by renting a scooter and seeing what the island has to offer. We spent valentines day and our anniversary on sunny beaches and were blessed to dodge all of the terrible Winnipeg weather.

The rest of the week is spent hanging out with youth, and prepping for our weekend ministries. We also spend time as a staff in Bible study, prayer intercession, and family devotions. I have been teaching drum lessons on and off, and Simon (one of two Danish interns who came to Hope recently) has been teaching some Ukelele lessons. I have been taking in those lessons as well, and am throughouly versed in several pop songs.

Friday morning we get to spend some time with the pre-schoolers who attend Hope for the Island Foundational Learning Centre. It is their P.E. day and so we have the privelege of getting to play with them, and run their energy out. After some initial apprehension about us foreigners, the kids have really taken a liking to us. They all wear matching white shirts and blue sweats. They are adorable.

On the weekend, Kim and I have been trying to maintain a minsitry we started with the young adults but have met many challenges. For one, they are in constant need of reminder of events we are planning. For another, a large majority of them decided to go to the city for "vacation" (from doing nothing) for a long period of time. This meant that Kim and I had to seek out the one young adult who didnt go, and very intentionally follow up with him. We have had a few good conversations with him (through a translator) and are hoping that the Danish interns will continue to nurture his development.

Saturdays are spent reaching out to local towns in the area. The ladies of Hope run children's ministries in several different locations (seven I believe...) which involves teaching them songs, Bible stories, memory verses, and feeding them. The kids are always so eager and excited for Saturday ministry. I drive the truck and drop the women off at the locations and then in the afternoon run my own ministry with youth in another town. Kim helps to run childrens ministries in two different towns on Saturday.

In addition to the kids ministries, and young adult ministry, we have been spending some time with the surfers that come to hope. Many of them are also involved in the youth program, but get attention as a seperate group on Friday and Saturday. We share with them some of the Bible and what we can learn from it and then they go out and surf. We have gone with them and though they are good teachers, we are not the greatest pupils. Turns out I get sea sick, so Kim has certainly surpassed me as far surfing performance.

I feel I'm beginning to drag on, and we need to get some breakfast!! The moral of the story is that God is doing great things at Hope and we are blessed to be a part of it. We have also grown a lot as individuals, as a couple, and as followers of God. We have been fortunate to have much time for devotion and prayer, and are grateful for it. Thank you for your continued prayer and love, we are truly blessed.

Zakk and Kim