Hide and Seek

There is alot to update on and by this weekend we will have some new posts. I thought Ben's little hide and seek adventure will help you understand one of the lessons we have learned during our short time here...Not everything is as it first appears! As seen in the pictures above, it looks like there is a simple guitar case laying on our bed but as you come closer you discover it just appears that way. The guitar case is really just a great hiding place for a 3 year old who is small enough to climb in and stay there quietly! Bulgaria has been alot like that guitar case sitting on the bed. Things seem as simple as a guitar case laying on a bed, but when you get closer to what you assumed was something you've seen a thousand times you realize first appearances are not always what they appear to be.
The other lesson that is reflected in the pictures above is what we are learning every day and what Ben learned today with the guitar case...Sometimes our expectations are bigger than the reality at hand. No matter the passion or determination, Ben could not get Mommy into the guitar case!

It's been one month!

When I looked at the 7-day weather projection for this week I asked "Hmm, I wonder what a snow shower is?" It's raining flakes of snow in a "down-pour" fashion! So my question was answered. Some may think this question to be silly but growing up if I heard the word "snow" I was jumping up and down excited and didn't care if it was a shower or one flake in the midst of sleet! The kids have enjoyed the snow too! Yesterday Cameron and the boys threw snowballs and the snowman was unsucessful but attempted. I will apologize now for any grammar mistakes in our blogs. During language learning I have found the letters begin to turn backwards and your brain struggles to figure out what language you are attempting to speak and you end up horrible at both!
In a facebook post yesterday I mentioned that our organization provides training for those who are moving overseas and to the best of their ability they will prepared you for the things you will encounter while living abroad. I mentioned that our organization should include training on how to ice skate on sidewalks as I learned through falling three times that I'm not good at it! It was amazing to see children who have grown up here literally skating down streets and doing tricks as they show off for one another. I asked Cameron if he fell on his way to class and he said no. I asked him how he managed to keep from falling and he said very simply "Stay off the ice." Hmmm, if only I would have thought of that! lol He's a nerd and ended up falling his fair share while taking out the trash this morning =)
Please pray for Cameron as he will travel this weekend with a member of our church and their band out of town near a mountain range towards Turkey. The group he is traveling with holds Christian concerts and will be holding a concert for school aged children this weekend. Schools here, much like in American schools, do not allow religious education/influence into school and this is a way to gather kids and introduce them to the gospel. This trip will also provide Cameron with an opportunity to explore other places in Bulgaria and look for Roma clusters to possibly work with in the future. Please pray for Cameron's safety, ministry opportunities amongst the kids that are gathered, and knowledge of the area that Cameron travels to for potential ministry opportunites.
Yesterday we looked into a school for Micah and should we gain approval he would start January 3rd. The school is a Bulgarian Christain School and is perfect for what we were looking for. The teachers are Bulgarian and teach in Bulgarian however his teacher has an English degree and can address and understand any needs Micah should express. The school also adheres to Bulgarian national standards and when Micah eventually transfers into national school he will be on target. He will finish the remainder of this year at 3 days a week and then will re-do kinder for next year at 5 days a week in the same school. This will give him an introduction to Bulgarian school without being overwhelming and then he will be ready for full-time September 1st. He already made a friend at the school named Grace and it seemed the perfect name of his first friend because it truly was by God's grace that we feel this school has been provided!
The pictures above are of our crazy hair game. I make my hair crazy and chase the boys around trying to poke them with my hair horn. The other pictures are of us on the balcony watching the first snow fall.
We love you!!!
Thanks for praying!

From December to December

It was last December that I was laying in bed crying over the loss of our fifth and last baby. I cried out to God and then my mind started to ponder our work in Bulgaria and the orphanages I would have the opportunity to visit. I immediately began thinking of the babies and children who needed a mother and how I was a mother who longed for another child. It was at this moment that God interrupted my thoughts and demanded my attention. He clearly told me that I would follow Him to Bulgaria with my eyes focused on Him and nothing else. If He added to our family while we were there it would happen while my eyes were focused on Him. He told me to quit trying to fix the broken pieces of my heart with a baby. I cried some more and rededicated my thoughts and focused my eyes on Him alone. The next day at church Pastor Lee told a story about an orphanage in Russia and of some missionaries that helped the orphans recreate the manger scene. They were confused when one of the orphans had two symbols for baby Jesus in the manger. The orphan explained that unlike the wise men who brought gifts for baby Jesus, he had nothing to give. The orphan then explained that Jesus told him that he could get in the manger with Him and if he got in His manger he could be with Him forever. At that very moment God spoke to me and said "Jennifer quit focusing on putting babies in your crib and focus on putting them in My manger. Even if you adopt forty children and put them in your cribs, there are still hundreds of thousands who have not made it into my manger." Oh I still get teary eyed recounting those tender but needed times with God and the focus He gave me!
This week I have had the opportunity and privilege to visit several orphanages around and outside the city of Sofia. It was so sweet reflecting back from last December until now. Last December I could only imagine the orphans that I so longed to work with and this December I was playing with their hair and holding their hands as we exchanged smiles and love. I cannot tell you how badly they need the hope of Christ and what that baby in the manger means for them. I cannot tell you how squeezed my heart was and how overwhelmed I felt at the capacity of needs that overflowed in each situation. One day we may be given direction from God to adopt, but at this moment my eyes are focused on how God wants to move amongst the Roma in those orphanages and put as many of them in His manger as possible. Pray for the orphans around the world who need the hope of Jesus and the Roma who seem to dominate the population inside the orphanages I visited. As you sit around your tree opening presents this year keep in mind those who still need to meet the greatest free gift of all, eternal life and a relationship with Jesus. He is the only one in life who will never leave them nor forsake them! If you attend a church that takes up a Lottie Moon Christmas offering please consider donating to that offering. Lottie Moon is essential in funding and sending missionaries overseas to do the work God has called them to do. Thank you for giving to this offering, it is because of those who give that we are able to be here in Bulgaria!

"The rich man and Oranges"

So today we took a trip to the park, the OMV for lunch and then to the market. Saturday we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with team members and I am making a few dishes. Every recipe I thought of making lacked one thing that I could not find in Bulgaria. As I spent the last two days hopping from store to store and market to market, I've no clue what I will make tomorrow! On the upside I have a few additions to the kitchen pantry! =) We've posted pictures of the park and the boys outside our front door. The pictures are of some graffiti painted on our door and the first day we arrived the boys nicknamed our house "the pumpkin face house". So they took a picture next to our landmark "pumpkin face" =)
After lunch, the boys were getting too tired to continue on to another market so the boys went home and I continued on. I returned to a market that Ms. K introduced me to the first time we went out. There was one vendor we purchased from that was very honest and patient even though we had a language barrier. Today I had to purchase from the vendor next to her for some red onions and cabbage b/c she didn't have those. WELL I mentioned I would also like some oranges with my purchase and the man loaded up a bag of oranges and as I motioned to the best of my ability that I needed no more, he continued. He quickly took my items around the stand and said 20LEV is what I owed. I tried to fix this obvious error and no matter my attempt he became more determined to collect the 20LEV. These are the times I beg for language to come quickly so that I can communicate and not look so easy to take advantage of. Choose your battles. So I paid my "rich man" dues and took my overflowing bag of expensive oranges and walked to my familiar vendor and purchased the few things I still needed. She once again took her time and wrote out prices and at the end of our transaction I hugged her and we kissed cheeks. Without language, I love her. I wanted to talk and talk to her b/c I feel such a pull to her but at this time I can only hug her. I went to the food vendors close by and bought her lunch and a coke and took them to her for another hug and kiss. I will buy from her alone and continue to build on our voiceless connection until I can speak to her.
On my way home there was "Lazarus" outside my gate begging from the cars that drove by. So if the Biblical story were retold it would say that the richman stopped and gave Lazarus alot of Vitamin C!! He was happy to receive a share of the $20LEV oranges and who knows between the market vendor and the begger, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship that all started with being ripped off on some oranges =)
So in the morning we will celebrate Thanksgiving with team members. I will cook something to take with me and have an adventure to talk about. I loved reading what other people said they were thankful for and to be honest I am thankful for most of the same things. I think the most amazing thing about having a relationship with Jesus is that should all of the things I'm thankful for be stripped away, I still have HIM and nothing can strip that away...That is what I am most thankful for. I have more than I could ask for and I have at times lost more than I desired, but all in all I have the priviledge of holding the hand of my Creator and calling Him friend. Praise be to my Savior who gives me everything to be thankful for!
With Love,
Jenn Phillips and Fam

Pancake bandits

I almost forgot to include our precious pancake bandits!!
You will notice how they had a perfect assembly line going as they had a dipping station and taking station. The pancakes are gone and the floor is sticky! =)

Prayer Requests

You've read of our first week in Bulgaria and now you ask what can you be praying for?
* A schedule, a routine with some structure. We want to have productive days after this week of unpacking and organizing that will assist us in knowing for ourselves and for our boys what our days look like. Productive days would include time with the Lord first, time in language learning, time in the community learning our way around town and having quality time playing and enjoying our children and not losing focus of them in the midst of newness and business.

* Continuing good health for our family.

* Times of ministry and giving God glory even in the midst of language barriers.

Thank you so much for the love and support you give us through your prayers and words of encouragment! We love you all so very much and we are so happy that you are in this ministry with us!

pictures described in the post below

Bulgaria week 1

This picture is a view from the balcony in the kitchen. Bulgaria celebrates Christmas and decorations are in full swing for preparing for the holiday.
Yesterday Cameron went with one of our coworkers to get us registered with the police so now we are official and can get things like a cell phone. When they returned we all rode the metro and took a bus to get to their house and have dinner. They have children (a boy and a girl) around our kids ages and they enjoyed playing with each other. The kids ran around with flash lights and hid under beds. We had a bulgarian meal and it consisted of egg, potatoes, ground beef and other things and we topped it with bulgarian yogart. It was absolutely delicious! Afterwards we enjoyed bulgarian ice cream that would put Blue Bell out of business! I thought of my father in law who always eats a bowl of ice cream at night and thought of how he would enjoy that bowl we had! =)
We talked to Micah about possibly using the name Michael or Mike while we live in Bulgaria. The way you say mother in bulgarian is "manka" which is pronounced Micah. So kids might wonder why the boy in their class is called mother. It's just a thought we tossed his way last night and he didn't like the idea so we will just wait and see how it goes.
Last night Micah said that he missed our old house where he could eat pancakes. I told him that I could fix those in Bulgaria but we didn't have syrup (syrup isn't something sold here. Most would eat them with nutella or jam). He said he really would like them with syrup. So this morning we had pancakes and I got a recipe from allrecipes.com and we had pancakes with home-made syrup. Praise God for providing the little things that help even our children adjust. Breakfast has been over for an hour but every couple of minutes Ben has grabbed a piece of pancake and come running to me saying "A pancake mommy!" I just looked in the kitchen and now both boys are grabbing and dipping pancakes so breakfast was just "over" as far as I thought!
There are some pictures above of the kids playing in costumes. This is their favorite thing to do right now. I've also included a picture from the grabbing pancake fun! The other picture is of a storm that just blew in this morning. It was amazing to see how much trash flew across the sky! It was crazy!! If you dare open your door (as I just learned) to take a picture, that trash comes into your home.

some pictures of our first metro ride

Our first time on the Metro

Today was our first time to ride the subway. We met with Ms. K, who has helped us translate language, give us rides around town and generally survive our first week in Bulgaria. Ms. K went with us on our first trip to the center of town and help us with any questions we had while on the metro.
We addressed alot of safety rules with the boys regarding waiting and riding on subways while we waited. We entered the subway and had a good ride (meaning we all got to sit down). The center of Sophia is beautiful and has vendors on the street selling goods, people singing or playing instruments for money, and elaborate buildings that are beautifully aged.
We stopped for coffee and it was far better than any coffee I've enjoyed in the last several months and definately would put starbucks out of business =) Micah and Ben also shared a hot drink called a "vanilla dream" and Micah said "This is the best drink of my life!" He is also known for being dramatic at times so I can't say if it indeed was or not.
We made it home safely and did last minute shopping and a grocery run since Ms. K leaves in the morning with her "Phillips family taxi" car. I can't tell you how grateful we are she came to help us out! So from here on out it will be walking, the bus system, subways or occaisionally a taxi.
I did a little language learning today and realized how consuming learning a new alphebet, grammar, sounds, ect will be! We take each day as an opportunity to learn something new and smile rather than cry hopefully! =)
Exciting finds: Dr. Pepper @ a gas station (may not carry again but while it's here we're grabbing a few!) Some M&M's! Peanut and Plain!
We love you all!
Jenn

Park

Just a quick photo that a team member took of Jen and Micah at the park after going to the market.

A quick update

Sorry we have not written in a couple of days. It is very very busy right now. Everyday has been spent shopping going from one confusing store to the next and then back to the same store again. Apartments here do not have closets so we have to buy wardrobes for the rooms. The wardrobes are made of particle wood and run anywhere from 200 to 600 Lev which is equivalent to 140 to 420 US dollars. The more money the thicker the particle wood! Real wood is out of the question! Everything just takes longer in general. For instance going grocery shopping without the ability to read what you’re buying. If the picture explains the product then you better know how to cook it because you won’t be able to read the directions and the cooking measurements are in metric measurements. You can’t buy a carton of milk. It comes in a bag or a box. The largest amount of milk I have been able to find is 1 Liter, so that lasts about one day in our house =) Vanilla is sold in small packets and you add water to it for your recipe. It’s one serving and is sold as such and is pricey (for my taste). We did find Nestle chocolate mix and so we had our first glass of chocolate milk today! This was a huge victory for this chocolate milk loving family! All in all, we have not adjusted to the time change so we are very tired and buying all household goods is tasking!

So the kids. The kids are doing exceptionally well. They are still adjusting to time changes but seem to be catching up quicker than we are and this could soon be a problem if we have exhausted parents and well rested active children! =) We are in our apartment for the first time tonight
(It is 10:00pm right now for us) They were excited to see all their toys we packed up in May today! It’s been a little like Christmas today! If we were smart we would have wrapped up those toys from May and passed them off =)

There is so much to catch you up on but I am really anxious to get into bed! The people in Bulgaria were tickled at the sight of the boys sleeping and we hope you enjoy the pictures too. We will definitely post some pictures of our area and apartment soon!
With love!!!
Jenn

Phillips in London falling down, falling down, falling down

The Phillips are in London for the night and we are falling down in praise to our awesome God who is Soverign of all things and timing! (all the boys in this family have plain fallen asleep!)

Hello friends and Family!!
Well the first leg of our jouney was beautiful. There was a hiccup at the gate when boarding and they checked Cameron's guitar and our stroller all the way through to Sofia. This unfortunatley required us to carry Ben, hold Micah's hand and drag 4 backpacks and three small suitcases as we made a dead sprint through security and the airport. While waiting in the security line Ben declared he was carrying a liquid and since he knows the security rules quite well he decided to release it all before getting to the counter. Unfortunatley for passengers behind us, this unknown liquid trailed us all the way through the security check before the janitor arrived. Yeek! =/

So you may have guessed it, we missed our connection! Fortunatley since it was British Airways fault they have booked us hotel to stay in for the night. We are waiting in the airport for 4 1/2 hours until our hotel can check us in at 12. We will fly out for Bulgaria tomorrow at 8:30am and our prayer is that all 16 of our bags will be waiting for us. We are very exhausted but also running on some adreniline so it is balancing out for now. I think Ben will not make it for our 12pm hotel check in. They took a 2-3 hour nap on the flight but it was from 4-7pm and so they were awake all "their" time zone night. It is 4:18 for them but they seem to be waiting for the sun to set in their new time zone. Oh well, that makes transition fun I guess =)

I just looked over at my boys and Cameron is holding a dvd player in his lap asleep, Ben is multi-tasking by playing with a squishy dog he got at his birthday party and watching the video that sways with Daddy's sleep patterns. Micah is next to me and he has taken over my game on the nintendo DS and should be happily occupied for a while. We are sitting in an area of the airport that is not crazy and so we will relax until we take a bus for the hotel.
Thank you all for your prayers, please continue them and lift up flights, rest, luggage, and arriving tomorrow!
Love you all so much!

So a couple of London things I have noticed is the word "Cheeky" spoken everywhere. Also people watching doesn't go over so well because they just watch you back and it gets a little uncomfortable and weird =) This of course is just my observation and I do not speak for London as a whole. I do not understand the change I got back from my coffee in "Pounds". Since we didn't understand the currency, we asked a man what the appropriate tip would be for carrying our luggage and he said "We aren't like Americans, Brits are stingy and tipping little is not considered rude." So I'm not sure what the amount actually was that was pulled from our pounds but I guess it was the right amount? =) I am realizing just how big the little changes will be in our lives! =)

I know a secret...

Corpus Christi: Day 19

Cameron called the embassy today and they informed him that our visas are still in the application process. If the embassy schedule is true to their forty business day timeline then our visas should arrive by November 19th and we can process our flight arrangments.

We have enjoyed our time with family but it has also been exhausting going from house to house. After this weekend we will take some much needed time to rest and pack. Some highlights during the last two weeks were beginning a house church ministry to shut-ins in my grandparents neighborhood. Our first meeting was beautiful and we had scheduled to meet the following weekend, however my grandfather was placed in the hospital in San Antonio and we spent some time driving Granny up to see him. Another highlight has been reconnecting with churches in the area that were instramental in our christian growth. I have been attending a Bible study during the week at one of these churches and it has been a tremendous blessing.

During this third week in Corpus, Cameron and I have shifted to what we call "survival mode" and have needed some rest and attitude adjusting. We said quite frequently this week, "When we get to Bulgaria..." "When we have a house of our own again we will..." "When we have a schedule again..." and the "When we" goes on and on and on. God has revealed to us that there will always be those "When we get there" or "when this or that happens" and that we need to rest in the shadow of His wings here and now. We are called to live each day in the present and not look to tomarrow. God's grace is sufficient for us today and God reminded us of the words of Paul in Philippians 4:11-13
"...for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content-whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who stegthens me."
In times of exhaution God reminds us that He will not give us more than we are able to carry, however we "super-humans" can add to our load when we choose to take on more than He has given us or when we do not set boundaries in our lives. We serve a God that tells us to dwell in the shadow of His wings and he will lay us in the green pastures, He will lead us beside quiet waters, and He will restore our soul, EVEN in Corpus Christi on Day 19, 20 or 30.

Be Blessed,
Jennifer and Cameron Phillips

Goodbye

 
We arrived to Corpus Christi on October 3rd and we have started the process of saying our goodbyes with family. We were given the priviledge of staying with friends as we travelled and getting to say goodbye to them along the way. We have put alot of miles on the car and all that driving gave me time to reflect on the relationships we have left behind. Each relationship added so much to our lives. Every mile on the road was filled with a thought of what we left behind and a prayer that we added to their lives the knowledge of God's love. My heart is squeezed when I consider what I "added" to their lives. I cringe at the thought that I might have failed some of them by only leaving behind laughter, good memories, or a sweet friendship. All of these things are great, but if I didn't add to their lives a knowledge of Jesus and His gift of salvation to them then I have failed them as friends. So as we drove away from each home I knew I could reflect and regret or reflect and remain striving towards purposeful relationships that lead our friends to a knowledge of eternal life through Christ.

We are spending the next two weeks dividing our time between our parents and waiting for our visas to arrive. We do not have an exact departure date but we have been told that we could receive our visas in two weeks or two months. So with a time frame like that we are living as if we only have two weeks left with family and should extra time be given to us then we will embrace it and use it! We are thankful for so many things in our lives and mostly thankful that we serve a God who is leading us on a journey to share His love with everyone we meet!
Thank you for praying for our family!
Jennifer Phillips

Count your blessings!

We are ending the "Power Boots" journey hopefully on Sept 27th! It will be here in no time and we are praying Ben has made a full recovery and the bones are healed correctly.
This "Power Boot" journey I admit has been very easy. I thought it was normal that Ben has done so well or that maybe he is just an exceptional kid but the truth is I over looked the power of answered prayers and God reminded me.
Last Saturday I went to a hair salon and while I was being dunked in the shampoo bowl I listened to the conversation next to me.

"Our family is finally going to be better! We have been prisioners in our home since my two year old went into two walking casts. He has been so miserable since he broke his legs. Always complaining about itching and whining about his casts has driven me insane! Anyways we got them off finally after six weeks and we're going swimming."

I kind of laid in my shampoo bowl wide eye'd and amazed. We haven't had anything similar to her complaints and life has hardly had a hiccup since getting the casts on. As I continued to lay in the bowl I started to process our good experience...Was Ben just stronger and braver and an exception to the norm? Did we just handle things better or are our casts made of top line material? The answer to all of these thoughts was a definate NO. The truth is prayers were answered and I had failed to notice and/or give God thanks for them. So to correct a very sad oversight I would love to take a moment to say THANK YOU GOD!!! You are amazing, faithful and this girl LOVES YOU! Second THANK YOU to everyone who took time to pray for our family, you're prayers were answered!
With Love,
Cameron, Jennifer, Micah, and Benjamin

An AMAZING GOD size Recovery

Ben began walking on his own Saturday and played at the park and went out for yogart that afternoon. He has been on Motrin all day and has not complained of any pain. The Loratab was causing some constipation issues and so we are using only Motrin unless Ben needs something stronger which fortunately hasn't been the case. I am posting some pictures of Ben from surgery to Saturday so you can see the answers to prayer for yourself. Thank you so much for the prayers lifted to our Mighty God!